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Headless Commerce FAQs
About Headless Commerce
Explore higher-level questions about Headless Commerce.
"Headless Commerce" is a modern architecture & implementation approach to e-commerce store development. Principally, it refers to the practice of developing and maintaining two core applications to power an ecommerce store: a backend, and a (separate) frontend.
Traditional ecommerce stores typically run on a unified platform, such as Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, or Prestashop. In a traditional setup, both the storefront and backend will be powered by the same application.
In a headless setup, the frontend is developed using a different framework, hosted in a different place, and is often comprised of a completely different programming language and application architecture.
This is commonly referred to as a "decoupled" setup, as the frontend and backend are decoupled from one another.
Traditional ecommerce stores typically run on a unified platform, such as Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, or Prestashop. In a traditional setup, both the storefront and backend will be powered by the same application.
In a headless setup, the frontend is developed using a different framework, hosted in a different place, and is often comprised of a completely different programming language and application architecture.
This is commonly referred to as a "decoupled" setup, as the frontend and backend are decoupled from one another.
To give a very general overview, a headless commerce build will comprise two core components – a headless ecommerce backend ("the ecommerce platform"), and a separate frontend ("the storefront"). The two are inherently decoupled, meaning "disconnected" from each other. They communicate via APIs, rather than a shared codebase. The API endpoints exist on the headless backend, such as Shopify or BigCommerce. The frontend makes requests to the backend via the APIs, in order to retrieve or send data to/from the backend. This is what allows the two components to communicate with each other.
Most of our clients choose Headless Commerce because of the flexibility it provides. A headless approach allows brands to break free from the limitations of their backend ecommerce platform. The decoupled frontend can utilize more appropriate technologies, which are better suited to experience and functionality goals.
Typically, our clients who choose headless fall into one of the following categories. Perhaps the same applies to you?
Typically, our clients who choose headless fall into one of the following categories. Perhaps the same applies to you?
- Experience flexibility: You require a high level of frontend experience flexibility. Perhaps your industry or product line is either highly custom, or highly complex. In this case, you might find that your current ecommerce platform is unable to accomodate or provide for the flexibility required to deliver the frontend experience you require.
- Custom or made-to-order products: Do you sell highly custom, or made-to-order products? Or do your products come with so many potential configurable options that you can't bear the thought of manually entering them all as individual variants?
- Site performance: Is your current ecommerce platform delivering cripplingly-poor performance, costing you sales? As headless storefronts utilize state-of-the-art frontend frameworks, concerns about website speed can be absolished if developed in line with best-practices.
- Deep personalization requirements: If you require the ability to deliver tailored experiences to different user groups or segments, headless commerce could be a potential solution. The ability to deliver separate exeriences to D2C vs B2B customers, all from the same frontend – or user-specific products and pricing – are all things headless commerce can do well.
If you have a complex product line and have highly-specific requirements in regards to frontend experience: Yes.
If you are experiencing long-term performance challenges with your current ecommerce setup: Yes.
If you're sick of variants: Yes.
If you require a high level of personalization: Yes.
If you're already 95% happy with your current setup: No. Headless commerce is best suited for brands who have outgrown the limitations of cookie-cutter or DIY ecommerce setups and are looking to scale up the experience that the storefront is providing, or alleviate existing operational or customization challenges. Typically, you'll need to be feeling fairly "stuck" with the current setup in order for a move to headless commerce to make sense, as it's a radical shift in your stack. If you're already 95% satisfied, we recommend that you don't touch anything, and only make small, incremental adjustments.
If you are experiencing long-term performance challenges with your current ecommerce setup: Yes.
If you're sick of variants: Yes.
If you require a high level of personalization: Yes.
If you're already 95% happy with your current setup: No. Headless commerce is best suited for brands who have outgrown the limitations of cookie-cutter or DIY ecommerce setups and are looking to scale up the experience that the storefront is providing, or alleviate existing operational or customization challenges. Typically, you'll need to be feeling fairly "stuck" with the current setup in order for a move to headless commerce to make sense, as it's a radical shift in your stack. If you're already 95% satisfied, we recommend that you don't touch anything, and only make small, incremental adjustments.
