Headless Commerce is one of the fastest-growing trends that contributes to changing how businesses approach eCommerce. Interestingly, Shopify Plus is known as a leading platform in providing superior solutions and tools for businesses to implement Headless Commerce.

The article below lists 15 top brands from various industries that have deployed headless eCommerce websites on the Shopify Plus platform to deliver a more memorable online shopping experience to customers.

Learn more: 15 reasons to switch to Shopify Plus

Babylist

Babylist was founded in 2011 by Natalie Gordon when she was pregnant and faced difficulty selecting gifts for her baby shower. Babylist is a platform that allows parents to create a list of products they need for their child. This helps party attendees or gift buyers know what items are essential. 

It’s crucial for Babylist to optimize for two distinct customer journeys:

• One allows parents to easily create a wishlist and add product URLs they want from any website on the internet, not just Babylist.
• One allows friends or relatives to purchase products from the wishlist from anywhere on the internet.

This illustrates that shopping involves more than just selecting items from a product catalog; it also extends to registries created by parents, housing product URLs from various sources on the internet. The complexity increases as Babylist enables users to make online purchases and collect items in-store. 

Therefore, Babylist has adopted Headless Commerce with Shopify Plus to customize the customer journey more easily and optimize the management processes of product listings, orders, payments, and inventory. In addition, Babylist also uses a Headless CMS – Contentful to distribute content to the website and mobile app interfaces.

• Website: https://www.babylist.com/
• Industry: Maternity & Baby
• Lưu lượng truy cập: 9.9 triệu/tháng
• Xếp hạng: 1,087 (Hoa Kỳ) & 5,431 (Toàn cầu)

Figs

Figs is a high-end medical apparel brand with a focus on minimalist design.

The brand specializes in manufacturing and distributing medical clothing and accessories for healthcare professionals, including households, doctors, dentists, and individuals working in the healthcare industry. Figs’ product range includes medical clothing, jackets, hats, socks, gloves, and shoes.

Prioritizing online sales, Figs has implemented a Headless Commerce strategy using Shopify Plus for backend functions such as product management, order processing, payments, shipping, and more. However, on the frontend, Figs has taken an independent approach to crafting a distinctive and personalized user experience.

In particular, Figs has utilized Unbounce to create unique and tailored landing pages for products or promotional campaigns. Furthermore, they’ve integrated Next.js to link these customized landing pages seamlessly with the product pages on Shopify.

This approach ensures that when customers visit a specific custom landing page, they can easily locate and purchase products. Therefore, Figs has enhanced the shopping experience for customers, providing a seamless and user-friendly journey to quickly find the products of their interest.

• Website: https://www.wearfigs.com/
• Lĩnh vực: Thời trang 
• Lưu lượng truy cập: 4.3 triệu/tháng
• Xếp hạng: 2,207 (Hoa Kỳ) & 9,573 (Toàn cầu)

Allbirds

Allbirds is an athletic and footwear brand founded in 2014 by Tim Brown and Joey Zwillinger. The brand is well-known for crafting shoes from sustainable sources and featuring simple, aesthetically pleasing designs. With the slogan “We make shoes to thank the earth,” Allbirds has experienced rapid growth, becoming a prominent name in the fashion industry as a whole and specifically in the footwear sector. 

To provide an optimal online shopping experience for customers, Allbirds has deployed Headless Shopify Plus. The Headless architecture allows the brand to customize and control the user interface (frontend) flexibly and efficiently, while Shopify Plus is utilized for managing data and eCommerce operations on the backend.

The deployment of Headless Commerce has enabled Allbirds to create a user-friendly and distinctive interface, providing a unique shopping experience with advanced features.

• Website: https://www.allbirds.com/
• Industry: Fashion
• Traffic: 2.2M/month
• Ranking: 4,212 (USA) & 21,427 (Worldwide)

Rothy’s

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Rothy’s is a well-known fashion brand that specializes in producing footwear from recycled materials, primarily utilizing post-consumer plastic fibers, especially PET. Rothy’s has become an icon capturing consumer interest by combining fashion elements with an environmentally-friendly mindset.

With a desire to “do things differently,” Rothy’s has embraced a Headless architecture to easily expand its presence to various international markets. The Headless architecture allows the brand the freedom to seamlessly integrate preferred technologies into the Shopify Plus eCommerce system.

Meanwhile, Rothy’s can develop independent frontends for each market, enabling adjustments in elements such as pricing and language to suit the specific consumers of each market. This approach helps Rothy’s create a unique and tailored shopping experience for the target customers in each market they serve.

• Website: https://rothys.com/
• Industry: Fashion
• Traffic: 1.6M/month
• Ranking: 6,083 (USA) & 31,084 (Worldwide)

Inkbox

Inkbox is a brand specializing in temporary tattoos that can be easily applied to the skin and nails. It allows users to have the temporary tattoos they desire without the commitment of a permanent one. Inkbox’s ink is made from natural ingredients, ensuring it is skin-friendly with the “Freehand Ink” technology. The brand is an example of leveraging creativity and technology to offer a temporary change for self-expression and image creation on the skin and nails uniquely and excitingly. 

Inkbox has implemented Headless Commerce with Shopify Plus to provide an optimal shopping experience for customers, featuring prominent functionalities such as:

• Search suggestions with popular keywords
• Displaying products by size, category, and theme
• Allowing users to customize their tattoos
• Integrating multiple payment methods: PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Sezzle, and Afterpay.

• Website: https://inkbox.com/
• Industry: Beauty
• Traffic: 1.3M/month
• Ranking: 9,560 (USA) & 31,846 (Worldwide)

Kylie Cosmetics

Since its establishment in 2014, Kylie Cosmetics has been widely embraced by consumers throughout North America, and Kylie Jenner was notably honored as a business genius by Forbes. Following the success of Kylie-branded cosmetics, in 2019 Kylie Jenner marked a new milestone by introducing the skincare line named Kylie Skin.

Quick to embrace the Headless Commerce trend, Kylie Cosmetics has implemented Shopify Plus for core functionalities on the backend, such as payment and delivery.

In addition, this platform provides the brand with exceptional flexibility to integrate third-party services for a more diverse range of custom operations on the frontend.

This enables Kylie Cosmetics to offer a unique and appealing online shopping experience for customers while benefiting from the robust and stable infrastructure of Shopify Plus.

• Website: https://kyliecosmetics.com/
• Industry: Cosmetics 
• Traffic: 678.7K/month
• Ranking: 24,950 (USA) & 74,263 (Worldwide)

Vinamilk

Vinamilk is the national brand of Vietnam, offering a wide range of trusted dairy products such as fresh milk, yogurt, condensed milk, ice cream, and more. In 2023, Vinamilk implemented a repositioning strategy to strengthen its position in the domestic market and expand its business activities internationally. 

As part of this strategy, Vinamilk integrated its eCommerce website and corporate website to provide a more consistent and seamless customer experience, as well as to manage data more efficiently.

Vinamilk collaborated with SECOMM to make a decisive move towards implementing the Headless Commerce + Headless CMS model based on the Shopify Plus eCommerce platform and a Headless CMS system.

The revamped appearance of Vinamilk’s website signifies a transformation from traditional to modern, from segregation to integration, and from focusing solely on sales to enhancing the overall customer experience.

• Website: https://new.vinamilk.com.vn/
• Industry: Dairy
• Traffic: 635.8K/month
• Ranking: 2,197 (Vietnam) & 103,735 (Worldwide)

ILIA 

ILIA is a beloved clean beauty brand that has won numerous consumer awards. The brand was created to help users protect and restore their skin through safe and highly effective formulas.

Initially running on Shopify Advanced, ILIA’s eCommerce website quickly grew and upgraded to Shopify Plus for more flexible customization capabilities.

ILIA implemented Headless to provide diverse and impressive visuals, helping customers find the exact type of cosmetics suitable for their skin without creating a cluttered web experience that could impact performance and page loading speed.

By deploying Headless Commerce on Shopify Plus, ILIA’s developers have the freedom to experiment with various types and formats of content. This approach has significantly improved the frontend capabilities, such as faster page loading speed, and has provided customers with an enhanced shopping experience, including the “Find My Shade” feature.

• Website: https://iliabeauty.com/
• Industry: Cosmetics
• Traffic: 530K/month
• Ranking: 20,571 (USA) & 107,803 (Worldwide)

Bols

Established in 1575, Bols is a brand specializing in cocktails that has been present in bars, restaurants, and airplanes worldwide for many years. After years of operation, the brand aimed to sell its products to consumers on a global scale. Therefore, Bols built an eCommerce website for both B2B and B2C models, placing a strong emphasis on customer experience.

By deploying Headless Commerce on the Shopify Plus platform, Bols can flexibly customize the layout and design of the frontend interface, allowing customers to purchase cocktails, book events, buy event tickets, and register for mixology courses.

To date, Bols has built a community of over 20 thousand followers on Instagram and has integrated this social network into the website to share the latest cocktail recipes.

• Website: https://bols.com/
• Industry: FnB
• Traffic: 482.7K/month
• Ranking: 23,098 (Holland) & 619,828 (Worldwide)

Victoria Beckham Beauty

Victoria Beckham is known as an icon in the global fashion industry, and her talent and dedication are recognized by professionals and fans alike.

Victoria’s passion extends beyond fashion to the realm of beauty. Thus, in 2019, she co-founded the beauty brand Victoria Beckham Beauty.

The brand launched an eCommerce website with a focus on high performance, fast page loading speed, and smooth operation with a multilingual, multicurrency interface.

Therefore, Victoria Beckham Beauty decided to implement a Headless architecture, leveraging Shopify Plus Storefront API, Netlify hosting, combined with the Contentful Content Management System (CMS).

Shopify Plus assists this business in managing customers, orders, and inventory, and integrating multiple payment methods to provide a multi-currency experience. Meanwhile, Contentful provides outstanding CMS features to manage the rich data of Victoria Beckham Beauty.

• Website: https://victoriabeckhambeauty.com/
• Industry: Cosmetics
• Traffic: 365.7K/month
• Ranking: 41,886 (USA) & 126,562 (Worldwide)

Kotn

Kotn was founded with a mission to set standards for creativity and conscious consumerism, designing clothing based on principles that ensure quality, honest value, and a positive impact on society. 

After launching a Headless eCommerce website with Shopify Plus in 2014, the brand continued to expand its product portfolio to meet customer demands. To provide customers with an exceptional experience, Kotn adjusted its approach for future development.

Kotn utilized the Shopify Storefront API to consolidate two stores into one, integrating with a new CMS system and customizing product pages and payment processes. This reduced the need for custom apps and related solutions, empowering staff to manage inventory, sales, and customer experiences more efficiently.

• Website: https://kotn.com/
• Industry: Fashion
• Traffic: 336.3K/month
• Ranking: 4,834 (Canada) & 122,434 (Worldwide)

Paul Valentine

Paul Valentine is a brand specializing in crafting and offering timeless and elegant jewelry. In just 8 years since its establishment in 2015, Paul Valentine has officially become a reputable jewelry brand, serving hundreds of customers worldwide.

While the Paul Valentine website had previously been operated on Shopify Plus, a reset in its setup made content management across 12 local stores complex and less efficient.

Therefore, implementing the Headless architecture was deemed the most suitable approach to address this issue. Accordingly, Paul Valentine built a custom frontend interface using the Shopify Storefront API and the Vue.js framework. 

Additionally, they integrated the Contentful system into the backend to unify content management and distribution across all stores.

This streamlined the management and operation of Paul Valentine’s eCommerce website, accelerated page loading speed, and ensured a smooth and consistent user experience.

• Website: https://int.paul-valentine.com/
• Industry: Jewelry
• Traffic: 168K/month
• Ranking: 16,087 (Germany) & 284,438 (Worldwide)

Veloretti

Veloretti is a well-known bicycle brand from the Netherlands, specializing in the production and supply of high-quality bicycles and accessories. The introduction of their first modern electric bicycle prompted Veloretti to completely rebuild its eCommerce website.

While competitors focus on technology, Veloretti chooses to design its website with a strong emphasis on fashion and lifestyle, utilizing unique layouts and video content.

For non-electric bicycle product pages, Veloretti uses a bright theme, while a dark theme is employed for electric bicycle product pages, ensuring the provision of sufficient technical information without sacrificing the brand’s fashion and core values.

To achieve this, Veloretti has implemented the Headless architecture, with Shopify Plus serving as the backend platform. In addition, they use the Shopify Storefront API to connect the frontend and backend, facilitating easy and flexible access to data and functionality from Shopify.

Furthermore, Veloretti utilizes the React framework to build a custom frontend interface, providing customers with a unique and fashion-forward shopping experience.  

• Website: https://www.veloretti.com/
• Industry: Consumer electronics
• Traffic: 145.4K/month
• Ranking: 8,114 (Holland) & 304,131 (Worldwide)

BonLook

BonLook is a renowned eyewear brand based in Montreal, with 37 branch stores across Canada. In addition to selling ready-made glasses, BonLook offers prescription lens-cutting services. Customers can upload their prescriptions, and choose lens materials, anti-blue light and anti-fatigue capabilities, frame sizes, and styles.

