Udit Agarwal on How API-First Platforms Accelerate Market Entry for Modern Retailers

Udit Agarwal discusses the impact of API-first platforms on modern retail. These systems allow retailers to scale efficiently while enhancing customer experiences and reducing costs.

Retail is transforming faster than ever. Consumer expectations shift with every season, and digital-first players are changing the way markets operate. Traditional retailers often find themselves burdened by legacy systems and slow integrations.

The big question is: how can sellers launch quickly, scale efficiently, and still deliver smooth experiences across channels? The answer many are turning to lies in API-first platforms, systems that provide the flexibility to plug into best-in-class services and the speed to compete in an increasingly unforgiving market. Few understand this shift as deeply as Udit Agarwal, a product leader who has spent years building and shaping seller-focused API platforms at two of the world’s most influential companies: Google and Walmart.

As a staff product manager at Walmart, he played a pivotal role in the early conceptualization of the company’s Seller API platform and subsequently launched the Walmart Developer Council, working directly with ecosystem players to shape seller experiences. “API-first platforms enable reusability of critical capabilities in-house for retailers,” he explains.

“They allow companies to move fast without building everything from the ground up, while also enabling outsourcing of critical capabilities to access best-in-class infrastructure.” The Seller API platform saw significant adoption and higher seller satisfaction under his leadership. What mattered, he says, was not just efficiency but the way APIs democratized access. “Retailers who adopt API platforms are able to reduce capital investment and, in turn, directly improve their bottom line,” he notes.

“Just as importantly, they level the playing field between large and small retailers by giving both access to world-class capabilities.” The broader implications of this are visible across the industry. Shopify, for instance, has redefined the go-to-market strategy for retailers by integrating payments, marketing, fulfillment, and sales management into one API-powered portal.

“Shopify acts as a one-stop shop for sellers to reach marketplaces like Walmart or Target,” Agarwal points out. “That reach wouldn’t be possible without API integrations with marketplace platforms.” By eliminating the friction once associated with scaling, platforms like Shopify have opened the door for even mom-and-pop shops to compete alongside retail giants. This ecosystem approach also frees up resources. With APIs handling order management, inventory tracking, or compliance, sellers can redirect focus toward the one area no software can automate: customer experience. Agarwal believes this is the true value of API-first systems. “APIs enable programmatic management of selling actions at scale,” he says.

“In many cases, they operate autonomously, allowing businesses to focus talent and creativity where it matters most.” His perspective is grounded not only in technical expertise but also in lived experience. Agarwal saw firsthand how partnerships with channel enablers like Shopify and Channel Advisor unlocked growth for small businesses in the U.S. “By providing critical capabilities out of the box, these partners allowed even the smallest retailers to sell like national chains,” he recalls.

“Behind the scenes, it was API platforms from Walmart and Amazon powering that transformation.” Going forward, Agarwal sees APIs continuing to push the boundaries of retail innovation. As consumer expectations rise for frictionless, personalized, and omnichannel experiences, the demand for API-first infrastructure will only grow. But he also cautions that adoption requires thoughtful planning. “Retailers need to think not just about plugging into APIs, but about building a strategy where APIs become the foundation for agility,” he says.

For modern retailers, the message is clear. APIs are no longer a technical consideration buried in IT roadmaps; they are strategic levers that can define market relevance. As Agarwal puts it, “The retailers who embrace API-first platforms will be the ones who move fastest, scale smartest, and deliver the experiences customers now demand.”