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Instance · Ecommerce

Ecommerce Carts Introduction

Last updated 2 November 2026

In the Insites ecosystem, carts are a dynamic, transient entity designed for high-speed interaction. Unlike orders, which are permanent administrative records, carts are created mainly by your storefront through the API and GraphQL. This programmatic approach ensures that 'shopping intent' is captured in real time, directly from the user's front-end experience. You can also create a cart in the admin: select CREATE CART on the Carts page and fill in the Details, Items and Discounts tabs.

Each cart is a record in the Ecommerce module, with its own cart items and cart discounts. Insites does not include a storefront or a checkout, so each project builds its own on top of these records. The official starting points are the Insites Website and Portal template and the Ecommerce add-on, which adds a catalog, cart, checkout and order history.

Creating carts through the API and GraphQL offers two main advantages:

  • Headless flexibility: Developers can build custom checkout experiences on any platform (web, mobile, or IoT) while using the Insites API as the unified 'source of truth.'

  • Session persistence: A cart can store a Session ID, a contact and a company, so your storefront can keep a customer’s items across browser refreshes and devices.

You may refer to the following articles for more details: