I’m a bit late to the party here as there’s probably already an abundance of content discussing whether or not headless ecommerce is worth it but I thought I’d add my 2 cents as it’s a discussion that still comes up from time to time.
As an ecommerce store owner, you’ve most likely come across the term “headless ecommerce”, and are potentially in a position of being faced with the dilemma of putting together a business case for or against it.
I want to highlight some thoughts and share my personal experience with it, in the hopes that it might help someone, somewhere with the decision making process.
I’ll start off by saying that headless is fantastic, there’s no getting around that but I would argue that in a large percentage of cases that it can be unnecessary and I’ve seen a couple of instances now where store owners have either halted plans or reverted to a simpler, ‘old fashioned’ approach.
1. What is Headless ecommerce?
Headless ecommerce, simply put, refers to building online stores, or any website/app for that matter, that separates the frontend technology, or user interface, from the backend technology, or ecommerce admin.
This creates a clear separation between the parts of the website that the user interacts within the browser and the backend operations and logic handling.
The separation allows store owners to have more flexibility and control over their website’s look and feel whilst also [potentially] improving performance.
I’ll highlight some advantages, potential drawbacks including cost and resource involvement along with impact on operations to hopefully help you make an informed decision as to whether or not it’s the right choice for you and/or your team.
2. Understanding Headless ecommerce
Defining headless ecommerce
Traditionally, ecommerce platforms provide an all-in-one solution that includes both the frontend UI and backend functionality. Let’s say you or your service provider has just signed up to Shopify, edited the look and feel, there’s a fair bit more to it than that but for arguments sake, and deployed your first theme. That’s a traditional ‘monolithic’ setup.
With headless ecommerce on the other hand, businesses can choose to use their preferred frontend frameworks to build out the UI, such as React or Vue, while still integrating with their chosen ecommerce platform’s backend.
This separation of concerns in headless ecommerce offers greater flexibility, performance and customisation. With the front and backends decoupled, companies can update or change one without affecting or straining the resources of the other. This modularity allows for quicker iterations, easier scalability, and the ability to adapt UI quickly for marketing efforts, CRO or performance.
The Technology Behind Headless ecommerce
The key to implementing headless ecommerce lies in the use of APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces. APIs provide a way for different systems to communicate with each other. In the case of headless ecommerce, APIs are used to connect the custom frontend to the backend ecommerce platform. This allows for seamless data exchange and ensures that the online store remains fully functional regardless of the technology used for the frontend.
Furthermore, the use of APIs in headless ecommerce opens up more possibilities for the store. By leveraging APIs, companies can easily integrate additional services, such as marketing tools, or analytics platforms, into their ecommerce ecosystem. This extensibility not only enhances the overall functionality of the online store but also enables businesses to adapt to new technologies and innovations in the market swiftly.
3. The Pros and Cons of Headless ecommerce
Advantages of Headless ecommerce
- Flexibility: One major advantage of headless ecommerce is the increased flexibility it offers. With the ability to choose separate frontend technologies, businesses can theoretically create user interfaces more effectively, providing greater flexibility over the look and feel of the site. For example, a fashion retailer can build an unconventional, brand-led, minimal site, think Zara, to showcase their products in a more visual way. This building from the ground up approach is sometimes harder to achieve with say, Magento.
- Performance: Additionally, headless ecommerce allows for, in theory, easier scalability and faster website performance, as the frontend can be optimised independently of the backend. This means ecommerce sites can handle sudden spikes in traffic or accommodate future growth without compromising the user experience. For instance, BFCM, an online store can seamlessly scale up their frontend servers to handle the increased demand, ensuring a smooth shopping experience for their customers without impacting on the backend operations.
- Developer happiness: Headless ecommerce enables businesses to adapt more quickly to shiny new technology advancements which can mean happier developers. By decoupling the frontend from the backend, businesses can easily introduce new features or upgrade their online store without disrupting the underlying ecommerce platform. This agility empowers stores to stay ahead of the competition with brand, marketing and merchandising efforts.
Cons of headless ecommerce
Despite its many advantages, headless ecommerce does come with drawbacks that a, at least in my experience, some don’t like to discuss.
- Increased complexity: One such drawback is the increased complexity involved in setting up and maintaining a headless architecture. Businesses need to invest time and resources in building and maintaining the custom frontend, as well as ensuring smooth integration with the backend. This can require specialised expertise and ongoing maintenance. Let’s say, in simple terms, that you build your frontend using Vue.js, that’s a completely separate framework and package that you need to host and maintain. For more complex content requirements, you may also need to invest in another tool such as Contentful that your marketing teams can use to publish content.
