Headless commerce solutions
Headless commerce is a modern approach to commerce that differs from traditional monolithic commerce
What is headless commerce?
Headless commerce refers to the separation of an eCommerce website’s customer-facing frontend and backend systems. The frontend, also known as the storefront, is what customers interact with. The backend includes the underlying systems, such as payments and inventory management, that power the business. Despite its abstract name, the concept of headless commerce is relatively simple.
Headless commerce is a modern approach to eCommerce that differs from traditional monolithic commerce. Monolithic commerce refers to using one system that handles both the front and backend of an eCommerce website. On the other hand, Headless commerce separates the frontend (storefront) and backend (underlying systems and engines), allowing for greater flexibility and ease of editing the frontend without affecting the backend. In this approach, the frontend only functions as a presentation layer and can be easily modified without impacting the backend.
Headless commerce provides a solution to the limitations faced by traditional monolithic commerce. Although it may seem more complex, this approach is more efficient and easier to handle for online stores.
Why choose The Drawing Room Creative as your headless commerce solution?
At The Drawing Room Creative, we have a team of multi-skilled professionals who are experienced in working with various code bases and platforms to deliver customised solutions for our clients. One of our most notable achievements is creating the innovative McLaren F1 Headless Shopify platform. This platform combines the robust backend capabilities of Shopify with a React frontend to provide optimal content delivery and user experience. This headless commerce solution serves customers in over 250 countries. It offers exceptional speed, functionality, and flexibility, including options for global language, tax, and currency. Our team brings a strong creative edge and a commitment to best practices in ecommerce development to every project.
We have a proven track record of delivering successful headless commerce solutions for some of the largest global brands.
Clients we work with
Headless commerce benefits
Improved personalisation capabilities
Personalisation is a crucial aspect of the modern shopping experience. Surveys indicate that 71% of customers expect brands to provide personalised experiences, and 76% of customers become frustrated when they don’t receive personalisation. Headless commerce with Shopify enables brands to build custom eCommerce storefronts for specific channels, providing a personalised experience for customers. This level of personalisation can lead to increased customer loyalty. According to Accenture, 79% of customers are more likely to remain loyal to a brand that provides personalisation. This can translate to increased sales, referrals, and revenue.
Enhanced performance and scalability
Headless commerce can bring significant SEO benefits to your eCommerce website, particularly in terms of site speed. As of last year, Google’s search algorithm now includes site speed as a ranking factor and slow websites may receive penalties. Given this, a fast-loading eCommerce website is essential for achieving high rankings on Google. Headless commerce can improve site speed by allowing for greater flexibility in the frontend, which can lead to a more streamlined and optimised website.
Easier integration with other systems
Headless commerce allows businesses to use APIs to integrate and decouples the front and backend. This separation of concerns enables a more flexible and decoupled integration process, making it simpler to connect the ecommerce platform with other systems, share data, perform actions in real-time and can help mitigate the impact of traffic. Additionally, it allows businesses to connect with new technologies to deliver a more seamless and personalised experience.
Faster speed to market
Headless commerce allows for greater flexibility and faster development times by decoupling the frontend and backend of an eCommerce website. This means that changes can be made to the customer-facing side (frontend) without affecting the backend, and vice versa. As a result, new functionalities and integrations can be added more quickly compared to traditional monolithic commerce architectures. The separation of the frontend and backend also enables the marketing and content teams to work independently from the development team. This allows for faster content creation, landing page development, and site layout changes without impacting the backend, resulting in fewer dependencies and faster time-to-market.
Enhanced customer experience
Headless commerce allows you to create a unique and personalised user experience for your eCommerce website, which can help you stand out from your competitors. By separating the frontend from the backend, you have the freedom to build a custom storefront that aligns with your brand’s image and identity without any constraints. Additionally, headless commerce allows for seamless integrations with other systems such as PIMs, OMS, ERPs, shipping logistics and marketing technology to enhance the customer experience. Furthermore, using APIs makes it easy to connect different software solutions and add functionalities to your webshop.
Headless commerce architecture on shopify
In the context of Shopify, headless commerce architecture, the frontend of a Shopify store is decoupled from the backend. In a headless Shopify setup, the frontend of the store is powered by a separate application or system that communicates with the Shopify backend through the Shopify API.
