eCommerce API Integration: What It Is and Why You Need It

eCommerce is a vast industry, and so are the operations involved in successfully running an eCommerce business. To manage these operations, e-retailers need B2B eCommerce software with specific functionality to perform all the operations smoothly. But these software need to have a connection with shopping platforms and marketplaces for performing their core functions. In such a case, eCommerce API integration is an indispensable asset that allows B2B software vendors to establish a connection between their solutions and multiple shopping platforms.

eCommerce integration is responsible for the smooth functioning of B2B software for providing functions that require data related to customers, products, and orders. This article contains such topics:

• Why are software providers in need of eCommerce integration?
• Main advantages of eCommerce API integration
• The main disadvantages of developing the integration manually
• How to build API integration with eCommerce platforms easily?

Let’s get started to explore these questions.

Why are Software Providers in Need of eCommerce Integration?

eCommerce integration is crucial for B2B eCommerce software providers like you. Not only it allows you to help your clients to organize and automate their eCommerce operations, but it has a lot of benefits for your business, too. When it enables e-retailers to automate their processes like shipping management, order management, inventory control, etc., it allows you to access the integrated platforms’ databases.

When you develop API integration with shopping platforms like OpenCart, Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, Shift4Shop, BigCommerce, WP e-Commerce, VirtueMart, etc., you are exposed to their vast clientele — millions of businesses across national and international domains.

Hence, eCommerce API integration proves to be a profitable option for your company. Further, e-store owners don’t like to manage multiple applications for performing their eCommerce operations. They look for multifunctional and integrated solutions for the same. Hence, if your software is already integrated with shopping platforms and provides additional functionality than other software vendors, you will definitely gain an edge in the competition.

Integration is a win-win for both you and your clients — you get more profit, and they get a simple solution to all their problems.

Main Advantages of eCommerce API Integration

eCommerce integration is establishing a connection between shopping platforms and eCommerce software like inventory management, product catalog, order management, product information, ERP, warehouse management, shipping management solutions, etc.

When eCommerce software connects with shopping platforms, they access all the required data to provide their core functionality.

For example, inventory management systems need access to data of all their clients’ stores built on eCommerce platforms to provide the functionality connected to updating order info, syncing inventory levels across various platforms, etc.

Similarly, shipping management systems need access to eCommerce platforms’ data to perform its functions related to automation of shipping operations, creating shipments, and generating shipping labels.

eCommerce API integration is a huge benefit for eCommerce software providers as they profit while connecting with shopping platforms. They have millions of e-businesses running on them. The store owners that use different shopping platforms can be your potential clients as they will need your software to manage their daily operations.

Hence, you cannot miss any chance to connect with your potential clients. Owing to the process of integration, you are opening the doors for a two-way profit, both for you and your clients.

Main Disadvantages of Developing Integration Manually

No matter how important eCommerce API integration is, it brings along its challenges, too. If you are thinking of establishing the integration manually, get ready to face the pitfalls mentioned below:

• eCommerce integration development takes time. It is a complex process, and every platform has its own architecture. So, if you wish to connect your software with more than one shopping platform, which is obvious, you can imagine the amount of time you have to invest in each integration.
• Integrations are costly. Each integration takes thousands of dollars to complete. Moreover, manual connections will require in-house infrastructure setup and additional software. This is going to add up in the cost of establishing integration.
• Maintenance and upgrade are an inseparable part of the integration. Shopping platforms keep releasing new versions uniformly, and hence the integrations will also need updates. So, the whole cycle of time, money, and resource consumption will repeat itself with each upgrade.

As a result, instead of making profits, you will be wasting a lot of your business revenue on establishing multiple eCommerce API integrations in-house.

How to Develop API Integration with eCommerce Platforms Easily?

The only way to establish a reliable eCommerce API integration without getting stuck in the loop of challenges is through API2Cart.

API2Cart provides a unified API that allows you to integrate your eCommerce software with shopping platforms and marketplaces in just one go. There are no separate integrations required for individual shopping platforms.

API2Cart allows integration with more than 40 shopping platforms and marketplaces. You can select your platforms where your clients have their e-stores. What’s more?

You will save a large amount of money with API2Cart Enterprise On-Premise Solution as there’s nothing you have to manage in-house. No infrastructure setup, no additional hiring, and software installation, and no worrying about maintenance and upgrades.

The main advantages of API2Cart Enterprise On-Premise Solution are:

• access to all the data from all the supported 40+ shopping platforms required for your system operations;
• 100+ API methods available for managing the data on orders, products, customers, etc.;
• you won’t need to make any changes every time a new version of a shopping platform appears;
• high level of security. Only you can control who can manage your API2Cart server infrastructure by using the functionality provided by AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, make all requests over HTTPS protocol;
• premium customer support 24/7;
• free 30-day trial period.

Now, you can seamlessly integrate your eCommerce software with all the needed shopping platforms fast and easily. To know more about how API2Cart can help you, book a free consultation call with our experts today!