Retailers understand the pain points that come with managing a traditional, monolithic ecommerce platform. Limited flexibility, poor scalability, and a lack of personalization can all impact your ability to compete in today’s digital marketplace. However, a solution to these challenges is replatforming to headless commerce.
If you’re a retailer who is looking for a modern, futureproof solution, headless commerce may be just what you need. In this blog post, we’ll explore the basics of headless commerce, its benefits, and considerations when replatforming. Whether you’re just starting to explore headless commerce or are ready to make the switch, this post will help you make an informed decision.
What is Headless Commerce?
Headless commerce refers to separating the frontend (presentation layer) and backend (commerce logic layer) of an ecommerce platform. This allows for more flexibility and customization options. Or, to put it easily, headless commerce is an ecommerce platform where the parts that customers see and the parts that store owners use to manage the store are separate from each other.
Think of it like building a car. When you build a car, there are two main parts – the body and the engine. The body is what people see and sit in when they drive the car. However, the engine is what operates the vehicle. With headless commerce, it’s like separating the body from the engine.
On an ecommerce platform, the body is what customers see when they visit the store – the layout, colors, and pictures. The engine is the part that manages things like inventory, orders, and payments. With headless commerce, you can build the body of the store using one system and the engine using another.
This is beneficial because it allows retailers to use different technologies for different parts of the site, which makes things more flexible and efficient. It’s like being able to choose the best engine for your car and the best body for your car separately.
Headless commerce offers a range of benefits that can help retailers provide more flexible, scalable, and personalized customer experiences. By separating the frontend and backend, retailers can choose the best technology for each part of the platform. This results in a better online experience and increased sales.
- Scalability: With separate front and back ends, it allows for more scalability. If your online store experiences a surge in traffic, the backend can handle it without affecting the frontend. This ensures a seamless customer experience.
- Flexibility: Headless commerce allows for more flexibility because you can choose the best technology for each part of your ecommerce platform. This means that you can use different systems for different parts of your site. This allows you to customize your platform to meet your specific needs.
- Omnichannel: Headless commerce makes it easier to create an omnichannel experience for your customers. You can use the same backend for your online store, mobile app, and in-store experience while customizing the frontend for each channel. This creates a seamless experience for customers across all channels.
- Speed: With headless commerce, the frontend can be built using fast and lightweight technology, which means faster page load times for customers. This can lead to higher conversion rates.
Replatforming a retail business can be a complex process that requires technical expertise, budgeting, realistic timelines, and customization. However, the benefits of replatforming can include increased efficiency, better customer experience, and increased sales.
Challenges When Replatforming To Headless Commerce
- Technical training
- Budgeting
- Timelines
- Implementing customization
- Improved workflows
- Better customer experiences
- Reduced long-term costs
- Increased customer satisfaction
As more and more businesses turn to headless commerce to provide a more flexible and personalized customer experience, it’s becoming increasingly important to choose the right platform. Here are some key factors to consider when selecting a headless ecommerce platform:
- Add-On Pricing: Some ecommerce platforms may appear to have a lower cost, but charge extra for integrations. Make sure to carefully evaluate any additional costs before committing to a platform.
- Paying for Future Updates and Features: Some ecommerce platforms may require you to pay for future updates and features. This can be frustrating and expensive, especially if you need to constantly upgrade to stay competitive. Look for a platform that offers free updates and features in the pricing.
- B2C Focus: Not all ecommerce platforms are created equal, and some may be more focused on B2B than B2C. Make sure to choose a platform that is designed with B2C in mind, they will help you meet the needs of your customers and help drive sales.
UpStart Commerce offers a perfect solution for retailers, with transparent pricing and no charges for future features. Additionally, the platform is built by retailers for retailers, meaning that it is designed specifically to meet the needs of B2C retail. By choosing UpStart Commerce, you can be confident that you’re getting a reliable, user-friendly platform that will help you deliver a better customer experience and drive sales.
