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REST APIs: Cart and Checkout Overview

BigCommerce offers REST Storefront, REST Management, and GraphQL Storefront APIs to work with carts and checkouts. This article discusses and gives examples of using REST Storefront and REST Management APIs. For information on using GraphQL, see GraphQL Storefront API: Cart and checkout.

REST Storefront cart and checkout

The REST Storefront API manages the contents of a shopper's cart and checkout using JavaScript in the context of a storefront session.

The REST Storefront API can only be used on BigCommerce-hosted storefronts. For headless applications, use the GraphQL Storefront API.

When to use the REST Storefront API

  • Analytics and Tracking
  • Retrieving cart data client-side
  • Quick Order Form
  • Upsell applications

Using the Fetch API

The Fetch API (opens in a new tab) is an alternative to XMLHttpRequest (opens in a new tab) for making http requests in JavaScript. You can use the Fetch API to interact with the REST Storefront API and return a shopper's cart, checkout, or order.

Most modern browsers, except Internet Explorer, support Fetch API. We recommend using a Polyfill (opens in a new tab) for Internet Explorer 10+ and XMLHttpRequest for earlier versions.

To learn more about using the Fetch API with the REST Storefront API, see our Working with the REST Storefront API: Cart and checkout tutorial.

You can run fetch requests from the browser console to test or use the Scripts API to inject JavaScript into your theme's footer.

Log cart details to the console
console.log('Log Cart');
fetch('/api/storefront/carts', {
  credentials: 'include'
}).then(function(response) {
  return response.json();
}).then(function(myJson) {
  console.log(myJson);
}).catch(function (error) {
  console.log(error);
});
Log checkout details to the console
console.log('Log Checkout');
fetch('/api/storefront/carts', {
  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) {
  return 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);
});

Log order details To log order details to the console, use the Scripts API to inject the script into your theme's footer or use the Script Manager (opens in a new tab) to add the script directly to order-confirmation.html.

Log order details to the console
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);
}).catch(function (error) {
  console.log(error);
});

To access checkout.order.id from order-confirmation.html, use the Stencil theme's page context to assign the value of checkout.order.id to a variable. The following example assigns the value returned by {{checkout.order.id}} to the variable jsContextOrderId, then fetches order details and logs them to the console.

Log order details to the console
<script>
// assign order ID to a variable
let jsContextOrderId = {{checkout.order.id}};
 
// use jsContextOrderId to fetch and log order details
fetch(`/api/storefront/order/${jsContextOrderId}`, {
  credentials: 'include'
}).then(function (response) {
  return response.json();
}).then(function (myJson) {
  console.log(myJson);
}).catch(function (error) {
  console.log(error);
});
</script>

REST Management Cart and Checkout

The REST Management APIs manage the contents of a shopping cart and checkout remotely from a server. These backend APIs allow merchants and partners to access and modify data on a merchant store instead of a storefront. The Cart, Checkout, and Payment APIs allow for a fully headless ecommerce solution.

CaaS

Commerce-as-a-Service (opens in a new tab) is made possible with the REST Management 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 touching the BigCommerce storefront.

When to use

  • Modifying cart contents, such as price matching
  • Taking a shopper through the 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 (opens in a new tab) lets a logged-in shopper access the same cart across devices. Persistent Cart is available on Plus, Pro, and Enterprise plans (opens in a new tab).

Persistent Cart works with both the REST Storefront and REST Management APIs.

To learn more on setup, see Persistent Cart (opens in a new tab).

Troubleshooting cart errors

We will go over common errors from REST Storefront and REST Management cart and checkout requests. 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 contains a product with an incorrect or missing text modifier.

Resolution: Options and modifiers refer to a list of choices on a product. Options used to build out variants and modifiers are not tied to variants. To learn more about options and modifiers, see Products Overview.

To update a cart line item to fix an incorrect or missing text modifier, use the Update cart line item (opens in a new tab) endpoint.