BonLook has developed a Headless omnichannel solution with Shopify Plus to provide a seamless shopping experience across various channels, from online to offline, incorporating unique features such as AR technology with “Virtual Try-On.” The brand also leverages applications within Shopify Plus Certified Apps to enhance conversion rates and foster loyalty through promotional programs and seasonal offers, attracting customers to return for more shopping.

• Website: https://www.bonlook.ca/
• Industry: Fashion
• Traffic: 112.8K/month
• Ranking: 7,778 (USA) & 294,314 (Worldwide)

Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative

Grass Roots is a cooperative of small-scale family farmers in the United States specializing in the production and sale of clean products such as pork, beef, chicken, lamb, and bone broth.

To provide users with the optimal online shopping experience, Grass Roots decided to implement a Headless Commerce solution on the Shopify Plus platform.

This allows Grass Roots to access the latest web technologies to create its unique customer experience with features such as

• Allowing customers to select product sizes and automatically display prices.
• Integrating a loyalty program with a referral rewards program.
• Integrating diverse payment methods such as Shop Pay, PayPal, and Google Pay.

• Website: https://grassrootscoop.com/
• Industry: FnB
• Traffic: 68.7K/month
• Ranking: 105,894 (USA) & 649,318 (Worldwide)

Go Headless with Shopify Plus today!

Here are specific examples showcasing the unique and engaging customer experiences of 15 brands across various industries when implementing Headless on the Shopify Plus platform.

With its outstanding customization and scalability capabilities, Shopify Plus is one of the preferred SaaS platforms for large enterprises considering the adoption of Headless Commerce models, thanks to optimal solutions like Storefront API, Hydrogen + Oxygen, and Commerce Components.

Over the years, SECOMM has become a reliable partner for many large enterprises such as Vinamilk and Suzuverse in establishing Headless architectures for eCommerce websites. We take on the roles of consulting, planning, and accompanying businesses in building Headless Shopify Plus websites through each stage.

Contact SECOMM or call directly on the hotline (028 7108 9908) to start your Headless deployment project with Shopify Plus today!

Freedom in creativity and technical flexibility have ushered eCommerce into a new era with the Headless Commerce trend. In this scenario, Shopify Plus shines with its exceptional solutions that have positioned numerous businesses at the forefront of this trend.

Learn more: Brands go Headless with Shopify Plus

The combination of Shopify Plus infrastructure and the Headless architecture opens up various ways for businesses to create unique and customizable shopping experiences for their customers. Below are three common methods for implementing Headless Commerce with Shopify Plus.

Method 1: Employ the Storefront API

The Shopify Storefront API is a GraphQL-based API – a query language for APIs. It enables businesses to connect the frontend of their website to the backend of Shopify, facilitating easy access to data and eCommerce functionalities. Therefore, businesses can use the Storefront API to create unique and personalized customer experiences across various digital channels.

Pros

High flexibility: The Storefront API allows you to create independent websites. Instead of adhering to the constraints of pre-built themes, you can flexibly design product pages, homepages, and shopping carts in a style that accurately reflects your brand. The Storefront API also ensures flexibility in integrating with third-party systems while easily adapting the website to embrace new design trends.

Full data access: Through the Storefront API, you can access every aspect of the Shopify Plus database, including detailed information about products, orders, and customer data. This helps manage, monitor, assess trends, and optimize eCommerce data accurately.

Born for Headless Commerce deployment: Embracing the Headless Commerce model, which decouples the frontend and backend, allows for significant flexibility in eCommerce development and operations. The Storefront API is strategically optimized to seamlessly connect Shopify Plus’ backend with diverse frontends, ensuring a cohesive user experience across various channels and devices.

Cons

High technical skills required: Deploying Headless Shopify Plus using the Storefront API is a complex process that demands in-depth knowledge of the Shopify Plus platform, programming languages, and frameworks, as well as problem-solving skills to quickly address technical requirements. Particularly, you need to understand the data structure of Shopify, including how customer data, product information, and transactions are organized and stored within the system.

Hard to manage: The flexibility of the Storefront API complicates the process of managing and maintaining the system. While the flexibility of the Storefront API allows to customize every aspect of the eCommerce website, from the homepage to the checkout process, these custom configurations need to be well-managed. When there are too many custom configurations, updates may lead to compatibility issues within the overall system.

Method 2: Utilize the Shopify Hydrogen solution

The Shopify Hydrogen + Oxygen solution was introduced in 2021, and designed for large enterprises implementing Headless Commerce with Shopify Plus. Specifically, Hydrogen is a React-based framework – a popular framework for building user interfaces, enabling businesses to construct unique and visually appealing storefronts.

On the other hand, Oxygen is a global hosting solution capable of storing custom content. Shopify Oxygen is backed by Shopify’s infrastructure with over 100 server locations positioned worldwide. You don’t need to worry about finding third-party hosting providers or managing technical issues.

Pros

High customizability: Shopify Hydrogen allows you to customize the Headless website interface and implement necessary extensions. This means that merchants can use the latest technologies to build a Headless eCommerce website without worrying about impacting the system’s functionality.

Create personalized experiences: The Shopify Hydrogen solution offers high flexibility and customization, enabling you to implement Headless Commerce with this solution to easily create and deliver personalized shopping experiences for customers.

Diverse integrations: To help you create a seamless omnichannel experience, Shopify provides the capability to integrate the Headless Hydrogen website with various third-party applications such as Klaviyo, Gorgias, etc., as well as Headless CMS systems like Contentful, Sanity, Builder.io, etc.

Cons

High technical skills required: Shopify Hydrogen is a technically intensive solution and doesn’t have a drag-and-drop builder. Therefore, the process of implementing Headless Commerce with Shopify Hydrogen will demand a high level of technical expertise from the business.

Depend on Shopify API: This solution is developed exclusively for Shopify’s API. This means that the Hydrogen framework can only be used to build the Shopify website interface.

Third-party app integration: While Shopify allows you to easily integrate with 3rd-party apps and CMS, if you want to use a CMS or app for your online store that isn’t compatible with the Hydrogen framework, you’ll need to integrate it through a middleware app.

Method 3: Leverage the Commerce Components solution

The third method to adopt Headless Commerce with Shopify Plus is by using Shopify’s latest solution – Commerce Components. This is a modular component tech stack developed by Shopify specifically for large enterprises aiming to build Headless eCommerce websites. Shopify Commerce Components offer 30 components, encompassing core features across various business aspects such as Cart, Checkout, Data, Shipping, and more.

You can integrate these components based on deployment needs to create a customized solution for your Headless Shopify website. Since its launch, many world-leading businesses, including Mattel, JB Hifi, Glossier, Coty, Steve Madden, Spanx, and Staples, have utilized this new tech stack from Shopify.

Pros

Flexible modular architecture: Commerce Components with a modular architecture provide unlimited API connections. This means you can integrate and use an unlimited number of components, while also easily adding, removing, and customizing these components without fear of affecting the system.

Cost optimization: Commerce Components have a pricing model based on the number of components used, meaning businesses pay for exactly what they use. Additionally, the cost of Commerce Components is billed annually, making it easier for businesses to accurately predict the fees they will incur.

Cons

Complex Integration: The process of integrating multiple components can be complex and time-consuming. Businesses need to ensure that the components operate independently and seamlessly within the same system efficiently.

Planning required: To ensure the effective operation of the components on the system, you need to meticulously plan which eCommerce components will be integrated, choose suppliers, deployment solutions, and deployment stages.

High technical skills required: Building and maintaining a Headless website system using the Commerce Components solution will demand a certain level of technical expertise and knowledge of integration and technology. You can invest in developing an in-house technical team or collaborate with highly specialized agencies.

Security and Compliance: Each provider for each eCommerce component will have its security protocols and compliance rules. You must ensure compliance with these rules when integrating their components, while also ensuring that this compliance doesn’t impact the operation of the remaining components and the entire system.

Choose your best-fit Headless Commerce deployment!

On the journey of building a Headless eCommerce website with Shopify Plus, choosing the deployment method is a crucial decision to ensure system flexibility and performance while providing the optimal customer experience.

If you need detailed guidance or want to explore how Shopify Plus can support your Headless deployment strategy, please contact SECOMM or call directly at (+84)28 7108 9908 to receive advice and assistance from our experts in choosing the right Headless Shopify Plus deployment method for the business model and goals.

According to the Deloitte 2022 Retail Industry Outlook, up to 67% of businesses acknowledge that the eCommerce platform is their top investment priority due to issues they face with deploying outdated platforms.

Plus, a survey by Digital Commerce 360 revealed that about 27% of businesses are trying to switch their eCommerce platforms despite the associated costs.

Among the myriad of leading platforms today, Shopify Plus stands out as a perfect choice for businesses when deciding to re-platform. 

This article will show you 15 reasons why you should migrate to Shopify Plus. Why the platform gains the attention of business leaders and how it can be the key to your development and success in today’s eCommerce landscape.

What is Shopify Plus?

It is a premium solution of the popular eCommerce platform – Shopify. This version is specifically designed to meet the needs of large businesses with a high investment budget for eCommerce.

It offers flexibility, scalability, and integration, not only helping efficiently build and run an eCommerce website but also providing advanced tools and features to optimize the customer shopping experience.

Why Re-platforming to Shopify Plus?

Here are 15 notable advantages that the platform offers for your business growth, laying the groundwork for you to consider migrating to Shopify Plus.

Intuitive Interface

The dashboard interface is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, catering to end-users and administrators who directly manage the Shopify store. The intuitive interface allows you to concentrate on developing business strategies and enhancing the customer experience, minimizing the learning curve on how to use the system.

Easy-to-Estimate Costs

The second reason to migrate to Shopify Plus is the transparency in estimating and managing deployment costs. Typically, when using this platform, you may consider platform fees, transaction fees, app and add-on fees.

• Platform fee: Starting at $2000/month and increasing based on revenue
• Transaction fee: 0.15% when employing third-party payment gateways, with no charge when using Shopify Payments.
• App and add-on fee: These vary depending on the number of apps and extensions you use, ranging from a few dollars to several hundred dollars per month.

The Shopify Plus pricing system is clear and understandable, helping you know all the fees you need to pay monthly. This helps financial planning, avoiding unexpected fees during the deployment process. 

Plus, if you partner with highly specialized technical development teams like SECOMM, we’ll conduct a detailed analysis and propose a phased deployment plan for the Shopify Plus eCommerce website. This approach allows you to gain clarity on how your system will be deployed at each stage, facilitating easy adjustments and flexible optimization of financial resources.

Automation    

Another advantage of Shopify Plus is the automation feature. The platform provides two exclusive tools to help you facilitate this process: Shopify Flow and LaunchPad.

• Shopify Flow:  A comprehensive automation tool that addresses various aspects of the Shopify Plus store. You can create automated rules to handle tasks such as automatic order identification and categorization, automated email sending, and automatic inventory updates.
• Shopify Launchpad: A tool for managing and coordinating significant events, from product launches to major promotional campaigns. You can automate tasks such as changing product prices, managing website content, and even opening/closing the Shopify Plus store based on preset schedules.

These automation tools help enhance efficiency and save time by streamlining various processes, allowing you to focus on strategic aspects of your operations.

Omnichannel

Shopify Plus allows you to reach a broader audience through various sales channels, spanning from offline to online, including leveraging social media for sales and implementing B2B business models.

Plus, you can integrate the Shopify POS solution into their offline stores to offer services such as BOPIS (Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store) and BORIS (Buy Online, Return In-Store). This allows customers to shop in the manner that suits them, combining both online and in-store shopping experiences.

Global Selling

In 2021, Shopify introduced a comprehensive cross-border selling solution called Shopify Markets. With Shopify Markets, you can easily customize their stores for each specific target market. This includes setting prices, languages, payment methods, and delivery options to align with the preferences of local customers.

Flexible Customization

The robust customization is another reason for businesses to switch to Shopify Plus. This platform allows you to freely customize from the frontend to the backend without being constrained by any limits. In particular, you can easily customize the backend with Shopify Functions and Function APIs. Some use cases for Shopify Functions include:

• Customizing discounts
• Customizing the shopping cart and checkout
• Customizing payment options
• Customizing order fulfillment and delivery

Extensive App Store

With the popularity of Shopify and Shopify Plus globally, it’s not surprising that Shopify owns a host of useful applications, some of which are specifically developed for businesses deploying Shopify Plus. Moreover, the ‘Plus’ provides diverse documentation and resources (Shopify Plus Certified App Program) for developers to create applications and extensions, contributing to the vast ecosystem of Shopify applications.

Rich Integration with Third Parties

Beyond integrating with solutions within Shopify, you can also integrate with third-party systems such as:

• Management software: ERP, CRM, PIM
• Social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Pinterest
• Online marketplace: Amazon, Walmart, Ebay, Etsy
• Payment systems: Apple Pay, PayPal, Google Pay

High Performance and stability

Shopify’s cloud infrastructure can cater to over 600,000 merchants and process speeds of up to 80,000 requests per second during peak periods. This system is built on a dedicated server cluster running Docker and utilizes Rails applications, alongside integrated additional features based on the AWS platform.

