How do I get started with a vendor API?

Hello,
I am getting ready to launch an online store in a 100% dropship model. That is, I carry no inventory and all customer orders will be fulfilled by my vendors.
Many dropship vendors have RESTful or SOAP services for integration, and they all seem to do mostly the same thing. How do I get started connecting to these services? Ideally someone can introduce me to a plugin that would take me partway there, but I haven't seen anything like that in the marketplace.

Given the fact that I have several vendors (3-8) that expose their systems with an API, here is what I need:
- Automatic push to vendor-specific API when customer orders product (instead of email)
- Scheduled pull from vendor API for shipping and delivery information for open orders
- Ideally there would be a single core component that can be "mapped" to each vendors API

I can do light development, but I can't get my head around this. I will likely need development assistance. Any input will be greatly appreciated!

It's very unlikely you'll find any ready-made plugin for this. Each vendor has their own API, so you really need to implement those APIs one by one. :)

I'm pretty much expecting that - but the question is, how do I get started?

Note what was already mentioned here.

Your plugin could handle an Order (placed) event.

If you want commercial help (whether a plugin built for you, or mentoring or similar), then post your requirements in the Commercial Help Wanted forum.