The 5 APIs of the Apocalypse with Jeremy Bodenhamer
Jeremy Bodenhamer and Joe Lynch discuss the 5 APIs of the Apocalypse. Jeremy defines APIs and why they are such a powerful force in ecommerce. Jeremy recently wrote a book called Adapt or Die, a book for small and mid-size retailers that want to compete with the ecommerce giants.
About Jeremy Bodenhamer
Jeremy Bodenhamer is the founder and CEO of ShipHawk. Jeremy is also the bestselling author of Adapt or Die and a leading expert at the intersection of shipping and ecommerce. His articles have been been featured in Inc., TechCrunch, AOL, Fortune, Internet Retailer, and Entrepreneur. Jeremy is a frequent speaker on innovation, technology, and logistics; and was a 2018 Supply Chain & Executive Pro to Know. Jeremy is an active volunteer in the community, an avid Crossfitter, and surfer, and champions a company culture that promotes health, family, and happiness among employees. Jeremey earned a Bachelor of English from Westmont University. He lives in Santa Barbara with his wife Bethany who is an educator and youth advocate Bethany Bodenhamer – and their three sons.
About ShipHawk
ShipHawk is the premier packing and shipping software for ERP connected companies. Most businesses spend a ton of time and money trying to ship orders more efficiently. ShipHawk’s shipping software helps automate order fulfillment and eliminate worker decisions so businesses can take control of their warehouse operations. Shippers often experience 5X order throughput and decrease shipping costs without adding headcount. ShipHawk works with high volume retail, wholesale, and ecommerce companies to lower their packing and shipping costs so they can compete on a level playing field with the ecommerce giants.
Key Takeaways: The 5 APIs of the Apocalypse
- API is an abbreviation for an application programming interface.
- An application programming interface is a software intermediary that allows two applications to talk to each other. In other words, an API is the messenger that delivers your request to the provider that you’re requesting it from and then delivers the response back to you.
- APIs are widely used and have made connecting systems much easier, which has enabled the explosive growth of ecommerce.
- The 5 APIs of the apocalypse are Amazon, Walmart, JD.com, Alibaba, and Shopify.
- JD.com is China’s largest online retailer and its biggest overall retailer, as well as the country’s biggest Internet company by revenue.
- In the podcast interview, Jeremy refers to these industry giants as APIs rather than marketplaces or ecommerce companies because he believes much of their power comes from their ability to connect with consumers everywhere; phones, tablets, computers, cars, Alexa, etc..
- Amazon, Walmart, JD.com, and Alibaba are enabling consumers to buy from anywhere and those transactions are built using APIs.
- Even though Shopify was included on the list, they are different from the other companies because they actually enable small and mid-size companies to become more competitive.
Learn More: The 5 APIs of the Apocalypse
Adapt or Die (Jeremy’s book)