Cart and Checkout
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Storefront Cart and Checkout
The Storefront APIs are for managing the contents of a shopper’s cart and checkout using JavaScript in the context of a storefront session.
Prerequisites:
The following OAuth Scopes are required:
- Carts
- Checkouts
- Products
- Checkout Content
- Order Transactions
When to Use the Storefront APIs
- Analytics and Tracking
- Retrieving cart data client-side
- Quick Order Form
- Upsell applications
Using the Fetch API
The Fetch API is an alternative to XMLHttpRequest for making http requests in JavaScript. You can use the Fetch API to interact with the Storefront APIs and return a shopper’s cart, checkout or order.
Fetch API is supported by most modern browsers, but it is not supported in Internet Explorer. We recommend using a Polyfill for Internet Explorer 10+ and XMLHttpRequest for earlier versions.
To learn more about using the Fetch API with the Storefront see our tutorial here.
You can run fetch requests from the browser console to test, or you can use the Scripts API to add inject JavaScript into your theme’s footer.
<script>
console.log('Log Cart');
fetch('/api/storefront/cart', {
credentials: 'include'
}).then(function(response) {
return response.json();
}).then(function(myJson) {
console.log(myJson);
});
</script>
<script>
console.log('Log Checkout');
fetch('/api/storefront/cart?includes=consignments.availableShippingOptions', {
credentials: 'include'
})
.then(function(response) {
return response.json();
}).then(function(cartJson) {
console.log(cartJson);
return cartJson[0].id;
}).catch(function(error) {
console.log(error);
}).then(function(cartId) {
fetch('/api/storefront/checkouts/' + cartId, {
credentials: 'include'
}).then(function(response) {
return response.json();
}).then(function(checkoutJson) {
console.log(checkoutJson);
}).catch(function(error) {
console.log(error);
})
});
</script>
<script>
console.log("Log Order");
fetch('/api/storefront/order/{{checkout.order.id}}', {credentials: 'include'})
.then(function(response) {
return response.json();
})
.then(function(myJson) {
console.log(myJson);
});
</script>
Server-to-Server Cart and Checkout
The Server-to-Server APIs are for managing the contents of a shopping cart and checkout remotely, from a server. Using the Cart, Checkout and Payment API allows for a fully headless ecommerce solution.
CaaS
Commerce-as-a-Service is made possible with the Server-to-Server APIs. It lets the underlying cart, checkout, order and payment APIs be called from a separate app, allowing you to create a completely custom checkout without ever touching the BigCommerce storefront.
When to Use
- Modifying cart contents, such as price matching
- Taking a shopper through cart and checkout using an app
- Quote Builder - Building a cart then restoring it on the storefront
- Native mobile apps
- Pre-filling customer information
Persistent Cart
Persistent Cart allows for a logged in shopper to access the same cart across devices. Persistent cart is available on Plus, Pro and Enterprise plans.
Persistent Cart works with our Storefront Cart and Sever to Server Cart. To learn more on setup, see Persistent Cart.
Troubleshooting Cart Errors
We will go over common Storefront Cart and Checkout as well as Server to Server Cart and Checkout errors. Each scenario will include the error message and how to fix the error. The most common errors are listed below.
Please create some text for the API option [422]
Server to Server Cart API
Issue: When a cart is created containing a product that has an incorrect or missing text modifier.
Resolution: Options and modifiers refer to a list of choices on a product. Options are used to build out variants and modifiers are not tied to variants at all. To learn more about options and modifiers see Products Overview.
To add a product to the cart that has a single modifier (text field), POST to the Cart API without the variant_id.
{
"line_items": [
{
"quantity": 1,
"product_id": 1001,
"option_selections": [
{
"option_id": 123,
"option_value": "Hello!"
}
]
}
]
}
To add a product to the cart that has one option (radio button) associated with it, use just the variant_id in the request.
{
"line_items": [
{
"quantity": 1,
"product_id": 1001,
"variant_id": 2331
}
]
}
To add a product that has both an option and a modifier associated with it, then use the option_id and option_value. This example uses a radio button (option) and a text field (modifier).
