Headless ecommerce: what is it and do you need it?
In short:
- Headless ecommerce means disconnecting the frontend presentation layer from the backend components of a webshop. This allows you to use specialized components for, for example, a CMS or a PIM.
- Consider headless ecommerce if you have specific customer experience needs, performance requirements such as PageSpeed/SEO, want to create a unique experience, or use other separate elements such as a PIM, OMS, or CMS. In many cases, however, an 'all-in-one' platform is fine, but read on for a more in-depth understanding.
Headless ecommerce: what is it and do you need it?
When it comes to replatforming, the design in terms of architecture is an important consideration. When you delve into the possibilities for this, you will soon come across the term headless ecommerce encounter. What exactly is this and should you consider this for your solution?
What is headless ecommerce?
With a headless ecommerce solution, you disconnect the frontend presentation layer of your webshop from the backend components of your webshop. Here you can then use various components in the backend that are all specialized in a particular application such as a CMS, a PIM, etc. By default, this is often combined and a platform fully facilitates you in this. This provides a lot of options and ease of use, but also limitations because the platform prescribes what the functionality is and fills it in technically.
Do you need headless ecommerce?
There are a number of reasons to consider this:
- When you have very specific needs in the customer experience;
- When you have very specific performance requirements for PageSpeed/SEO, for example;
- When you want to create a completely different experience than a standard online store;
- When you also use other separate elements (PIM, OMS, CMS) in your solution or environment.
In most cases, it is therefore not necessarily necessary to go for a headless to choose a solution and the “all in 1” platform is fine for the needs you have. After all, opting for a headless solution automatically means that you have to technically arrange more things, such as building a custom front-end and often an additional CMS for content management. This custom development must not only be custom-built, but also managed and provided with necessary updates. In the case of a platform, this is provided by the platform provider. Partly because of this, the construction phase is often larger for such projects, there are also more costs for other components such as a CMS and the costs for management and maintenance are often higher.
So even though headless seems to be the big trend, consider for yourself whether this is really necessary. Do you want help with this choice, or would you like more information about developing a headless ecommerce solution? Then get in touch.