What are Connected Devices?

A connected device refers to a physical product linked to a digital ecosystem—typically through a companion app, online platform, or cloud service—that delivers ongoing functionality or insights. These devices, such as fitness trackers, smart home hubs, or digital photo frames, use network connectivity to extend value beyond the initial hardware purchase.

Connected devices merge hardware and digital access into a unified customer experience. This hybrid model enables brands to monetize premium features, personalized analytics, or exclusive content on a recurring basis—creating continuous engagement and long-term customer relationships.

What is an ecommerce platform?

An ecommerce platform is a comprehensive software solution that enables businesses to create, manage, and optimize their online stores. These platforms provide a range of tools and features, including website building, product listing, payment processing, and customer management, all designed to streamline the online selling process. Popular ecommerce platforms like Shopify offer user-friendly interfaces, customizable templates, and powerful integrations, making it easy for businesses of all sizes to establish a robust online presence and deliver a seamless shopping experience.

Why should you use an ecommerce platform?

Incorporating an ecommerce platform into your online strategy is vital for achieving success in the digital marketplace. These platforms streamline the process of setting up and running an online store, making it accessible even to those with limited technical expertise. They offer robust features such as customizable storefronts, integrated payment gateways, and advanced analytics, which are essential for optimizing your business operations. By leveraging an ecommerce platform, you can enhance your brand’s online presence, reach a broader audience, and ultimately drive higher sales and revenue.

What is a JavaScript SDK?

A JavaScript SDK, or Software Development Kit, is a set of tools, libraries, and documentation that enables developers to integrate and leverage JavaScript functions within their applications or websites. It serves as a comprehensive resource that simplifies the process of incorporating JavaScript code into projects, offering pre-built modules and APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to streamline development tasks.

From user interface enhancements to data manipulation and interaction with external services, a JavaScript SDK empowers developers to create dynamic and interactive web experiences with ease.

Why are JavaScript SDKs important to ecommerce strategy?

Delivering seamless and engaging user experiences is crucial to a successful strategy. JavaScript SDKs play a pivotal role in achieving this goal by enabling ecommerce businesses to enhance their websites with dynamic features and functionalities. 

By integrating JavaScript SDKs into their builds, businesses can create responsive and interactive interfaces that captivate users, driving higher engagement and conversion rates. From dynamic product displays and personalized recommendations to streamlined checkout processes, JavaScript SDKs empower ecommerce websites to deliver an exceptional user experience.

Additionally, JavaScript SDKs facilitate the integration of third-party services and APIs, allowing ecommerce businesses to leverage a wide range of tools and technologies to optimize their operations and enhance customer satisfaction. 

What is an API?

An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of protocols, tools, and definitions that allows different software applications to communicate and interact with each other. It serves as a bridge that enables seamless data exchange and integration between different systems, empowering developers to build robust and interconnected software solutions. 

APIs define the methods and data formats that applications can use to request and exchange information, facilitating the seamless integration of third-party services, tools, and functionalities into existing software applications or websites.

Why are APIs important to ecommerce strategy?

In the dynamic and rapidly evolving landscape of ecommerce, staying competitive requires agility, innovation, and seamless integration of technologies. APIs play a crucial role in achieving these goals by enabling ecommerce businesses to leverage a wide range of functions, services, and data sources to enhance their online platforms. 

Businesses can use APIs to tap into a wealth of resources that streamline operations, enhance user experience, and drive growth, including payment gateways, shipping services, product catalogs, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems. APIs facilitate the seamless exchange of data between different systems, enabling ecommerce businesses to deliver personalized and engaging experiences to their customers while optimizing internal processes and workflows.

What is a payment API?

A payment API is an API (application programming interface) that enables ecommerce businesses to seamlessly manage payments. Payment APIs have the power to optimize the payments process for both businesses and shoppers, as they can make transactions faster and more secure. Pricing for payment APIs can vary depending on the provider. Some payment APIs may be free to use, but charge a processing fee depending on the payment instrument.

Payment APIs can be used for a multitude of different payment services, all centered around creating a seamless checkout experience for both merchants and their customers. They can help empower businesses to act as a credit card processor and accept credit card payments, bank account payments, or debit card–based payments. They can also allow businesses to offer a range of payment methods, increasing convenience for customers by allowing them to use their preferred payment method. They can also be used to track payment details and payment information, enable PCI compliance, and more. 

Benefits of payment APIs for online payments functionality

From a merchant perspective, one major benefit of payment APIs is that they can help automate the payments process, meaning less time and resources are needed on the business end to maintain those systems. A payment API can be used to enable both recurring and one-time payments, making them an important tool for subscription businesses. On the whole, APIs are highly customizable and scalable for developers, and can be integrated with a variety of other ecommerce tools and applications.

What is a decoupled content management system?

A decoupled CMS is a content management system architecture where the backend and frontend systems are separated, or decoupled. In other words, there is one system for the backend content creation and storage layer (or “body”), and another, separate system for the frontend content delivery layer/presentation layer (or “head”). APIs (application programming interfaces) then connect these two elements to deliver and present the content, where it can appear across various specified devices and channels.

Headless content management systems vs decoupled CMS

In a traditional content management system, like WordPress, the frontend and backend components are intertwined (or “coupled”). In either a headless or decoupled CMS architecture, these elements are separated from each other, and the content is delivered via APIs or a web service. However, in a decoupled CMS, a frontend component exists, whereas in a headless CMS, there is no frontend component or presentation element. 

