Getting ChatAxon running on your WooCommerce store takes about 15 minutes. This guide covers every step — from creating your account to the first live AI conversation.
What You'll Need
- A WooCommerce store (WordPress 5.8+ / WooCommerce 6.0+)
- PHP 7.4 or higher
- An active ChatAxon account (sign up at app.chataxon.com)
Step 1: Create Your ChatAxon Account
Go to app.chataxon.com and sign up. During the onboarding flow you'll be asked to name your store and choose your plan. Free trials include 14 days of the Pro plan — no credit card required.
After completing onboarding your dashboard opens automatically.
Step 2: Download the Plugin from the Dashboard
The ChatAxon WordPress plugin is distributed directly from your dashboard — it is not published on the WordPress.org plugin directory.
- In your dashboard, navigate to Settings → WordPress Plugin
- Click Download Plugin — a
.zipfile namedchataxon-x.x.x.zipwill download to your computer - Keep the tab open — you'll need your API key in Step 4
The plugin auto-updates itself whenever a new version is released, so you only need to download and install it once.
Step 3: Upload and Activate in WordPress
- Log in to your WordPress admin (
yoursite.com/wp-admin) - Go to Plugins → Add New Plugin
- Click Upload Plugin at the top of the page
- Choose the
.zipfile you downloaded and click Install Now - Click Activate Plugin
You'll now see a ChatAxon menu item in the left sidebar.
Step 4: Connect with Your API Key
- In your ChatAxon dashboard, go to Settings → API Key and copy your store API key
- In WordPress, go to ChatAxon → Settings
- Paste your API key into the API Key field and click Save
The plugin will immediately attempt to connect to ChatAxon's servers. A green "Connected" indicator confirms it worked.
Step 5: Sync Your Product Catalog
- Still in ChatAxon → Settings, click Sync Products
- Wait for the sync to complete — this typically takes 30–90 seconds depending on catalog size
- The plugin sends your product names, descriptions, prices, and stock status to ChatAxon
After the sync, the AI understands your entire catalog. For stores with large catalogs (1,000+ products), the AI builds semantic search embeddings so customers can find products by describing what they need, not just by searching for exact names.
Note: Catalog changes (new products, price updates, stock changes) are synced automatically via WooCommerce webhooks — no manual re-sync needed for day-to-day updates.
Step 6: Configure the Widget
Back in your ChatAxon dashboard:
- Go to Settings → Assistant Identity and set a name for your AI (e.g., "Emma" or "Support")
- Choose a communication tone: Friendly, Professional, Sales-oriented, or Minimalist
- Optionally add Custom Instructions — rules the AI always follows (e.g., "Always mention free shipping for orders over €50" or "Never recommend product X as a substitute for Y")
- Add a Store Description — a short paragraph about your store that helps the AI answer "who are you?" questions
Step 7: Go Live
The widget is automatically embedded on your store the moment the plugin is activated and connected. No additional code or shortcodes needed.
Test it yourself:
- Open your store in an incognito window
- The chat bubble should appear in the bottom-right corner
- Ask a product question — the AI should respond with relevant products from your catalog
- Ask "where is my order?" — the AI should ask for your email/order number and look it up directly
If the bubble doesn't appear, check that the plugin is active and the API key is connected (green status in WordPress admin).
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Connected" indicator is red | Wrong API key or server unreachable | Re-copy the key from the ChatAxon dashboard |
| Chat bubble not visible | Plugin inactive or JS conflict | Check Plugins page in WP admin; try with other plugins disabled |
| Products not found in chat | Sync didn't complete | Run a manual sync from the plugin settings |
| Order tracking not working | WooCommerce API keys not set | Go to WooCommerce → Settings → Advanced → REST API and generate keys |
| Plugin won't install | PHP version too old | Check that your host runs PHP 7.4+ |
What's Next
Once the plugin is live and your catalog is synced, the AI is already handling:
- Product search — semantic, not keyword-based
- Order status (WIMO) — customers ask, AI answers in real time
- Cart actions — AI can add products to cart directly in the chat
- Discount codes — AI can apply WooCommerce coupons mid-conversation
- Human handoff — frustrated customers get escalated to your support inbox automatically
Check your Analytics tab after the first 24 hours to see how many support queries the AI resolved without your involvement.