Telegram Business for small shops: a practical setup
Many customers would rather message your own Telegram than a shop bot. Telegram Business turns your personal account into a shop counter: hours, location, ready-made replies — and, if you want, an assistant that answers for you.
What you need
Telegram Business features come with Telegram Premium, Telegram's paid subscription, on the account customers message. Everything is set up in Telegram under Settings → Telegram Business.
Opening hours and location
Add your hours and your shop's address. Customers see them on your profile, and Telegram shows whether you are open right now — fewer “are you open?” messages straight away.
A greeting for first-time customers
Write the message a new customer gets the first time they write: who you are, what you sell, how to order. Keep it to three lines and end with a question, so they reply with what they need.
An away message
Set it to go out outside your hours: when you will reply, and where to find your price list or menu meanwhile. A clear “back at 9am” beats silence.
Quick replies
Save the answers you type every day as quick replies, and send them with a shortcut instead of typing them again.
- Your price list or menu
- How to pay and your payment details
- Delivery areas and times
- How to book or order a custom item
Labels for your chats
Tag chats such as “new order”, “paid”, “waiting for delivery”, so nothing gets lost between busy days.
A chatbot that answers for you
Under Telegram Business → Chatbots you can let a bot reply in your own chats. Choose which chats it may answer, and turn on “Reply to messages”. Customers still see your account; the bot's replies should say they come from an AI.
Pick a bot that answers only from your own material and hands real decisions — refunds, complaints, unusual orders — back to you.
Doing it with AAAAI
MinA can be that chatbot. On her page in AAAAI, tap “Get MinA ready”, then in Telegram add her bot under Telegram Business → Chatbots and allow it to reply. She answers from your price list and FAQ, marks her replies as AI, and stops in a chat for 12 hours whenever you reply yourself, so you never talk over each other.
Do I need Telegram Premium?
Yes, Telegram Business features need Premium on the account customers message. A separate shop bot does not.
Will customers know a bot answered?
With MinA, yes — her replies are marked as AI.
What happens when I reply myself?
MinA steps back in that chat for 12 hours.