An Introduction to Headless Stores: What They Are and How ERP Systems Support Them

With the growth of online shopping, businesses have been experimenting with different ways to improve their digital storefronts. One recent trend that has emerged is the headless store. Let’s take a closer look at what headless stores are & how ERP systems can support them.

What Is a Headless Store?

A headless store is an e-commerce platform that separates the front-end (i.e., the user interface or storefront) from the back-end (i.e., the server-side business logic) part of the business. Simply put, the front-end and back-end are built and managed separately, and they communicate with each other through APIs (Application Programming Interfaces).

Essentially, the “headless” term means no visible interface or display. Instead, the front-end content is delivered through APIs to various channels such as mobile apps, voice assistants, or chatbots. This approach enables businesses to deliver a consistent and personalized customer experience across various touchpoints and devices. Also, this means changes to the front-end will never affect the back-end. You can quickly change your product designs or add shopping features without needing to update the back-end to reflect that. 

Think of it like a robot: in a traditional e-commerce setup, the front end and back end are like the robot’s arms and legs, all connected and moving together. In a headless store, the front-end and back-end are like separate parts of the robot, with APIs acting as the “wires” that connect them and allow them to work together. 

Why Choose Headless Stores?

If you are in the e-commerce industry, you’ll be pleased to know that headless stores offer several benefits. These include:

  • Flexibility: Headless stores provide businesses with more flexibility and agility in their development. They can change the front-end design and functionality without affecting the back-end logic, which is particularly helpful for e-commerce businesses that need to respond quickly to changing customer needs and market trends.
  • Scalability: With a headless store, your business can handle high volumes of traffic and transactions. That’s because you can focus on optimizing your back-end for performance and scalability. This is especially beneficial when there’s high seasonal demand or sudden spikes in traffic.
  • Personalization: Headless stores can deliver a more personalized and contextualized customer experience. They can use data and analytics to tailor the content and offers delivered through various channels. It can help boost customer satisfaction and loyalty, leading to higher sales and revenue.

How Can ERP Systems Support Headless Stores?

While headless stores offer several benefits, they also present some challenges. One of which is integrating the various back-end systems & processes required to support the front-end channels. This is where an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system can help.

An ERP system is a software solution that tracks, automates, and integrates various business processes, such as inventory managementorder processingaccounting, and customer relationship management. And it does all that in one platform! By connecting various back-end systems through APIs, an ERP solution can provide a centralized view of the business operations and data, which can be used to support the front-end channels.

For instance, an ERP system can provide real-time inventory updates and order fulfillment status to inform the front-end channels about product availability and delivery times. An ERP system can also provide insights into customer behavior and preferences, which can be used to personalize the content and promos delivered through various channels.

Kentro: A Cloud-Based ERP System for Headless E-commerce

Kentro is an ERP system that offers robust support for headless e-commerce. Here are some ways Kentro can help your business should you decide to switch to a headless store:

  • API-First Approach: Kentro takes an API-first approach to development, providing businesses with a wide range of APIs that enable easy integration with various third-party systems and tools. This helps businesses optimize their e-commerce operations by connecting different systems and processes, leading to a more seamless and streamlined buying experience.
  • Scalability: Cloud-based, Kentro can handle high volumes of traffic and transactions, making it ideal for businesses that often experience high seasonal demand or sudden spikes in traffic. More importantly, it’s a platform designed to help your business to scale quickly and easily as your day-to-day operations grow.
  • Personalization: Kentro offers robust support for personalization, enabling you to tailor every content you push through various channels. It boasts powerful data analytics capabilities, which help you gain insights into customer behavior and deliver a more personalized & contextualized experience to each buyer at every touchpoint. 
  • Multi-Channel Support: Do you sell on Amazon, eBay, Instagram, and other sales channels? Kentro supports multi-channel e-commerce, enabling businesses to sell products through various channels, including mobile, social media & more. You can reach a broader audience and deliver a consistent experience across the internet.

Want to learn more about Kentro’s Headless Store API feature? Don’t hesitate to contact us. You can also book a demo to see how Kentro can truly help a business owner like you.

Elevate Your Brand's Operations to New Heights – Let Us Handle the Complexity.