When Machines Throw a Party: The Rise of Automated eCommerce Events

No, although nice, this article is not about eCommerce breakfasts or networking meetups. It’s about the unsung heroes of a modern eCommerce ecosystem: the automated machine events.

Events act as a nerve system, transmitting signals that trigger various actions across your platform. In a Composable Commerce environment, events play an even more crucial role. They enable you to build a highly flexible and responsive system that can adapt to ever-changing business needs.

The following is a bit nerdy but stay with me.

The Anatomy of Events

Brink Commerce API, for example, offers a robust event system that allows other systems to subscribe to various occurrences related to Product, Discount, or Order services.

The events carry all the necessary data, eliminating the need for additional API calls. This is particularly beneficial for merchants who need real-time updates without the overhead of extra API requests (which cost money and time).

Why Events Matter in Composable Commerce

So, in a Composable Commerce ecosystem, multiple services and products are used to support the business processes. The Events then act as the glue that binds these components together. They ensure seamless communication between different services, be it inventory management, CRM systems, or your front-end application.

So, What Can Events Do?

Real-Time Product Updates

By subscribing to Product events, your front-end application can instantly reflect changes in product information. This ensures that customers always see current product details, prices, or availability status.

Dynamic Pricing Strategies

Subscribing to Discount events allows you to adjust pricing strategies dynamically, which is particularly useful for flash sales or limited-time promotions.

Inventory Management

A “Product Variant Updated” or “deleted” event can help keep your inventory system in sync, ensuring accurate stock levels across all platforms and channels.

Customer Engagement

CRM systems can subscribe to “Order Created” events for immediate follow-up actions, such as sending a thank-you email or initiating post-purchase marketing strategies.

Under the hood: Understanding Event Subscriptions

What Does Subscribing to Events Mean?

Subscribing to events is akin to signing up for a blog RSS feed or a newsletter. You will be notified when something new happens. In the context of eCommerce and Composable Commerce, your system will be notified when a specific event occurs. These events can range from adding a new product to creating an order. The subscription mechanism ensures that you don't have to keep polling systems to check for updates, which is inefficient and resource-intensive.

How to Subscribe to Events

You can subscribe to events in two primary ways:

Webhooks: This is the simplest of the two methods. You specify a URL where the event data will be sent. The data is pushed to this URL whenever the event occurs, allowing your system to react accordingly.

AWS EventBridge: This more advanced and modern method is ideal for complex workflows. AWS EventBridge offers advanced routing and filtering options, making it a good fit for those already invested in AWS services.

Example: how to set up events in Brink Commerce API

1. Log into the Brink Merchant Portal
2. Navigate to Settings
3. Find the "Brink Configuration" option.
4. Here, user admins can set up destinations for API webhooks and AWS EventBridges.

Systems That Can Subscribe to Events

• Front-End Applications: Your customer-facing app or website can subscribe to events to update product listings, prices, or availability in real time.
• CRM Systems: Customer Relationship Management systems can subscribe to events like “Order Created” to initiate customer engagement strategies immediately.
• Inventory Management Systems: These systems can subscribe to events related to product variants to keep stock levels updated across platforms.
• Marketing Automation Tools: These can listen to events related to customer behavior or purchase history to trigger personalized marketing campaigns.
• Analytics Tools: By subscribing to various events, analytics tools can gather data for real-time insights and reporting.

What do events Mean for You?

Streamlined Operations

Events enable you to automate many operational aspects, reducing manual labor and the chance for errors.

Enhanced Customer Experience

Real-time updates mean your customers are always informed, improving their shopping experience.

Data-Driven Decisions

Events provide valuable data that can be used for analytics, helping you make informed business decisions.

Cost Efficiency

Automating processes through events can significantly reduce operational costs, enabling you to allocate resources more efficiently.

Conclusion

So, events are not just technical jargon but essential building blocks in creating a responsive and efficient eCommerce ecosystem. In a Composable Commerce environment, they offer unmatched flexibility and automation capabilities. For merchants, this translates to streamlined operations, better customer engagement, and, ultimately, increased revenue.

Are you ready to leverage the power of events in your eCommerce journey? Get in touch.

‍