{
"line_items": [
{
"quantity": 1,
"product_id": 101,
"option_selections": [
{
"option_id": 231,
"option_value": 456
},
{
"option_id": 123,
"option_value": "Hello!"
}
]
}
]
Missing line_items in request body [422]
Server to Server Cart API
Issue: When a required product modifier is missing. A product can have a modifier that is not required. In those cases the product can be added to a cart without the modifier.
Resolution:
Use the Get Products or Get Modifier endpoints to return the modifier ID. The modifier_id = option_id.
To create a cart with a product modifier:
{
"line_items": [
{
"quantity": 1,
"product_id": 1001,
"option_selections": [
{
"option_id": 123,
"option_value": "Hello!"
}
]
}
]
}
A shipping address for this order is incomplete [422]
Server to Server Cart API
Issue: This can return when the customer ID of a cart has changed.
Resolution: The customer ID is linked to discounts and pricing available to that customer. If that is changed then anything that affects the cart price is invalidated. This includes coupons, discounts, taxes and shipping.
A cart should be created with the customer_id as part of the request body. Use the Get Customers endpoint to get the customer_id.
To create a cart with a customer_id:
{
“customer_id”: 12,
"line_items": [
{
"quantity": 5,
"product_id": 191
}
]
}
This product has options, variant ID is required [422]
Server to Server Cart API
Issue: When a product has options and variant ID is not supplied in either the create or update cart request.
Resolution: To get the variant ID use the Get Products endpoint or the Get Variants endpoint. To create a cart with a variant ID:
{
"line_items": [
{
"quantity": 1,
"product_id": 1001,
"variant_id": 2331
}
]
}
Issue:
The incorrect option_id is supplied.
Resolution: To get the correct option_id make a request to Get Products or Get Options.
{
"line_item": {
"quantity": 1,
"product_id": 76,
"list_price": 170.00,
"option_selections": [
{
"option_id": 21506,
"option_value": 10090
}
]
}
}
Storefront Cart API
Issue:
- Missing required modifier on the storefront. This can include a text modifier with no selection. Make sure the optionValue is not blank.
- The variantID is incorrect.
- The modifierID is incorrect.
Resolution:
To add a product to the cart that has a single modifier (text field), POST to the Cart API without the variant_id. Use the optionId and optionValue instead.
{
"lineItems": [
{
"quantity": 1,
"product_id": 1001,
"optionSelections": [
{
"optionId": 123,
"optionValue": "Hello!"
}
]
}
]
}
To add a product to the cart that has one option (radio button) associated with it, use just the variant_id in the request.
{
"lineItems": [
{
"quantity": 1,
"productId": 1001,
"variantId": 2331
}
]
}
To add a product that has both an option and a modifier associated with it, then use the option_id and option_value. This example uses a radio button (option) and a text field (modifier).
{
"lineItems": [
{
"quantity": 1,
"product_id": 101,
"optionSelections": [
{
"optionId": 231,
"optionValue": 456
},
{
"optionId": 123,
"optionValue": "Hello!"
}
]
}
]
}
You can only purchase a maximum of :qty of the :product per order [409]
Server to Server Cart API
Issue: When less than a product’s minimum required purchase or more than the maximum allowed purchase is added to cart.
Resolution:
Check the product for order_quantity_minimum and order_quantity_maximumfor the correct amount to add the cart. Use the Get Product endpoint.
Internal Server Error [500]
Server to Server Cart API
Issue: Trying to edit a Cart that does not exist.
Resolution:
Carts are only valid 30 days past the date_last_modified. Check the Get Carts endpoint for the current available session cart.
Storefront Cart API
Issue: When less than a product’s minimum required purchase or more than the maximum allowed purchase is added to cart. Use the Get Product endpoint to check for min/max purchase restrictions.
Resolution: Check the product for order_quantity_minimum and order_quantity_maximum for the correct amount to add the cart. Use the Get Product endpoint.