AI Chatbot
Provide instant customer support with an AI-powered chatbot. Automate responses, manage conversations, and improve customer satisfaction around the clock.
Overview
The AI Chatbot module lets you deploy an intelligent support assistant on your storefront that can answer customer questions automatically:
- AI-powered responses trained on your knowledgebase, FAQs, and live store data
- Real-time access to your products, orders, shipping info, and store pages
- Real-time conversation inbox for manual follow-ups
- Fully customizable chat widget to match your brand
- Human Mode for manual conversation handling
- AI Credits system with monthly usage tracking
- Pre-built system prompt templates to get started quickly
- Lead capture and management
- Chat to Shop — conversational product discovery with inline product cards and Add to Cart, plus a “Find by chat” discovery bar above your product grid
- Omnichannel messaging — connect Instagram DM, set up comment automations, and manage all messages from one inbox
Access the chatbot from your dashboard by navigating to AI Chatbot in the sidebar.
Smart AI with Real-Time Data
AI Credits
Every merchant receives a monthly allocation of AI tokens that power chatbot responses. The AI Credits system tracks your usage and resets automatically each month.
How Credits Work
- Monthly Allowance — Each merchant starts with 1,000,000 tokens per month (approximately 500 conversations)
- Token Usage — Each AI response consumes tokens based on the length of the conversation context and the response generated
- Automatic Reset — Credits reset on the 1st of every month
- Hard Stop — When credits are exhausted, the chatbot stops generating AI responses. Customer messages are still saved and can be answered manually
Monitoring Your Credits
Your current credit usage is displayed at the top of the Chatbot → Settings page. The usage card shows:
- A color-coded progress bar (green under 70%, amber 70–90%, red over 90%)
- Tokens used vs. your monthly limit
- Remaining tokens available
- Days until your credits reset
When Credits Run Out
Inbox
The inbox is where you view and manage all customer conversations with your chatbot.
Viewing Conversations
Navigate to Inbox
Go to AI Chatbot → Inbox in your dashboard.
Browse Conversations
See a list of all conversations with customer name, last message preview, timestamp, and status.
Open a Conversation
Click on any conversation to view the full message history.
Replying to Messages
While the AI handles most responses automatically, you can jump into any conversation to provide a personal reply:
- Open the conversation from the inbox
- Type your reply in the message input field
- Click Send to deliver your message to the customer
Conversation Status
Conversation is ongoing and may need attention
The AI has handed off the conversation or credits are exhausted — requires your manual reply
The AI successfully answered the customer's questions
Conversation has been resolved and closed
Real-Time Data Access
The AI chatbot intelligently detects what customers are asking about and pulls live data from your store to provide accurate answers. This happens automatically — no extra setup required.
What the AI Can Access
When customers ask about your products, pricing, availability, or features, the AI searches your product catalog and responds with current information including prices, descriptions, and stock status.
If a customer provides their email, the AI can look up their order history and provide status updates on recent purchases.
The AI accesses your shipping zones, methods, and fees to answer delivery questions with accurate costs and timeframes.
The AI reads your store pages (About, Contact, Terms, Return Policy, etc.) to answer questions about your business policies.
Automatic Intent Detection
Knowledgebase
The Knowledgebase is where you teach the AI about your business. Anything you add here helps the AI give more accurate, specific answers to your customers. It has four sections, each accessible as a tab inside AI Chatbot → Knowledgebase.
Free-form articles and information blocks. Use these for business policies, brand story, service descriptions, care instructions, or anything else you want the AI to know about.
Question-and-answer pairs. Use these when you want the AI to give a consistent, exact answer to a specific question every time.
Web pages the AI can read and reference. You can sync your Vaendora storefront pages automatically, or add any external URL from your own website for the AI to crawl and learn from.
Uploaded documents. The AI reads and learns from the content inside the file so it can answer questions based on that information.
Adding Text Content
Navigate to Knowledgebase
Go to AI Chatbot → Knowledgebase in your dashboard and make sure you are on the Texts tab.
Add New Entry
Click Add Entry to open the article editor.
Write the Content
Enter a clear title and write the content in the body. Cover common questions, policies, business hours, processing times, or any information customers frequently ask about.
Save
Click Save. The AI will start using the article immediately.
Adding FAQs
FAQs are structured question-and-answer pairs. Unlike free-form text articles, FAQs let you control the exact answer the AI gives for a specific question.
Switch to the FAQs Tab
Go to AI Chatbot → Knowledgebase and click the FAQs tab.
Add a Question
Enter the question as a customer would ask it.
Write the Answer
Provide a clear, complete answer. The AI will use this response when it detects a similar question.
Save
Click Save. The FAQ is active immediately.
Adding Pages
The Pages tab lets you point the AI to specific web pages so it can read and reference their content. There are two ways to add pages.
Option 1 - Sync Your Vaendora Storefront Pages
If you have a Vaendora storefront, click Sync Storefront to automatically import all your live storefront pages (product pages, category pages, your About page, policies, and more). The AI will read the content of those pages and use them to answer customer questions.
Option 2 - Add an External URL
You can also add any page from your own website, blog, or external resource:
Switch to the Pages Tab
Go to AI Chatbot → Knowledgebase and click the Pages tab.
Click Add URL
Click the Add URL button to open the URL entry form.
Enter the URL
Paste the full web address of the page, including https://. You can optionally add a title to help you identify the page later.
Submit
Click Add Page. The system will visit the page and read its content. The page status will update to Ready once it has been processed successfully.
Crawling Takes a Moment
Keeping Pages Up to Date
If you update the content on a page you have already added, the AI will not automatically pick up those changes. You need to manually refresh it:
- Go to the Pages tab in Knowledgebase
- Find the page you want to refresh
- Click the Re-crawl button (the refresh icon) next to that page
- Wait for the status to return to Ready
Do this any time you update your website, change a policy page, or publish new content that you want the AI to reference.
Only Add Pages You Own
Uploading Files
The Files tab lets you upload documents directly. The AI reads the text inside each file and uses it to answer customer questions, just like any other knowledge source.
Supported File Formats
Product catalogues, brochures, guides, menus, and any document saved as a PDF. Make sure the PDF contains selectable text - scanned image PDFs cannot be read.
Simple text files. Good for notes, scripts, or any content you have written in a plain text editor.
Markdown formatted documents. Commonly used for documentation, README files, and structured notes.
File Size Limit
Switch to the Files Tab
Go to AI Chatbot → Knowledgebase and click the Files tab.
Upload a File
Click Upload File and select a PDF, .txt, or .md file from your device.
Wait for Processing
The file status will show as Processing while the content is being extracted. Once complete, the status changes to Ready and the AI can reference its content.
Scanned PDFs
Tips for a Better Knowledgebase
- Write in clear, simple language your customers would use
- Cover your most frequently asked questions first
- Include specifics like business hours, return windows, and processing times
- Update or re-crawl pages whenever their content changes
- Use FAQs for questions where you want a consistent, exact answer every time
- Disable entries you no longer want the AI to use rather than deleting them, so you can re-enable them later
Knowledge Works Alongside Live Data
Lead Capture
Lead capture controls whether visitors must provide their name and email before they can start chatting. When turned on, a short form appears the first time a visitor opens the widget. Their details are saved as a contact and appear in your Leads list for follow-up.
The Lead Capture Toggle
Go to AI Chatbot → Settings and look for the Lead Capture toggle.
Visitors see a name and email form when they first open the chat widget. They must fill it in before they can send a message. Their details are saved as a contact record and appear in your Leads list. This is the default setting and is recommended for merchants who want to build a contact list from every chat interaction.
The chat opens immediately with no form. Visitors can start typing straight away. They are still saved as anonymous contacts so conversations are tracked, but they are excluded from the Leads list. Use this when you want a frictionless experience, for example when running Chat to Shop and you do not want to interrupt a customer mid-browse with a sign-up form.
Which Should You Choose?
Leads
The Leads section shows contact records collected through the chat widget. When Lead Capture is on, every visitor who opens the chat and submits the name and email form is saved here. You can view their details, the conversation they had, and any contact information the AI captured during the chat.
Access your leads from AI Chatbot → Leads in your dashboard.
Visitors who chatted while Lead Capture was off (anonymous sessions) are not shown in the Leads list. Their conversations are still visible in the Inbox.
Widget Designer
Customize the appearance of your chat widget to match your brand and storefront design. The widget appears as a floating chat button on your storefront that customers can click to start a conversation.
Customization Options
Go to AI Chatbot → Widget Designer to access the full set of styling controls. All changes preview in real time on the right side of the screen.
- Avatar — Upload a custom avatar image for the chat header
- Title — Set the name shown in the chat header (e.g., “Support”)
- Subtitle — Add a subtitle below the title (e.g., “Ask me anything!”)
- Header Color — Background color of the chat header area
- Background Color — Main chat area background
- Text Color — Color of message text
- Bubble Color — Color of the floating chat button and customer message bubbles
- Font Family — Choose the font for all chat text
- Powered By — Toggle whether “Powered by Vaendora” appears in the widget
- Choose between bottom-right or bottom-left placement on your storefront
Live Preview
The Widget Designer includes a live preview that updates instantly as you change settings. Use it to see exactly how the chat widget will look on your storefront before saving.
Embedding on Your Storefront
The chat widget is automatically embedded on your Vaendora storefront when the chatbot is enabled and the Show on Storefront toggle is turned on in Settings. No additional code or setup is required.
Human Mode
Human Mode lets you take full manual control of customer conversations instead of relying on AI responses.
How Human Mode Works
- When Human Mode is ON, the AI will not auto-reply to incoming customer messages. Messages are saved in your inbox for you to respond manually.