- Not all apps/third party modules are compatible: While headless ecommerce offers the freedom to choose different frontend technologies, some pre-built ecommerce platforms provide a wide range of built-in features, modules and customisation options that may not be readily available in a headless setup. Remember you’re building everything from the ground up so that means any pre-built connectors with services such as Nosto, might not be available.
- Learning curve: Another potential drawback is the learning curve associated with using new frontend technologies. If your team is not familiar with the technology stack you choose, there may be a learning curve that could impact your development timeline. However, with proper training and support, your team can quickly adapt and gain proficiency in the chosen technologies, unlocking the full potential of headless ecommerce.
4. Evaluating cost of headless ecommerce
One of the primary considerations that you must evaluate is the initial setup costs. The decision to start roadmapping headless architecture involves a significant investment in both time and resource. Developing a custom frontend requires skills that your team or external partners might not possess. This may entail hiring specialised developers or upskilling existing ones to meet the demands of this innovative approach.
Moreover, in addition to the initial setup expenses, businesses must also account for the maintenance and ongoing costs associated with a headless ecommerce setup. As your store evolves and adapts to the ever-changing landscape along with general wear and tear, there will be a continuous need for enhancements, updates, and bug fixes. Allocating resources for ongoing maintenance is essential to ensure that your headless ecommerce platform remains optimised, secure, and capable of delivering a seamless shopping experience to your customers.
Initial Setup Costs
When considering headless ecommerce, it is important to assess the initial setup costs. Building and maintaining a custom frontend requires investment in development resources and potentially hiring specialised developers. However, it is essential to consider the potential long-term benefits that a tailored frontend can bring to your business.
Maintenance and Ongoing Costs
Alongside the initial setup costs, you should factor in ongoing maintenance and support costs. As your store evolves and new features are added, there will be a need for continuous improvements and bug fixes. It is advisable to allocate resources for ongoing maintenance to ensure your headless ecommerce store remains optimised and performs well.
5. The old fashioned approach
Now that we’ve looked at some pros and cons of headless ecommerce and in the interest of fairness, here’s some potential upsides of the traditional, monolithic approach.
Simplicity and Reduced Complexity
- Unified Codebase: Monolithic architectures provide a single codebase that integrates frontend and backend components, making it easier for developers to understand, maintain, and develop new features. This simplicity can be beneficial, especially for small teams or businesses with limited technical resources.
- Easier Development and Deployment: With a monolithic setup, you have a single deployment pipeline, reducing the complexity of building, testing, and deploying changes. There’s no need to coordinate multiple services or ensure API compatibility between different parts of the application.
Cost-Effectiveness
- Lower Initial Costs: Developing and maintaining a monolithic application is often less expensive initially, as it avoids the need for specialised expertise in multiple technologies or the overhead associated with managing a decoupled architecture.
Consolidated Resources
Monolithic systems consolidate resources, which can reduce the costs associated with hosting, monitoring, and securing multiple systems or microservices.
Faster Initial Development:
- Rapid Prototyping: Monolithic architectures enable faster prototyping and development for simple e-commerce sites, allowing businesses to launch quickly and iterate over time.
- Third-party apps and modules: Platforms like Shopify offer a wide array of plugins and themes that can be easily integrated into the system, allowing businesses to add features and customise the look and feel without extensive development effort.
Reduced Maintenance Overhead:
- Centralised Maintenance: Maintaining a single application can be more straightforward, as updates and bug fixes can be applied across the entire system simultaneously without needing to manage version compatibility across multiple services.
- Simplified Debugging: With everything integrated into one system, debugging and troubleshooting can be more efficient, as developers have full visibility over all components and their interactions.
6. To conclude, is headless ecommerce worth it?
Evaluate the level of customisation and scalability your you require, as well as the technical expertise and resources available to implement and maintain a headless architecture. Additionally, analyse your long-term goals and how headless ecommerce aligns with your overall business strategy. I would go one step further and benchmark your existing setup.
Assess your specific requirements, objectives, and constraints to determine if headless ecommerce is the right fit. Consider the nature of your products, brand and marketing efforts, the target demographic and the level of control and flexibility you need over your store.
Finally, don’t worry if headless ecommerce isn’t right for you store, there’s plenty of ways to optimise and manage a monolithic setup.