Go Headless on BigCommerce in Under 30 Minutes
Learn how to setup a headless commerce store using BigCommerce and Vercel in under 30 minutes
Rok Knez
May 19, 2023
In today’s ecommerce sphere, ‘headless’ is the buzzword. Contrary to popular belief, there is a lot more to this powerful technology than only improving site speed - and it doesn’t have to be costly or time-consuming either.
The benefits of having a fully customized and speedy site extend far beyond what meets the eye. Our previous article breaks down all things ‘headless commerce’. If you’re just starting down this path, it will help you to be well-informed on how best to leverage its power.
For those who are ready to give it a try, and fast, keep reading.
In under 30 minutes, we put together a headless commerce demo store using BigCommerce.
The full base setup, any template modifications excluded, took 20 minutes. You can check out our demo store here*. This store uses the exact steps and setup we outline below so you can try it for yourself.
*Note that all the products are the default sample products from a generic BigCommerce import, as this demo was intended to be spun up as fast as possible for your viewing pleasure.
What you need to start:
✅ A BigCommerce Store
✅ Vercels' BigCommerce Integration which you can find here and takes minutes to get together
Hit Select Template
Hit Deploy
Create a GitHub repository (to host code)
And it automatically deploys the NextJS Commerce template, WITH a BigCommerce integration within Vercel
✅ A Rally account which you can get here: GetRally.com
Let's Begin
Now that you have these things in place, your 30-minute countdown begins.
1. In Vercel, implement NextJS Commerce for the storefront: https://nextjs.org/commerce
Click Clone & Deploy
Connect your GitHub Repository
2. Add the BigCommerce Integration: https://vercel.com/integrations/bigcommerce
Select template
Deploy
3. Get Rally to support the headless checkout setup, with a one-click checkout + one-click post-purchase offers
Once you have all of these things in place, you’re now officially on a BigCommerce headless store and you have the freedom to reap the benefits of a headless setup.
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If you have any questions about the setup process or want to chat about your headless commerce and composable commerce options, don’t hesitate to reach out.