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Headless Commerce
E-commerce Trends
Digital Transformation
API Integration
Omnichannel Retail
ARTICLE #136
Table of contents
The 8 best reasons why headless commerce is the right choice
Headless Commerce
E-commerce Trends
Digital Transformation
API Integration
Omnichannel Retail
Headless Commerce
E-commerce Trends
Digital Transformation
API Integration
Omnichannel Retail
Written by:
8 min read
Updated on: October 31, 2024
Irik Henry
Growth Marketing Director
Growth Marketing, Performance Marketing, UX
Irik Henry
Growth Marketing Director
Growth Marketing, Performance Marketing, UX
Irik Henry
Growth Marketing Director
Growth Marketing, Performance Marketing, UX
Many shoppers these days toggle between multiple devices faster than a juggler spinning plates—and they are not shy about reading reviews or comparing prices, either. Reports indicate that 81% of buyers look online prior to making a purchase. This means brands must be agile, letting customers see and buy products in ways that match their own routines. Headless commerce stands out as a prime solution for meeting these modern demands.
By decoupling the site’s front end from its back end, headless commerce can tweak and style your storefront—be it for a website, a mobile app, or some yet-to-be-invented gadget—without dismantling the entire operation. Instead of wrestling with rigid, one-size-fits-all frameworks, you can pivot and refine at will, staying on your toes for what’s coming next.
Below are eight reasons businesses worldwide are choosing this approach—and why it could be a turning point in your e-commerce strategy.
Many shoppers these days toggle between multiple devices faster than a juggler spinning plates—and they are not shy about reading reviews or comparing prices, either. Reports indicate that 81% of buyers look online prior to making a purchase. This means brands must be agile, letting customers see and buy products in ways that match their own routines. Headless commerce stands out as a prime solution for meeting these modern demands.
By decoupling the site’s front end from its back end, headless commerce can tweak and style your storefront—be it for a website, a mobile app, or some yet-to-be-invented gadget—without dismantling the entire operation. Instead of wrestling with rigid, one-size-fits-all frameworks, you can pivot and refine at will, staying on your toes for what’s coming next.
Below are eight reasons businesses worldwide are choosing this approach—and why it could be a turning point in your e-commerce strategy.
1. Faster performance for an impatient audience
1. Faster performance for an impatient audience
Online buyers are famously short on patience. If a page drags, they are likely to exit. Being able to render pages rapidly—especially on mobile—can significantly improve sales and reduce site abandonment. This is how headless commerce contributes to faster performance.
Decoupled architecture: The front end calls data from an API, so it only fetches what’s essential at that moment. This approach cuts down on heavy system calls that might slow things down.
Reduced load times: Freed from bulky processes, each page can appear quicker on a user’s screen.
SEO value: Search engines often reward speedy sites with better positioning, which can boost your brand’s visibility.
Shoppers who experience delays tend to lose trust, and a slow site can undermine brand credibility. A headless setup mitigates that risk by speeding up response times.
Online buyers are famously short on patience. If a page drags, they are likely to exit. Being able to render pages rapidly—especially on mobile—can significantly improve sales and reduce site abandonment. This is how headless commerce contributes to faster performance.
Decoupled architecture: The front end calls data from an API, so it only fetches what’s essential at that moment. This approach cuts down on heavy system calls that might slow things down.
Reduced load times: Freed from bulky processes, each page can appear quicker on a user’s screen.
SEO value: Search engines often reward speedy sites with better positioning, which can boost your brand’s visibility.
Shoppers who experience delays tend to lose trust, and a slow site can undermine brand credibility. A headless setup mitigates that risk by speeding up response times.
2. Consistent omnichannel presence
Today’s shoppers hardly stick to one channel. One minute they are browsing on a desktop, then flicking through a tablet, and finally making a purchase from their phone. Omnichannel Retail is rapidly becoming an expectation rather than an add-on. That’s where headless commerce shows its strength.
APIs for all touchpoints: Each front end (website, mobile app, kiosk interface, etc.) can tap into the same store data.
New channels with less hassle: Launching a voice-based purchasing assistant or building a new presence for digital signboards becomes simpler. The core commerce logic remains the same, so you just craft the front end you need.
Starbucks gets it right
Starbucks connects its mobile app, website, and in-store systems using a headless setup. Customers can preorder via the app, customise drinks, earn rewards, and see everything update in real time. Whether they check their balance online or redeem points in person, the experience remains uninterrupted. This synergy boosts satisfaction and deepens brand loyalty.
Today’s shoppers hardly stick to one channel. One minute they are browsing on a desktop, then flicking through a tablet, and finally making a purchase from their phone. Omnichannel Retail is rapidly becoming an expectation rather than an add-on. That’s where headless commerce shows its strength.