Therefore, Shopify Plus can provide powerful processing speed not only for the website but also during the checkout process. It can handle a massive number of visits while maintaining speed and ensuring a positive customer experience, processing over 10,000 orders per minute.

With unlimited bandwidth and flexible infrastructure, Shopify Plus can effortlessly scale to manage increased traffic during peak shopping seasons such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas. This enables you to handle high volumes of customers during peak times without concerns about technical issues or website disruptions.

Deploy Headless Commerce

The flexible customization of Shopify Plus also extends to providing maximum support for deploying Headless Commerce. Moreover, in 2021, the platform introduced the Hydrogen solution – an outstanding tech stack that can meet the highest requirements for building a Headless Commerce system.

Deploy Composable Commerce 

As the demand for flexibility and scalability continues to rise, alongside Headless Commerce, large businesses worldwide are increasingly focusing on the Composable Commerce model. Fortunately, Shopify is keenly attuned to customer needs and has recently introduced the Commerce Components by Shopify solution in early 2023.

As of the time of writing, Shopify stands as the first SaaS platform to provide a tech stack that can address nearly all the development needs of Composable Commerce.

Quick to Go-live Process

While you may require considerable time to tailor your Shopify Plus store to your specific needs, the nature of SaaS ensures that the go-live process for Shopify Plus remains quicker compared to open-source platforms like Magento.

On average, the deployment and go-live time for the Shopify Plus platform is around 2-5 months, whereas with Magento, businesses take from 6-12 months to deploy and go live.

High Security

Shopify Plus provides a range of security measures and features to ensure that business data, customer information, and payment transactions are safeguarded to the highest extent possible. This includes:

• Compliance with 6 types of PCI standards (Payment Card Industry).
• Implementation of the highest level of data encryption.
• Provision of tools to detect potentially fraudulent transactions.
• Automated verification and adjustment of payment information to ensure actual transactions match payment profiles.
• Automatic data backups.
• Protection against Bot and DDoS attacks.

24/7 Customer Support

Similar to other eCommerce platforms, Shopify Plus provides businesses with 24/7 support through hotlines, emails, and video calls in various languages. Additionally, this platform offers instructional materials, API documentation, and the Shopify Plus Merchant Success program where businesses can access:

• Shopify Plus Academy
• Exclusive events and workshops
• Shopify Experts & Shopify Plus Partners

User-friendly ecosystem

Shopify Plus has a vast and diverse user ecosystem, including businesses, developers, and marketing experts. With numerous leading global businesses choosing Shopify Plus as a key tool to drive their growth and success, it is undoubtedly a testament to the excellence of this platform.

Renowned names such as Gymshark, Glossier, MZ Wallace, and Emma Bridgewater have leveraged the power of Shopify Plus to create customized shopping experiences, expand sales volumes, and reach a broader customer base. Their presence has added another reason encouraging you to switch to Shopify Plus.

Ready to migrate to Shopify Plus?

With flexible customization, scalability, and support from a reliable team of experts, the decision to deploy eCommerce with Shopify Plus or migrate from another platform to Shopify Plus has been right for sustained and competitive growth in the eCommerce landscape. 

Contact SECOMM or call the hotline at 028 7108 9908 for advice and support to swiftly and effectively switch to Shopify Plus.

Headless Commerce is a significant revolution in the technology sector, changing the way businesses approach eCommerce. In this field, Adobe Commerce leads in providing solutions and tools for implementing Headless Commerce. 

Below is a list of 10 well-known brands currently utilizing Adobe Commerce and Headless Commerce.

Samsung

Samsung is a multinational conglomerate based in South Korea, operating in various sectors, with its most prominent being consumer electronics, generating a revenue of $234 billion in 2022.

Samsung’s eCommerce website is built on the Adobe Commerce Cloud platform, utilizing Headless Commerce technology as its core. Thanks to this, Samsung has developed a virtual assistant to support customers in online and in-store shopping. In the U.S. market, customers can use this assistant to view product demos, receive usage instructions, and make online purchases. Customers have highly praised this feature for providing a more comfortable and convenient shopping experience.

• Website: https://www.samsung.com/ 
• Industry: Consumer Electronics
• Platform: Adobe Commerce
• Traffic: 1.2B/month
• Ranking: 125 (South Korea) & 37 (Global)

Target

Target Corporation is a major retail company in the United States, offering a wide range of products and services, including clothing, footwear, electronics, household goods, toys, and furniture. According to the financial report of Target Corporation in 2022, the revenue reached $106.8 billion, a growth of 8.4% compared to 2021.

Target recognized that the brand was losing revenue as customers began their shopping journey on one device and ended it on another. The retailer has implemented Headless Commerce to deploy omnichannel sales to increase conversion rates on various devices, thereby making it easier for customers to complete their purchase transactions.

• Website: https://www.target.com/ 
• Industry: Retail
• Platform: Adobe Commerce
• Traffic: 154.7M/month
• Ranking: 52 (United States) & 194 (Global)

Toyota

Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, selling over 10 million vehicles globally each year. Toyota produces a variety of vehicles and accessories, including cars, trucks, buses, and sports utility vehicles, as well as engines, transmissions, and auto parts.

Toyota’s website utilizes Headless Commerce to leverage Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for integration with legacy systems and inventory management, providing a personalized omnichannel experience.

• Website: https://www.toyota.com/ 
• Industry: Automotive
• Platform: Adobe Commerce
• Traffic: 17.2M/month
• Ranking: 506 (United States) & 2,371 (Global)

Under Armour

Under Armour is an American sportswear company founded in 1996 by Kevin Plank. The company is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, and specializes in the production of sportswear, footwear, and accessories, with an annual revenue of over $10 billion.

Currently, Under Armour is using Headless Commerce to enhance the personalized fitness experience based on location, purchase history, and workout activities, as well as training logs. The Under Armour website features notable functionalities such as inventory alerts, traffic history, payment information, and content management using data from the order management system.

• Website: https://www.underarmour.com/ 
• Industry: Sportswear
• Platform: Adobe Commerce
• Traffic: 10.7M/month
• Ranking: 1,154 (United States) & 5,100 (Global)

Kirkland’s

Kirkland’s is a chain of home décor, furniture, textiles, accessories, and gift stores in the United States. The company is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, and operates 431 stores in 35 states and an eCommerce website.

Kirkland’s has implemented Headless Commerce to address website-related issues such as flexibility, custom design, and providing a smooth shopping experience (single-click login and biometric payment capabilities).

• Website: https://www.kirklands.com/ 
• Industry: Furniture
• Platform: Adobe Commerce
• Traffic: 6.1M/month
• Ranking: 1,550 (United States) & 8,295 (Global)

Coca-Cola 

Coca-Cola is a carbonated beverage brand established in 1886. It is currently the world’s best-selling beverage brand, available in over 200 countries and territories, with over 2 billion cans sold every day.

The Coca-Cola website utilizes Headless Commerce technology to leverage API integration, providing a seamless end-to-end omnichannel experience for global customers. This technology allows the business to expand through its markets, customize experiences, and integrate with third-party suppliers and solutions.

• Website: https://www.coca-cola.com/ 
• Industry: Beverage
• Platform: Adobe Commerce
• Traffic: 4.1M/month
• Ranking: 4,950 (United States) & 14,961 (Global)

Technodom

Technodom is one of the largest retailers in Central Asia, with an annual revenue of $800 million. This retail giant has around 9,000 employees, offering over 60,000 products and 4,000 categories.

Technodom has implemented Headless Commerce on Magento with a page load speed of under one second, thanks to the PWA (Progressive Web App) pre-rendering solution. Additionally, the website’s backend is integrated with Akeneo PIM (Product Information Management) and ESB (Enterprise Service Bus), essential components for businesses to efficiently manage and distribute their databases.

• Website: https://www.technodom.kz/ 
• Industry: Retail
• Platform: Magento Open Source 2 (Backend), ScandiPWA (Frontend)
• Traffic: 2.8M/month
• Ranking: 69 (Kazakhstan) & 19,778 (Global)

Helly Hansen

Helly Hansen is a renowned Norwegian company that manufactures and retails clothing, sports gear, and outdoor accessories. Established in 1877, the company is now one of the world’s leading fashion and lifestyle brands, with a revenue of $2.8 billion in 2022.

Initially, Helly Hansen’s eCommerce website was built on the Magento platform. After a period of business operations, Helly Hansen decided to transition to Adobe Commerce to implement Headless Commerce. As a result, Helly Hansen’s website quickly saw a 24% increase in traffic, a 48% increase in mobile traffic, and a more than 45% increase in total revenue.

• Website: https://www.hellyhansen.com/ 
• Industry: Fashion
• Platform: Adobe Commerce
• Traffic: 1.5M/month
• Ranking: 16,097 (Norway) & 28,402 (Global)

Kaporal

Kaporal is a French fashion brand specializing in jeans, T-shirts, shirts, jackets, and accessories. The brand was established in 2004 and is currently present in over 30 countries worldwide.

Similar to many longstanding Magento businesses, Kaporal has migrated its platform from Magento 1 to Magento 2 to take advantage of the Headless Commerce features from PWA Studio, addressing issues related to slow speed and poor mobile performance.

• Website: https://www.kaporal.com/ 
• Industry: Fashion
• Platform: Magento Open Source 2 (Backend), FrontCommerce (Frontend)
• Traffic: 212,200/month
• Ranking: 5,204 (France) & 161,873 (Global)

G-SP

G-SP is a brand specializing in the business of spare parts and digital accessories, established in 2009. This Swedish company currently has offices in Sweden, the Netherlands, and China, offering over 10,000 products.

Similar to many other Magento stores, G-SP faced issues with website performance and stability. Therefore, G-SP opted for Headless PWA to enhance their digital conversions. The implementation of Headless PWA accelerated the mobile website speed by 2.7 times, which is particularly crucial for a complex Magento website with numerous plugins and categories like G-SP.

• Website: https://www.g-sp.se/ 
• Industry: Electronic Accessories
• Platform: Magento Open Source 2
• Traffic: 15,500/month
• Ranking: 13,116 (Sweden) & 1,216,288 (Global)

Above is the list of the top 10 eCommerce websites currently using the Adobe Commerce (Magento) eCommerce platform and Headless Commerce globally.

Looking for a suitable eCommerce Website Development Solution?

With deep expertise and the development of complex eCommerce systems for clients such as Changi Airport Group (Singapore), Trentham Estate (Australia), and The Warehouse (Vietnam), SECOMM understands the challenges in choosing a platform and deploying eCommerce that businesses are facing.

• Comprehensive Understanding: Providing comprehensive eCommerce solutions from consulting, development, and operation to the growth of eCommerce systems.
• Deep Expertise: Over 9 years of experience in deploying complex eCommerce systems for clients from various countries.
• Customized Solutions: Proposing eCommerce solutions, including technological architecture and a suitable team for each business.
• Flexible Progress: Project timelines and schedules are adjusted according to the specific needs of the business.

Contact SECOMM now or call directly at the hotline number (028 7108 9908) for free advice on the eCommerce website building roadmap!

As Monolithic architecture solutions face flexibility, customization, and scalability challenges, businesses are increasingly exploring more adaptable architectures, like Headless Commerce.

Alongside this, the concept of ‘Composable Commerce’ has gained prominence as a robust model to cater to the evolving needs of businesses and the swiftly changing market.

So, what exactly it is, and how does it distinguish itself from Headless Commerce? Let’s investigate these aspects to comprehend why it might represent a revolutionary leap forward.

What is Composable Commerce?

The term ‘Composable Commerce’ was first coined by Gartner Research in June 2020, referring to building a flexible and customizable e-commerce system by integrating various components to build distinct ‘Packaged Business Capabilities’ (PBCs) solutions tailored to the deployment needs. These PBC solutions can connect through APIs.

The PBCs may include:

• Storefront
• Catalog
• Inventory
• Cart
• Checkout
• Payment

If we consider components as smaller and more intricate elements of the eCommerce system, PBCs represent the integration of each of these smaller components to craft a unique eCommerce solution tailored to each business. In this scenario, components are on an equal footing, and so are the PBCs.

Therefore, any modifications or expansions in any component or PBCs won’t impact the overall operation of the entire system.

To put it more simply, within the composable architecture, you build your eCommerce system much like assembling a Lego set. 

Here, each PBC corresponds to a specific Lego block with a designated function. These blocks can seamlessly combine and link through APIs, resulting in a flexible and personalized eCommerce experience that aligns with your initial needs and wants.

Hence, the eCommerce development model allows you to attain the utmost flexibility and optimization for your eCommerce system.

Pros of Composable Commerce

Some benefits to highlight when adopting Composable architecture:

• Flexibility

This eCommerce development model offers high flexibility. You can select to combine the most suitable components for your needs. This flexibility allows you to easily create an eCommerce system that adapts to market trends and ever-changing customer experience expectations.

