Getting Started with ShopIQ
How does ShopIQ work?
Summary
ShopIQ works by combining an ecommerce platform, AI Chat, AI tools, CMS, payments, logistics, analytics, and WhatsApp-based workflows into one system. Merchants can create and manage online stores manually or use AI agents to speed up commerce operations.
Who this is for: This article is for merchants who want to understand the complete workflow of how ShopIQ helps them build, launch, and manage an online store.
How ShopIQ works
ShopIQ works as an AI-powered commerce platform where merchants can build an online store, manage products, connect payments, receive orders, and grow their business using both manual tools and AI-powered workflows.
A typical ShopIQ journey looks like this:
- The merchant signs up and verifies their email.
- The merchant describes the business or starts building manually.
- ShopIQ creates a draft ecommerce website.
- The merchant adds or generates product catalogs.
- The merchant edits website content, banners, categories, and policies.
- The merchant connects payment and logistics integrations.
- The merchant publishes the website.
- The merchant can connect a custom domain.
- Customers visit the website and place orders.
- The merchant fulfills orders and manages operations.
Step 1: Create a ShopIQ account
Merchants sign up using email verification through OTP.
ShopIQ does not require GST, PAN, business registration, or bank account verification just to create an account and start building. However, third-party apps such as payment gateways and logistics providers may have their own verification requirements before they can be connected.
Step 2: Build the ecommerce website
After signup, merchants can start creating an ecommerce website.
ShopIQ creates a draft website on a temporary development URL such as https://project-id.dev.shopiq.app. This development website is used for building, editing, and testing.
Development servers may sleep after around 15 minutes of inactivity. They wake again when the merchant or implementation partner opens the project.
Step 3: Add products and catalogs
Merchants can create product catalogs manually or with AI.
ShopIQ can help generate:
- Product titles
- Product descriptions
- SEO metadata
- Collections
- Categories
- Product visuals
- Product content
Merchants can also edit product information manually from the CMS.
Step 4: Customise the store
ShopIQ supports both direct editing and AI-assisted editing.
Merchants can manually edit:
- Homepage banners
- Product images
- Product content
- Blog content
- Compliance pages
- Categories and sub-categories
- Collections
- Coupons
For larger design changes, merchants can use AI Chat to update homepage design, product detail page design, category page design, website colours, overall UI and UX, custom elements, size charts, and user flows.
Step 5: Connect payment and logistics apps
Merchants can connect external third-party apps depending on their subscription plan.
Each external third-party app counts as one connected app. Native ShopIQ capabilities do not count as connected apps. Examples of connected apps can include payment gateways, logistics partners, analytics tools, advertising tools, and other third-party integrations.
Step 6: Publish the website
Once the merchant is ready, the draft website can be published.
After publishing, the website moves to ShopIQ's production infrastructure and receives a production URL such as https://project-id.shopiq.app.
Production websites remain online continuously and do not sleep due to inactivity.
Step 7: Connect a custom domain
Merchants can connect their own domain from the Settings section. ShopIQ supports standard DNS mapping using A Record and CNAME Record configuration.
Domains are purchased separately by the merchant. Domain purchase is not included in ShopIQ pricing.
Step 8: Receive and manage orders
Customers can browse the online store, add products to cart, complete checkout, and place orders.
The merchant is responsible for inventory, packaging, fulfillment, returns, exchanges, taxes, and compliance. ShopIQ does not hold inventory, fulfill orders, or collect payments on behalf of merchants.
Step 9: Use AI for ongoing operations
Merchants can use AI Chat and AI tools to support ongoing operations such as:
- Website updates
- Content generation
- Image generation
- Video generation
- Catalog creation
- Business analysis
- SEO content
- Marketing creatives
AI usage through Chat consumes AI credits. Manual operations such as viewing the dashboard, editing products manually, receiving orders, receiving payments, hosting, and cloud storage do not consume AI credits.
Important things to know
ShopIQ is designed for physical product businesses. It supports B2C commerce, B2B commerce, product variants, physical product subscriptions, payments, logistics, catalogs, website publishing, and analytics.
It does not currently support digital downloads, service businesses, appointment bookings, rental businesses, restaurants, event tickets, multi-vendor marketplaces, or membership platforms.