How to use Telegram for e-commerce

The best way to connect with your customers is by deep-diving into platforms they’re already familiar with. This can be time consuming, keeping up with all emerging platforms and apps. That’s why we keep up with the latest and summarize the important details for you and your organization.

Today we’ll look at: Telegram.

It is a popular instant messaging platform that allows for your business to communicate with customers directly and fast. Also meaning that customer journeys and converting via Telegram can be a fast process too.

We’ll walk you through how to use Telegram to boost e-commerce and which features will be most useful to your customer journey.

Telegram can boost sales

Telegram has multiple features that enable businesses to strategically present their products and services to customers and move them along the sales funnel.

For the Telegram customer journey these features will be of importance:

• Channels: channels allow you to send videos and create voice chatrooms, polls, and other interactive messages to a group of people. This is great if you want to reach many customers in one go, like you can with WhatsApp Broadcasting, and keep them interested in your product.

Note: Also have a look at Telegram groups. You can have up to 200,000 people in a group, which is by all means a large group of customer contacts. Groups are a great way for businesses to funnel prospects into a service such as an online course, workshop, webinar or perhaps specific sale that you like to push.

• Chatbots: Telegram chatbots allow you to start the conversation with customers. You can provide them with the information they need and guide them through the purchase process. And creating a Telegram chatbot is quite simple! To start a chat just send them the chatbot specific link or QR code.

1. Use Telegram channels to push your products

Telegram channels can be very useful to drive sales. As mentioned, Telegram channels are much like WhatsApp Broadcasts. You can send a large group of customer a message, that everyone can see. If you’ve set up a public channel. You can also create a private channel, where your customers have to ask for permission to join.

Think of Telegram channels as an email list with high interaction value. Since Telegram allows you to contact users directly at the same time, you can create a custom experience for each member of your channel.

Maximize using Telegram channels

Don’t wait until customers have searched and found your specific channel. Reach out to them instead. Include your Telegram channel to your sales funnel and attract leads. Have they looked at your winter collection? Then most likely they would like to be updated on future sales on that specific collection.

So segment your prospects and customers based on specific criteria. Build targeted channels and share updates in the channel. Streamline your messaging and share content that resonates with members. This will be the most effective way to drive new leads or current customers back to your webshop to make a purchase.

2. Create an automated customer flow with Telegram chatbots

Telegram bots are third-party applications that businesses can use for:

• Automating messages. You can interact with customers at all times of the day — even outside business hours — by setting up a welcome or away auto-reply message on your bot. This feature helps businesses to engage prospects outside of business hours and to increase retention rates.
• Answering FAQs. Bots can help you handle customer objections and answer questions you often receive from prospects. This will save support and service team a lot of time, as they don’t need to answer recurring questions.
• Accepting payments. With Telegram’s built-in payment systems, you can use your bot to receive payments for goods or services from customers without leaving the app.

The payment feature of Telegram is an interesting one! Customers can send money through Telegram to whenever they make purchases. This feature is made possible through a bot payment API, which allows sellers to receive payments from customers. Telegram does not save payment information or take commissions. The app integrates with payment platforms such as Stripe to collect payments from customers.

Want to get started? Create a Telegram bot that receives payment for your products.

• Sharing your posts. Your bot can automatically update a specific channel when you publish new content on your blog or social media pages. This feature keeps your customers up to date on your business.

Telegram chatbots can be very useful when you want to save time with automation. Have a look at the diverse options within Telegram. If none of the available bots offer the customization you prefer, you can create your own bot with Botfather. This is Telegram’s advanced bot that helps you make new bots and update existing ones. Follow the prompts in the chat, and you’ll be set up in no time!

Include Telegram as channel to your inbox and handle more conversations in less time

Responding to customers quickly is essential to converting prospects, as 45% of customers do not proceed with a purchase if they are unable to find an answer to their question directly. While 66% of customers also note that businesses that values their time are critical to customer service.

Time really is of the essence when it comes to selling online. You know this and we can’t stress this enough. And that makes it equally important to leverage social media. You need to use Telegram efficiently to boost e-commerce, achieve sales goals and overall business outcomes.

So how do you manage communication on multiple platforms, including Telegram and WhatsApp, to provide customers with answers fast?

The answer is to integrate these popular channels into your inbox, with Trengo.

Trengo consolidates the interactions you have on multiple platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp, and Facebook into one inbox. The software provides a single-view of all your customer conversations. So your team can manage multiple interactions via various channels and respond fast. Leaving room for them to handle more conversations in less time. You will see that customers will experience a faster and better customer journey. Your sales funnel will fill up, and conversations will go up.

Start with Telegram Business

When you integrate Telegram and other popular communication channels in Trengo, you get access to many features that improve your customer interactions and allow you to save time, money, and other resources while delivering value to customer experiences.

If you want more help with integrating social media platforms into a smart inbox, the Trengo support team will be happy to guide you on the process.

Try Trengo for free for 14 days.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Should I use a Telegram channel or group for my e-commerce business?

For e-commerce, use a Telegram channel to broadcast product updates, promotions, and announcements to an unlimited number of subscribers ideal for direct marketing and sales. Channels are one-way communication tools, ensuring your message reaches every follower without distractions. Use a Telegram group to build a community, gather feedback, and offer peer-to-peer support or exclusive deals to loyal customers. Many successful brands combine both: channels for official content and groups for engagement and loyalty-building.

Can I take orders directly through Telegram messages?

Yes, you can take orders directly via Telegram using bots, order forms, or integrated e-commerce solutions. Bots can guide customers through product selection, collect order details, and process payments within the chat. Tools like Take App, Elbuz, and BotStore allow you to publish product catalogues, manage inventory, and receive order notifications all inside Telegram. Platforms like Trengo centralise these conversations, making order management seamless across your team.

Are there Telegram bots for managing e-commerce sales?

Absolutely. Telegram e-commerce bots can handle everything from product recommendations and order processing to payment collection and customer support. When connected with a platform like Trengo, these bots become even more powerful centralising conversations from Telegram (and other channels) into one shared inbox for your team. You can automate responses, track orders, manage tickets, and even integrate with tools like Shopify or WooCommerce. Trengo helps you deliver 24/7 support, streamline operations, and keep every customer interaction in one place without switching tabs.

How do I automate customer support for my e-commerce store on Telegram?

Automate support by deploying Telegram bots to answer FAQs, track orders, and resolve common issues instantly. AI-powered bots can handle multilingual queries, escalate complex cases, and even integrate with your CRM for personalised responses. Trengo enables you to set up auto-replies, assign chats to team members, and manage all Telegram support requests alongside other channels for efficient, omnichannel service.

How do I build customer trust and credibility on Telegram?

• Be responsive: Use bots and automation to ensure instant replies, but always offer human support for complex issues.
• Share valuable content: Post regular updates, exclusive offers, and helpful tips in your channel or group.
• Showcase social proof: Encourage user-generated content, reviews, and testimonials in your group or channel.
• Maintain transparency: Clearly communicate policies, payment options, and order statuses.
• Foster community: Use groups for discussions, feedback, and loyalty programmes to create a sense of belonging.

Platforms like Trengo help you deliver consistent, professional service, automate responses, and maintain a omnichannel brand voice, key to building trust and credibility on Telegram.