Connecting a Telegram bot
The BotFather token, the first test conversation and what to set up before putting the link into an ad.
The Telegram bot is the channel most stores start with: it connects in a couple of minutes and needs no verification.
1. Create the bot
Open @BotFather, send /newbot and set a name and username. You will get a token that looks like 12345:AA.... It is access to your bot, so do not publish it.
2. Add the token to the panel
In Settings → Channels, paste the token and pick the store. The bot starts replying as soon as you save — no separate publishing step.
3. Test the conversation
Message the bot yourself: ask about availability, request a discount, send a voice note. If the answers are off, the cause is almost always the catalog data rather than the channel.
4. Fill in the profile
The avatar, description and greeting are what a customer sees before writing. Say what the store sells and what can be asked — it noticeably increases how many people start a chat.
The Mini App storefront
A storefront runs inside the bot: catalog, cart and checkout without leaving Telegram. For a micro business it replaces an online store.
More about the channel: Telegram Bot.