Home > Headless Architecture + BigCommerce: A Recipe for Flexibility and Success

Headless Architecture + BigCommerce: A Recipe for Flexibility and Success

Brent Peterson
Brent Peterson
headless

According to research conducted by IBM, eCommerce growth accelerated by nearly 5 years during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. With millions of people choosing to shop online instead of going to physical stores, sellers were forced to scramble to improve their eCommerce stores and manage the sudden influx of web traffic. Merchants came to recognize the importance of a flexible and scalable platform that’s capable of keeping up with the latest trends while delivering fast, personalized shopping experiences for every customer. 

Experts predict that, even when the pandemic is under control, most consumers will still prefer digital shopping over in-person browsing. As retailers continue to prioritize flexibility and adaptability to meet customer demands, it’s highly likely that headless commerce will become one of the defining trends of 2021.

What is Headless Commerce?

Traditional or monolithic eCommerce solutions are those that have their back and front-ends tightly coupled together, which means that any changes made on the front-end will also require adjustments in the back-end. For merchants who don’t have experience with coding, a monolithic structure can severely limit the changes they can make to their storefront without enlisting the help of a back-end developer. 

With a headless approach, the front end (or the “head”) is decoupled from the back-end of the website to allow merchants to make quick changes to the appearance of their store without having to worry about changing the back end. Data is transferred between the decoupled ends through APIs, allowing retailers to change the appearance of the customer-facing side quickly and independently. 

Benefits of Going Headless

By decoupling the front and back ends of an eCommerce store, merchants can expect more than additional flexibility and endless front-end customization options. A headless approach can provide online sellers with: 

  • Advanced content delivery technologies. Content created by merchants is stored centrally instead of on the website’s back-end, so it can be accessed and delivered anywhere through APIs.
  • Custom solutions for developers. Since the front and back-ends are decoupled, brands can choose the perfect solutions for each side of their business. For example, the front-end may be a PWA, a CMS, or a DXP, while the back-end is managed by a platform like BigCommerce.
  • Upgrades to their current site architecture. In some cases, retailers might be happy with their front-end technologies but require more back-end support. With headless commerce, brands can continue utilizing whatever solutions currently work for them while adding new features or integrations in other areas.
  • Faster speed to market. Headless commerce makes omnichannel marketing a simple, streamlined process for companies of all sizes. Retailers can easily sell through social media platforms, applications, marketplaces, and other websites while managing it all from a single dashboard. 
  • Lower customer acquisition costs. With the capability to reach buyers across multiple platforms and deliver highly personalized recommendations, a headless solution can attract and convert more customers.

Headless Options for BigCommerce Users

BigCommerce has collaborated with hundreds of agencies, developers, and technology partners to ensure that their users can build their websites as easily and efficiently as possible. The flexible BigCommerce platform gives merchants the freedom to create excellent user experiences, power multiple stores from a single account, utilize a wide range of extensions and integrations, and take full advantage of the open SaaS platform.

On the BigCommerce app store, users can find a variety of solutions to manage every aspect of their website, along with themes, templates, special offers from partners, and much more. With both free and paid extensions for everything from accounting needs to specific site tools, retailers can have a fully scalable and customizable store that’s capable of growing with their business for years to come.

How to Get Started

Since the front and back-ends of a headless solution are decoupled, brands will need to rely on a developer to get their new store set up for success. To get their ideal site up and running in record time, partnering with an experienced development agency is highly recommended for any business thinking about going headless. 

With over 10 years of experience with the BigCommerce platform, SEO, web design, and essential eCommerce practices, B2Commerce offers unparalleled service for companies of all shapes and sizes. To get personalized advice and support for your BigCommerce project, don’t hesitate to connect with one of our developers today!

From Browsing to Buying: Put Wagento’s eCommerce Mastery to Work for You

Brent Peterson
Brent W. Peterson, President of ContentBasis LLC, is a pioneering eCommerce entrepreneur. His journey spans retail entrepreneurship to global workshops, with a passion for endurance sports. 

Related Topics

With the holiday shopping season just about to end, it’s the perfect time to start prepping for the next season with some upgrades! When upgrading

With the new year coming up, it’s time to update your website! Digital trends change with the times, and this year, we’re expecting to see

Our understanding of artificial intelligence usually comes with images from dystopian novels, robots that feel the same emotions we do, and other superpowered technological marvels.

Start Selling with Personalized
eCommerce Solutions