We believe so, yes! Node.js and React are currently the two most popular web frameworks in the world (source here), with Next.js coming in third, and WordPress at 13th. The most popular frameworks are now Javascript-based, which fully supports our expectation for headless commerce to take over as the dominant approach to ecommerce store development. Give it 5 years!
Technology
Technology, architecture & implementation questions.
With headless commerce, there'll be two core components to your tech stack:
- The frontend: Headless commerce frontends use best-in-class Javascript-based frontend frameworks. The most common options include Next.js, Remix, Vue, Astro, Gatsby, and Hydrogen (for Shopify, specifically).
- The backend: The most common backends for headless commerce are Shopify & Shopify Plus, BigCommerce, commercetools, and Adobe Commerce. However, it's possible to integrate headless commerce with other backends and platforms too, such as Magento open source, and WooCommerce. Whether legacy platforms are best suited to your specific build requirements is another question - and it's therefore quite possible (most likely, even), that a headless-first/API-first platform is going to be better suited to your long-term needs. Contact us to discuss the best options for your specific requirements.
We'll often implement a separate headless CMS, alongside your headless commerce platform, because it's likely to provide a better editorial experience for supplementary pages and "non-commerce content". However, this is not a hard-and-fast requirement. Augmenting the stack with the addition of a headless CMS is best-suited for cases where the site structure includes pages other than the product catalog, or where a strong focus on editoral content is required.
When integrating a Headless CMS within a headless commerce build, you end up with multiple data sources supplying data to the storefront.
By and large, the CMS and the ecommerce platform don't always need to interact with each other, as often they'll be used for two distinct purposes – the ecommerce platform for all commerce-related management (such as product information), and the headless CMS for content management. However, (as is the case with most of our headless commerce builds), it can helpful for the CMS and ecommerce platform to interact specifically in regards to the sharing of product-related information. This allows content editors and marketing teams to easily reference product or collection data within the content they're creating.
Often, headless-first content management systems have connectors that enable sharing of data between the two systems. Alternatively, and sometimes more beneficial, is to develop a custom data pipeline between the ecommerce platform and the headless CMS, that facilitates a seamless flow of data between the two, in specifically the way your brand content and storefront presentation requires.
By and large, the CMS and the ecommerce platform don't always need to interact with each other, as often they'll be used for two distinct purposes – the ecommerce platform for all commerce-related management (such as product information), and the headless CMS for content management. However, (as is the case with most of our headless commerce builds), it can helpful for the CMS and ecommerce platform to interact specifically in regards to the sharing of product-related information. This allows content editors and marketing teams to easily reference product or collection data within the content they're creating.
Often, headless-first content management systems have connectors that enable sharing of data between the two systems. Alternatively, and sometimes more beneficial, is to develop a custom data pipeline between the ecommerce platform and the headless CMS, that facilitates a seamless flow of data between the two, in specifically the way your brand content and storefront presentation requires.
Replatforming
Moving existing ecommerce stores to a headless ecosystem.
In most cases, yes – existing ecommerce stores can adopt a headless approach, where the ecommerce platform provides a way to receive and transfer data via APIs. For the most popular ecommerce platforms, this won't be a problem (Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, etc).
Where APIs don't exist, they can be developed.
However, it will also be important to consider the utility of the existing ecommerce platform, and whether you might benefit from a wider replatforming of the backend to a more modern, API-enabled platform.
Where APIs don't exist, they can be developed.
However, it will also be important to consider the utility of the existing ecommerce platform, and whether you might benefit from a wider replatforming of the backend to a more modern, API-enabled platform.
One of the most crucial components to any headless commerce replatforming project is the data. Oftentimes, there will be copious amounts of it, requiring a targeted approach to data extraction and migration. No two ecommerce engines will interpret and store data in the same way, and hence a layer of data transformation is also required. Many agencies use connectors and pre-built exporters to migrate content & data from one platform to another. (We've heard the horror stories, don't get caught out!) However, experience has taught us that these tools frequently fall short and cause havoc in the process.
