One of the core elements of any eCommerce implementation is the management of product data. When integrating with AEM you have the choice of either importing the product data into the JCR or having it exist solely in the eCommerce system. There are pros and cons to both approaches. Importing the data into AEM allows you to make use of the AEM Commerce components, use the AEM Commerce API, and do some fun things like product page generation, and data-driven tag creation. Having the product data in the JCR also allows AEM to access the information without having to make a call to the commerce platform every time. The con of having this data in AEM is that it may present challenges in keeping the data in sync. While things like product name, description, and image may not change often some more dynamic properties such as stock level, pricing, and active status may demand a more real time approach. This challenge can possibly be offset through the use of incremental imports and node listeners but ultimately the decision will come down to your specific implementation and the needed frequency for updates.
I have encountered two ways to import product data into the JCR. The first method of importing products is accomplished by uploading good ol’ fashioned CSV files with your product data in AEM Tools at http://localhost:4502/miscadmin. Navigate to /etc/commerce/products, click “New File..”, then browse and select the CSV.
