In this blog post, we will give you an in depth look at what headless commerce is and how it can help your business. Headless commerce is a growing trend that many businesses are taking advantage of to better serve their customers. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about the benefits of headless commerce, as well as the types of implementations available today!
Let’s take a deep dive into Headless commerce| 5 use cases & benefits for the growth of ecommerce.
What is Headless Commerce?
Headless Commerce is where a company will have their data split between two different systems. One system contains the front end, which we know as the site or app that users access to see products and make purchases. The other system, which is often called “backend,” stores all of the product information including descriptions, prices, and inventory levels. Headless commerce allows for companies to maintain separate technology stacks with reduced costs and increased flexibility.
Headless Commerce vs. Traditional Ecommerce
Before we go any further, it’s important to discuss what headless commerce is not.
The term “headless” can be a bit misleading as many people confuse this with decoupled ecommerce which simply refers to the ability for your front-end and backend systems to communicate without being tied together in code or design. In other words, you don’t need an API hub but rather just some sort of webhook that will pass along actions from one system into another. However there are still components like a mobile app or website that handle all the customer transactions and payments that happen on these platforms (i.e., checking out).
1. Traditional ecommerce.
Traditional ecommerce, on the other hand, refers to an architecture where you build your entire website and its front-end experience from scratch. This means that in order for someone to purchase a product or service they need to go through all of these steps:
· We browse a store’s site
· Locate desired products (which can take some time)
· Add items into cart/checkout process which also takes some more time
After going through this arduous checkout process users will either get their order right away depending on what type of payment method was used or if it is delayed due to fraud prevention measures.
A monolithic ecommerce strategy is characterized by slow go-to-market timelines and high development costs. This delays innovation, but it might be useful for extremely customized sites or strategies.
A traditional model of ecommerce involves a single platform with full control over IT departments which can enable extreme customization when needed. Monoliths also give companies the ability to grow quickly because they are fast to implement; however, this comes at the cost of slower growth in new markets due to higher up front costs required after initial implementation . Downsides include low scalability as well as limited agility since only one version exists on site – making updates difficult without great effort (and time) invested into maintaining older versions that aren’t no longer relevant/supported.
2. Headless ecommerce.
Headless commerce gives businesses the power to create powerful, customized ecommerce experiences without compromise. Brands can use APIs through a CMS or DXP application with an API-driven frontend experience that is flexible and agile.
With headless, brands are able to easily integrate complex requirements like custom react sites while still trying their best work into beautiful designs. This means there’s no need for content compromises in order to combine it with ecommerce functionality; instead they’re free from having limited options when creating highly customizable stories using tools like Drupal Commerce 2 or Magento 2 Pro Edition (both of which have great support).
When you choose to use Open SaaS, the important things for your company are high or unlimited API call volumes. You will also have multiple endpoints and well-documented developer documents that make it easy to build on this platform. Finally, focusing heavily on creating APIs in a product roadmap is very beneficial when using an open SaaS system because its main purpose is built around these tools!
Benefits of Headless Commerce for Online Merchants
Using both commerce- and content-led ecommerce strategies offers several benefits to brands. These include:
- Creating visionary, fast websites using advanced technologies like headless CMS (content management system)
Familiarity for developers with a flexible site architecture that is owned by the brand as opposed to third party companies providing limited access. - Improved marketing effectiveness due to having complete ownership over website structure without sacrificing back end processes such as shopping cart integration or product recommendations based on past purchases made in store/online which can be used for omnichannel global trade markets while also experiencing lower customer acquisition costs.
1. Advanced tech to create better ecommerce websites.
Because the front-end is decoupled from the back-end, developers are free to create as they please instead of being tied to the confines of a traditional CMS. This means that brands can test new technology in headless environments and connect with customers more directly by delivering content or experiences through devices such as DXP which have been built for creating commerce focused on what matters most: content or experience! You can then swap out the front-end without affecting the backend operations. A headless ecommerce platform houses content centrally and is able to deliver it anywhere via API. This method allows for a much faster delivery than traditional ecommerce platforms and lends itself to a better customer experience.
