Client setup guide

Set up Bloom for your store

Follow these rules in order. Connect the store first, optionally enable order lookup, then add the website widget — WhatsApp, social and email when you’re ready.

No coding required ~15 minutes for website Optional channels later
0

Before you start

Gather what you need so each step is quick.

  1. Create your free portal at /portal (email + password). You’ll be signed in immediately.
  2. Have your Shopify store web address ready (e.g. yourstore.com or yourstore.myshopify.com).
  3. Optional for order status: Shopify Admin API access with read_orders (Custom app token).
  4. Optional later: Meta developer access for WhatsApp / Messenger / Instagram, and your support mailbox login for email.
  5. In the portal, open the Setup tab — that’s where you’ll save each connection. Stuck? Use Ask Bloom bottom-right in the portal.
1

Connect your Shopify store

Bloom reads your live catalogue from Shopify — no app install and no Shopify API keys.

  1. In the portal go to Setup → Your online store.
  2. Enter your store web address (with or without https://) and set currency / country if needed.
  3. Click Save, then Test connection.
  4. Success means Bloom can search products and build carts for your shoppers.
Tip: If the test fails on a custom domain, try your *.myshopify.com address. Password-protected storefronts block the connection until Shopify’s storefront password is turned off.
2

Enable order status lookup (optional)

So Bloom can answer “where is my order?” with real Shopify status and shipping — only after the shopper proves who they are.

  1. In Shopify admin go to Settings → Apps and sales channels → Develop apps → Create an app.
  2. Under Admin API scopes, enable read_orders, then install the app and copy the Admin API access token.
  3. In the portal Setup → Order status lookup, paste the token. If your public store URL is a custom domain, also enter your your-store.myshopify.com shop domain.
  4. Click Save, then Test Admin API.
  5. When a shopper asks about an order, Bloom will ask for both their order number and the email used at checkout. Nothing is shown unless both match.
Privacy rule: Bloom never looks up an order with only a number or only an email. Both must match the same Shopify order.
3

Add the chat widget to your website

One snippet puts Bloom on every page. Do this after the store connects.

  1. In Setup → Add the chat to your website, copy the embed snippet (it includes your personal bk_… widget key).
  2. In Shopify admin: Online Store → Themes → ⋯ → Edit code.
  3. Open theme.liquid, paste the snippet just before </body>, then Save.
  4. Visit your live store — the chat launcher should appear bottom-right. Send a test question about a product.
Tip: The same snippet works on WordPress, Wix, Squarespace or any HTML site. Links Bloom shares are tagged utm_source=ai-assistant for Shopify analytics.
4

Connect WhatsApp

Optional. Uses Meta’s free WhatsApp Cloud API so Bloom can reply on your business number.

  1. Go to developers.facebook.com → create an app (type Business).
  2. Add the WhatsApp product. Under WhatsApp → API Setup, copy your Phone Number ID.
  3. Create a permanent System User token with whatsapp_business_messaging permission.
  4. In the portal Setup → WhatsApp: paste Phone Number ID + access token, invent a verify token (any secret phrase), Save.
  5. In Meta: WhatsApp → Configuration → set the callback URL to the webhook shown in your portal, enter the same verify token, Verify and save, subscribe to messages.
  6. Send your WhatsApp number a test message — Bloom should reply and the chat appear in Inbox.
Note: In Meta development mode, only app admins/testers can message you. Public messaging needs Meta App Review.
5

Facebook Messenger, Instagram & comments

Optional. One Page access token covers Messenger DMs, Instagram DMs and public comments.

  1. In your Meta app, add the Messenger product (and Instagram if you use it).
  2. Generate a Page access token with: pages_messaging, pages_manage_engagement, pages_read_engagement. For Instagram also: instagram_basic, instagram_manage_messages, instagram_manage_comments.
  3. Copy your Page ID (and Instagram account ID if needed).
  4. In the portal Setup → Facebook, Instagram & comments: paste IDs + token, invent a verify token, Save.
  5. In Meta webhooks, set the portal’s Meta webhook URL + verify token. Subscribe to messages and feed (comments); for Instagram also messages and comments.
  6. Test with a Page admin account first, then request App Review before going fully public.
6

Connect support email

Optional. Bloom reads unread mail and drafts replies for your approval by default.

  1. In Setup → Email, enter support address, IMAP host/port, SMTP host/port, username and password.
  2. Gmail / Google Workspace: create an App password (not your normal password). Hosts: imap.gmail.com / smtp.gmail.com (993 / 465).
  3. Outlook / Microsoft 365: outlook.office365.com (IMAP) and smtp.office365.com (often port 587).
  4. Click Test connection — it checks incoming and outgoing separately.
  5. Leave email on approve-first until you trust the drafts, then turn on auto-reply under Channels if you want.
7

Make Bloom sound like your brand

Customise after the store works — shoppers should see your name, not a generic bot.

  1. Open Customise: set agent name, brand name, greeting, colours, tone and special instructions.
  2. Open Knowledge base: add FAQs (shipping, returns, promos, sizing). Keep answers short and accurate.
  3. Attach pictures Bloom can see — shade charts, packaging, how-to photos — when a visual answer helps.
  4. Ask a test question on the website that only your knowledge base would answer, and confirm the reply.
8

Use the inbox and channel controls

One place for every conversation — and you stay in control of what sends.

  1. Open Inbox to see website, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, comments and email together.
  2. A Draft badge means Bloom wrote a reply waiting for you — edit, then Approve & send, or discard.
  3. Use Take over on a thread to silence Bloom there while you reply yourself; hand back anytime.
  4. In Channels, choose auto-reply vs approve-first per channel. WhatsApp can also send abandoned-cart checkout reminders after a quiet period.
✓

Go-live checklist

Tick these before you tell customers Bloom is live.

  1. Store connection test passes in Setup.
  2. If you enabled order lookup: Admin API test passes, and a shopper must give order number + checkout email.
  3. Widget appears on the live site and answers a real product question.
  4. Greeting, colours and knowledge base match your brand.
  5. Any channel you enabled (WhatsApp / Meta / email) has a successful test message.
  6. You know where drafts land in Inbox and how to take over a chat.
  7. Account status in the portal shows you’re live / active for shopper replies.
Need help? In the portal, open Ask Bloom — it can check your connection status and run store/email tests with you.

Ready to connect your store?

Open your portal and start at step 1 — or create an account if you haven’t yet.

Open client portal Create free account