Common Ecommerce APIs using GraphQL

Increase Efficiency of Common Ecommerce API using GraphQL

Topic

A modern alternative to the REST-based architecture, that will allow our clients to have the ability to dictate exactly what they need from the server and receive that data in a predictable way.

Problem

Common E commerce API is an integration platform for different APIs and each API has heavy payload which returns bulky response that works for certain but not for all platforms/devices.

• Multiple Round Trips
• 100s of Endpoints
• Bulky payload
• Not so easy integration

Solution

Using  GraphQL, we will add efficiency to our platform and give more power to our clients by having an ability to optimize the response. By avoiding over and under fetching of data each client can consume the same API differently.

• No over fetching and under fetching of data
• Optimizing request/response
• Simplifying integration

Challenges

$9

#3

Heavy Payload for Request & Response

#2

Many Round Trips for single operation

#1

Multiple Endpoints for different operations

Not suitable for mobile devices.

Create Shipment API, Rates API, Address Verification API

Rates API for multiple carrier, multiple Tracking API.

Impact - The Story

“Airbnb is Moving 10x Faster at Scale with GraphQL and Apollo”

GraphQL gave us big wins by reducing the number of round trips made to the server and giving us a well defined and strongly typed schema to work against.

We are moving away from using RESTful API strategy, which was causing hardships for development teams. We are continuing to adopt GraphQL across mobile web, iOS, and Android.

We did some proof of concepts and ultimately got pretty excited about GraphQL because it allowed us to give integrators access to data in a format [where] they could define what data they were actually looking for.

LinkedIn organized their “economical graph” of relationships between users, using a unified graph to hide complex systems behind a simple GraphQL API.

Mobile Usage in 2021

2.55 hrs

6.4 BILLION

Avg. Time spent on Mobile phones.

Impact

• Quicker development

• Growing community support

• High Quality UX

• Better Security

• Easy Integration

• Support for low bandwidth devices

• Better Network efficiency

• Interactive

GraphQL vs REST

Hack Ideas

Single Endpoint “/shipment”

Single Round Trip for Rates API for multiple carrier :

• USPS
• FedEx
• UPS

Single Round Trip for Create Shipment API combining :

• Address Validation
• Rate Shipment
• Create Shipment
• Manifest

Single Endpoint “/shipment” for multiple APIs:

• Create Shipment API
• Address Verification API
• Manifest API
• Rates API
• Transactions Report API
• Many more…

Hack #1 : Single Endpoint "/shipment"

• Create Shipment API

• Address Verification API

• Manifest API

• Rates API

• Transactions Report API

Many more…

Hack Ideas

Single Endpoint “/shipment”

Single Round Trip for Rates API for multiple carrier :

• USPS
• FedEx
• UPS

Single Round Trip for Create Shipment API combining :

• Address Validation
• Rate Shipment
• Create Shipment
• Manifest

Single Endpoint “/shipment” for multiple APIs:

• Create Shipment API
• Address Verification API
• Manifest API
• Rates API
• Transactions Report API
• Many more…

Hack #2 : Single Round Trip

Single Round Trip for Rates API for multiple carrier :

• USPS
• FedEx
• UPS

Single Round Trip for Create Shipment API combining :

• Address Validation
• Rate Shipment
• Create Shipment
• Manifest

Existing Business Use Cases

• Supporting SendPro devices efficiently.

• Simplifying Rate Shopping calls for carriers.

• Reducing complexity on batch processing of Tracking numbers.

Demo

Not only has the definition of speed changed, consumers are redefining ‘fast delivery’ based on what they’re buying—because what they’re buying is different now, too.

Thank You!

https://www.pitneybowes.com/us/blog/reconsider-speed.html