What are APIs and why eCommerce sites use them

Technically speaking, API, an acronym for Application Programming Interface, is considered a set of protocols for building application software. In fact, APIs are the foundation for much of what keeps people connected digitally.

From the apps on our phones to complex flight control systems, APIs combine otherwise disparate systems to create a single platform. They allow applications or IoT devices to access data and create gateways to interact with external systems.

They are the connective tissue that holds the digital world together and can be inserted via simple HTML without requiring knowledge of programming languages such as Python.

For eCommerce businesses, APIs, especially web APIs, are an opportunity to use your platform to gain better customer insights, offer additional purchase opportunities, and more.

Companies have the opportunity to transform their entire business into a holistic platform, extending the capabilities of existing architectures.

How to use the API now

banking.

Transfer money online from bank to bank.
View bank accounts from different institutions on one platform.
Paying in a retail store using a smartphone

trip.

Search the web for the best hotel prices.
Use your mobile phone to get your boarding pass.
Get real-time status on delayed flights

Search on Facebook.

Ability to search by name, including incomplete names.
Searches are prioritized by physical location.
Images with a specific tag are included in the search.

Stay in sync with social media.

View tweets related to a particular topic.
Easily share news articles on Facebook.
Embed YouTube videos directly into pages.

Ecommerce Sites Use APIs to Grow Customer Base

API development is opening up new avenues — and in some cases, new revenue streams — for websites that leverage them properly. They are helping customers find what they need and providing them with related products.

Brands grow as social media accounts connect. A single product is sold in multiple markets, significantly expanding a company's reach without minimal investment. The most successful e-commerce sites are using service APIs to their fullest potential and reaping the benefits.

So, why should your website use an API?

Scale quickly to meet changing needs.

The e-commerce market is developing rapidly. Businesses need to be able to adapt frequently to changing needs. Many do not have the right programmers to meet the surge in feature requests

If an eCommerce company has a project that goes viral on social media, they don't have time to create, test, and deploy code updates. If that had happened, the sales opportunity would have long since passed.

However, the API allows the site to scale as needed. Connecting to a cloud provider's internal API keeps the site up and running when traffic spikes would normally take the site offline. APIs can mean more sales.

Keep your data safe.

Most have strong API security to keep data safe, both in transit and at rest. A strong API takes the burden of security and protects data (especially customer and payment data) from bad actors.

Technically, e-commerce sites aren't even connected to third-party servers. Your site transmits data to the API, and the API connects to the server, minimizing the risks associated with backend server vulnerabilities.

Examples of APIs frequently used by e-commerce sites

From displaying key product information to managing shipping to customer communication, eCommerce platforms use public APIs at nearly every customer touchpoint.

These are common API types that are widely used in the burgeoning API economy to automate functionality or improve experiences. API design has come a long way and continues to improve.

Displays product information for a feature.

These allow developers to fully manage product catalogs and displayed information. This API Management may include Description, Image, Pricing or SKU. Users are able to interact directly with the database and get up-to-date information immediately.

Search the API to easily browse the site.

Building site functionality from scratch is difficult. Using open APIs is often the preferred option, especially as sites become larger and more complex. Increase sales with a search API that efficiently crawls all product information and delivers results that accurately reflect search intent. There are several open APIs available using an open source architecture.

Payment API that makes checkout easy.

Removing friction from the checkout process is critical to ensuring items don't stay in the cart. The final step of the customer journey should be easy, and it can be done with a comprehensive payments API that accepts many forms of electronic payments.

Shipping API that provides accurate delivery dates.

A quality shipping API works by providing accurate shipping costs and providing credibility to customers. They clearly communicated that their order was received, processed, shipped, had an estimated delivery date, and even had the location of the shipment using the Google Maps API. This will bring confidence to your business and encourage repeat business.

Specific API specifications designed for BigCommerce

BigCommerce business partners can leverage private APIs in most of their web applications. From back-office inventory management to order fulfillment, our clients can get the most out of their websites by using powerful systems that may be integrated into the BigCommerce platform.

Directory API simplifies directory creation

Creating and managing catalogs has never been easier than with BigCommerce's Catalog API. Easily integrate into existing sites and simplify inventory management with:

Automatically synchronize large and complex directories.
Connect physical and online stores.
Leverage analytics and reporting for better customer insights

Login API to connect BigCommerce account with preferred login

Our login API simplifies identity management and makes it easy to connect user accounts on BigCommerce websites with other preferred identity management systems. APIs improve customer experience by:

Enable customer logins using sources such as Active Directory, Google Apps, Microsoft, Amazon, or Facebook.
Plug your BigCommerce site into a non-commercial content management system like WordPress.
Allows single sign-on access to stores via identity provider integration.

Shopping cart API brings new insights into purchasing decisions

The shopping cart API provides owners with actionable data and a unique understanding of customers' buying habits. Gain a better understanding of why customers make decisions and make smarter data-driven decisions to increase sales.

The shopping cart API does this by:

Provides full access to cart data, including added and removed items.
Add custom tools as needed, including analytics, pricing, and checkout.
Customize your shopping cart to provide a personalized shopping experience.

What are APIs and why eCommerce sites use them

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