• Customization & Scalability

The model can meet the highest demands for customization & scalability. You can freely customize each component based on your brand and what you want for customer experience. But you can also scale individual components to handle growing traffic and transaction volumes. 

This level of customization and scalability allows you to offer a distinctive shopping experience, boost competitiveness, and expand your operations without the need for a complete overhaul of the system architecture.

• Cost Optimization

Despite the initial setup costs, deploying Composable Commerce can help you save your development costs in the long run. Because you only need to pay for specific components they use and optimize your PBCs to avoid unnecessary expenses.

Most current Composable Commerce solutions offer discounts as more components are integrated, with Commerce Components by Shopify being a prominent example.

• Ease of Maintenance

Components in the Composable Commerce architecture are often separated and become independent of each other, making maintenance and updates for each component easier. This minimizes disruptions and the risk of system downtime during maintenance or upgrades.

Cons of Composable Commerce

• Complex Integration

Composable Commerce demands the integration of various components, and this process can be complicated and time-consuming. You’ll need to ensure that these independent components operate seamlessly and efficiently within the same system, requiring additional development and customization efforts.

• Integration Costs

At scale, the need for deploying a complex system may increase, and integrating multiple components may lead to high upfront and ongoing costs. So, it’s important to phase resources for continuous development, testing, and maintenance of this integrated operation.

• Planning Required

Implementing a Composable Commerce architecture requires meticulous planning from the number of components, choice of suppliers, and integrated solutions to issues related to maintaining and upgrading these components.

• High Technical Skills Required

Building and maintaining an eCommerce system following the Composable Commerce model demands a high level of knowledge and technical skills in various technologies and integrated solutions. You must invest in training your in-house teams or collaborate with highly specialized entities.

• Hard to Manage

Managing a Composable Commerce system can be a significant challenge, especially when you integrate components from multiple 3rd-party suppliers. While Composable Commerce provides flexibility in integration, it also implies that you have to manage relationships with various suppliers. 

When there is a need for expansion, you’ll work with these suppliers to ensure each component can scale concurrently and efficiently, avoiding any adverse impact on system development.

• Security & Compliance

Ensuring the security and following rules for many components at the same time can be tricky. Each supplier has their own security and rule needs. So, how can you follow all the rules from each supplier without messing up the way your Composable Commerce system works? – That’s the point!

What is the difference between Composable Commerce and Headless Commerce?

Both Composable and Headless Commerce architectures separate the frontend and backend, providing a higher level of flexibility and customization. These technology solutions are currently the focus of many large businesses worldwide.

So, what is the main difference between the two?

In the Headless architecture, the separation of the frontend and backend allows you to update and customize either the frontend or backend without affecting each other.

On the other hand, the modular nature of Composable architecture takes it a step further by decoupling all eCommerce components, enabling you to choose and set up perfect PBCs (Packaged Business Capabilities) for your needs.

The key feature of Composable architecture is that, while the frontend can connect to various components at the backend through APIs, these components are highly modular and independent. This means that changes to one component won’t affect other components or the frontend interface.

Should we deploy Headless Commerce or Composable Commerce?

When considering the prospects of eCommerce architectures, it is evident that both Composable and Headless Commerce offer superior customization and scalability, allowing you to break free from traditional constraints to adapt to market trends. However, the decision to implement a specific architecture will depend on your business needs, technical expertise, and the goals you want to achieve.

With SECOMM’s extensive expertise and deep experience in successfully deploying numerous Headless Commerce projects, we serve as a reliable partner to advise businesses looking to implement this architecture with innovative solutions.

Contact us or call directly on the hotline at 028 7108 9908 to take a leap forward with SECOMM and unlock the full potential of both Headless and Composable Commerce today!

Businesses going headless aim to integrate with third-party applications or services to extend capabilities, boost performance, and enhance the flexibility of their eCommerce systems. Therefore, they have to understand eCommerce APIs or application programming interfaces.

This article will provide a brief overview of what eCommerce APIs are, how they work, the types, and roles for going headless, and the advantages gained through their integration.

Learn more: What is Headless Commerce?

What are eCommerce APIs?

eCommerce APIs are application programming interfaces (APIs) that enable external applications and systems to access and interact with the functionalities and data of an eCommerce platform.

For example, an eCommerce API allows businesses to access product information, place orders, handle payments, manage inventory, or integrate with third-party services such as shipping, analytics, email marketing, and delivery.

How do eCommerce APIs work?

They operate based on a request-and-response model. When an application or system intends to access or perform a function on the eCommerce system, it sends a request to the API through an HTTP method such as GET, POST, PUT, or DELETE.

This request contains information like the URL address of the API and necessary data. Then, eCommerce APIs process the request and respond to the application or system that initiated the preceding request. This response includes an HTTP code indicating the outcome of the request (success or failure) and may contain data in formats like JSON, XML, etc.

APIs in the field of eCommerce are often published in the form of documentation known as “API documentation”. This documentation contains detailed instructions on how to establish connections and share data through the API. This helps businesses and developers understand how to use each type of API effectively.

Types of eCommerce APIs

There are various types of eCommerce APIs depending on their functions and specific use cases. Some common include:

• Product API: Provides product information, allowing the display of product lists, product details, and product category management on an eCommerce website. Examples include Shopify Product API, BigCommerce Product API, WooCommerce Product API,…
• Order API: Supports order management, from creating orders, and updating order status to handling returns and refunds. Examples include Shopify Order API, BigCommerce Order API, Magento Order API,…
• Payment API: Enables online payment processing, integrates payment gateways, and ensures secure payment transaction processing. Examples include Stripe API, PayPal API, Braintree API,…
• Inventory API: Manages inventory information, including available product quantities, updates inventory after each order, and tracks inventory levels. Examples include Shopify Inventory API, BigCommerce Inventory API, Magento Inventory API, WooCommerce Inventory API,…
• Shipping API: Provides integrated shipping and order tracking, helping customers view shipping information and predict delivery times. Examples include ShipStation API, FedEx API, Shippo API,…
• Marketing API: Allows integration with email marketing tools, paid advertising, or social media platforms. Examples include Mailchimp API, HubSpot API, Google Ads API,…
• Localization & Currency Conversion API: Allows customization and formatting of eCommerce websites to suit different customer demographics in various countries and territories. Examples include Shopify Multi-Currency API, Stripe Localization API, PayPal Localization API,…

The Role of eCommerce APIs in Headless Commerce

Headless is an eCommerce model that allows the separation of the user interface (frontend) and the management system (backend) of an eCommerce website.  is also referred to as the “API-first” approach because the frontend and backend communicate with each other through an API layer.

Therefore, eCommerce APIs play a crucial role in connecting the frontend and backend. For instance, when a customer accesses a business’s eCommerce website and places an order, the website’s frontend can use eCommerce APIs to send requests to the backend to check product availability, calculate the order value, and create the order.

The backend can then process these requests and provide the necessary information to display to the customer.

eCommerce APIs allow the frontend to access and interact with the functions and data of the backend. They also enable the backend to integrate with third-party services and systems such as CMS, CRM, ERP, and DXP. Additionally, eCommerce APIs help businesses create various user interfaces for diverse sales channels and devices, including websites, mobile apps, voice commerce, wearables, AR/VR.

These eCommerce APIs empower businesses to go headless flexibly, providing not only a multi-channel shopping experience but also facilitating rapid and efficient expansion and development in the international market.

Benefits of integrating eCommerce APIs

• Enhance system capabilities

Businesses can add new functions and features to their eCommerce websites by using available APIs or creating their own APIs. This allows businesses to easily expand the capabilities of their eCommerce systems, providing customers with an enhanced shopping experience.

• Boost performance

Businesses can optimize the performance of their eCommerce websites by leveraging eCommerce APIs to automate business processes, minimizing potential errors. For example, a business can use APIs to synchronize data across different systems for more efficient management and operations.

• Flexible customization

Businesses have the freedom to customize their eCommerce websites according to their needs and preferences by integrating APIs to connect with third-party applications and systems. For example, businesses can use APIs to create a unique user experience, incorporating new technologies such as AI, AR/VR, and blockchain.

• Improved security

Third-party applications and systems, especially payment systems, often include strict security protocols. Therefore, integrating them into a business’s website through APIs enhances the security of the site. This helps safeguard business data, customer information, and payment details from the risk of theft.

• Multi-Channel Expansion

APIs enable businesses to integrate with various user interfaces, allowing them to expand their business operations across multiple sales channels, including websites, mobile apps, and even social media.

The Bottom Line

Here is what you need to know about eCommerce APIs – application programming interfaces that enable various applications and systems to interact with each other efficiently within the eCommerce system. In other words, eCommerce APIs act as a bridge between the frontend and backend in the Headless model, allowing businesses to customize operations flexibly and provide customers with a unique and seamless shopping experience.

Contact SECOMM or call the hotline at 028 7108 9908 to learn more about integrating eCommerce APIs and going headless. We have a team of experienced and specialized experts to turn your business ideas into reality and accompany businesses on their eCommerce journey.

In just a decade, eCommerce has become the epicentre of the online business market, undergoing continuous and robust growth. This is evident in the explosion of mobile commerce (m-commerce), the emergence of social commerce, and shifts in consumer behaviour and expectations.

So, how can businesses adapt to the ceaseless changes in the market? The answer lies in embracing new eCommerce technologies, one of which is Headless Commerce.

What is Headless Commerce?

Today, businesses have many choices for building an eCommerce website, but fundamentally, the structure of a website includes the following main parts:

• Frontend: Everything that users see and interact with when accessing a website, including the interface, content, features, etc., is received from the backend.
• Backend: All the parts of a website or app that users cannot see, such as the database system, design tools, management tools, and custom functions.

In traditional eCommerce models, businesses often use the monolithic model, which was developed over two decades ago. At that time, the monolithic architecture was the only choice for eCommerce businesses because there were no alternatives other than building, continuously updating, and maintaining.

In the Monolithic Model, the frontend and backend are tightly connected, so any changes to the website require improvements in both. Therefore, every frontend change leads to a change in the backend structure and vice versa. Hence, every technology decision becomes riskier, and more complex, directly impacting the entire eCommerce website system.

On the other hand, Headless Commerce is an eCommerce architecture in which the frontend is separated from the backend, and connected through APIs. This allows businesses to easily customize and update functionality without interfering with the user interface or CMS pages.

For that reason, Headless Commerce has many competitive advantages compared to Monolithic Model:

Comparison table between Headless Commerce and Monolithic Model

According to Forbes, more than $1.65 billion in funding has been raised for Headless Commerce technologies during the 2020-2021 period.

Several platforms support Headless Commerce technology, including Magento Commerce (or Adobe Commerce), Shopify Plus, BigCommerce Enterprise, SAP, etc.

Benefits when applying Headless Commerce

Increase customization

In Headless Commerce application platforms, separating frontend and backend into distinct components allows businesses to achieve limitless customization for designing an eCommerce system. For example, optimizing eCommerce functionalities and customizing the user interface can be done independently without impacting the overall system’s operation. As a result, businesses can better seize new opportunities in this competitive market.

Increase scalability

Another crucial aspect of the Headless Commerce architecture is the connections between the frontend and backend through APIs. Thanks to these API connections, businesses can easily modify existing functionalities and develop new features when expanding the system and business model.

Increase page loading speed

In platforms applying Headless Commerce technology, the frontend and backend are no longer tightly integrated into a unified entity. This separation allows for more independent and centralized data storage through API connections. This approach significantly accelerates the processing of API calls compared to traditional eCommerce platforms.

This enhancement reduces the amount of user data to be received and downloaded, thereby improving page loading speed. Given that page loading speed is a component of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), improving this aspect helps boost the website’s ranking on search engines such as Google, Safari, Cốc Cốc, and others.

Seamless integration

Another notable advantage of API connections is the seamless integration they offer for eCommerce systems. This is particularly evident in the integration with various third-party services and utilities, such as CRM, ERP, PIM, BI, or other pre-integrated tools. Additionally, this architecture enables businesses to rapidly test services, and utilities, and measure their suitability for eCommerce campaigns.

This flexibility in integration allows businesses to adapt their technology stack to evolving needs and take advantage of the latest tools and services in the market, fostering innovation and efficiency.

Omnichannel sales

In the Headless Commerce structure, API connections facilitate seamless integration with various sales channels, including eCommerce platforms, websites, mobile apps, social media, or any future channels with available APIs.

Simultaneously, Headless CMS (Headless Content Management System) aids in optimizing content across devices such as desktop, tablet, and mobile, connected through the Internet of Things (IoT), to provide a seamless shopping experience for customers. This approach ensures that content is consistently delivered and tailored for diverse devices, enhancing the overall customer journey.

Headless Commerce application

Headless Commerce finds widespread applications in eCommerce implementation. Some common use cases include:

Backend System Management

Allows administrators to manage products, marketing campaigns, and inventory through the eCommerce website’s backend system.

Changes in the backend system do not impact the frontend user interface, and APIs can be controlled to display information on the user’s mobile app frontend.

Augmented Reality (AR) Integration

Utilized by eCommerce businesses to implement AR technology.