- When Human Mode is OFF, the AI responds automatically to customer messages using your knowledgebase and store data.
- You can toggle Human Mode on and off at any time from AI Chatbot → Settings. The change takes effect immediately for all conversations.
Human Mode + Email Notifications
Usage & Stats
Monitor how your chatbot is performing and how customers are engaging with it from AI Chatbot → Usage & Stats.
Key Metrics
The total number of unique chat sessions initiated by customers. This reflects real conversation counts from your database, giving you an accurate picture of customer engagement.
The total number of AI tokens consumed during the selected period. This tracks how much of your monthly AI credit allowance has been used.
The number of messages the AI has generated automatically in response to customer inquiries.
A breakdown of where your messages are coming from by channel (Web, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger). This helps you understand which channels your customers prefer.
Improve with Data
Settings
Configure how your chatbot behaves and manage its core settings from AI Chatbot → Settings.
Main Toggles
Master switch for the chatbot feature. When disabled, no AI processing occurs and the widget does not appear on your storefront.
Controls whether the chat widget appears on your storefront pages. You can keep the chatbot enabled (for dashboard testing) while hiding the widget from customers.
When turned on, the AI stops auto-replying and all messages go to your inbox for manual response. Toggle on and off at any time — the change applies to all conversations immediately.
Choose whether the AI sends a welcome message first when the customer opens the chat, or whether the customer types the first message. When set to “Customer First,” the chat opens with an empty input field ready for their question.
When on, visitors must enter their name and email before they can chat. Their details are saved as a contact and appear in your Leads list. When off, the chat opens immediately with no form and visitors are saved as anonymous contacts only. See the Lead Capture section for full details.
Messages
- Welcome Message — The greeting customers see when they first open the chat widget (only shown when “AI First” conversation mode is selected)
- System Prompt — Define the AI's personality, tone, and behavioral rules. This is the core instruction that shapes how your chatbot communicates with customers.
System Prompt Templates
Not sure how to write a system prompt? Use one of the pre-built templates to get started quickly. Click Browse Templates next to the System Prompt field to open the template picker.
Available Templates
A well-rounded assistant that helps customers with products, orders, store policies, and general questions. Great starting point for most stores.
An advanced support agent focused on resolving issues with empathy and structured workflows. Includes handling for complaints, returns, billing disputes, and escalation protocols.
A consultative sales agent that drives conversions through smart product recommendations, objection handling, and natural upselling techniques.
Specialized in the post-purchase experience: order tracking, shipping inquiries, delivery issues, and return processing.
Engages visitors in natural conversation to qualify leads, capture contact details, and route high-intent prospects to your sales team.
Open Template Picker
Go to AI Chatbot → Settings and click Browse Templates next to the System Prompt field.
Filter by Category
Use the category buttons (All Categories, General Purpose, Customer Support, Sales) to filter templates by type.
Preview a Template
Click on any template to expand it and see the full prompt text. Review the prompt to make sure it fits your business needs.
Apply the Template
Click Use This Template to load the prompt into your System Prompt field. The template will replace your current prompt.
Customize and Save
Edit the loaded prompt to add your specific business details, tone preferences, or custom rules. Replace {{store_name}} with your actual store name. Then click Save Settings.
Templates Are Starting Points
Widget Appearance
Basic widget appearance settings (color and position) are also available on the Settings page. For full customization, use the Widget Designer.
Test After Changes
Chat to Shop
Chat to Shop is a conversational product discovery mode built into the AI chatbot. Instead of browsing your store manually, customers can describe what they are looking for in the chat and the AI recommends matching products with inline cards they can add to cart without leaving the conversation.
How It Works
- When a customer asks about products in the chat, “do you have something for dry skin?”, “show me your bags under ₦10,000”, the AI searches your catalogue and responds with product recommendations
- Recommended products appear as inline product cards inside the chat, showing the product image, name, price, and an Add to Cart button
- Customers can add items directly to their cart from inside the chat without navigating away
The “Find by Chat” Discovery Bar
A discovery bar appears above your product grid on the storefront, inviting customers to find products by chatting with your AI assistant. Customers who might not scroll through your catalogue are prompted to describe what they want instead.
The bar is only shown when AI auto-reply is turned on. You can toggle it from AI Chatbot → Settings:
When enabled, a prompt bar appears above your product grid inviting customers to find products by chatting. Toggle this off if you prefer a clean product grid without the discovery prompt. This setting is on by default.
Setting key: showDiscoveryBar
Visibility Requirement
Channels & Instagram
Extend your AI chatbot beyond your storefront by connecting social media messaging platforms. With Chatbot Channels, you can:
- Receive and respond to Instagram Direct Messages automatically
- Set up Comment Automations to auto-DM people who comment specific keywords on your Instagram posts
- Manage all conversations from a unified inbox
For full details on connecting Instagram and setting up comment automations, see the Chatbot Channels documentation.