Saleor Commerce

What is Saleor

Saleor is an open-source, headless e-commerce platform designed for developers and modern businesses. Its core purpose is to provide a highly flexible and scalable backend for online stores, separating it completely from the frontend presentation layer. This is known as a headless or composable architecture. The main functionality is delivered through a GraphQL-first API, allowing developers to build custom storefronts using any technology stack they prefer, such as Next.js, Vue, or React. Saleor was created by the software development company Mirumee Software and is built with Python and Django. It empowers businesses to create unique, high-performance shopping experiences for global audiences, supporting complex product catalogs, multi-channel sales, and extensive customizations.

Saleor Features

Saleor offers a robust set of features designed for flexibility and performance in e-commerce.

• Headless Architecture: Decouples the backend commerce functions from the frontend user interface. This allows you to build custom storefronts on any platform (web, mobile, IoT) without being limited by templates.
• GraphQL API: Provides a powerful and efficient way to query data. Developers can request exactly the data they need, reducing the number of API calls and improving application speed.
• Composable Commerce Engine: Build your perfect stack using core modules for Products, Promotions, Checkout, and Orders. You can use all of them or just the ones you need.
• Extensibility with Apps: Extend Saleor's functionality with custom applications. These apps can be written in any language or framework and connect via the API, allowing for integrations with payment gateways, shipping providers, and other services.
• User-Friendly Dashboard: A centralized dashboard for managing products, orders, customers, and configurations. It is designed for merchants and support teams and can be extended with custom dashboard apps.
• Global Commerce Support: Built-in features for international sales, including multi-warehouse inventory, multi-currency pricing, multi-language content translation, and channel-specific settings for different markets.
• Flexible Product & Content Model: Create complex product catalogs with unlimited variants, custom attributes (text, numbers, files, etc.), and rich content types. Share attributes across different product types for efficient management.
• Customizable Checkout Flow: Take full control over the checkout process. Implement custom logic, split payments between multiple sources, and manage vouchers and gift cards across different markets.
• Open Source: The core platform is open source, giving you full access to the code, a strong community for support, and the ability to self-host and customize it completely.

Saleor Pricing Plans

Saleor offers different tiers to accommodate various business needs, from small projects to large enterprises. The plans are structured around scale, support, and infrastructure.

• Open Source: This is a free, self-hosted version. It is ideal for developers, startups, and businesses that have the technical resources to manage their own infrastructure. It includes the full feature set of the core platform.
• Cloud Plans: Saleor offers managed cloud hosting with several tiers. These plans typically include a starter or professional tier for growing businesses that want managed infrastructure, automatic updates, and standard support. They handle the hosting, scaling, and security for you.
• Enterprise Plan: This plan is for large-scale businesses with high-volume sales and complex requirements. It includes all the benefits of the cloud plans plus dedicated support, service level agreements (SLAs), advanced security features, and custom onboarding.

Saleor Free Plan

Saleor has a strong free offering through its open-source version. You can download, modify, and use the core Saleor platform for free, provided you host it on your own infrastructure. This gives you complete control and access to all core features without any cost for the software itself.

For its managed cloud service, Saleor typically offers a free developer plan or a free trial period. This allows developers to build and test their applications using the Saleor Cloud infrastructure before committing to a paid plan. This free tier is usually limited by factors like API call volume or data storage but is sufficient for development and small projects.

How to use Saleor

Getting started with Saleor involves setting up the backend and then building a custom frontend to interact with it.

1. Choose Your Hosting: Decide between self-hosting the open-source version on your own server or signing up for a Saleor Cloud plan for managed infrastructure.
2. Set Up the Backend: Access the Saleor Dashboard. Here, you will configure your store's fundamental elements. This includes creating products and product variants, defining attributes, setting up categories, and configuring channels for different markets (e.g., USA, Europe).
3. Configure Store Settings: In the dashboard, set up shipping zones and rates, tax configurations, and payment gateways. You can extend payment options by adding a payment app.
4. Build Your Frontend: Use your preferred frontend framework (like Next.js, Gatsby, or Vue.js). Connect your application to the Saleor backend using its GraphQL API to fetch product data, manage user carts, and process checkouts.
5. Extend with Apps: If you need custom functionality, such as integration with a specific CRM or shipping provider, you can build a Saleor App. These apps communicate with Saleor via webhooks and the API.
6. Deploy and Launch: Once your frontend is built and connected to the Saleor backend, deploy your application. You can then manage all day-to-day operations, like fulfilling orders and managing customers, through the Saleor Dashboard.

