How to Create a Shopify AI Agent

17 3 minutes read

A Shopify AI Agent is an AI-powered chatbot that integrates with your Shopify store to assist customers in natural language.

It can handle product searches, answer questions about store policies, manage carts, and even facilitate checkouts.

This tutorial focuses on building a free AI chatbot using Shopify’s Storefront Model Context Protocol (MCP), which securely connects AI models to your store’s data. We’ll follow a step-by-step process based on Shopify’s official tools and a practical implementation.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

A Shopify store (development store recommended for testing).
Node.js and npm installed on your computer.
Git installed for cloning repositories.
A Shopify Partner account (free to create at partners.shopify.com).
An API key from an AI provider like Anthropic’s Claude, OpenAI, or Google Gemini.
Access to the Shopify CLI (Command Line Interface).

If you don’t have the Shopify CLI, install it globally using npm:

npm install -g @shopify/cli

Step 1: Clone the Repository

Start by cloning a reference GitHub repository that provides a starter kit for the AI agent. Shopify provides sample code for MCP-based agents. Use the following command in your terminal:

git clone https://github.com/Shopify/storefront-mcp-reference-app.git

(Replace with the actual repo URL if different; check Shopify’s dev docs for the latest reference app.)

Navigate into the cloned folder:

cd storefront-mcp-reference-app

Install the dependencies:

npm install

Note: You might see vulnerability warnings, but you can proceed for development purposes.

Step 2: Set Up Environment Variables

In the project folder, find the .env.example file and open it in a text editor.

Replace the placeholder for the AI API key (e.g., ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_claude_api_key) with your actual key from the AI provider.

Rename the file to .env (remove the .example extension).

This configures the agent to use your chosen AI model for processing natural language queries.

Step 3: Install and Configure Shopify CLI

If not already installed, run:

npm install -g @shopify/cli @shopify/app

shopify login

Step 4: Create a Shopify App

In the project directory, initialize and develop the app using the Shopify CLI:

shopify app dev

Follow the prompts:

Select your Partner organization or create a new one.
Choose to create a new app and give it a name (e.g., “Shopify AI Chat Agent”).
Accept the default configuration file or specify one.
Select a development store to install the app on.
When prompted about requiring a certificate, select yes for secure connections.

This command starts a local development server and tunnels your app to Shopify. It also installs the app on your chosen store.

Step 5: Enable the AI Agent on Your Store Theme

Go to your Shopify admin panel (admin.shopify.com) and navigate to Online Store > Themes.

Click Customize on your active theme.

In the theme editor, go to the App embeds section (usually on the left sidebar).

Find the AI chat agent embed (e.g., “AI Chat Assistant”) and toggle it on.

Save your changes. This embeds the chatbot widget on your storefront.

Step 6: Test the AI Agent

Open your store’s preview URL (provided by the CLI or in the admin panel).

Look for the chat widget (usually a bubble icon in the corner).

Interact with it:

Ask about products: “What red shirts do you have?”
Request details: “Tell me about the price and colors of Product X.”
Manage cart: “Add the blue hoodie to my cart.”
Test multilingual support if your AI model supports it (e.g., switch to Urdu or another language).

The agent uses MCP tools like “search_shop_catalog” for product retrieval and “update_cart” for modifications. It should respond contextually and handle tasks without leaving the chat.

If issues arise, check the console logs in your terminal for errors related to API keys or connections.

Advanced Customizations

Multilingual Support: Configure your AI model to handle multiple languages in the .env file or app code.
Custom Tools: Extend the agent by adding more MCP tools for features like checkout or policy queries. Refer to the MCP documentation at modelcontextprotocol.io.
Deployment: Once tested, deploy the app to a production server (e.g., Vercel or Heroku) and submit it to the Shopify App Store if desired.
Security: Ensure all API interactions are secure; MCP handles authentication to prevent data leaks.

Troubleshooting

API Key Errors: Double-check your .env file.
No Chat Widget: Verify the app embed is enabled in the theme.
MCP Connection Issues: Ensure your app has the necessary scopes (e.g., read_products, write_cart) in the Shopify admin under Apps > Your App > Configuration.
For more help, consult Shopify’s dev docs on Storefront MCP or community forums.

This setup provides a powerful, free AI agent that enhances customer experience on your Shopify store. For no-code alternatives, consider tools like Quickchat AI or SketricGen, but the MCP approach offers deep integration and customization.

aibuilder 3 days ago

17 3 minutes read