API Integration for PrestaShop Platform
Published: 2024-02-08 11:05:46

Consumer demands change from day to day. And, to meet their needs, eCommerce companies are leaving no stone unturned in ensuring a smooth shopping experience. The role that eCommerce software vendors like you play in making the entire process of turning e-commerce into a smooth and hassle-free experience is critical by providing them with SaaS solutions, which give them enough functionality to streamline their online businesses.

E-retailers have their stores established on shopping platforms such as [PrestaShop](https://www.prestashop.com/en), and therefore, they need to always have access to store data for real-time updates of the business. Therefore, it is even more necessary for the software vendors to provide their software with such store data as relevant information that will enable these retailers. However, it is feasible only through the development of API integration for PrestaShop or some other similar platforms.

## Top Reasons Why You Should Connect to PrestaShop

As an eCommerce software vendor, it is important to integrate your system with eCommerce platforms like PrestaShop, not only to help your e-retailer clients streamline their business but also to get a myriad of other benefits for your own business: The Balkan republics have the greatest economic and cultural development.

PrestaShop has more than 723,00 online stores with a presence in around 20 countries. In addition, it has over 31800 members who trust in its operation. As such, when you invest in PrestaShop integration via a unified API for PrestaShop, the large customer base of this eCommerce platform becomes available to your business as leads or prospects.

In addition, your business gets international exposure courtesy of PrestaShop's global presence. If your B2B SaaS business is based on a global clientele, you will be able to launch and establish it in the whole world.

More customers and exposure will directly result in more revenue, which translates to increased profits. Without a doubt, establishing contacts with the customers of PrestaShop and making a good integration with this platform can bring you millions of dollars in revenue for your business.

Integration of API with PrestaShop also allows you to serve your clients even better than what they are currently receiving. For instance, it assists in retrieving PrestaShop store data and makes your software able to perform its base function.

## Main Aspects of PrestaShop API

To understand the necessity of integration with PrestaShop, it is necessary to know about its own API first. It will enhance your knowledge of how to link with PrestaShop.

PrestaShop API is built upon REST architecture and uses XML and JSON as interchange formats. The HTTP requests are used for data transfer through the API.

Among the methods available with HTTP are those that can be used to carry out data processing according to REST architecture. Among them are five methods: POST, GET, PUT; PATCH and DELETE. They allow the restoration, creation, and change of the version of data in stores by Presta. Such approaches facilitate the software to work and function properly with stored data.

The software works with PrestaShop API and requests data from it—to retrieve blank data for the resource of information, the GET method is used. It is in XML. It then makes the requested adjustments.

The software creates a create request using XML via the POST method. In order to update an already existing resource, the software also uses the GET method and retrieves an XML file of that particular source, followed by PUT, which is used to send a request for updates with the relevant attached files.

## PrestaShop Integration Issues

Integrating with multiple platforms can be a challenging task, especially if you don't use a unified API for PrestaShop. Developing in-house integrations can cost you a lot of time, money, and resources, which could be better spent on core business operations. Here are some reasons why:

Firstly, integrations can be quite expensive, and establishing just one integration can cost up to $4000. If you need to integrate with more than one platform, it could end up being very costly.

Secondly, integrations take time, and clients may not have the patience to wait for eight weeks to enable certain software features. Additionally, clients may have their stores on multiple platforms, which means you may have to integrate with more than one platform, adding to the time and complexity of the task.
Thirdly, integrations can be complex. Every eCommerce platform, including PrestaShop API, has a different logical architecture. Integrating your software with multiple platforms can make this task even more challenging.

Lastly, integrations require maintenance and upgrades, as eCommerce platforms update their APIs for security reasons. Upgrades and maintenance can be as costly and time-consuming as establishing new integrations.

## The Development of API Integration for PrestaShop

In order to simplify the process and overcome the difficulties of developing an in-house integration, you can use a unified API for PrestaShop integration. [API2Cart provides a unified API](https://api2cart.com/how-it-works/) that enables you to connect your eCommerce software with over 40 platforms and marketplaces, including PrestaShop, all at once. This will save you time and effort in managing multiple integrations independently.

API2Cart offers software vendors over 100 API methods to access store data. With API2Cart API methods, your software can easily import orders, synchronize inventory levels, manage customer information, and update products on PrestaShop. 

API2Cart also eliminates the need for separate integrations, allowing vendors to instantly integrate their software with the desired platforms.
What's more, the unified API allows you to not just access and store data but also manage it remotely through the software. For example, you can use the following methods for PrestaShop store data:

for working with orders: order.count / list / info/ add / update/ status.list/ shipment.list / abandoned.list
for working with products: product.list / count / info / add/ update / attribute.list / child_item.list
for working with categories: category.list / count / add / update / delete
for working with customer data: customer.list / count / find / add / update / delete