APIs for all touchpoints: Each front end (website, mobile app, kiosk interface, etc.) can tap into the same store data.
New channels with less hassle: Launching a voice-based purchasing assistant or building a new presence for digital signboards becomes simpler. The core commerce logic remains the same, so you just craft the front end you need.
Starbucks gets it right
Starbucks connects its mobile app, website, and in-store systems using a headless setup. Customers can preorder via the app, customise drinks, earn rewards, and see everything update in real time. Whether they check their balance online or redeem points in person, the experience remains uninterrupted. This synergy boosts satisfaction and deepens brand loyalty.
3. Exceptional flexibility and creative options
With so many players crowding each niche, companies need memorable experiences that set them apart. Standard e-commerce platforms often limit design elements and push you into certain templates. Headless commerce removes those barriers, enabling you to shape your front end however you like.
Frontend freedom: Use frameworks such as React or Vue.js to conceive your unique visuals, micro‑interactions, or fun content experiments unhampered by a monolithic back-end structure.
Brand personality: Whether you are emphasising witty copy, minimalistic visuals, or immersive media, a headless approach lets you make front-end changes independently.
Burberry’s digital revamp
Luxury fashion house Burberry improved its online appeal with a headless commerce framework. Splitting front-end and back-end made it easier for them to manage targeted campaigns, interactive media, and social media links. The boost in user engagement helped Burberry maintain its reputation for technological flair in the luxury sector.
With so many players crowding each niche, companies need memorable experiences that set them apart. Standard e-commerce platforms often limit design elements and push you into certain templates. Headless commerce removes those barriers, enabling you to shape your front end however you like.
Frontend freedom: Use frameworks such as React or Vue.js to conceive your unique visuals, micro‑interactions, or fun content experiments unhampered by a monolithic back-end structure.
Brand personality: Whether you are emphasising witty copy, minimalistic visuals, or immersive media, a headless approach lets you make front-end changes independently.
Burberry’s digital revamp
Luxury fashion house Burberry improved its online appeal with a headless commerce framework. Splitting front-end and back-end made it easier for them to manage targeted campaigns, interactive media, and social media links. The boost in user engagement helped Burberry maintain its reputation for technological flair in the luxury sector.
4. Quicker launches and easier adaptations
The online environment changes continuously. Consumer tastes can shift in a snap and businesses that fail to keep pace risk falling behind. A headless structure supports nimble updates, allowing front-end and back-end teams to work in parallel.
Parallel effort: Designers and coders can independently tweak or re-skin the user interface without upending data structures.
Faster deployment: Seasonal campaigns, ad-hoc discount modules, or aesthetic redesigns can come to life more quickly, keeping pace with seasonal or trending shifts.
Staying ahead in tech: If a brand-new technology emerges, you can connect it via API instead of overhauling your entire setup.
Toyota’s agile approach
Toyota used headless commerce principles to sharpen its online offerings. Development teams were able to deploy updates and additional features without impacting the core systems used across numerous global sites. This swift approach helped Toyota stay at the cutting edge of digital experiences in a highly competitive field.
The online environment changes continuously. Consumer tastes can shift in a snap and businesses that fail to keep pace risk falling behind. A headless structure supports nimble updates, allowing front-end and back-end teams to work in parallel.
Parallel effort: Designers and coders can independently tweak or re-skin the user interface without upending data structures.
Faster deployment: Seasonal campaigns, ad-hoc discount modules, or aesthetic redesigns can come to life more quickly, keeping pace with seasonal or trending shifts.
Staying ahead in tech: If a brand-new technology emerges, you can connect it via API instead of overhauling your entire setup.
Toyota’s agile approach
Toyota used headless commerce principles to sharpen its online offerings. Development teams were able to deploy updates and additional features without impacting the core systems used across numerous global sites. This swift approach helped Toyota stay at the cutting edge of digital experiences in a highly competitive field.
5. Scalability for rising demands
As a business grows, so does visitor traffic. If your back-end can’t handle an influx of buyers—especially during large promotions—shoppers might walk away. Poor performance is the fastest route to undermining consumer trust.
Independent scaling: If the back-end hits capacity, you can boost server power or performance settings separately from the front end.
Less bottlenecking: A front end optimised for speed means shoppers enjoy consistent load times, even under heavier traffic.
Optimised site speed: Google’s Core Web Vitals emphasise speed in ranking pages, so robust performance might raise your search engine standing.
Feelunique’s growth trajectory
Feelunique, an online beauty retailer, adapted headless solutions to handle large traffic volumes, especially around Black Friday. The revamped system reduced bottlenecks, sped up page responses, and saw an uptick in conversions. By catering to their expanding customer base, they stood out in the fiercely competitive beauty market.
