Thinking about going headless or composable for your store?
It’s one of the largest transformations taking place in ecommerce today. The traditional “all-in-one” SaaS ecommerce platform model isn’t delivering the results needed by brands that are looking to scale quickly and differentiate from competitors.
Here’s the catch though…
Headless and composable builds are an entirely different kettle of fish. You can’t just grab any old developer and expect it to work. You need a specialised team who know their stuff.
Let’s jump in!
Here’s what’s coming up:
- What Are Headless & Composable Commerce?
- Why Generalist Teams Fall Short
- The Skills A Specialised Build Team Needs
- How To Pick The Right Build Team
What Are Headless & Composable Commerce?
Before getting into the team side of things, it’s helpful to first understand what we’re talking about.
Headless commerce is the practice of separating the front end (customer facing) from the back end (merchant engine) of an online store. They communicate with one another using APIs.
Composable commerce goes one step further. Rather than a single monolithic platform, you construct your store using a suite of best-in-breed components. One for checkout. One for search. One for content. One for payments. All integrated together like Lego.
This is now the new standard. According to the MACH Alliance, 92% of US brands have already implemented some version of composable commerce. Another 21% plan to implement composable commerce in the next year.
That’s huge. And it explains why having the right SaaS ecommerce platform team in place is so critical. If you want this done right first time, partnering with a BigCommerce development agency with experience in headless and composable builds will save you so much pain.
Why Generalist Teams Fall Short
Here’s the truth nobody likes to say…
Agencies are not designed for headless or composable work. They are designed for traditional SaaS ecommerce platform installs where everything lives in one place. When the brief gets more advanced things start to fall over.
Here’s why:
- They don’t know how to architect APIs properly
- They struggle to choose between different tools
- They underestimate how long the build will take
- They miss key integrations that make or break the project
A generalist developer can put together a traditional store very easily. Once you go composable, you’re managing 5, 10, sometimes 15+ tools at once. Each has its own setup, its own quirks and its own data structure.
Get one piece wrong… And the whole thing falls apart.
That’s why 80% of organizations work with external agencies for implementation help. They understand that they need assistance. But all help is not created equal.
The Skills A Specialised Build Team Needs
Being a specialised build team means wearing many hats. They are not just coders, they are architects, strategists and problem solvers. Here’s what they should be equipped with.
API Architecture Knowledge
APIs are the glue of every composable build. The team must know precisely how to link tools, transfer data, and maintain everything communicating. If they don’t get it right, your store will be slow, buggy, and difficult to scale.
A solid build team will map the entire API before writing any code.
Front End Specialists
The front end is where your customers are shopping. The front end has to be fast, clean, and user friendly. The most common front end frameworks used in headless builds are:
- React
- Vue
- Next.js
- Nuxt
A generalist team may be aware of one. A specialised team knows all of them, and selects the most effective one for your store.
Back End & SaaS Expertise
The back end of a composable store is where the heavy lifting happens. Your team needs to know how to plug in:
- Payment gateways
- ERPs
- CRMs
- Search tools
- Content systems
This is the part that most agencies fail on. The front end looks good but the back end is a disaster.
Strategy & Planning
Here’s something most brands don’t think about…
A dedicated team works with you to plan the project before any code is written. They consider your business objectives, customers and technology stack. They then assist you in selecting the right tools and how they should be connected.
This is the difference between a store that scales and one that breaks.
How To Pick The Right Build Team
But how do you know if a team really is specialised? Here’s what to look for.
Look At Their Past Work
Ask to see what a team has built. Request case studies. See the stores they have launched. Ask if they have done headless or composable builds previously.
When their portfolio is a series of standard SaaS ecommerce platform builds and nothing else… That’s a red flag.
Ask About Their Tech Stack
A solid team will tell you what tools they prefer and why. They should be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of every major platform available. They should also be flexible enough to work with tools you already own.
If they say “we only use one platform”… Walk away.
Check Their Process
A good build team should have a defined process. There should be no surprises from kickoff to launch. Ask them to explain it. If it’s fuzzy, they likely haven’t done many of these builds.
This is important because a lot is at stake. 9 in 10 organizations state MACH technology has met or exceeded ROI expectations. But that ROI only happens if the build is done right.
Make Sure They Can Support You Long Term
Composable builds are not “set and forget”. Tools change. APIs evolve. New features are released. You need a team that will remain after launch
Ask about their support packages and response times.
Final Thoughts
Headless and composable commerce have many benefits for ecommerce brands. You have greater speed, flexibility and a superior customer experience.
But you can’t do it with a generalist team. The build is too complicated and the stakes are too high.
A specialised team brings the right mix of:
- API knowledge
- Front end skills
- Back end experience
- Strategic thinking
If you find a team like this, you put your store in a position for long term growth. If you cut corners and hire a cheaper team, you typically end up spending more to correct their mistakes.
Choose carefully. Ask the right questions. Review their past work. Ensure long-term support after the build.