Example cart line item request
PUT https://api.bigcommerce.com/stores/{store_hash}/v3/carts/{cartId}/items/{itemId}
X-Auth-Token: {{access_token}}
Accept: application/json
Content-Type: application/json
 
{
  "line_items": [
    {
      "quantity": 1,
      "product_id": 1001,
      "option_selections": [
        {
          "option_id": 123,
          "option_value": "Hello!"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

To add a product to the cart with one option (radio button) associated with it, use just the variant_id in the request.

Single option
POST https://api.bigcommerce.com/stores/{store_hash}/v3/carts/{cartId}/items
X-Auth-Token: {{access_token}}
Accept: application/json
Content-Type: application/json
 
{
  "line_items": [
    {
      "quantity": 1,
      "product_id": 1001,
      "variant_id": 2331
    }
  ]
}

To add a product with both an option and a modifier associated with it, use the option_id and option_value. This example uses a radio button (option) and a text field (modifier).

Modifier and option
POST https://api.bigcommerce.com/stores/{store_hash}/v3/carts/{cartId}/items
X-Auth-Token: {{access_token}}
Accept: application/json
Content-Type: application/json
 
{
  "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. You can add the product to the cart without the modifier in those cases.

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:

Create cart with modifier
POST https://api.bigcommerce.com/stores/{store_hash}/v3/carts
X-Auth-Token: {{access_token}}
Accept: application/json
Content-Type: application/json
 
{
  "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 error can return when the customer ID of a cart has changed.

Resolution: You can link the customer ID to discounts and pricing available to that customer. However, if coupons, discounts, taxes, or shipping changes, anything that affects the cart price is invalidated.

A better option is to create a cart with the customer_id as part of the request body and use the Get Customers endpoint to get the customer_id.

To create a cart with a customer_id:

Create cart with customer ID
POST https://api.bigcommerce.com/stores/{store_hash}/v3/carts
X-Auth-Token: {{access_token}}
Accept: application/json
Content-Type: application/json
 
{
  "customer_id": 12,
  "line_items": [
    {
      "quantity": 5,
      "product_id": 191
    }
  ]
}

This product has options; variant ID is required [422]

REST Management 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:

Create cart with variant ID
POST https://api.bigcommerce.com/stores/{store_hash}/v3/carts
X-Auth-Token: {{access_token}}
Accept: application/json
Content-Type: application/json
 
{
  "line_items": [
    {
      "quantity": 1,
      "product_id": 1001,
      "variant_id": 2331
    }
  ]
}

Issue: The option_id is incorrect.

Resolution: To get the correct option_id, make a request to Get Products or Get Product Variant Options.

Create cart option ID
POST https://api.bigcommerce.com/stores/{store_hash}/v3/carts
X-Auth-Token: {{access_token}}
Accept: application/json
Content-Type: application/json
 
{
  "line_item": {
    "quantity": 1,
    "product_id": 76,
    "list_price": 170.00,
    "option_selections": [
      {
        "option_id": 21506,
        "option_value": 10090
      }
    ]
  }
}

REST Storefront API carts

Issue:

  • The required modifier on the storefront is missing. This missing modifier 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 with a single modifier (text field), POST to the Cart API without the variant_id. Use the optionId and optionValue instead.

Create cart optionId and optionValue
{
  "lineItems": [
    {
      "quantity": 1,
      "product_id": 1001,
      "optionSelections": [
        {
          "optionId": 123,
          "optionValue": "Hello!"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

To add a product to the cart with one option (radio button) associated with it, use just the variant_id in the request.

Create REST Storefront cart with variant
{
  "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).

Add item with option and 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 you add less than a product’s minimum required purchase or more than the maximum purchase to a cart.

Resolution: Check the product for order_quantity_minimum and order_quantity_maximum for the correct amount to add to 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 currently available session cart.

REST Storefront API carts

Issue: When you add less than a product’s minimum required purchase or more than the maximum allowed purchase to a 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 to the cart. Use the Get Product endpoint.

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