Users can view dynamic simulated images of products through augmented reality devices, acting as a frontend linked to the backend through APIs in a Headless Commerce application.

PIM & CRM

PIM (Product Information Management) and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) function as back-office software for processing product information and customer data in the backend system.

In a Headless Commerce structure, backend data can be controlled and displayed on various frontend interfaces through API links, such as eCommerce platforms, websites, mobile apps, and social media.

Parallel eCommerce Deployment

Enables businesses to deploy eCommerce concurrently with Headless Commerce, offering various advantages.

The decision to adopt Headless Commerce depends on the long-term eCommerce business strategies of a company.

In summary, the implementation of Headless Commerce alongside eCommerce is becoming a realistic option for businesses with long-term market strategies, thanks to the numerous benefits it offers. Whether or not to adopt Headless Commerce and when depends on various eCommerce business strategies.

With over 8 years of experience designing complex eCommerce systems for companies like An Nam Gourmet, Laybyland, Jasnor, etc., SECOMM understands the challenges that businesses face when exploring new eCommerce technologies. 

Contact SECOMM now for a free consultation on detailed eCommerce system development solutions!

The eCommerce sector is experiencing rapid growth, with global retail sales reaching 5.7 trillion USD in 2022 and projected to hit 6.3 trillion USD in 2023, as reported by Insider Intelligence. This requires businesses to adopt more efficient and flexible eCommerce architectural solutions to meet customer demands for online shopping experiences. 

However, there is no one-size-fits-all eCommerce architectural solution. Each architecture comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages, catering to different goals and requirements. Hence, businesses must discern between eCommerce architectures to choose the most fitting one for their business model. 

This article will introduce the four most common eCommerce architectures: Monolithic, Headless, Composable, and MACH. Also, it’ll compare and evaluate these architectures based on criteria such as cost, scalability, customization, security, and performance.

Monolithic Architecture

Monolithic architecture is a traditional and long-standing model in eCommerce development. In this approach, the entire eCommerce website is built as a unified application on a single source codebase.

This means that both the user interface (frontend) and business logic (backend) are combined and implemented within a comprehensive “all-in-one” system. So, modifications to specific eCommerce components may have repercussions on the overall functionality of the system.

Pros:

• Ease of Deployment: Utilizing the monolithic architecture simplifies the management of a single source codebase and a unified database system for the entire application. This streamlines the processes of deployment, updates, and application modifications.
• Performance: eCommerce components are tightly connected, so for a simple and uncomplicated system, the Monolithic architecture can provide high performance.

Cons: 

• Limited Scalability: The monolithic architecture, being a unified block, faces challenges in scalability and customization, especially as the system grows larger and more complex.
• Maintenance and Updates Difficulty: The tight integration of components within the system makes challenges in maintaining a website under a Monolithic architecture, making it both challenging and costly. Also, any modifications or updates to one component can impact others and the overall system’s functionality.
• Innovation Constraints: While traditional eCommerce architectures are considered stable and reliable, their limitations in scalability and customization make it difficult to keep up with the latest technological advancements.
• Increasing Costs: Initially, implementing a Monolithic system may not be overly complex or expensive. However, as businesses aim to scale, customize, or perform maintenance and updates, costs tend to escalate significantly.

The Monolithic architecture can be used in case your business is implementing a small-scale, straightforward eCommerce system, seeking a rapid market launch without immediate plans for significant future development. However, architectures like Headless or Composable would be more appropriate as the system grows and expands, requiring increased customization and scalability

Headless Architecture

The Headless architecture is a popular architectural solution in eCommerce, where the user interface (frontend) of the eCommerce website is decoupled from the operational system (backend). The Headless architecture is often called “API-first” because the frontend and backend communicate with each other through an API layer.

Many businesses opt for the Headless Commerce model to create and customize user interfaces (frontends) to provide customers with a rich and seamless shopping experience across various channels such as websites, mobile apps, IoT, and POS. These user interfaces can connect to a single backend system through an API layer, enabling businesses to engage in multi-channel commerce and rapidly expand internationally.

Pros:

• Flexibility: Businesses can utilize any technology and tools to develop the frontend, creating a unique and customized user interface and shopping experience without being restricted by predefined themes.
• Ease of Integration: Seamless connection and integration with third-party tools and services through APIs, eliminating the need to rewrite source code.
• High Performance: Since the frontend and backend operate independently, businesses can optimize performance for both, enhancing the overall performance and page loading speed of the eCommerce website.
• Scalability: Businesses can easily customize, add, or remove components of the frontend or backend flexibly without affecting the overall system’s operation. 

Cons:

• Complex Deployment: Because the frontend and backend are separated and developed independently, the deployment process is more time-consuming compared to Monolithic, and ensuring the interaction and efficient operation of both parts can be challenging.
• Specialized Expertise: Headless Commerce allows seamless integration with third-party technologies and systems, requiring technical skills and knowledge of APIs, as well as a certain understanding of different systems.
• High Costs: Utilizing various third-party services implies additional expenses, alongside costs for the development and maintenance of the system.

Deploying Headless Commerce may be suitable for businesses that require flexibility to create and customize multiple user interfaces for multi-channel sales purposes and expand their business globally. In particular, businesses that demand independent development of both frontend and backend, as well as the need for integration with various third-party systems, should prioritize the Headless architecture.

Composable Architecture

If the standout feature of the Headless architecture is the separation of frontend and backend, providing scalability and flexible customization, then the Composable architecture, also known as Module-driven architecture, takes it a step further by decoupling all eCommerce components such as Search, Payment, Cart, etc.

This allows businesses to select components and package them into Packaged Business Capabilities (PBC) to create a specialized and comprehensive eCommerce website solution.

Pros:

• High Flexibility: Implementing Composable Commerce allows businesses to integrate components that best suit their deployment needs. This enables businesses to stay abreast of the latest eCommerce development trends.
• High Customization and Scalability: Components are developed independently, and altering any component does not impact the others. Similarly, customizing and expanding components to meet business objectives can be done without the need to overhaul the entire system architecture.
• Ease of Maintenance: With components in the eCommerce system being separate and developed entirely independently, maintaining and updating each component individually becomes more straightforward, avoiding disruptions or temporary halts to the system’s operation.
• Vendor Independence: The flexibility to seamlessly integrate components from various providers has helped businesses deploying Composable Commerce avoid dependence on a specific service provider. This allows businesses to change providers for any component whenever needed, while also leveraging the latest and optimal technologies for their eCommerce system.

Cons: 

• High Costs: The cost of using each component varies, so the more components integrated, the higher the overall cost, not to mention maintenance costs for each component.
• High Expertise Requirements: Implementing Composable Commerce requires advanced technical skills and specific knowledge of the technologies in use to ensure a quick and effective deployment process.
• Complex Management: Utilizing numerous components means that a business has to work with multiple different providers, each with its own security protocols and compliance requirements. As the eCommerce system scales up, the business needs to collaborate with providers to ensure that each component is developed, expanded, and remains compatible, preventing any negative impacts on the system.

Composable architecture is suitable for cases where businesses undertake large projects, have high demands for flexibility and customization, need to integrate multiple services and third-party systems, as well as require complete independence between the components of the eCommerce system.

MACH Architecture

The MACH architecture is the most modern approach for building and developing highly flexible eCommerce websites. This architecture allows businesses to integrate leading technologies into a single system, incorporating Microservices-based, API-first, Cloud-native, and Headless components.

• M (Microservices-based): Independent small applications are developed, deployed, and managed separately. These applications are designed to perform specific business functions.
• A (API-first): All components of the eCommerce system are connected through an Application Programming Interface (API), enabling different components to operate efficiently within the same system.
• C (Cloud-native): The development of the eCommerce system takes place in the cloud, providing a scalable infrastructure, and technology services are automatically updated by the provider.
• H (Headless): Implementing Headless allows the separation of the user interface (frontend) and the operational system (backend) for eCommerce website deployment. This enables the creation and customization of unique and seamless user experiences.

Pros: 

• High Flexibility: Businesses can choose and modify tools and services according to business needs, making it easy to customize and expand services when there is a need to scale the business.
• Easy Integration: APIs are at the core of the MACH architecture, facilitating easy connections with third-party services and applications.
• High Performance and Security: Because businesses can leverage state-of-the-art technologies, it ensures system operational performance, page loading speed, user experience, and high security.  

Cons: 

• High Complexity: The separation of many components and technologies makes the deployment of the MACH architecture complex. This requires high technical skills and experience to ensure an effective deployment, management, and operation of the system.
• High Costs: Integrating multiple technologies or incorporating various third-party services can result in higher expenses, such as integration fees, training fees, or hiring a deployment team, along with maintenance and update-related costs.

MACH architecture is suitable for businesses with ample budgets aiming to implement large projects based on the four MACH technologies and with high requirements for customization and scalability. It is also beneficial if they have in-house expertise or collaborate with highly specialized development teams.

Monolithic, Headless, Composable and MACH: Which is the right choice?

Above is a summary of the essence of the four eCommerce website deployment architectures: Monolithic, Headless, Composable, and MACH. While Monolithic may seem outdated and has many limitations, the Composable and MACH architectures are innovative, providing more optimal and flexible development solutions, but their deployment and operation processes are complex, requiring a highly skilled development team. Therefore, Headless becomes a valuable architectural solution compared to the other three choices for implementing eCommerce websites at the current time.

Headless Commerce is the most popular solution today, with a 25% increase in demand for Headless Commerce deployment in the past two years. Implementing Headless allows businesses to create a customized and multi-channel user experience by integrating with leading tools and technologies. To effectively develop Headless Commerce, businesses need to collaborate with a development team with high skills and expertise, as well as a well-thought-out strategy.

With extensive technical experience and high expertise in the e-commerce field, SECOMM has successfully consulted and implemented Headless Commerce for leading businesses such as Vinamilk, and Suzuverse, based on one of Shopify’s three solutions:

• Shopify Hydrogen + Oxygen: This superior solution includes the Hydrogen framework based on React and the Oxygen hosting, enabling businesses to quickly and effectively deploy an eCommerce website using the Headless architecture.
• Commerce Components: A breakthrough tech stack developed specifically for large enterprises implementing Headless Commerce or Composable Commerce. This solution allows businesses to integrate independent components to customize and enhance the eCommerce experience.

Contact SECOMM or call directly on the hotline (02871089908) to explore how we can support businesses in maximizing the potential of Headless Commerce and enhancing competitiveness in the eCommerce market.

When learning the significant changes in eCommerce over the past decade, one concept that cannot be ignored is Headless Commerce. It isn’t a mere trend; rather, it presents a revolutionary solution for how businesses implement eCommerce, aiming to provide flexibility and enhanced efficiency in delivering a seamless shopping experience for customers.

The following statistics contribute to proving that Headless Commerce is one of the fastest-growing trends in eCommerce:

• Headless Commerce deployment has increased by 50% in the past two years.
• By 2025, 35% of businesses plan to transition from the Traditional Commerce model to Headless Commerce.
• 60% of top retailers in North America are predicted to implement Headless by 2025.
• Headless Commerce platforms have seen a 40% increase in usage during the Covid period.
• Businesses implementing Headless report a 20% reduction in website loading time and an average revenue increase of 24%.

So, what is Headless Commerce, and why is it considered a modern and flexible approach to eCommerce deployment? Let’s explore this in the following article.

What is Headless Commerce?

Headless Commerce is an eCommerce architecture that separates the user interface (Frontend) from the data management and functionality (Backend) of an eCommerce website. This separation allows the frontend and backend to be built entirely independently and connected through eCommerce Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).

Going Headless allows you to use any technology or tool you prefer to design and customize the user interface without being dependent on the existing eCommerce platform. You can also update and modify the backend without affecting the frontend.

Learn more: Everything to know about eCommerce APIs

What is the difference between Headless Commerce and Monolithic Commerce?

Trước khi giải pháp Headless Commerce, hầu hết các website thương mại điện tử đều được xây dựng với kiến trúc Monolithic – tức là phần frontend và backend được liên kết chặt chẽ với nhau trong một hệ thống duy nhất. Đây là cách tiếp cận truyền thống và đơn giản, giúp doanh nghiệp dễ dàng xây dựng và quản lý website thương mại điện tử của mình.

However, Monolithic Commerce comes with several limitations, especially when you aim to develop and scale your eCommerce systems. Some common issues encountered when implementing Monolithic Commerce include:

• Limited Customizations: The tight integration between the frontend and backend in Monolithic Commerce imposes constraints when you want to redesign or modify features on your website. So, you have to customize both parts which leads to compatibility and performance issues.
• Limited Scalability: When an eCommerce website experiences a significant increase in the number of products, transactions, and traffic, you need to upgrade and expand the system to meet the growth requirements. The Monolithic architecture makes this process difficult and expensive, as you are required to update the entire system, potentially resulting in a temporary suspension of eCommerce website operations
• Lack of innovation and competition: In the digital age, you should update your eCommerce websites with new technological trends to innovate and enhance, aiming to attract and retain customers while gaining a competitive edge. However, the Monolithic Commerce model hinders this process, as any minor change can affect the entire system, potentially causing unintended errors or issues and requiring a slow and cautious approach.