Most of our clients operate highly bespoke, nuanced ecommerce setups – sometimes with fragmented data and all sorts of custom fields and configurations.
For this reason, we usually prefer to develop a custom migration pipeline, with bespoke automation scripts that handle the full breadth of data extraction, transformation, and migration in accordance with each client's particular setup.
Most of our clients operate highly bespoke, nuanced ecommerce setups – sometimes with fragmented data and all sorts of custom fields and configurations.
For this reason, we usually prefer to develop a custom migration pipeline, with bespoke automation scripts that handle the full breadth of data extraction, transformation, and migration in accordance with each client's particular setup.
Often, this is indeed possible.
For one of our clients based in Tennessee (US), a custom guage guitar string manufacturer, we migrated all products, variants, options & their associated custom fields, discount codes, and categories/collections. We also migrated all blog posts, categories, tags, authors, and comments. Discount codes/coupons, digital gift cards, order history, and recurring product subscriptions were also migrated during the replatforming process. This data was migrated from WooCommerce to a bespoke headless commerce build using Shopify.
However, it depends highly on financial and time constraints. Because we build custom data migration pipelines & workflows for each of our replatforming projects, each additional data type involves further development & engineering time. This isn't an obstacle, but should factor into your decision-making process.
For one of our clients based in Tennessee (US), a custom guage guitar string manufacturer, we migrated all products, variants, options & their associated custom fields, discount codes, and categories/collections. We also migrated all blog posts, categories, tags, authors, and comments. Discount codes/coupons, digital gift cards, order history, and recurring product subscriptions were also migrated during the replatforming process. This data was migrated from WooCommerce to a bespoke headless commerce build using Shopify.
However, it depends highly on financial and time constraints. Because we build custom data migration pipelines & workflows for each of our replatforming projects, each additional data type involves further development & engineering time. This isn't an obstacle, but should factor into your decision-making process.
For ecommerce stores, our most common legacy-to-headless replatforms are from WordPress/WooCommerce, open source Magento, and non-headless Shopify, to headless setups. However, we've also conducted e-commerce replatforms from other systems such as Drupal Commerce and custom-build systems to headless. Non-headless Shopify to headless Shopify is not really a replatform as such, but rather a re-architecture of the frontend!
Working Together
Common questions about engaging with us.
Good question! This is going to be entirely dependent on what the project requirements are, whether it's a new build, or whether we would be supporting or extending an existing build. Contact us to discuss your requirements.
There are some "representative" figures floating around the web, including from big-name brand authorities in the space (we daren't mention who!), but we don't find those to necessarily be reliable or realistically indicative of expected costs for a headless commerce build.
Ultimately, costs are inherently linked to the amount of time required to realize project requirements.
Our rates are generally competitive, but we're not the cheapest around – we take project success very seriously, and therefore we don't compromise on quality. There is no set cost, and we can't really provide a "rough" cost without an understanding of the project requirements. Costs will be entirely dependent on the project requirements, the architecture complexity, and functional needs.
Headless commerce builds should be viewed as an investment in general, and you should anticipate costs that reflect a high level of bespoke development and specialist website engineering. Contact us to discuss your requirements and request a proposal with pricing estimates.
Ultimately, costs are inherently linked to the amount of time required to realize project requirements.
Our rates are generally competitive, but we're not the cheapest around – we take project success very seriously, and therefore we don't compromise on quality. There is no set cost, and we can't really provide a "rough" cost without an understanding of the project requirements. Costs will be entirely dependent on the project requirements, the architecture complexity, and functional needs.
Headless commerce builds should be viewed as an investment in general, and you should anticipate costs that reflect a high level of bespoke development and specialist website engineering. Contact us to discuss your requirements and request a proposal with pricing estimates.
We can, yes. Whether it's ideal is another question. We would begin with a thorough auditing of the architecture already in-place, as well as discovery and scoping of any existing pain points and challenges you're looking to resolve.
Let's talk Headless.
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Tell us about your project, and we'll get back to you with details on how we can make this happen.