"Among the challenges these Goliaths face is integrating inventory and payments systems from retailers big and small that have little experience selling stuff outside of their own storefronts."
Seems like there could be an opportunity for a service to act as a broker; they could act as a go-between for inventory related tasks and services between the front-ends (Pinterest, FB) and the backends (retailer APIs.) Provide a standard API on both ends (so retailers can update prices, number in stock, tax and such, and front-ends can push buys and get updates.) If they were front-end agnostic, they could save the retailers a bunch of time, and handle API updates all in one place (preventing mass breakage when APIs change, since a good part of their job will be to keep the interfaces up-to-date.)
Retail API broker or something. I wonder if anyone is thinking of doing this already.
Seems like there could be an opportunity for a service to act as a broker; they could act as a go-between for inventory related tasks and services between the front-ends (Pinterest, FB) and the backends (retailer APIs.) Provide a standard API on both ends (so retailers can update prices, number in stock, tax and such, and front-ends can push buys and get updates.) If they were front-end agnostic, they could save the retailers a bunch of time, and handle API updates all in one place (preventing mass breakage when APIs change, since a good part of their job will be to keep the interfaces up-to-date.)
Retail API broker or something. I wonder if anyone is thinking of doing this already.