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Commerce Index/Docs
Manual Setup

Non-Shopify Setup Guide

Import your products via CSV or API. Works with WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento, custom platforms, headless commerce, and any system that can make HTTP requests.

Step 1: Create Your Account

Sign up at commerceindex.com/signup using one of two methods:

Magic Link

Enter your email and click the link we send. No password needed.

Google OAuth

Sign in with your Google Workspace or personal Google account.

Step 2: Get Your API Key

Navigate to Settings → Developer → API Keys in your dashboard. Click Generate New Key.

Important

Your API key is shown only once. Store it securely — in environment variables, a secrets manager, or a .env file (never in source code).

Authentication Headers

curl -X GET "https://api.commerceindex.com/v1/products" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "X-CI-Brand-Id: YOUR_BRAND_ID"

Step 3: Import Products

You can import products two ways: upload a CSV file through the dashboard, or use the REST API for programmatic access.

Option A: CSV Import

Upload a CSV file from Products → Import → Upload CSV. Use this format:

title,sku,price,compare_at_price,inventory_quantity,vendor,product_type,tags,image_url
"Premium Wireless Headphones","ATH-WH-001-BLK",89.99,119.99,142,"AudioTech","Electronics","wireless,bluetooth","https://example.com/img1.jpg"
"Ergonomic Keyboard","KBD-ERG-002",149.99,179.99,56,"TypeCraft","Peripherals","keyboard,ergonomic","https://example.com/img2.jpg"
"USB-C Hub 7-in-1","HUB-7IN1-003",39.99,49.99,320,"ConnectPro","Accessories","usb-c,hub,adapter","https://example.com/img3.jpg"

Option B: API Import

Create products programmatically via a POST request to the products endpoint:

curl -X POST "https://api.commerceindex.com/v1/products" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "X-CI-Brand-Id: YOUR_BRAND_ID" \
  -d '{
    "title": "Premium Wireless Headphones",
    "description": "High-fidelity Bluetooth headphones with ANC",
    "vendor": "AudioTech",
    "product_type": "Electronics",
    "tags": ["wireless", "bluetooth", "noise-cancelling"],
    "variants": [
      {
        "title": "Matte Black",
        "sku": "ATH-WH-001-BLK",
        "price": 89.99,
        "compare_at_price": 119.99,
        "inventory_quantity": 142,
        "barcode": "123456789012"
      },
      {
        "title": "Silver",
        "sku": "ATH-WH-001-SLV",
        "price": 89.99,
        "compare_at_price": 119.99,
        "inventory_quantity": 87,
        "barcode": "123456789013"
      }
    ],
    "images": [
      { "src": "https://example.com/images/headphones-black.jpg", "alt": "Matte Black" }
    ]
  }'

Step 4: Set Up Inventory Tracking

If you included inventory_quantity in your CSV or API import, inventory tracking is already enabled.

For ongoing inventory updates, you can either push changes via the API or configure your platform to send webhook notifications when stock levels change.

The Inventory Agent will begin analyzing your stock levels and predicting stockout dates once it has at least 7 days of data.

Step 5: Configure Webhooks

Register webhook endpoints to receive real-time notifications from Commerce Index — low stock alerts, agent decisions, deal performance updates, and more.

Register a Webhook

curl -X POST "https://api.commerceindex.com/v1/webhooks" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "topic": "inventory/low-stock",
    "address": "https://your-server.com/webhooks/ci",
    "format": "json",
    "secret": "your_webhook_secret_here"
  }'

Webhook Payload Example

// Commerce Index sends this to your endpoint:
{
  "id": "evt_abc123def456",
  "topic": "inventory/low-stock",
  "created_at": "2025-12-15T10:30:00Z",
  "data": {
    "product_id": "prod_789",
    "variant_id": "var_012",
    "sku": "ATH-WH-001-BLK",
    "current_quantity": 5,
    "reorder_point": 20,
    "predicted_stockout_days": 3
  }
}

Step 6: Enable Agents

Navigate to Agents in your dashboard and activate the agents you need. All agents start in observation mode — they analyze your data and make recommendations but wait for your approval before taking action.

We recommend starting with at least 3 agents: Pricing, Inventory, and Deal. You can enable more as you get comfortable with the platform.

What's Next?