Composable Commerce in 2025: Proven, Packaged, and Ready for the Mainstream
How the rise of headless architecture, robust data integration, and generative AI are reshaping digital commerce
Composable commerce has come a long way since Gartner first coined the term in 2020.
Once considered cutting-edge, meant only for early adopters willing to experiment, composable has now become mainstream. Brands no longer need to be first movers or innovators to take advantage of the flexibility, adaptability, and power that composable commerce offers. And what was once considered primarily for B2C and DTC brands, is now offering a strong appeal for B2B brands looking to modernize their digital presence. Most significantly, many brands have started down the journey toward adopting modular commerce and greater composability, often without even knowing it.
Innovations in the last 2 years have solidified composability as the standard for modern commerce. Headless frontends are now the norm, delivering faster, more adaptable experiences that are tightly controlled by business users without requiring extensive changes to the backend. Data integration has become more reliable, with solutions to manage real-time events and build a complete 360-degree view of the customer across platforms. And the rise of generative AI is transforming how brands implement digital commerce solutions, especially how they personalize experiences and operate at scale with GenAI now woven into design, development, and many packaged business capabilities (PBCs).
For brands that were once skeptical, there’s now plenty of proof that composable commerce delivers real, reliable outcomes. With proven success stories, system integrators offering packaged starter kits, and a robust technology ecosystem firmly in place, composable commerce in 2025 is ready to meet the needs of the majority of enterprise brands.
Evolution of Packaged Solutions and Platforms
Since 2020, the ecosystem surrounding composable commerce has matured, with packaged business solutions for every facet of the digital experience— whether it’s CMS like Contentful and Contentstack, search like Algolia, Bloomreach, Constructor, or GroupBy, product information management (PIM) like Akeneo, InRiver, and Pimberly, or order management systems (OMS) like Fluent Commerce, Kibo, and OneStock, and marketplace platforms like Marketplacer. Brands no longer need to build complex, customized solutions from scratch. Today’s marketplace is rich with PBCs that handle everything and can be easily integrated into a reliable and scalable commerce architecture, giving brands the freedom to select the best tools for their unique needs.
In parallel, even platforms traditionally considered "all-in-one" have evolved to embrace this flexible, API-driven world, working more seamlessly with specialized solutions. Platforms once viewed as monolithic, such as Salesforce B2C Commerce, Shopify, and others, have adapted to this new era by offering more modular solutions that integrate easily with specialized tools. Salesforce’s Composable Storefront and Shopify’s Hydrogen/Oxygen frameworks demonstrate how these platforms are adapting to a composable future, giving businesses the ability to create fast, flexible, and customizable digital experiences while maintaining robust backend operations.
The evolution of these platforms has made it easier for brands to adopt a composable approach, reducing the risks associated with early adoption. System integrators also now commonly offer packaged starter kits, or project accelerators, that simplify the implementation process, allowing brands to focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences without worrying about the technical complexities of integration.
Headless Frontends as the New Standard
One of the most significant shifts in composable commerce has been the widespread adoption of headless frontends. No longer a niche concept, headless architecture is now the standard approach for delivering fast, manageable, and fully customizable customer experiences. Decoupling the frontend from the backend enables brands to continuously optimize their digital experiences without being limited by backend constraints.
Several key commerce platforms have helped to drive this adoption:
- BigCommerce introduced Catalyst, supported by its acquisition of Makeswift, which empowers business users to manage frontend experiences without heavy developer involvement.
- commercetools has integrated its acquisition of Frontastic to offer commercetools Frontend, a powerful solution for creating dynamic headless frontends.
- Salesforce, through its acquisition of Mobify, now offers the Composable Storefront and PWA Kit, providing businesses with the tools to create fast, app-like experiences across devices.
- Shopify has also embraced headless with its launch of Hydrogen and Oxygen, allowing brands to build custom headless storefronts that deliver high performance while retaining Shopify’s backend reliability.
- VTEX, with its FastStore, enables brands to customize its headless starter for speed and efficiency.
With headless frontends now mainstream, brands can leverage these solutions to deliver better customer experiences, increase agility, and maintain full control over their digital storefronts.
Data Integration and Real-Time Event Management
As brands adopt composable architectures, seamless data integration across platforms has become a cornerstone of success. Whether managing customer data, handling real-time events, or building a 360-degree view of the customer, data integration has become far more reliable and scalable over the past five years.
Leading the charge in customer data management is Bloomreach Engagement, which became a key player after its acquisition of Exponia. Bloomreach allows brands to consolidate data from various channels into a unified view, driving more personalized and impactful interactions.
For integration across systems, tools like IPaaS.com, Patchworks, and Pipe17 provide essential capabilities that enable smooth data flows between disparate platforms. These solutions are critical for brands looking to ensure real-time synchronization between their composable components.
Additionally, automation tools like Contentstack Automation Hub are making it easier for brands to automate workflows between content management, commerce platforms, and even AI models, to streamline content operations and collaboration. commercetools Connect and Shopify Flows are also advancing automation, allowing for more streamlined, real-time data synchronization and operations across the commerce stack.
By leveraging these data integration and automation technologies, brands can create more cohesive, real-time digital experiences that meet customer expectations while reducing operational complexity.
The Impact of Generative AI
Generative AI has been the most transformative technology to emerge in the commerce space in the past two years. Initially a cutting-edge research concept, generative AI is now a critical tool for brands looking to innovate faster, deliver more personalized experiences, and drive operational efficiency.
In the development space, tools like GitHub Co-pilot, powered by OpenAI, have revolutionized how developers work by automating code generation and reducing time spent on repetitive tasks. This allows development teams to focus on higher-value initiatives that improve the customer experience. On the design side, platforms like Builder and V0 by Vercel have integrated AI-powered design-to-code capabilities, enabling brands to rapidly prototype and deploy new frontend designs with minimal manual effort. This blurs the lines between design and development, accelerating time-to-market for new digital experiences.
Generative AI is also making waves in search and merchandising, where advanced models can better understand customer intent and context, delivering hyper-personalized recommendations that drive conversions. These AI-driven solutions are becoming standard across composable commerce solutions, allowing brands to provide a more intuitive and engaging shopping experience.
As AI continues to evolve, its role in composable commerce will only grow, enabling brands to further optimize their operations and deliver highly tailored experiences at scale.
Conclusion
Composable commerce has moved from an experimental approach to a proven strategy that is reshaping how brands approach digital experiences. With headless frontends, reliable data integration, and generative AI now part of the standard toolkit, brands no longer need to take risks to benefit from composability. The ecosystem has matured, and the tools to ensure success are readily available.
For brands that have been waiting for clear evidence before making the shift, the time is now. Packaged solutions, starter kits, and proven use cases ensure that the path forward is clear. Composable commerce is ready for the mainstream, offering businesses the flexibility, agility, and innovation they need to thrive in a rapidly changing digital landscape.
Everett Zufelt
VP, Strategic Partnerships & Emerging Technology, Orium
As VP Strategic Partnerships & Emerging Technology at Orium, Everett leverages his extensive technical background and over a decade of experience in headless and composable commerce to lead the development of Orium’s offerings. He guides the go-to-market strategy and supports his teams in crafting solutions that enhance the digital capabilities and operational efficiency of scaling commerce brands.