One of the main benefits of a headless architecture on Shopify is the ability to have greater flexibility and control over the store’s frontend. This can be particularly useful for businesses wanting to create a highly customised shopping experience or integrate with other systems or platforms.
To implement a headless architecture on Shopify, businesses typically use a frontend application or framework that communicates with the Shopify API to retrieve data and perform actions such as creating and updating products, processing orders, and managing customers.
Why shopify is a popular platform for headless commerce
Headless commerce with Shopify is one of the most popular headless commerce architectures. So what is headless commerce exactly? And what does it mean for Shopify?
Shopify is a popular platform for headless ecommerce because it provides a robust API that enables businesses to easily retrieve data from the backend of their store and perform actions such as creating and updating products, processing orders, and managing customers.
Additionally, Shopify offers developers a wide range of tools and resources, including detailed documentation and support for building custom integrations and extensions. This can make it easier for businesses to set up and maintain a headless ecommerce setup on the platform.
Another reason why Shopify is well-suited for headless ecommerce is that it offers a wide range of features and functionality that are essential for running an online store, such as payment processing, inventory management, and shipping integrations. This means that businesses can take advantage of these features while still having the flexibility to build a highly customised frontend experience.
Overall, the combination of a powerful API and a range of built-in ecommerce features make Shopify a popular choice for headless ecommerce.
Headless shopify examples to inspire your move
At The Drawing Room, we are dedicated to providing cutting-edge digital solutions for our clients. This is why, when tasked with creating a world-class eCommerce website for McLaren F1 on behalf of Castore, we were excited to take on the challenge.
Thanks to our team’s expertise and commitment to researching the latest digital practices and technologies, we were able to develop a unique, first-of-its-kind platform that combines fast site speed, a full range of eCommerce functionality, and a visually stunning front-end design that is fitting for one of the motor industry’s most iconic brands.
The result is our headless Shopify platform, which offers an innovative approach to eCommerce while leveraging Shopify’s power and ease of use. Shopify is a popular eCommerce platform that provides a low-barrier-to-entry solution that can accommodate businesses of any size.
Why you should invest in a headless commerce solution
Adopting a headless approach for your commerce site can be a valuable investment for ambitious online businesses. By embracing headless architecture, you can take command of your customer journey, improve the user experience, and add cutting-edge features that set your site apart from your competitors.
With headless, you can easily optimise for speed, search engine optimisation (SEO), and conversion rate optimisation (CRO). Additionally, you have the flexibility to make changes quickly and efficiently, which can drive increased revenue. So, what are you waiting for?
A team of experts ready to assist you on your headless commerce adventure
Changing to a forward-thinking headless approach and transitioning your website to a flexible yet intricate new platform can seem overwhelming. But rest assured – The Drawing Room is here to assist you in making the transition easily and position you as a leader in eCommerce innovation.
Our expertise allows us to construct exceptional headless sites with extraordinary features designed to meet your specific needs. Contact us to learn how we can support you in realising your headless aspirations. We look forward to helping you.
Headless commerce FAQs
Headless commerce vs Traditional commerce
The main difference between headless commerce and traditional commerce is the architecture of their ecommerce platform. Traditional commerce is a tightly integrated system where the front-end (website) and back-end (database, inventory management, etc.) are interconnected, limiting flexibility and customisation. On the other hand, headless commerce decouples the front end from the back end, allowing for greater customisation and flexibility in designing the user interface. This architecture facilitates faster development and deployment of new features, better scalability, and security.
When should you go headless?
Headless commerce is suitable for businesses with complex e-commerce requirements or those looking to differentiate their online presence with unique user experiences. It is also ideal for companies seeking to integrate their ecommerce platform with other software systems or third-party applications. Businesses that require faster development, scalability, and better security can benefit from headless commerce.
Headless commerce companies
The Drawing Room Creative is a leading headless commerce agency specialising in developing customised ecommerce solutions for businesses. Our team of experts has years of experience in the ecommerce industry and is dedicated to delivering engaging and seamless user experiences that drive revenue growth. Our team works closely with clients to understand their unique requirements and business objectives, ensuring our solutions meet their needs. Choose The Drawing Room Creative to elevate your online presence with a unique, customised ecommerce experience that drives growth.
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We are more than happy to have a no obligation initial conversation to help you scope and define your project.