How to use e-commerce in the chat screen?
In this article you will learn how the e-commerce functionality works in the chat screen, what you need to use it, and how it allows you to assist your customers manually throughout the entire purchasing process without the need for a transactional bot.
This tool allows you to:
- Browse categories, products, images, and prices.
- Build manual carts.
- Share products or an entire cart with the customer.
- Facilitate the purchase in 1:1 conversations.
Step 1: Verify the requirements
Before starting, keep in mind that:
- The functionality is turned off by default.
- Only administrator roles can enable it.
- It is available for all channels (WhatsApp, Webchat, Instagram, etc.).
- It does not require configuring a bot or special flows.
Step 2: Access the chat screen
- Log in to the Botmaker platform.
- Open the Chat Screen.
- You will see a new tab called “Shopping cart”.
Step 3: Enable Ecommerce for your agents
- Go to Configuration > Settings > Manual Chat.
- Activate the Enable shopping cart for customers switch.
- Save changes.
Once enabled, agents will be able to see the cart tab within each conversation, but keep in mind that the catalog content depends on the connection of a pre-existing catalog.
Step 4: Select a catalog Within the cart:
- Choose the catalog you want to work with.
- You can browse categories, filter, or search for products.
- Only one catalog can be used per cart.
- Products are not combined between catalogs.
Step 5: Browse products and build the cart From the catalog screen you will be able to:
- View photos, titles, descriptions, and prices.
- Filter and sort by category or relevance.
- Add products to the cart with one click.
- Remove products if you need to adjust the purchase.
Important: Stock and prices depend on the update of each catalog. They are not updated in real time.
Step 6: Share products or the complete cart
Once the cart is built, you can:
- Share individual products in the chat.
- Share the complete cart with the customer.
The customer receives the selection ready to buy, which simplifies the entire process without the need to navigate a website.
How are catalogs loaded?
Botmaker allows three integration methods:
- Native integration
- Shopify
- VTEX They synchronize automatically 3 times a day.
- Catalog via Google Sheets
- You set up a sheet with products and images.
- You run a script to update the catalog.
- Upload via API
- You can create products, categories, images, and stock via endpoints.
To learn more about catalog integration methods, we recommend the following materials:
- What do the product catalog and e-commerce functionality in Botmaker consist of?
- Botmaker sessions - Catalog
- How to integrate Shopify?
Important considerations
- Stock and price updates are not immediate.
- In native integrations (Shopify/VTEX), the update happens 3 times a day.
- In Sheets or API, the update depends 100% on the customer.
- Botmaker does not send stock updates to the e-commerce platform.
- It is a manual tool, designed to accompany personalized sales.
Frequently asked questions
Does it appear for all agents?
No. It is opt-in and is enabled from “Manual Chat”.
Is it available on all channels?
Yes. WhatsApp, Webchat, and even other channels.
Can I combine products from different catalogs?
No. Each cart belongs to a single catalog.
Is stock deducted when confirming the sale?
No. Stock is controlled by your business from your e-commerce or inventory system.
Can I modify the price from the chat?
No. You can only modify it from the catalog source (integration, Sheets, or API).
What happens if the price changes after building the cart?
The customer will see the previous price until the catalog is updated.
What happens if I switch conversations while I have a cart built?
The cart is preserved. When you return to the conversation, you will see the added products.
What happens if a product does not have an image?
The product is shown anyway, but without an image.
Remember to visit our Help Center for further information.