API calls are used to ensure that different systems communicate and exchange data. An API is often designed by a platform developer who also determines the capabilities of the API. The risk of this is that you purchase a platform where the API is too limited, and you cannot realize full integration of platform and business processes. This can affect the safety, architecture, design and shopping experience of the customers of your webshop. Would you rather start from the essence and build from there? Then an eCommerce platform with an API first eCommerce strategy is exactly what you are looking for.
API first eCommerce is a strategy or approach that puts sales functionality first - no matter who, what or where it is used. In this way you can easily adapt as an organization to changes in the market. Reasons why you choose API first eCommerce:
With a regular approach, it remains a challenge to keep data up-to-date anytime, anywhere. Sometimes it happens that a stock or delivery time is out of sync and is displayed incorrectly. This can have a negative effect on your customer's shopping experience. With API first eCommerce, the data between systems is always synchronized. Different applications can access through the API, making data up-to-date anytime, anywhere.
Whatever the product or service entails, everyone wants the shortest possible time to market. Because the frond and backend are inextricably linked, it takes a long time to implement changes. By the time all adjustments have been made and tested - and are live again - customer demand has already changed. With a headless implementation of your eCommerce platform you work much faster, which considerably shortens the time to market. Bij een headless implementatie van je e-commerce platform werk je veel sneller, wat de time to market flink verkort.
Most suppliers support some integrations with their eCommerce platform. But if you have a self-built ERP system or you want to integrate with a niche product that is very important for your business processes, it quickly becomes complicated. With an API first eCommerce platform, creating integrations is easy, because you are not stuck with the most used and large third parties. This makes it easy to integrate other organizations, systems or services with your eCommerce platform.
Without an API first approach, it is difficult to apply a best-of-breed strategy. With this strategy you select the best products that together meet all your business requirements. This makes it possible to offer your customer an omnichannel shopping experience, in which all communication channels work together. With regular platforms you have to rely on a system with standard functionalities and you depend on customizations to find a better connection with your business processes.
Benefits of the CloudSuite API:
Customers have 24/7 access to customer data.
Automatic: less manual errors and more time savings.
Better customer experience, increased customer satisfaction.