2. The ecommerce developer saga.
Rather than forcing teams to choose between an ecommerce platform and a website front end, headless commerce enables brands to work with their favorite technologies. Now developers can stay comfortable in what they know best while also streamlining processes and developing efficiencies; it’s the ultimate win-win for everyone involved (especially customers).
3. Faster time to market.
Using a headless CMS, we have the ability to launch anywhere in the world quickly and efficiently. It’s easy for us because of how optimized our system is which includes its international SEO capabilities.
A headless content management systems are perfect when trying to release new products or geographies as they allow companies like ours be efficient with their process while also being able to make sure that everything gets set up properly so it can connect into other parts of your business data orchestration infrastructure.
4. Customer acquisition costs & Conversions.
The rise of paid advertising and the increasing prices for customers is causing companies to find new ways in which they can reduce costs. One way this could be done is by using a content- or experience-led strategy, rather than relying on ads. Dynamic and smooth customer experiences also increase conversion rates when it comes to acquiring more customers who might have seen an ad first before coming across your website.
5. Site architecture ownership.
Brands are turning to headless CMS systems because they want more control over their backend content management system. With a frontend and backend solution decoupled, brands can have greater control of the back-end application environment without having to worry about major changes on the front end.
For example, if a company was selling products on WooCommerce but wanted to sell more, they might want to switch ecommerce platforms. However, this means that their carefully crafted WordPress site would no longer be optimized for online sales and wouldn’t allow them the functionality of an advanced platform like Shopify or Magento. In another scenario where a content-focused business decided it’s time start making money through digital goods (think books) rather than just traditional print editions; Drupal is not capable of hosting these kinds of transactions in any comprehensive way without sacrificing some power features such as personalized recommendations or creating complex bundles and promotions – all functions that are key when you’re thinking about user experience at scale across hundreds/thousands customers.”
Headless Commerce Use Cases
Whether you prefer WordPress, Drupal, Bloomreach, Adobe Experience Manager or other CMS/DXPs such as PWAs (Progressive Web Apps) — headless commerce still works in just about any use case. The most common reasons for using a decoupled SaaS ecommerce platform in combination with a separate frontend solution are:
- PCI Compliance mitigation – Less work for IT teams and the SaaS provider takes on the risk of PCI compliance.
- Checkout security and fraud protection – Same as above; this is less work for IT teams because it’s up to them.
1. Custom solutions.
For some, the reason to choose headless is because they have big ideas that no one system can provide out of the box. Maybe customizing an existing platform or SaaS solution wasn’t possible – due to long development cycles and lack of maintenance options. Headless provides a way for them to keep their customization while also losing cost and upkeep issues from other platforms/solutions (e.g., Saas). Or maybe working on SaaS was limiting innovation; now with headless, there’s more open-source experience than ever before!
Being innovative and delighting customers with unique and compelling digital experiences can make or break an ecommerce business. Headless can make it easier to customize and pivot their site to stay on the cutting edge.
2. Content Management System (CMS).
When you pair the headless approach with a CMS, it makes for an incredible combination. This method allows brands to use popular platforms like WordPress, Drupal but also custom frontend solutions so they can have unparalleled customer experiences that increase conversion rates.
The ecommerce platform provides PCI compliance and inventory management; however, this system is able to communicate easily with other systems including ERPs or CRMs via APIs.
3. Digital Experience Platform (DXP).
A DXP is a type of software that enables companies to quickly digitize and provide an improved customer experience. Combining this with headless CMS solution results in a strong foundation because it offers APIs, which allows developers and marketers work separately while still being able to integrate the services without affecting project flow.
4. Progressive Web Apps (PWA).
PWAs are a new way for businesses to engage with customers. These technologies allow users an immersive experience that can increase conversion rates and lead to more time spent on site.
Lately, many people have been shopping from mobile devices instead of PCs or laptops so it’s important for companies to invest in PWA technology as these web applications merge the capabilities of websites and traditional software such as native apps which will cater positively towards customer engagement.
As we continue to move into a relationship marketing model that’s informed by content, blended with commerce and based on experience, you have to be extremely agile and highly adaptable.
After all the only constant is change; so get really comfortable because it’s coming whether you like it or not! SaaS ecommerce solutions enable quick adaptation while achieving lower total cost of ownership faster time-to-market greater security everything needed for delivering online shopping experience world class.
