As an eCommerce software developer, you know that creating and maintaining a secure, reliable and useful solution is crucial to providing customers with an enjoyable experience. To do this effectively, it's essential for developers to build the integration between their software and various shopping carts. It allows getting access to all the data that is required for any eCommerce software to provide its core functionality.
In this blog post, we'll provide valuable insight into how to use API for shopping cart integration development. We'll explore what types of APIs are available as well as key benefits and best practices when working with them. So whether your integration process is starting from scratch or you need to connect with some new shopping cart system, we’re confident that you’ll find useful information here.
What is Shopping Cart Software API?
Shopping cart APIs have become increasingly popular with developers as a way to transfer specific information from one software to another. This makes it possible for B2B solutions providers who deal with e-retailers to access data from several shopping platforms without any development issues.
The key role an API plays is that of a data transfer, effectively carrying requests from one app to another and returning back with an answer in kind. When a developer adds an endpoint to a URL and performs a call to the server, the API request is made. The API response is received after the making of the API request, and it can be in XML or JSON format.
Shopping cart APIs are helping to revolutionize the digital landscape by maximizing compatibility between different applications, creating a cohesive web of connection, and ultimately making digital transactions easier and more efficient for everyone involved.
REST API and SOAP API have become two of the most popular ways to access various web services. REST (Representational State Transfer) APIs offer simple steps to use data and perform functions, as well as allow for scalability across different systems. Meanwhile, SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) APIs use a process-oriented approach which packages data into an XML format for transfer between applications. REST APIs are more lightweight, easier to work with, and faster than SOAP APIs. However, SOAP APIs provide a higher level of security since communication between the client and server is encrypted in both directions.
Shopping Cart Integration Meaning
The shopping cart integration process involves the establishment of an API connection between various software programs, such as inventory management systems, multichannel systems, order management systems, and warehouse management systems, with shopping carts like Shopify, Magento, BigCommerce, WooCommerce and Wix.
The developed shopping cart integration ensures that all required information passes from one system to the other with minimal effort and maximum speed.
The connection with different shopping cart systems allows access to the data from e-merchants’ online stores. It includes the data on orders, products, e-store customers, shipping details, etc. Such information is crucial for the software that provides functions related to order and inventory management, shipping management, price updating, and synchronization of various types of data between different sales channels.
The Difficulties Connected with Shopping Cart Integration
There are numerous challenges associated with developing integration with shopping cart solutions. Some of them are:
- Integration costs a lot of money
- Integration development is a time-consuming process
- Issues with new shopping cart systems’ versions
Developing integrations for multiple shopping carts on your own may not be the best idea. A single mistake in the code of any platform can lead to a serious problem. Thus, you can rely on API2Cart’s integration solution. It will allow you to develop integrations for multiple shopping cart systems at once and at a reasonable price.
Building integrations with shopping carts is a difficult process that requires continual effort, expertise, and knowledge. Each integration takes at least a month to be completed, so can you imagine how much time you will need to spend on building several integrations? Moreover, you will need to devote time to further maintenance and upgrading.
The greatest problem with separate integration with various shopping carts is that they frequently release newer versions of their software.
How to Use a Unified API for Shopping Cart Integration
API2Cart is a third-party service that allows you to integrate with multiple shopping cart solutions via a unified API. It can help reduce integration development time and costs.
API2Cart offers one unified API to connect with more than 40 shopping cart software, including Magento, WooCommerce, Shopify, OpenCart, and PrestaShop. This allows you to perform one integration instead of many. You'll get access to the data of stores located on any of the supported platforms.
API2Cart supports more than 100 API methods, including the ability to import orders from multiple sales channels into your system, get data on orders, customers, products, tracking numbers, shipping addresses and more. You can also monitor and synchronize inventory levels and manage product listings.
For more information, please contact API2Cart specialist or try API2Cart unified API for shopping cart integration for free.
