Modern shopping continues to evolve with the proliferation of customer touchpoints. Studies indicate that customers now use approximately 2 to 3 channels to search, review, and purchase products. Digital commerce has expanded from shopping solely via websites to include social media and live videos.This shift necessitates an omnichannel and connected shopping experience, achievable by decoupling the frontend layer (the storefront) from the backend system through BigCommerce APIs-based digital commerce.

You might not realize it, but most of your business operations today involve API integrations, making digital management easier and connecting everything with a digital pulse.

However, many businesses still view API integration as complex and requiring extensive expansion with limited control. Let’s explore what API-based digital commerce entails and how BigCommerce APIs can help you create a tailored omnichannel shopping experience.

Understanding API-Based Digital Commerce

API-based digital commerce involves using an API (Application Programming Interface) to decouple front ends from backend systems, integrating shopping capabilities across various touchpoints like mobile, web, social media, or IoT. This approach offers flexibility and adaptability, enabling businesses to create unique customer experiences via diverse storefronts.

An eCommerce development company can integrate your preferred frontend technology to build custom UI/UX designs and deliver high-quality content experiences. They connect an eCommerce platform’s backend to manage operations and integrate necessary APIs for seamless communication between the frontend and backend.

API-based commerce facilitates the safe sharing of information across apps, enhancing functions like social selling and streamlined payment processes through integrated payment APIs.

The Role of BigCommerce API Integration

BigCommerce, a headless SaaS platform, supports API-based digital commerce with multiple APIs, each offering unique functionalities. These APIs integrate with your store’s backend to manage operations such as inventory and product management, automating processes and enabling omnichannel selling strategies. This expands your brand reach, allowing you to meet customers wherever they prefer to shop.

Key BigCommerce APIs for Digital Commerce

1. REST Store Management APIs: Manage transactions, modify store data, and act as a store administrator. Functions include adding/updating products, managing orders, creating coupons, and updating customer accounts.
2. REST Storefront API: Manage customer carts and checkouts, and provide order updates on the client side. Functions include adding items to carts, retrieving order information, updating billing addresses, and clearing carts.
3. GraphQL Storefront API: Query and mutate products, customers, and carts, and launch checkout pages. Functions include adding product data, accessing customer data, managing carts, and fetching category/brand details.
4. Customer Login API: Simplify the customer login process, allowing sign-ins from third-party accounts or headless storefronts, integrating with SSO providers like Salesforce and Okta.
5. Current Customer API: Securely identify signed-in customers and differentiate them from guest users, confirming customer identities and displaying specific information.
6. Payment API: Process payments through connected gateways, facilitating preferred payment options and creating orders via related APIs.
7. Catalog API: Manage products, brands, pricing rules, and categories, performing CRUD operations to streamline product management processes.
8. Shipping API: Manage shipping zones, methods, and carrier connections, creating multiple shipments from a single order and updating customers with tracking information.

Final Word

The future of digital commerce is API-driven, crucial for businesses aiming to build omnichannel experiences. Implementing the right eCommerce platform, like BigCommerce, which offers built-in APIs, can streamline store development and enhance existing functionalities.

As a certified BigCommerce development partner, we can assist with smooth store development, migrations, specific API integrations, and necessary updates to support your eCommerce business. Additionally, we offer power BI consulting services to integrate advanced data analytics into your eCommerce operations. Our team of power BI consultants and power BI developers can help you harness the full potential of your data, enabling more informed decision-making and enhanced business performance.

Connect with Imenso Software to book a consultation with our eCommerce and Power BI experts!