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Commerce APIs Are Transforming The Way We Shop
Our guest blog, Commerce APIs Are Transforming the Way We Shop, is provided by Diya Bag, a Senior Content Writer at commercetools. Previously, she has worked as a Copywriter in advertising for a wide range of brands and as an Editorial Manager in publishing for magazines and fiction and nonfiction books.
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The Power of Commerce APIs
Online shopping is gaining ground on brick-and-mortar sales. This year, expectations are that just over 20% of retail purchases will happen online, and by the end of 2023, the global eCommerce market will be worth more than 6 trillion USD.
As a result, companies can’t afford to ignore the power of a great online experience. When customers can readily access engaging content, quickly find what they’re looking for, and easily discover product details, they’re more likely to walk away satisfied and return to make additional purchases.
Application programming interfaces (APIs) help facilitate digital experiences and transform how customers shop online. In this piece, we’ll dive into what they are, how they work, and how they can help businesses build a better customer experience.
APIs: What They Are and How They Work
APIs act as intermediaries between computer programs. Data from one program can be routed through an API and then converted into a usable format for the other — and vice versa. It allows companies to quickly connect disparate programs, such as tracking customer data, handling transactions, and integrating with payment providers.
Before the development of APIs, companies had two choices: Collect data manually from one application and convert it for use with another or make significant changes to the code of both programs. APIs, meanwhile, use purpose-built connectors that hook into each program and allow the easy transfer of data. APIs are also much smaller than traditional software tools, meaning it’s easier to create, maintain, and upgrade these tools than their larger application counterparts.
Building a Better Shopping Experience
The lightweight nature of APIs means that they have multiple business uses. APIs can connect internal tools used for financial management, data analysis, or business planning. Meanwhile, APIs make it possible to build personalized and customized experiences for online shopping.
These types of experiences are now the expectation rather than the exception. The prevalence of social media tools, mobile devices, and cloud-based connections means customers have become accustomed to content based on their behaviors, preferences, and previous online transactions. As a result, it’s no longer enough to provide a “good enough” shopping experience — customers want experiences that address their needs, wants, and interests.
APIs lay the groundwork for better experiences. You can use them to connect disparate pieces of shopping software and allow companies to focus on the result rather than the intermediate effort. Consider an API that connects product pages and shopping cart software. With shopping carts quickly pulling necessary data from product pages, companies can focus on creating top-tier product content that engages customers and drives sales conversions.
7 Ways APIs Can Transform the Way We Shop
For APIs to be effective, they need a specific purpose. While connecting almost any two pieces of software using APIs is possible, transforming the shopping experience means finding ways to significantly improve familiar functions or deliver personalized content that helps generate ongoing interest.
Here are seven ways APIs can help transform the way we shop.
1. Enhanced Product Content
It’s not enough to have a great product. Driving customer interest requires businesses to create product content that’s accurate, up-to-date, and engaging. APIs make it possible to deliver rich product experiences on demand. It includes real-time inventory tracking and precise product modeling with product types, attributes, and custom fields. Companies can create multiple categories using APIs to help customers easily find what they want.
2. Increased Cart and Checkout Performance
If customers want to buy your products but run up against cumbersome cart and checkout processes, they may take their business elsewhere. Cart and checkout APIs can help companies build high-performance carts and checkouts that quickly populate with accurate information and clearly communicate user options for payment and shipping.
3. Streamlined Order Operations
Once orders are in place, APIs can help manage associated logistical tasks, such as tracking shipping status, processing returns, and notifying customers of potential delays. More order context means reduced frustration for customers, in turn, driving increased satisfaction.
4. Optimized Pricing Information
Online shopping is the great equalizer — businesses can now sell almost anything to anyone, anywhere. As a result, it’s critical to use APIs to facilitate price management and accuracy. APIs allow the display of accurate pricing for users based on preferred currency, destination country, taxation rules, and shipping data.
5. Personalized Customer Experiences
Customers expect companies to know what they want and when they want it — and create personalized experiences to match. APIs allow businesses to track and manage customer signups for newsletters and accounts, track order histories, and use demographic data (with permission) to improve customer segmentation and personalization.
6. Improved Promotions Processes
Promotions and discounts can help drive online sales. Companies can set up promotions, create vouchers, and set discount rules using APIs. For example, organizations can define criteria to receive discounts, such as signing up for a free account, and then track the number of users that complete this task.
7. Reduced Ecosystem Complexity
The online commerce ecosystem goes beyond product pages, shopping carts, and checkout processes. It also includes integrations with tools such as customer management systems (CMS), fulfillment operations, and payment providers.
Consider payment integration. While credit cards remain the most popular payment option, businesses must support alternative payment processes such as PayPal, gift cards, prepaid credit cards, and cryptocurrency. APIs enable connecting multiple payment providers to digital storefronts, tracking the frequency usage of each payment gateway, and capturing data about average order volume and value for each payment type.
Shopping 2.0: The Power of APIs
APIs are transforming how customers shop, and businesses build engaging online experiences. From enhancing product content to increasing checkout performance and personalizing customer experiences, APIs enable companies to create curated, compelling content that keeps customers returning for more.
In Conclusion: Commerce APIs Are Transforming the Way We Shop
Company plus personal career endeavors require us to research the latest trends and outcomes to remain fluid. Upon hearing and reading the insights of others, it’s wise to consider them carefully in our private time for potential usage. Shopping cart and store owners will do well to review the APIs affecting shoppers on an ongoing basis.
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Sales Tips: Commerce APIs Are Transforming The Way We Shop
- Review all the ways you purchase to realize which method stands out.
- Consider the reasons why you prefer your shopping method.
- Ask yourself whether you provide the shopping options you choose when buying.
- Request feedback from your clientele regarding their purchase preferences.
- Research your top competitors to realize what they do when selling.
- Review the latest commerce APIs to consider using.
- Upon discovering new options, weigh which one is easy to implement and the fees for a better ROI.
- Be on the lookout constantly for new high-tech measures to empower sales.
- Compare notes on the latest technology updates with peers.
- Celebrate Success!
Today’s insights are provided to help you achieve the Smooth Sale!
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