As a business grows, so does visitor traffic. If your back-end can’t handle an influx of buyers—especially during large promotions—shoppers might walk away. Poor performance is the fastest route to undermining consumer trust.
Independent scaling: If the back-end hits capacity, you can boost server power or performance settings separately from the front end.
Less bottlenecking: A front end optimised for speed means shoppers enjoy consistent load times, even under heavier traffic.
Optimised site speed: Google’s Core Web Vitals emphasise speed in ranking pages, so robust performance might raise your search engine standing.
Feelunique’s growth trajectory
Feelunique, an online beauty retailer, adapted headless solutions to handle large traffic volumes, especially around Black Friday. The revamped system reduced bottlenecks, sped up page responses, and saw an uptick in conversions. By catering to their expanding customer base, they stood out in the fiercely competitive beauty market.
6. Smarter personalisation without excess weight
Consumers like it when brands remember preferences or recommend items that match their taste. Yet personalisation can become a drag on site performance if the system merges everything into a single platform. Headless commerce helps in the following ways.
Dedicated microservices: You can integrate separate engines for personal recommendations, cart reminders, or user analytics. If you update them, you don’t break anything else.
Flexible growth: As personalisation expands, you can refine or replace the microservice handling it, rather than reworking your entire platform.
Alibaba’s rapid growth
Alibaba handles enormous volumes of API calls every day thanks to a headless strategy. These APIs integrate everything from personal recommendations to frictionless payments, keeping Alibaba agile in rolling out new capabilities. Whether they test AI, AR try-ons, or other digital features, their API foundation makes adaptation a snap.
Consumers like it when brands remember preferences or recommend items that match their taste. Yet personalisation can become a drag on site performance if the system merges everything into a single platform. Headless commerce helps in the following ways.
Dedicated microservices: You can integrate separate engines for personal recommendations, cart reminders, or user analytics. If you update them, you don’t break anything else.
Flexible growth: As personalisation expands, you can refine or replace the microservice handling it, rather than reworking your entire platform.
Alibaba’s rapid growth
Alibaba handles enormous volumes of API calls every day thanks to a headless strategy. These APIs integrate everything from personal recommendations to frictionless payments, keeping Alibaba agile in rolling out new capabilities. Whether they test AI, AR try-ons, or other digital features, their API foundation makes adaptation a snap.
7. Improved security and compliance
Data breaches harm both your revenue and your reputation. Moreover, strict rules like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe make data protection non-negotiable.
Limited exposure: If the user interface is compromised, sensitive back-end data remains guarded behind well-defined APIs.
Compliance updates: A headless structure allows swift updates to compliance modules or security patches without forcing a full rebuild.
Managing industry standards: In fields with extra certification requirements, you only adapt or verify the relevant back-end components, leaving front-end design to proceed.
Zalando’s safer structure
Zalando, a major European fashion e-tailer, switched to a headless setup and improved its approach to data safety. This model allowed them to add fresh front-end features frequently while keeping sensitive information hidden and secure. Their efforts increased trust among users and made it easier to comply with GDPR guidelines.
Data breaches harm both your revenue and your reputation. Moreover, strict rules like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe make data protection non-negotiable.
Limited exposure: If the user interface is compromised, sensitive back-end data remains guarded behind well-defined APIs.
Compliance updates: A headless structure allows swift updates to compliance modules or security patches without forcing a full rebuild.
Managing industry standards: In fields with extra certification requirements, you only adapt or verify the relevant back-end components, leaving front-end design to proceed.
Zalando’s safer structure
Zalando, a major European fashion e-tailer, switched to a headless setup and improved its approach to data safety. This model allowed them to add fresh front-end features frequently while keeping sensitive information hidden and secure. Their efforts increased trust among users and made it easier to comply with GDPR guidelines.
8. Cost savings over the long haul
Upgrading an e-commerce platform can be pricey, especially if you need to tear it down and rebuild every few years. Headless commerce helps stretch your budget further.
Selective overhauls: If a new front-end technology appears, or you see a chance for better site aesthetics, you can implement it without recoding your entire data layer.
Shorter development cycles: Freed from a monolithic structure, each new feature or design iteration can roll out more efficiently.
Better investment return: Though adopting headless initially demands planning, the long-term adaptability often offsets those costs.
Walmart’s leaner system
Walmart undertook a headless revamp to gain flexibility and manage costs. This approach lets them roll out improvements faster, reduce downtime, and shift resources towards features that make a difference to shoppers. In the grand scheme, it lowered their operational overhead and kept them competitive across physical and digital outlets.
