Set up Qwen Chat to automatically answer FAQs for your e‑commerce store

Learn how to connect Alibaba's Qwen Chat to your shop’s help centre so it can instantly handle shipping, returns and product‑info questions, saving time and improving customer experience.

4 min read·30 June 2026

Hook: By the end of this guide you’ll have a Qwen Chat assistant answering shipping, returns and product‑info queries automatically, freeing up your support team for higher‑value work. This is for anyone running an online shop, even if you’ve never touched AI before.

✅ Before you start

Alibaba Cloud account – you need a free or paid account to access Qwen Chat.
Admin rights to your e‑commerce platform – you’ll add a small piece of code (a “widget”) to your help centre.
A list of typical FAQ questions – think of the three most common queries your customers ask (e.g., “How long does shipping take?”).

Create a Qwen Chat project

Log in to the Alibaba Cloud console, find the AI Services section and click Qwen Chat. Choose Create New Project, give it a name like “Shop‑FAQ Bot”, and hit Create.

💬 Try typing this**Example:** In the name field type `Shop‑FAQ Bot` and click the green **Create** button.➤

Add your FAQ prompts

Inside the project, look for a tab called Prompt Library (or similar). Here you’ll teach the bot what to say. For each FAQ, add a new prompt:

Prompt title: Shipping‑time
Prompt text: “A customer asks: How long will my order take to arrive? Respond with a friendly answer that mentions our standard 3‑5 day shipping for mainland Australia and any express options.”

Repeat for returns and product‑info.

💬 Try typing this**Example Prompt:** ➤

Question: How do I return an item?  
Answer: You can return any product within 30 days of purchase. Just log into your account, select the order, and click “Request Return”. We’ll send you a prepaid label.

Enable the API connection

Qwen Chat talks to other software through an API (application programming interface) – a set of rules that let two programmes share data. In the project dashboard, find API Keys, generate a new key, and copy it (you’ll need it soon).

💬 Try typing this**Example:** Click **Generate Key**, then click **Copy** next to the key string `abc123…`.➤

Embed the chat widget on your help centre

Most e‑commerce platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce) let you add custom HTML/JavaScript. Open the page editor for your help centre, locate the Custom Code area, and paste the following snippet, replacing YOUR_API_KEY with the key you copied:

<script src="https://qwen.chat/sdk.js"></script>
<script>
  QwenChat.init({
    apiKey: 'YOUR_API_KEY',
    containerId: 'qwen-chat',
    welcomeMessage: 'Hi! How can I help you with your order today?'
  });
</script>
<div id="qwen-chat"></div>

Save the page and preview it – you should see a small chat bubble at the bottom right.

💬 Try typing this**Example:** After pasting the code, click **Save** and then **View Site**; the chat icon appears.➤

Test and fine‑tune

Open the live help page on a separate browser tab. Type a common question like “Where is my order?” and watch Qwen Chat reply. If the answer is too generic, return to the Prompt Library, edit the relevant prompt, and click Save. Test again until the response sounds natural and covers the key details.

💬 Try typing this**Example:** If the bot says “Your order is on the way,” edit the prompt to add “You’ll receive a tracking link by email within 24 hours.”➤

⚠️ Common mistakes

Copy‑pasting the API key wrong – a missing character will stop the widget from loading. Double‑check the key.
Leaving prompts too short – the bot may guess and give vague answers. Include the exact phrasing you want it to use.
Forgetting to publish the help‑centre page – changes won’t be visible to customers until you hit “Publish” or “Live”.

🚀 Try it now

Open the Alibaba Cloud console, navigate to Qwen Chat, and click Create New Project. Name it “Test‑FAQ Bot” and hit Create – you’ll be ready to add prompts in the next two minutes.

✦ Original step-by-step guide by AI World Co.'s AI editorial team. Written in plain language, reviewed for accuracy.

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