In contrast to Monolithic Commerce, Headless architecture brings several benefits when developing eCommerce. Some of these include: 

• Easy Customization: In the Headless Commerce model, you are free to use your preferred development technologies and tools to build a comprehensive eCommerce system from frontend to backend, aiming to deliver a unique and appealing shopping experience for customers. Plus, you can easily modify either the frontend or backend without affecting the other or the overall operation of the entire system.
• Easy Scalability:  Headless Commerce provides you with a seamless way to scale your eCommerce website. You can effortlessly adjust or streamline integrations in the backend to meet demand or integrate with diverse sales channels, creating multiple frontends (websites, mobile apps, IoT) that operate seamlessly on a unified backend system through APIs. This flexibility allows you to reach a wider audience, boost conversion rates, and drive increased revenue.
• Boost Innovation & Competition: Going Headless allows you to swiftly and flexibly innovate and enhance your eCommerce websites. You can freely experiment with new features or integrate with diverse third-party systems without concerns about compatibility and performance issues. Moreover, you can integrate cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and virtual reality (AR/VR) to deliver an optimized experience for customers.

Top 5 Benefits of Headless Commerce

Offer Omnichannel Experience

The Headless Commerce model allows you to customize and create a unique user experience across various channels (website, mobile app, IoT). This not only avoids impacting the backend system but also helps you reach more potential customers and boost conversion capabilities.

Easy Integration

You can effortlessly integrate and merge various third-party systems (CRM, CMS, ERP, DXP) into the backend using APIs. This integration enhances the efficiency of managing and executing eCommerce activities, enabling you to leverage the superior capabilities of multiple services without concerns about website compatibility or performance issues.

Offer Personalized Experience

Through seamless integration with various systems, you can collect and consolidate customer data from various sources such as CRM, advertising campaigns, or data from previous shopping experiences.

Going Headless, you can create a customized interface based on customer data and personal information, displaying unique content, products, and messages for each customer based on their preferences, shopping behavior, and transaction history.

Sell Internationally

Deploying Headless Commerce enables you to expand your operations into international markets by adapting their activities to effectively cater to diverse markets. Specifically, you can customize the user interface, manage content, and offer distinct views for each customer segment in various markets.

Moreover, you can seamlessly integrate local options for payment, delivery, language, and currency to enhance the local customer experience.

Optimized Performance

In the Headless architecture, the frontend and backend operate independently through APIs, allowing businesses to optimize the performance of both parts. For example, you can enhance the navigation and page loading speed of frontends (website, mobile app, IoT) without heavily relying on the backend’s performance.

Similarly, you can optimize the backend to efficiently handle product requests, transactions, or inventory without impacting the page loading speed of the frontends

Does Headless Commerce suit all types of businesses?

Headless Commerce is a highly innovative eCommerce solution. However, that doesn’t mean this solution is suitable for every business. Therefore, before deciding to implement Headless for an eCommerce website, you need to consider the following factors:

• Business objectives: You need to clearly define your business objectives and determine whether Headless Commerce can help achieve those goals. If the objective is to establish a straightforward and efficient eCommerce website, the Monolithic architecture might be sufficient and a more fitting choice. However, if the goal involves delivering customers a distinctive and seamless shopping experience across diverse sales channels, going Headless is recommended..
• Budget & Resources: You should carefully assess your budget and resources when implementing Headless Commerce. Since deploying Headless requires utilizing eCommerce APIs to connect the frontend and backend, you will need an experienced and highly skilled technical team to design, develop, and maintain these APIs, as well as to handle complex customizations. You also need to allocate funds for API services, hosting, security, and the integrations in use. Without sufficient budget and resources, businesses may face difficulties and risks of failure when implementing this model.
• Deployment & Golive: The Headless architecture is quite complex, so it will take a considerable amount of time to build, customize, and perfect an eCommerce website, potentially extending the planned go-live time. To mitigate this risk, you should schedule a detailed deployment timeline for each task that needs to be completed. Plus, you need to regularly monitor and update the APIs, frontend, and backend to ensure the system operates smoothly. Therefore, if you require a quick website go-live and have minimal need for extensive system adjustments, it may not be necessary to implement Headless Commerce at this time.

Ready to go Headless?

Over time, Headless Commerce has played a crucial role in reshaping how businesses implement eCommerce. This model provides you with many benefits in terms of customization, scalability, and delivering a multi-channel experience for customers. However, before deciding to deploy Headless, you’ll need to consider issues related to business goals, budget and resources, development needs, and the go-live timeline.

When ready to implement Headless, you’ll choose top platforms supporting Headless Commerce. One of these platforms is Shopify, a renowned SaaS platform that has introduced several solutions for businesses to deploy Headless.

• Shopify Hydrogen + Oxygen: This superior solution includes the Hydrogen framework based on React and the Oxygen hosting. It helps quickly and efficiently deploy a Headless eCommerce website.
• Commerce Components: This groundbreaking tech stack is developed specifically for large enterprises deploying Headless Commerce or Composable Commerce. This solution allows you to combine independent components to customize and enhance the eCommerce experience.

With extensive technical expertise and high specialization in the eCommerce domain, SECOMM has successfully consulted and implemented Headless Commerce using one of Shopify’s three solutions for leading enterprises such as Vinamilk, Suzuverse, and more.

Contact SECOMM or call directly at the hotline (02871089908) to explore how we can support businesses in maximizing the potential of Headless Commerce and enhancing competitiveness in the eCommerce market.

Today’s eCommerce consumers are no longer confined to a single channel or device for their shopping needs. They have a ton of options, including mobile apps and social media platforms. As a result, businesses are striving to establish a robust multi-channel presence to swiftly engage with their customers. One highly effective approach to achieving this goal is through the implementation of Headless Commerce. 

In recent years, investors have shown a significant interest in Headless Commerce platforms and associated solutions, recognizing their pivotal role in shaping the future of online commerce.

Forbes reports that between 2020 and 2021 alone, more than $1.65 billion in funding was directed toward Headless technologies. In response to this evolving landscape, Shopify unveiled the Hydrogen solution in June 2021, designed to facilitate the development of headless Commerce storefronts. 

The following article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of Shopify Hydrogen, shedding light on both its pros and cons. 

Overview

Shopify offers businesses the Hydrogen framework solution, originally based on React but now being developed with Remix, in conjunction with the global hosting solution known as Oxygen.

What is Shopify Hydrogen?

In the past, Shopify website developers utilized the platform’s templating language known as Liquid, which often faced performance limitations. Consequently, to ensure top-notch website performance for headless commerce, Shopify businesses require a specialized solution.

Typically, businesses implementing headless projects on Shopify Plus opt for the React framework over Liquid due to its superior technical aspects. Moreover, headless stores on Shopify Plus offer heightened flexibility, customization, and scalability compared to standard headless stores on Shopify.

Therefore, Shopify has introduced a solution that allows both Shopify Plus and standard Shopify businesses to build and advance the most optimized headless eCommerce websites possible. This led to the creation of the Hydrogen framework solution and Oxygen hosting.

Shopify Hydrogen is a React-based framework that empowers developers to craft distinctive and entirely customized frontend Shopify experiences. This framework encompasses all the essential structures, components, and pre-built tools necessary for developers to swiftly create headless stores and deliver personalized user experiences.

What is Shopify Oxygen?

Shopify Oxygen is a worldwide hosting solution designed to store custom content, like Hydrogen stores, directly within the Shopify platform. Previously, Shopify businesses seeking to develop Headless Commerce had to depend on third-party hosting providers (e.g., Netlify).

In contrast, Oxygen is supported by Shopify’s extensive global infrastructure, featuring over 100 server locations worldwide. Thanks to this, Hydrogen stores can seamlessly and directly integrate with Oxygen hosting through the Storefront API, eliminating the need for reliance on third-party providers.

Remix – The New Highlight of Shopify Hydrogen

In the first quarter of 2023, Shopify unveiled Hydrogen v2, highlighting the web development tool called Remix. This tool has earned recognition from developers as one of the top React frameworks, trailing only behind Next.js. Consequently, Shopify acquired Remix and designated it as the cornerstone of the Shopify Hydrogen solution.

The reason for this lies in the fact that Hydrogen v1 faced performance-related criticisms after some time in operation. The acquisition of Remix is a part of Shopify’s efforts to rectify these issues, leading to the emergence of Hydrogen v2.

While developers tend to favor Next.js over Remix due to its open structure, allowing for greater customization and offering a more favorable developer experience, it doesn’t guarantee output quality and website performance.

Conversely, Remix employs a closed structure that mandates developers to adhere to the framework’s template. This approach closely aligns with Shopify’s SaaS model, providing a web development framework and enforcing developers to follow specific principles during deployment. 

This adherence ensures website performance and significantly enhances conversion rates. Therefore, Remix is the ideal solution chosen by Shopify to address the existing performance gaps in Hydrogen stores and enhance the eCommerce experience for customers.

Pros of Shopify Hydrogen

Developed based on React

Hydrogen represents Shopify’s investment in the development of Headless eCommerce. Therefore, it’s fair to classify any Shopify store using the Hydrogen framework and Oxygen hosting as a Headless Shopify store.

The Headless architecture has consistently garnered praise from industry experts, who anticipate its continuous evolution. Shopify’s decision to incorporate React – the JavaScript library for frontend interface development – as the cornerstone of the Hydrogen solution underscores this platform’s forward-looking perspective on the future of eCommerce, firmly rooted in the Headless trend.

Diverse Integration

The launch of Shopify Hydrogen aims to assist businesses in building professional Headless eCommerce websites and providing customers with a seamless multi-channel experience.

Therefore, Shopify extends the capability to seamlessly integrate Hydrogen stores with various third-party applications and platforms like Klaviyo, Gorgias, and Rebuy (to enhance the customer experience), as well as Sanity, Contentful, and Builder.io (for Headless CMS implementation). 

Learn more about Headless CMS:

• What is Headless CMS?
• 10 Enterprise Headless CMS Platforms (Pt.1)
• 10 Enterprise Headless CMS Platforms (Pt.2)

Flexible Customization 

Numerous enterprises choose to implement Headless eCommerce because it grants them full control over the development of the frontend interface, free from the limitations of specific platforms. Shopify Hydrogen also empowers businesses to construct entirely personalized headless website interfaces and integrate essential features for expansion.

Cons of Shopify Hydrogen

Technical Skill Required 

Hydrogen solution empowers businesses to leverage the potential of Headless eCommerce, but it’s predominantly a technically-driven endeavor without a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface for non-technical users to easily access and modify.

Hence, the development process necessitates the engagement of highly proficient developers with programming expertise and a specific comprehension of Hydrogen and Oxygen. In this scenario, businesses have two choices: establish an in-house team of developers or partner with an external specialized entity for swift deployment.

Limited CMS Integration.

Because it relies on the React framework, Hydrogen can assist developers in creating custom frontends, but the backend CMS functionality must be connected to enable the headless eCommerce website’s operation.

However, as of now, Hydrogen is limited to integrating with specific CMS platforms like Sanity, Contentful, and Builder.io, leaving businesses responsible for connecting with others independently.

Limited 3rd-party Integration

Much like CMS platforms, Hydrogen supports businesses in integrating with third-party provider applications, but it has rather limited options. Currently, there are only 13 available applications that businesses can incorporate into their Hydrogen store.

In the many years of implementing Headless eCommerce for numerous clients across various countries, SECOMM has noticed an increasing demand for creating Headless websites using the Shopify platform. Now, businesses have a choice: they can either leverage Shopify’s tech stack (Hydrogen and Oxygen) or build a custom stack tailored to their unique requirements.

This further solidifies Shopify as one of the most flexible eCommerce platforms today, leading the way towards the next generation of eCommerce experiences.

Contact us or call SECOMM’s hotline (02871089908) for a free consultation.

In Headless eCommerce architecture, the user interface (frontend) is separated from the business logic and database (backend), operating independently and communicating with each other through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). The backend of the eCommerce system can be linked to multiple frontends to deliver a seamless omnichannel experience for customers.

This omnichannel capability has driven many businesses to adopt Headless eCommerce to adapt to market trends and attract a large customer base across all potential channels. 

However, from the planning stage to achieving the goals, it’s a long journey with several crucial steps that require dedicated efforts from businesses. Among them, selecting the right platform for Headless eCommerce development is essential. Currently, there are four prominent platforms in the market: Adobe Commerce, Shopify Plus, BigCommerce Enterprise, and Commercetools.

This article will focus on helping you as a business make the right decision by listing the selection criteria and pros and cons of each platform.

Things to Evaluate When Choosing Headless eCommerce Platform

Headless Architecture

You need to ensure that the chosen platform supports the Headless architecture, allowing the separation of the frontend user interface from the backend system. The separation provides omnichannel capabilities, enabling you to deliver seamless and consistent customer experiences across all channels  (e.g., websites, mobile devices, IoT devices, etc.).

