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Shopify-specific AI configuration guide

How to Write an AI System Prompt
for Your Shopify Store

A well-written system prompt is the difference between an AI that feels generic and one that sounds like your brand, knows your policies, and pushes the right products. This guide covers every element to include.

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What goes in a Shopify AI system prompt

SaleSense's business profile fields pre-fill your system prompt automatically. Here's what each section does and how to fill it in for maximum impact.

Brand voice & tone

Friendly? Professional? Playful? Define the personality once and every response matches it automatically.

Return & shipping policy

Paste your exact policy. The AI will answer 'How long does shipping take?' and 'Can I return this?' without improvising.

Business hours & location

Let the AI tell customers when your physical store is open or when to expect replies to email queries.

Promotions & current deals

Active sale? Free shipping threshold? The AI mentions it proactively when relevant — without being pushy.

What the AI should NOT do

Restrict topics, competitor mentions, or anything off-brand. Restrictions are as important as instructions.

Target audience

Who are you selling to? The AI adjusts its recommendations and explanations based on the customer profile.

3 common system prompt mistakes

Being too vague about tone

"Be helpful and friendly" gives the AI nothing to work with. "Respond like a knowledgeable friend who works in a boutique fashion store" is specific enough to be useful.

Forgetting to include edge cases

What should the AI say if a customer complains about a damaged item? What if they ask for a price match? Define your answer once and it's consistent forever.

Leaving the return policy to improvisation

This is where stores get burned. Paste your actual policy word-for-word. The AI will quote it accurately, not guess.

Related guides

Shopify AI integration setupTrain AI on your policiesAI chatbot for ecommerce

SaleSense fills your prompt automatically

Complete a short setup form and SaleSense builds your system prompt from it. No prompt engineering experience needed.

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