Upgrading an e-commerce platform can be pricey, especially if you need to tear it down and rebuild every few years. Headless commerce helps stretch your budget further.
Selective overhauls: If a new front-end technology appears, or you see a chance for better site aesthetics, you can implement it without recoding your entire data layer.
Shorter development cycles: Freed from a monolithic structure, each new feature or design iteration can roll out more efficiently.
Better investment return: Though adopting headless initially demands planning, the long-term adaptability often offsets those costs.
Walmart’s leaner system
Walmart undertook a headless revamp to gain flexibility and manage costs. This approach lets them roll out improvements faster, reduce downtime, and shift resources towards features that make a difference to shoppers. In the grand scheme, it lowered their operational overhead and kept them competitive across physical and digital outlets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are small businesses choosing headless e-commerce?
Many smaller firms need to act quickly to remain competitive. Headless commerce removes the barriers of monolithic platforms, allowing them to iterate rapidly, launch new user experiences, and scale without major reworks.
Is Shopify headless?
Shopify can be configured to function in a headless way using its APIs and tools like the Storefront API. This approach gives you more freedom to develop a unique front end while retaining Shopify’s reliable back-end capabilities.
What are the drawbacks of headless commerce?
Although headless solutions are powerful, they can require more specialised development resources. Businesses need teams comfortable with handling APIs and coordinating the front-end and back-end separately. The initial setup can also be more complex, but many find the adaptability worth it.
Conclusion
Headless commerce has emerged as a forward-thinking answer to modern e-commerce challenges. By detaching front-end designs and interactions from behind-the-scenes logic, you gain broader freedom to create distinct experiences, maintain consistent brand identity across any touchpoint, and keep pace with new channels or consumer trends.
We believe in linking creative flair to genuine business returns—headless commerce supports precisely that. Instead of letting legacy constraints limit your online shop’s evolution, this arrangement encourages continuous adaptation. Feel free to reach out if you need to discuss how this model aligns with your brand’s aims.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are small businesses choosing headless e-commerce?
Many smaller firms need to act quickly to remain competitive. Headless commerce removes the barriers of monolithic platforms, allowing them to iterate rapidly, launch new user experiences, and scale without major reworks.
Is Shopify headless?
Shopify can be configured to function in a headless way using its APIs and tools like the Storefront API. This approach gives you more freedom to develop a unique front end while retaining Shopify’s reliable back-end capabilities.
What are the drawbacks of headless commerce?
Although headless solutions are powerful, they can require more specialised development resources. Businesses need teams comfortable with handling APIs and coordinating the front-end and back-end separately. The initial setup can also be more complex, but many find the adaptability worth it.
Conclusion
Headless commerce has emerged as a forward-thinking answer to modern e-commerce challenges. By detaching front-end designs and interactions from behind-the-scenes logic, you gain broader freedom to create distinct experiences, maintain consistent brand identity across any touchpoint, and keep pace with new channels or consumer trends.
We believe in linking creative flair to genuine business returns—headless commerce supports precisely that. Instead of letting legacy constraints limit your online shop’s evolution, this arrangement encourages continuous adaptation. Feel free to reach out if you need to discuss how this model aligns with your brand’s aims.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are small businesses choosing headless e-commerce?
Many smaller firms need to act quickly to remain competitive. Headless commerce removes the barriers of monolithic platforms, allowing them to iterate rapidly, launch new user experiences, and scale without major reworks.
Is Shopify headless?
Shopify can be configured to function in a headless way using its APIs and tools like the Storefront API. This approach gives you more freedom to develop a unique front end while retaining Shopify’s reliable back-end capabilities.
What are the drawbacks of headless commerce?
Although headless solutions are powerful, they can require more specialised development resources. Businesses need teams comfortable with handling APIs and coordinating the front-end and back-end separately. The initial setup can also be more complex, but many find the adaptability worth it.
Conclusion
Headless commerce has emerged as a forward-thinking answer to modern e-commerce challenges. By detaching front-end designs and interactions from behind-the-scenes logic, you gain broader freedom to create distinct experiences, maintain consistent brand identity across any touchpoint, and keep pace with new channels or consumer trends.
We believe in linking creative flair to genuine business returns—headless commerce supports precisely that. Instead of letting legacy constraints limit your online shop’s evolution, this arrangement encourages continuous adaptation. Feel free to reach out if you need to discuss how this model aligns with your brand’s aims.
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Work with us
Click to copy
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We’re remote-first — with strategic global hubs
Click to copy
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Click to copy
New York, NY
ny@for.co
Click to copy
Miami, FL
mia@for.co
Click to copy
Dubai, UAE
uae@for.co
Click to copy
Kyiv, UA
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Click to copy
Lagos, NG
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Copyright © 2024 FOR®