Which architecture is right for my business?

There are pros and cons to each of these CMS solutions, so choosing the right one all depends on your business needs and resources. For example, building a decoupled system typically requires more frontend developer work than a headless system. However, if site redesigns or upgrades are necessary in a decoupled CMS, content editors can continue simultaneously producing work as those upgrades occur due to the separation of the content creation layer and presentation layer. Though headless and decoupled content management systems can be more flexible and scalable for businesses, they can also come with more costs than a traditional CMS build.

What is headless commerce?

Headless commerce is an ecommerce architecture where a brand’s frontend system is separated, or decoupled, from its backend system. In traditional ecommerce platform builds, the frontend and backend are tightly intertwined, making it difficult or impossible to edit certain pieces of code without interfering with user experiences. This limits opportunities for customization. The benefits of headless commerce architecture enables merchants can have full control over what they want to customize without sacrificing the customer experience.

Who should consider a headless site architecture?

Not every online retailer needs the customization, speed, and agility that a headless architecture offers. The headless commerce experience may not be ideal for small to midsize retailers who are just starting out, as its added complexity requires developers to implement and maintain it. However, as ecommerce brands scale and add complexity to their offerings, they may experience issues like slower page loading times due to that complexity. In these cases, the headless site architecture can improve page loading speeds, leading to a smoother and more seamless customer experience that can ultimately help increase average order value and conversion rates. 

Progressive web apps and headless commerce architecture

As ecommerce sites add complexity to their offerings, they can also experience issues with mobile conversions. With a headless architecture, a business can utilize PWAs, or progressive web applications, to solve for this. This type of web application software enables websites to act like apps. For example, if consumers see a product ad on social media, they can pull up your ecommerce store with a single click, then intuitively and quickly navigate through the checkout process without having to wait for pages to load with every click. This, too, increases conversion rates and average order value, improving customer experiences.

What is a payment processor?

A payment processor is a third-party company that manages commercial transactions by securely transmitting payment data between the customer, merchant, acquiring bank, and issuing bank. Payment processors act like virtual cash registers: They enable a store to accept credit or debit card payments for the goods and/or services that it sells. Payment processors quickly relay a customer’s credit or debit card information in real-time to the banks of both the customer and the merchant. If the payment information provided is valid, the charge goes through. Security measures such as encryption or tokenization are crucial in payment processing to ensure that fraudulent transactions do not go through.

Connecting the payment processing company, merchant account, and payment gateway

In order for businesses to accept credit card and debit card payments, they need a designated bank account to put those payments, also known as a merchant account. A payment gateway, meanwhile, is essential for securely enabling credit and debit card payments made online. The payment gateway technology uses data encryption to securely connect the customer’s bank account to the merchant account.

What is an order management system (OMS)?

An order management system (OMS) is a method used by businesses to centralize the tracking and handling of essential operational functions like inventory management, sales, order fulfillment processes, and returns. There are many different types of order management solutions, including manual order processing, ecommerce platforms, and order processing software systems. Having an OMS platform or software can help prevent human error when handling customer orders, helping businesses optimize their operational processes while creating a more seamless customer experience. 

What can an OMS do?

An OMS can handle many vital functions for both ecommerce and brick and mortar retailers. It can track and monitor customer orders, which is particularly important for omnichannel businesses that operate across a variety of channels. It can perform inventory management, helping optimize forecasting and prevent issues like overstocking products. It can manage aspects of order fulfillment, handling processes like printing shipping labels, and can streamline the processes of returns, refunds, and exchanges.

What is a headless CMS?

A headless CMS is a type of backend-only content management system. Unlike a traditional CMS architecture, a headless CMS’s content repository, or “body,” is separated from any presentation layer/delivery layer, or “head.” This is similar to a headless site architecture, where a brand’s frontend system is decoupled from its backend system. To display content in a headless content management system, content APIs deliver the content, where it can be displayed across digital channels and devices.

Benefits of headless content management systems 

Managing content without the frontend display layer, or frontend, facilitates an omnichannel approach to content delivery. Content can easily be displayed across any platform or device, including websites, mobile devices, mobile apps, voice assistants, and more without impacting the user experience. This approach to content management also improves the developer experience, facilitating easier third-party integrations and certain updates, like adjusting content for new devices.

What is a payment gateway?

A payment gateway is a type of payment service technology that securely connects businesses and customers, allowing online and mobile payments to be processed securely and quickly. It is necessary for merchants that process online payments—either ecommerce or click-and-mortar retailers. When customers make a purchase, the payment gateway sends their credit card or debit card information to the credit card network to be processed. Then, it securely transmits the payment information back to your business and tells you whether or not the charge is authorized. If the charge is authorized, the order is completed. 

Payment gateways vs payment processors

While both payment gateways and payment processors are payment solutions that connect the issuing bank account with the receiving bank account and transmit online payment information, they aren’t one and the same. While payment processors are required to process transactions, payment gateway technology can help securely authorize those transactions to ensure the acquiring bank is paid. This is crucial for protecting transaction information in online and mobile transactions.

Need a payment gateway? Things to consider: 

Merchants should look for payment processors that are PCI compliant to ensure their encryption is secure. They should also consider the payment methods their customers use, as each payment gateway typically does not accept payments from every card issuer and payment processing portal. Stacking payment gateways, or using multiple payment gateways on your platform, can give customers more options for possible payments beyond credit card payments—not just multiple credit card issuers, but also options like PayPal, Venmo, and ApplePay.