Carted

Carted is a software company that has developed an API and associated software development kits (SDKs) to facilitate universal commerce. Founded in 2020 by Holly Hart and Mike Angell, the company aims to simplify the integration of commerce functionalities into any application or website. The founders' backgrounds are complementary to the company's mission; Hart has experience in product development and venture capital, while Angell is a seasoned software engineer.

The core of Carted's business is enabling developers to sell any product from any merchant directly within their own platforms, a concept referred to as "headless commerce" or "commerce anywhere". Instead of redirecting users to third-party merchant sites, Carted's technology allows for a native checkout experience, managing everything from product search to payment processing and shipping. This model serves a diverse client base, including publishers, content creators, and financial institutions who wish to embed shopping experiences into their existing digital environments. Revenue is generated through a transaction-based fee, taking a percentage of the gross merchandise value (GMV) that flows through its API.

Carted's main product is its universal commerce API, which provides access to a vast, real-time catalog of products from numerous merchants. The API normalizes product data, such as images, descriptions, and pricing, from different sellers into a standardized format. Key features include multi-merchant basket functionality, allowing a consumer to purchase items from several different retailers in a single transaction. The platform handles the entire post-order process, including payment orchestration and fulfillment logistics, thereby abstracting the complexity away from its clients and the end consumer.

Keywords: universal commerce, API, headless commerce, e-commerce infrastructure, embedded shopping, multi-merchant checkout, software development kit, fintech, publisher tools, content monetization