Pros and Cons of Saleor

Pros:

• Extreme Flexibility: The headless architecture allows for complete creative control over the user experience and design.
• Developer-Friendly: Built with modern technologies like GraphQL, Python, and Django, making it a popular choice for development teams.
• Highly Scalable: Designed to handle large product catalogs and high traffic volumes, as proven by its use by global brands.
• Open Source: The core platform is free, transparent, and benefits from a large community of contributors.
• Strong Multi-Market Features: Excellent built-in support for selling in multiple countries, currencies, and languages.

Cons:

• Requires Technical Expertise: Not an out-of-the-box solution for non-technical users. You need developers to build and maintain the frontend.
• Complex Initial Setup: The initial setup and configuration can be more complex compared to monolithic platforms like Shopify or Wix.
• Ecosystem is Maturing: While growing, its ecosystem of pre-built apps and themes is not as extensive as that of older, more established platforms.

Saleor integrations

Saleor is designed for integration and connects with other services through its App framework and GraphQL API. Instead of a traditional app store, you build or connect apps for any service you need. Common integrations include:

• Payment Gateways: Connect with providers like Stripe, Adyen, PayPal, and Mollie to process payments. This is typically done by configuring a payment app.
• Content Management Systems (CMS): Integrate with headless CMS platforms like Contentful, Strapi, or Sanity to manage rich marketing content alongside your product catalog.
• Shipping and Fulfillment: Connect to services like Shippo, EasyPost, or custom logistics providers to automate shipping rates and fulfillment.
• Search: Integrate with advanced search providers like Algolia or Elasticsearch for faster, more intelligent product search capabilities.
• Taxes: Connect with automated tax calculation services like Avalara or TaxJar to handle complex sales tax requirements.
• Analytics: Send data to analytics platforms like Google Analytics or Segment to track user behavior and sales performance.

Saleor Alternatives

• commercetools: A leading competitor in the composable commerce space. It is also API-first and highly scalable, targeting enterprise-level customers. The main differentiator is its microservices-based architecture, offering even more granular control than Saleor.
• Shopify Plus: A powerful e-commerce platform for large businesses. It offers a headless solution via its Storefront API but is not open-source. It provides a more all-in-one solution with a vast app ecosystem, making it easier to get started.
• BigCommerce: A versatile platform that can be used as a traditional e-commerce solution or as a headless backend. It is known for its strong B2B features and is a good alternative for businesses that want the option of both headless and traditional commerce.
• Medusa: Another open-source headless commerce platform, often seen as a direct alternative to Saleor. Medusa is built with Node.js and emphasizes developer experience and modularity, allowing users to easily swap out core components like the cart or promotion engine.

Saleor API

Yes, Saleor provides a comprehensive GraphQL API as its primary method of interaction. The API is central to its headless nature, allowing developers to build custom frontends and integrations.

To get API access for Saleor Cloud, you can generate API keys directly from the dashboard under the 'Configuration' or 'Apps' section. For the open-source, self-hosted version, API access is configured as part of the server setup.

Here is an example of a GraphQL query to fetch a list of products from the Saleor API:

query getProducts {
  products(first: 10, channel: "default-channel") {
    edges {
      node {
        id
        name
        description
        pricing {
          priceRange {
            start {
              gross {
                amount
                currency
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Developers can explore the API schema and test queries using the built-in GraphQL Playground, which is available at the /graphql/ endpoint of any Saleor instance.

Saleor Affiliate program

Saleor does not have a traditional public affiliate program where individuals can sign up for a link and earn commissions. Instead, they focus on a Partner Program aimed at digital agencies, development firms, and technology providers who build e-commerce solutions for clients.

To join, interested parties should visit the 'Partners' section on the Saleor website. The program typically involves a formal application process where you describe your company and how you plan to use Saleor. Benefits of being a partner often include co-marketing opportunities, dedicated support, and leads. If you are an influencer or agency, it is best to contact their partnership team directly through their website to discuss potential collaboration.