API Capabilities

APIs are crucial for integrating with various different user interfaces. Therefore, you should seek a platform with the ability to provide customizable APIs for seamless data exchange. 

Performance & Scalability

Next, you need to consider the scalability of the platform, especially for large-scale enterprises with extensive and complex product catalogs or significant inventory management needs. A highly scalable platform can easily adjust its size based on requirements, handle high traffic, and ensure top-notch performance even during peak shopping seasons. 

The ability to integrate with third-party solutions is also crucial when selecting a platform. Third-party tools serve specific business needs and drive eCommerce efficiency. You can prioritize platforms with strong integration capabilities and compatibility with a wide range of third-party tools and services, including payment gateways, shipping, content management systems (CMS), analytics tools, and more. 

Flexibility & Customizability

Alongside performance and scalability, customization capability holds great significance for any business pursuing a platform to deploy Headless eCommerce. Evaluating the platform’s flexibility in design and user experience becomes crucial, ensuring effortless customization of frontend to meet specific business needs.

Security

Security is of utmost importance for any eCommerce platform. When choosing, you must ensure the platform adheres to standard security measures, such as secure payment PCI DSS, SSL encryption, and more.

Analytics & Reporting

Data analytics and reporting play a vital role in optimizing eCommerce operations and making informed decisions. Therefore, you should seek a platform with powerful analytics and reporting capabilities to provide comprehensive insights into customer behavior, sales effectiveness, conversion rates, and other essential metrics.

Customer Support

Opting for a Headless eCommerce development on a platform that provides valuable support resources like developer documentation, forums, and support communities, or responsive customer service directly from the platform, can bring significant benefits. You should ensure they have access to necessary assistance throughout the entire implementation process.

Total Cost of Ownership

Ultimately, the cost is a determining factor for any eCommerce business’s choice. These costs may encompass licensing fees, hosting, development, maintenance, or integration expenses with third-party services. You must assess these costs in relation to the platform’s capabilities, ensuring they align with your budget and long-term business goals.

By considering these criteria, you can select an appropriate Headless eCommerce platform that meets their business needs, provides a seamless customer experience, and supports their long-term growth objectives.

The Best 4 Platforms for Headless eCommerce Development

Magento (Adobe Commerce)

Magento is renowned as the world’s leading open-source eCommerce platform and currently ranks third in the market share among eCommerce platforms, following WooCommerce and Shopify

Magento has 2 editions:

• Magento Open Source: a free-to-use edition, but users still need to pay for hosting, domain, extensions, and development fees when hiring specialized Magento developers. 
• Adobe Commerce: a paid edition with superior eCommerce solutions, suitable for large businesses with high development and expansion needs. It includes 2 versions: Adobe Commerce on-premise and Adobe Commerce on-cloud. 

Pros

• Being open-source allows you to have complete control over the source code and infrastructure.
• With high flexibility and strong customization capabilities, it meets the needs of complex eCommerce requirements.
• Its excellent scalability is suitable for large-scale business operations.
• The powerful multi-store support enables seamless management of numerous stores across various locations from a single admin panel.
• Unified APIs and technologies across all channels enhance Omnichannel capabilities.
• From fundamental to advanced features, with a wide range of available extensions and integrations, it optimizes eCommerce functionality.
• Magento supports the creation of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) with PWA Studio features

Related Reading: What is PWA? 4 Key Benefits of Developing PWA

Cons

• Complex development, security, and maintenance processes necessitate extensive technical expertise.
• High development costs and lengthy development timelines.

Shopify Plus

Shopify stands out as a leading SaaS eCommerce platform in the market, boasting over 3.75 million active stores in 2022.

Presently, Shopify provides two main editions:

• Shopify: Including standard packages (Basic, Shopify, Advanced) with different fees and features, catering to the requirements of small and medium-sized businesses.
• Shopify Plus: A comprehensive eCommerce solution at reasonable costs, tailored for medium to large enterprises, equipped with advanced features and tools to optimize business operations. 

Pros

• The platform is designed to be user-friendly and accessible even for non-technical users.
• It boasts impressive performance and scalability, effortlessly handling high web traffic and numerous transactions.
• With the GraphQL Storefront API, you can deliver unique customer experiences across various channels like websites, mobile apps, and IoT devices.
• The Shopify App Store offers a wide range of powerful applications, extensions, and integrations exclusively tailored for Shopify Plus.
• Customizing the frontend is made simple with a user-friendly visual editor and direct code access.
• It facilitates omnichannel sales and automates eCommerce processes, resulting in operational resource savings.
• It seamlessly integrates with various third-party tools and systems, including ERP, CRM, CMS, and more.

Cons

• The customization capabilities of Shopify Plus are good, but they still cannot be compared with open-source platforms. For example, regarding payment gateways, it only allows integration with Shopify’s partner gateways such as PayPal, 2Checkout, PayDollar, Skrill, etc. Businesses aren’t permitted to integrate with other gateways outside this list. 
• The eCommerce data of businesses using Shopify Plus is locked into Shopify Plus’s database. This dependency poses risks from the provider (Shopify Plus) and limits the business’s ability to access its entire data.
• While Shopify Plus supports creating multiple stores alongside the main store, compared to Adobe Commerce, the capabilities of Shopify Plus are somewhat limited. The platform restricts the number of stores and locations businesses can add, and businesses cannot manage multiple stores within the same Shopify Plus account.
• The cost is not fixed and increases based on revenue, development, and integration needs.

Usage cost: Starts from $2,000/month and increases based on revenue.

Related Reading: What is Shopify Plus? The Pros and Cons of Shopify Plus

BigCommerce Enterprise

Similar to Shopify, BigCommerce is also one of the leading SaaS eCommerce platforms with notable features that help businesses establish a fast and easy online presence.

The BigCommerce Enterprise edition serves large-scale enterprises with various optimized business operation solutions. Among them, the BigCommerce Headless eCommerce solution stands out, enabling businesses to create a consistent customer experience along with many other supportive solutions that ensure quick website launch and easy customization.

2.3.1 Pros

• An easy-to-use and intuitive platform.
• A powerful API architecture for building custom user interface solutions to meet complex requirements.
• Create and manage multiple headless storefronts within a single dashboard.
• High scalability and fast web performance.
• Robust Headless features that can integrate with frontend frameworks (Next.js, Gatsby.js, and Nuxt.js), CMS, DXP, ORM, etc.
• Capable of handling up to 600 SKUs per product.
• Drive omnichannel sales.
• Excellent support for building PWAs

2.3.2 Cons

• Similar to Shopify Plus, the customization capabilities of BigCommerce Enterprise are good, but still cannot be compared with Open-Source platforms.
• There are limitations in controlling the backend infrastructure and accessing the database.
• The payment process still utilizes the BigCommerce domain, leading to authentication and security issues.
• High deployment costs.

Usage cost: Starts from $400/month and can go up to $20,000/month

commercetools

commercetools is a pioneering platform for Headless eCommerce worldwide. Developed based on MACH principles (Microservice-based, API-first, Cloud-native, and Headless), Commercetools supports businesses in building and customizing eCommerce solutions tailored to their needs and their customers’ needs.

Pros

• High scalability and customization capabilities.
• Drive omnichannel sales.
• Powerful features and functionalities: category management, unified shopping cart, order management, machine learning, etc.
• Pre-built building blocks enable businesses to create their own backend structure.
• The API-first approach promotes flexibility and scalability, optimizing development time and ensuring compatibility between functionalities.
• Free 60-day trial.

Cons 

• Requires technical expertise and experience for development.
• Limited advanced features for large enterprises, requiring specific custom development.
• Smaller user base and community support compared to more established platforms, making it challenging to find assistance.
• The initial development cost with Commercetools is quite high and depends on annual revenue, integration needs, scalability, etc.

Usage cost: The pricing is not publicly available, and businesses need to contact Commercetools for further discussion. However, here are some reference points. The implementation cost starts from $300,000, and the licensing fee begins at $200,000 per year.

With extensive experience in advising platform selection and supporting eCommerce implementation for numerous businesses worldwide, SECOMM always emphasizes that choosing the right platform is the first step towards success.

Contact SECOMM or call directly at the hotline number (02871089908) now for a free consultation.

The eCommerce industry has a sizable market share in the Vietnamese economy and has shown impressive growth over the past two years due to the effects of the worldwide pandemic and social isolation.

After a year of society adjusting to the “new normal”, customers have started to buy at traditional stores again but the established trend of eCommerce consumption and the push from the wave of global digital transformation have encouraged businesses to change in order to suit the way the digital economy works.

Therefore, recognizing and anticipating the eCommerce trend of 2023 is extremely necessary for businesses’ New Year’s Marketing strategies to be implemented effectively and successfully.

Below is a list of 10 eCommerce trends that are forecast to “storm” the market in the next year.

Omnichannel

Omnichannel is an omnichannel sales model that helps businesses reach customers through many channels such as eCommerce websites, social networks, eCommerce platforms, chain stores, and distribution agents but operating in just one management system. 

Additionally, there is a second type of sales model called “Multi-channel” that differs from Omnichannel in that it allows for discrete marketing content, unlinked data, and independent channel operation.

When purchasing across numerous channels, continuous and seamless updates result in a heterogeneous and seamless customer experience.

Due to the lifting of social distance restrictions, consumers are beginning to return to in-store buying after two years of online shopping.

However, that doesn’t mean that eCommerce’s growth momentum is stagnant; on the contrary, it keeps exploding.

Businesses there make use of the current rise in popularity of online shopping to encourage the use of Omnichannel to improve the varied and efficient shopping experience.

As researchers have noted:

• An estimated 56% of customers use smartphones to look up products while in a retail store.
• Nearly 75% of users use many different channels such as websites, social networks, and physical stores to shop.
• Around 73% of eCommerce consumers say they take an Omnichannel approach throughout the experience journey. For example, after shopping at a store, shoppers continue to follow the brand’s website, social networking sites, and eCommerce platforms.

As a result, 2023 will still be recognized as a strong year for omnichannel in eCommerce.

Mobile Commerce

Mobile Commerce or mCommerce is a business model that allows companies and individuals to deliver goods and services directly to consumers through handheld wireless devices such as smartphones and tablets.

According to Bankmycell, the number of smartphone users worldwide in 2022 is 6.648 billion, equivalent to 83.07% of the world population owning a smartphone.

Moreover, it is predicted that this number will increase to 7,516 billion by 2026. In addition, the percentage of global users participating in online shopping in 2022 accounts for 58.4%.

In Vietnam alone, interesting figures are listed in the Vietnam eCommerce White Book in 2022:

• 88% of people’s means of accessing the Internet are mobile phones, while this rate will only reach 57% in 2021.
• The percentage of Internet users participating in online shopping is 74.8%.
• 91% of the electronic means commonly used to order online are mobile phones.
• Among online shopping channels, 47% of users make purchases through mobile shopping applications.

In upcoming years, the percentage of global people and Vietnamese people as well who own mobile devices and use them for online shopping is high and predicted to increase significantly. 

Social Commerce

Social commerce refers to the method through which companies advertise and sell goods and services online using social networking sites like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Youtube, Zalo, etc. In other words, this type of business combines eCommerce and social media.

The impact of social networks has grown significantly in recent years. Over 59% of the world’s population uses social media, it is not surprising that this percentage will continue to rise. 

While in the past businesses used social media to raise brand awareness and draw in new customers, today eCommerce businesses boost sales by offering goods and services to clients online via social media.

As a result, it’s incredibly handy for customers to interact, exchange information, and search and shop online all in one location.

According to Statista, global social commerce sales will reach $992 billion in 2022 and are projected to reach nearly $3 trillion by 2026.

Thanks to the development of social networks, social commerce has had a strong acceleration and has become a magnet for brands to come to approach and analyze a large number of potential customers, and achieve marketing and sales goals.

As a result, failing to prioritize social commerce in enterprises’ marketing strategies in 2023 is probably to lead to a significant loss of competitive advantages in the eCommerce market.

Headless Commerce

Today, businesses have a lot of choices to build an eCommerce website, but basically, the structure of a website will include the following main parts:

• Frontend: Everything the user sees and interacts with when accessing the website including the interface, content, and functions,… is received from the backend.
• Backend: All the active parts of the website or app that are not visible to the user such as the database system, design tools, management tools, and custom functions.

For websites using a traditional structure, the frontend and backend will be operated on the same platform and from there will be closely connected with each other. Therefore, any changes on the website will be edited in two parts at the same time. However, with Headless Commerce, the backend and frontend will be decoupled from each other and operate independently on two separate systems.

The benefits of deploying Headless Commerce:

• Increase customization
• Increase Scalability
• Increase the page load speed
• Seamless integration
• Multi-channel sales support

By using the Headless structure, Nike has become a brand with a much larger market share than Adidas – a formidable competitor of Nike.

Moreover, Nike’s website recorded more than 60 million pageviews in just 1 month. In addition, the proportion of direct purchases without intermediaries also increased significantly.

From Nike’s Case Study, one of the practical alternatives for companies looking to encourage eCommerce sales growth is Headless Commerce.

