6 min read · October 6, 2026

How to create a Telegram bot for your online store

Your Telegram shop lives behind a bot. Creating one is free, takes about five minutes and needs no code - everything happens in a chat with Telegram's official bot, @BotFather.

Before you start

Decide on three things:

Display name - what shoppers see in their chat list. Usually your brand: "Linen & Clay".
Username - the @handle and link, which must end in "bot": @linenandclay_bot or @LinenAndClayBot. Keep it short and easy to say.
Profile photo - your logo on a plain background, square, readable at small sizes.

Create the bot from the Telegram account of the business owner, or one that will stay with the business. That account controls the bot.

Step 1 - Open @BotFather

Search for @BotFather in Telegram. Check for the blue verification tick - there are lookalikes. Tap Start.

Step 2 - Create the bot

Send /newbot. BotFather asks for:

the name (display name)
the username ending in "bot"

If the username is taken, try a variant with your country or "shop": @linenandclayshop_bot.

Step 3 - Copy the token

BotFather replies with a token - a long string like 123456789:AA.... This is the key to your bot. Anyone who has it can control the bot, so:

paste it only into the tool you'll run the shop with
never post it in chats, screenshots or support tickets
if it leaks, send /revoke to BotFather to get a new one

Step 4 - Make it look like your shop

Still in BotFather, send /mybots, pick your bot and open Edit Bot:

Edit Botpic - upload your logo
Edit About - one short line shown on the profile: "Shop Linen & Clay in Telegram. Free delivery over 50 EUR."
Edit Description - shown to new visitors before they press Start. Say what they get: new drops first, back-in-stock alerts, a faster checkout.

A clear description noticeably increases how many visitors press Start.

Step 5 - Connect the bot to your store

With Chat'N'Sell, you connect your store (WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce or CSV - Shopify is coming soon), then paste the bot token in the panel. The bot gets:

a menu button that opens your Mini App storefront
a welcome message with an "Open shop" button
order, shipping and abandoned-cart notifications
a keyboard under the chat - Shop, My orders, Invite friends, Wishlist, Help - and commands such as /invite

Step 6 - Test it like a shopper

Open your bot from a second account or ask a friend:

Does the welcome message make sense?
Does the shop open fast from the menu button?
Does checkout carry the cart and details over?

Tips for a bot that sells

Use one bot per store. Mixing brands confuses shoppers and your messaging.
Keep the username forever. Changing it breaks printed QR codes and old links.
Share the link t.me/yourbot everywhere you'd share your website.