Since 1999
In layman terms, headless eCommerce is eCommerce store development that separates the storage, control, and dissemination of content from the platform that users are viewing it on. If the developer’s intended platform is a smartphone, he or she will be forced to make development decisions around making that content fit the smartphone screen and work on top of the device’s operating system. Were the developer to choose a smart watch instead, the implementation would be radically different.
Store-owners are empowered by this de-linking of backend environments from the front-end by gaining the freedom to design a storefront that appeals to specific groups of users. These designs can then be brought-to-market faster as no syncing requirements between the backend and front-end need to be met. Speed can be a huge differentiator when highly competitive markets are being dominated by first-to-serve operators.
Research also shows that most online shoppers may begin their search for products on one device but end up buying on another. This makes sense because your customer may be constantly moving and switching from smartphone to PC to laptop to tablet and then back to the smartphone again. By developing and designing storefronts that look attractive and inviting for different platforms, therefore, you are enhancing user experience by many factors. Great UX and UI are two of the biggest ranking factors for website SEO. You are also leveraging an omnichannel strategy that takes marketing to where your customer is rather than enticing him or her to come to you
In technical terms, e-store development involves creating software stacks at two places. One is typically stored on your hosting server. The programs here call up APIs and services directly from the source applications. The front-end is the set of programs that render the coding on the server to the browser or app on the computer or smartphone that the user gets to see.
Headless commerce means the absence of a frontend or head that is specifically developed and designed for a particular platform. How does Headless Commerce help Your Business?
Essentially, the way websites store, handle, and deliver their content need no longer be specific to your device or browser. Web development traditionally used to have two components to data and service management and delivery – the front-end (which was basically a template or theme that appeared to browser users as a webpage or a native mobile app) and the back-end (which was where different APIs from various sources were delivering content, images, videos, and products).
Removing the front-end means that content can now be delivered directly to fitbits, stand-alone screens, Alexa Skills, and many other embedded systems. This makes headless eCommerce most suitable for an omnichannel, Internet-of-Things experience. The advantage for your customers is that you get to come to them where they are. For example, smart watch users can receive fitness advice directly on this device as a service, instead of them having to install space-consuming apps for the same.
Wisitech is a highly experienced and qualified eCommerce development company that can help incorporate the latest web development functionalities within your current software development lifecycle and cleanly develop e-stores that stand apart from the competition. Call for a FREE consultation here.