Shoppertainment

Shoppertainment is a form of shopping combined with entertainment that is used as a marketing strategy to encourage customer engagement with brands and consequently increase shopping demand. Moreover, it is used and takes over most of the online commerce in the era of digital transformation, when eCommerce is positioned at the forefront of contemporary business trends.

Some common practices of Shoppertainment trends:

• Live selling
• Shoppable video
• Gamification

These three practices all focus on entertainment and interaction. Then, the emotional element is aroused, leading to a series of unwise and unplanned shopping decisions. From a business perspective, this is beneficial for brands. TikTok‘s recent research proves it:

• In Southeast Asia, 82% of consumers purchase goods from companies they hardly ever use.
• 55% of consumers have made unplanned purchases.
• After watching videos on TikTok, 89% of consumers made unplanned purchases.
• Half of TikTok users confess to finding new brands or products while using the app.
• One in three customers desires to purchase and is satisfied with it.
• One in three customers wants to add fun and entertainment to shopping.

The growth of the Shoppertainment trend in recent years demonstrates the extreme demand for social interaction and connection following the period of Covid’s life.

Shoppertainment is the solution that businesses seek. This is a way to make the most of the customer’s biggest weakness – emotions.

When feelings of euphoria and joy are elicited during the shopping process, customers engage more, and purchase more unplanned products, conversion rates are higher, and sales follow.

AI Technology

Artificial intelligence now has a significant impact on eCommerce businesses in providing solutions to optimize the online shopping experience of customers. 

The following statistics demonstrate the incredible influence of AI on the eCommerce market and businesses operating in this field:

• The AI-powered eCommerce market is estimated to reach 16.8 billion USD by 2030 (InsightAce Analytics).
• In the retail eCommerce market, the value of AI is predicted to increase from $1.7 million in 2021 to $36.4 million in 2030 (Precedence Research).
• 78% of brands have used AI for eCommerce websites (Oracle) 
• Chatbot’s market value is predicted to reach 3.99 billion USD by 2030 (Grandview Research).
• It is predicted that eCommerce transactions made through Chatbots will reach 112 billion USD in 2023 (Business Solution).
• The cost of using AI Chatbots for customer care is 30% lower than hiring personnel to do this (Business Solution).
• 79% of eCommerce business owners admit that combining AI with marketing and sales helps increase the company’s revenue (McKinsey).
• 54% of businesses in France think that AI is good for analyzing eCommerce data (Statista).
• 70% of eCommerce business leaders in Europe and North America think that AI technology can help optimize customer experience personalization (Statista).
• 37% of users who click on an AI-driven eCommerce recommendation on their first visit to a website, return the next day (Investp).

Currently, there are two applications of AI technology that are commonly used in eCommerce:

Chatbots

For eCommerce businesses, Chatbots will be like salespeople who can interact directly with customers 24/7. This helps businesses narrow the distance in terms of geography and time zones, helping the sales and customer services process to take place effectively without interruption.

Personalized Advertising Campaigns

By collecting customer data, AI can create tailored content and recommendations for each specific customer. To improve marketing campaigns and personalize the customer experience, AI can also predict purchasing behavior based on a user’s browsing and search history, when the data is legally available.

VR/AR Technology

VR (Virtual Reality) is a modern technology that brings users into a simulated but still very realistic space with only 3D glasses (virtual reality glasses). The virtual world that the user sees is actually set up and controlled by a highly configurable computer system.

AR (Augmented Reality) is a new technology enhanced from VR technology. This technology has the potential to erase the boundary between the real world and the virtual 3D model. That is, users will experience virtual models in real space through smartphones or computers.

With a clear plan and the appropriate approach, Lazada has been in front of the augmented reality trend for a number of years and developed a certain competitive advantage in luring both consumers and sellers.

In particular, the VTO (Virtual Try On) function on Lazada includes a wealth of features to assist customers in freely selecting and trying goods like eyeshadow, eyeliner, foundation, and cushions whenever and wherever they like.

Since its launch, LazMall brand partners in the cosmetics sector have experienced tremendous success with the VTO function, which has helped to boost conversion rates by 3.1x and average order values by up to 11%.

KOL/KOC 

The rapid growth of social networks and eCommerce has given marketing efforts a fresh and original breeze thanks to KOL/KOC. Although KOL and KOC have long existed in some form, they have truly taken off in recent years.

KOL – Key opinion leader, also known as an “influencer”, is an individual or organization with expert product knowledge and influence in their field or industry.

KOC – Key Opinion Consumers are “the most influential consumers in the market”. Their job is to test products and services and make comments and reviews.

KOL will suit mid- to high-end brands, while KOC will suit mid-range brands. If KOL is used to select brand ambassadors, holiday season ambassadors, or product launch campaigns, KOC is used to boost sales in a short time or direct customers to websites or eCommerce platforms.

Some famous KOLs in Vietnam: Helly Tong, Giang Oi, Dino Vu, Co em Trendy, Chau Bui, Khanh Vy, Khoai Lang Thang,…

Some famous KOCs in Vietnam: Ha Linh, Call Me Duy, 1m88, Ong Giao Review, Chau Muoi, Hoang Viet, Pu Met 7,…

BOPIS

BOPIS – Buy Online Pick-up In Store is one of the shopping trends that promise to explode in 2023. Customers won’t have to be concerned about shipping costs, extended delivery times, or the risk of receiving unexpected goods when using BOPIS.

Businesses all around the world are pushing up their BOPIS implementation to meet customer expectations when merging online buying with in-person pickup. This is the ideal approach to boost store visits and close the gap between the offline and online buying experiences.

According to GlobeNewswire, the global BOPIS market is projected to reach $703 billion by 2027 with an estimated CARG of 19.3% between 2021-2027.

In addition, the following BOPIS trend statistics can help businesses consider implementing in 2023:

• In the last 6 months of 2022, 67% of US consumers use BOPIS.
• 49% of BOPIS consumers admit to buying more products while in store to pick up their items.
• 65% of customers choose BOPIS to avoid shipping costs.

The BOPIS model also aids businesses in cutting expenses, expediting deliveries, boosting demand for retail goods, and lowering the risk of product returns.

UGC

User Generated Content, also known as UGC, includes text, photos, video and reviews. Because people are becoming less and less engaged in the brand’s message over the past ten years, UGC has grown in importance.

According to a recent Salesforce survey, 53% of Millennials think user-generated content (UGC) influences their shopping decisions, and 92% of consumers prefer content created by friends and family over that created by brands. The reason for the above numbers is trust.

Therefore, user-generated content (UGC), such as photos, videos, and customer evaluations, is trustworthy social proof and aids in the development of a company’s reputation.

In a nutshell, businesses must quickly adapt to evolving eCommerce and digital technology trends in order to avoid falling behind and being driven out of the market. By reading 10 eCommerce trends that stated and analyzed above, businesses will have an overview to be ready for the new journey.

With many years of experience in successfully implementing eCommerce for many customers in many countries, SECOMM specializes in providing consulting services with comprehensive and professional eCommerce implementation solutions.

Contact SECOMM today for free support and advice.

Since its inception, Magento has maintained its distinct position in the eCommerce development community. One of the primary reasons for this is that Magento has a diverse, highly applicable feature system compatible with all business models (B2B, B2C, B2B2C, D2C).

SECOMM will introduce some “cool” Magento features for businesses to consider

Multi-brand solution

The Multi-Brand Solution is a multi-language, multi-currency, and multi-store solution that helps businesses unify all content and products on a single “screen.” Businesses with various brands, stores, or business models can set up multiple pricing structures, display a wide range of product types, and customize payment methods for any audience ( B2B, B2C, B2B2C, D2C).

This function assists businesses in increasing sales by utilizing all content to create eye-catching websites to maximize customer information. As a result, targeting different customers with product recommendations and promotions is possible. Simultaneously, the adaptability enables businesses to personalize the purchasing experience through customized categories and pricing.

MSI (Multi-Source Inventory)

MSI is a prominent feature of Magento 2 (starting with version 2.3.0) that allows businesses to easily manage products from multiple stores, significantly improving inventory management regardless of customer location, warehouse, or sales channel.

This feature enables businesses, particularly dropshipping businesses, to ship one order containing multiple products from multiple warehouses while ensuring on-time delivery to customers.

Headless Commerce

Magento’s headless Commerce is an eCommerce architecture that separates the frontend (which represents the user interface) from the backend (which means the eCommerce functionality). The front and backend are linked together by an API, allowing businesses to easily customize and update without interfering with the user interface or CMS pages.

Thanks to the applicability of Headless Commerce, Magento websites benefit from faster page load times and personalized user experiences at a lower long-term cost.

Comprehensive Analysis

Magento allows you to track and measure eCommerce system performance using built-in tools like Google Analytics, which tracks and reports traffic, audience, purchasing process, and purchasing behavior.

Use Google Tag Manager to quickly update website metrics and related tags to increase personalization and reach the right goals for the following marketing campaigns.

Use Facebook Pixels to measure ad performance and capture actions taken on the website.

Furthermore, Magento supports Business Intelligence (BI) analysis. Magento BI is a cloud-based platform that allows you to consolidate and manage data sources, create data models, and create charts and reports from a single screen. Sending out periodic reports also helps to control information sharing.

Integrating various B2B functions

Specially designed for B2B customers, supporting various functions like: 

• Shared Catalog: This allows companies to create “shared” catalogs with prices, products, and customization rights for multiple brands.
• Business Account: Assist admins in creating accounts, managing all data, and assigning sales representatives as accounts’ primary contacts.
• Quick Order: Order by SKU is similar in that it allows customers to add products to their cart by simply entering the SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) code and quantity information or loading a CSV file.
• Business Credit: Allows businesses to extend their B2B customer credit line, allowing them to make purchases up to the authorized credit limit on their account. This function assists businesses in tracking and controlling credit issues.
• Quoting: Allows businesses to manage quote requests in the admin interface, view contact history between buyers and sellers, and export data.
• Payment on Account: This feature is applicable globally or in business and occurs in the payment process with a message that will appear at the top of the order to indicate the status as an additional offline payment method that allows companies to make purchases up to the credit line specified on file.

All of these features assist businesses in managing user accounts via the customer portal, allowing them to quickly set up multiple levels of buyers with specific roles and benefits.

In addition, companies can track quotes and orders, define purchasing rules, and manage credit online simultaneously. Since then, business and management in the B2B model have become more efficient and faster.

Advanced search function

Live Search combines artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (Adobe Sensei) to provide fast search results and personalized product recommendations based on customer behavior, trends, characteristics, and other data.

ElasticSearch is an open-source distribution that supports enterprise-level search engines for searching data on the server. This function aims to perform real-time analysis and data source mining (MS SQL, MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc) to optimize highly for fast language-based searches.

Simultaneously, overcome the difficulties by hiding all other complex operations by providing API access.

Smart page builder

This function includes a variety of actions, such as the ability to drag and drop content on the website to provide the best user experience, preview how the content will appear on the user interface, and modify forms to enter and customize content.

Initially, Magento’s functionality only supported the Magento Commerce version (Magento Enterprise Edition). Still, since Magento 2, the developer has supported the Magento Open Source version, allowing businesses to create unlimited CMS content pages.

High Security

Magento’s high security has long been a distinguishing feature that makes it the preferred platform for businesses.

Using a periodic security scanning tool to quickly identify problems and update patches and notifications, propose security solutions to deal with arising errors, and effectively improve and optimize website security.

To increase the level of security for administrator accounts, use advanced passwords. The administrator password should be at least seven characters long and contain letters, numbers, and special symbols. Password complexity may be increased with lower case/case sensitivity, or re-login may be required after a certain length of a login session, depending on additional adjustments.

CAPTCHA security can protect both administrators and website visitors. In addition, using CAPTCHA aids the system in preventing bot spam and malicious code from entering the system illegally.

The 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) function provides additional security for system user accounts. To effectively limit threats of unauthorized access and attack on user accounts, customers must authenticate with an OTP security code sent to their phone number after logging in.

PWA (Progressive Web Apps)

PWA combines a website and a native app (for Android and iOS) on tablets and smartphones. Therefore, PWA enables your website to function and interact with mobile users in the same way that a native app would.

However, depending on the user’s needs, this website can be converted into a mobile application right on the device. Users can download the app to their phones when they visit the website. If the user agrees, they can open and browse the website in the same way they would an app on their phone.

Advanced SEO

SEO is another fantastic feature of Magento, in addition to optimizing website content, this feature also searches for indexed pages and assesses the SEO quality of each page. From there, the business website can use the robots.txt file to prevent the crawling of low-value parameters and consider only indexing pages with high search potential to improve rankings.

In addition, Magento has many other features such as cross-device compatibility, quick purchase and quick checkout, and so on. However, the development cost of an e-commerce website with such complex features is often very high, ranging from $5,000 to $100,000.Businesses should think about their e-commerce strategy when developing a unified sub-feature system.

With extensive experience developing many complex e-commerce systems on Magento, SECOMM understands the challenges that businesses face when selecting a platform and implementing E-commerce.

Contact SECOMM for a free consultation on comprehensive e-commerce system development solutions!