A Telegram bot catalog is a small shop that lives inside the messenger. A customer opens the bot, picks a category, scrolls product cards with photos and prices, adds items to a cart and sends the order. The manager gets it in Telegram with everything filled in. For many small sellers in Armenia who already sell through Instagram and chats, this is the fastest step from "write me in direct" to something organized.
Who it suits
A bot catalog works well when:
- you have up to a few hundred products, not thousands;
- most customers already come from your Instagram, Telegram channel or word of mouth;
- orders are confirmed by a person anyway (sizes, delivery time, custom details);
- you want to start selling in days, not wait a month for a store.
Typical examples: clothing and accessories from a small brand, handmade goods, cosmetics, home bakery products, coffee beans, flowers, spare parts for a narrow niche.
How the catalog is organized
- Start: language choice (Armenian, Russian, English) and a short welcome.
- Categories: buttons like "Dresses", "Bags", "New", "Sale".
- Product card: photo or short gallery, name, price in dram, size or variant buttons, "Add to cart".
- Cart: list with total, edit quantities, "Checkout".
- Checkout: name, phone, delivery or pickup, address, delivery zone, comment.
- Payment: on delivery, by transfer, or by card and Idram link.
- Order to the team: one card in the managers' Telegram chat with buttons "Confirm", "Out of stock", "Shipped".
The customer gets a message at each status change, so nobody writes "where is my order?".
Bot catalog or website catalog
| Telegram bot catalog | Website catalog or store | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to launch | Days | One to several weeks |
| Price at Kinto | from $500 | from $700 catalog page, store from $4,000 |
| Search traffic from Google | None | Yes, with product and category pages |
| Large catalog with filters | Awkward | Natural |
| Repeat orders | Very easy, chat stays on the phone | Needs login or saved details |
| Customers without Telegram | Excluded | Included |
| Updates | Google Sheet or simple admin | Admin panel |
The comparison between a simple catalog and a full store on a website is covered in online store or catalog.
Keeping stock and prices current
The most common problem is selling something that ran out. The fix is a single source of truth. A Google Sheet works for most small shops: one row per product with name, price, photo link, stock and a "show" checkbox. The bot reads the sheet, so updating a price takes seconds. Orders can be written back to another sheet for accounting, as in website leads to Google Sheets.
Delivery inside Yerevan and beyond
Ask for the district in checkout and show the delivery fee for it before the order is sent. Common setups: free delivery above a set amount, a flat fee inside Yerevan, a separate fee for suburbs, and shipping to other cities through a courier service. Pickup from a point in the center is popular with customers who want to save on delivery.
Bringing customers into the bot
A bot does not find customers on its own. Every channel you already have should point to it:
- a pinned post in your Telegram channel with "Order in the bot";
- the bot link in your Instagram profile and in story highlights;
- a QR code on packaging, receipts and the shop counter;
- a "New arrivals" message to customers who agreed to receive them, sent no more than once or twice a week.
Each link can carry its own start parameter, so the bot knows whether a customer came from Instagram, a QR code or the channel. After a month you can see which source brings orders.
Limits to be honest about
- No discovery. People find a bot only through your links. If you want customers from Google, you need a site.
- Long catalogs are tiring. Scrolling 300 cards in a chat is not pleasant. Use categories and a "New" section.
- Telegram rules. Some product types are restricted on Telegram. Check before building.
- Not everyone uses Telegram. Some older customers and many tourists prefer WhatsApp or a website.
Growing beyond the bot
A common path looks like this: start with a bot, learn which products sell and which questions customers ask, then build a website that covers search traffic and keeps the bot for repeat customers. The same Google Sheet can feed both. If you are already at that stage, read how to start an online store in Armenia and marketplace or your own website.
Photos and product texts
In a chat, the photo does almost all the selling. One clear photo on a plain background, taken in daylight, beats five dark ones. Keep the product name short and put the useful details in two or three lines under it: size or volume, material or ingredients, and anything that answers the usual question before it is asked ("runs small, take one size up"). Write these texts in each language the bot supports, rather than leaving English customers with Armenian descriptions.
Launch checklist
| Item | Done when |
|---|---|
| Photos | Every product has a clear photo on a plain background |
| Prices | All in dram, matching Instagram |
| Stock | Sheet updated, out-of-stock items hidden |
| Checkout | Test order reaches the team chat |
| Delivery | Fees by district shown before confirming |
| Statuses | Customer receives each status update |
| Human contact | "Talk to a manager" button on every screen |
Cost at Kinto
A catalog bot with cart, checkout and statuses costs from $500. Card and Idram payments add $600. An AI assistant that answers questions about sizes and materials costs from $1,200. More on our Telegram bot development, or send your product list to @kinto_am.