Most Bangladeshi customers buy through Facebook and WhatsApp, but some audiences live on Telegram: tech buyers, students, people who buy digital products or follow a shop's Telegram channel. If part of your customers prefer Telegram, you can answer them from the same place as everyone else. SaleMag connects a Telegram bot to your shared inbox in a few minutes.
What does the Telegram channel do?
| Part | What it does |
|---|---|
| Inbox | Messages to your bot appear in the shared inbox with your other channels |
| Media | Photos, video, voice notes, documents, stickers, locations and shared contacts come through |
| Replies | Your team answers from the browser; agents can also react with Telegram's emoji set |
| AI chatbot | Answers from your knowledge base and product list |
| Orders | The bot can build a cart and send a secure order-form link |
How do I connect a Telegram bot?
Telegram bots are made with @BotFather, Telegram's official bot for creating bots:
- Open @BotFather and send
/newbot. - Pick a display name and a username that ends in "bot".
- Copy the token BotFather sends you.
- In SaleMag, go to Channel Setup, choose Telegram and paste the token.
SaleMag checks the token with Telegram, reads the bot's name and sets the webhook. There is no Meta-style app review or business verification.
Is the connection secure?
Each connected bot gets its own webhook address, and only a hash of that address is stored. SaleMag also gives Telegram a separate secret that comes back with every delivery, and rejects requests without it. Media files are downloaded and stored when they arrive, because Telegram's file links expire and contain the bot token. The token never ends up in a stored link.
Can the AI chatbot answer Telegram messages?
Yes. Link an AI chatbot to the Telegram account. It uses the same knowledge base you built for WhatsApp or Messenger: products, delivery charges, return policy, files, web pages and FAQs. It replies in the customer's language, including Bangla and Banglish, and answers only from your data. When it cannot help, or the customer asks for a person, it can hand the chat to your team and notify them.
Can I take orders on Telegram?
Yes. With AI order taking switched on, the chatbot looks up products before it quotes a price, builds the cart, and sends a secure order-form link. The customer picks a delivery area, such as Inside Dhaka or Outside Dhaka, enters name, phone and address, and places a cash-on-delivery order. Your team sees a numbered order in SaleMag.
What are the limits?
Be clear about what Telegram is for in SaleMag:
| Topic | How it works |
|---|---|
| Starting a chat | A customer must message your bot first; bots cannot message people who never wrote to them |
| Broadcasts | Campaigns are not available on Telegram in SaleMag |
| Messages from your own app | Telegram does not send them to the bot, so they do not appear in the thread |
| In-chat order form | The in-WhatsApp form is WhatsApp only; Telegram customers get the link |
How does Telegram compare with the other channels?
| Telegram | WhatsApp (official API) | Messenger | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you connect | Bot token from @BotFather | Meta embedded signup | Facebook login |
| Meta review or verification | Not needed | Meta's rules apply | Meta's rules apply |
| 24-hour reply window | No | Yes | Meta's Messenger rules apply |
| Broadcast campaigns in SaleMag | No | Yes, with approved templates | No |
| Order form | Secure link | In-WhatsApp form or link | Secure link |
| AI chatbot | Yes | Yes | Yes |
All of them share one inbox, one contact list and the same chatbot, so a customer's question gets the same answer wherever they ask it.
Who should use the Telegram channel?
Use it if you already have a Telegram channel or group where customers ask questions, or you sell to audiences that prefer Telegram. Put a link to your bot (t.me/yourbot) on the channel, in your Facebook bio and on receipts. If most of your buyers are on Facebook, start with Messenger and WhatsApp, and add Telegram later.
Get started
Create the bot, paste the token, and send a test message. Then link the chatbot you already use on other channels. Give the bot a clear profile photo and description in @BotFather so customers know it is your shop.
Step by step
- 1
Create the bot
In Telegram, open @BotFather, send /newbot and copy the token.
- 2
Connect it
In SaleMag, open Channel Setup, choose Telegram and paste the token.
- 3
Test it
Send a message to your bot from your own Telegram account and check that it appears in the inbox.
- 4
Add AI replies
Link an AI chatbot to the Telegram account so it answers when your team is busy.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a Telegram bot?
Open @BotFather in Telegram, send /newbot, choose a name and a username ending in 'bot', and copy the token it gives you.
Do I need a developer to connect it?
No. Paste the token in Channel Setup. SaleMag checks it, names the bot and sets the webhook.
Can the AI chatbot answer on Telegram?
Yes. Link a chatbot to the Telegram account and it replies from your knowledge base in the customer's language.
Can I send broadcast campaigns on Telegram?
Not from SaleMag. Campaigns run on WhatsApp, SMS and email. Telegram is for conversations in the inbox.
Will I see messages I send from my own Telegram app?
No. Telegram does not pass those to the bot, so reply from the SaleMag inbox to keep the thread complete.
Is there a Meta-style 24-hour window on Telegram?
No. The 24-hour window is a WhatsApp rule. Your bot can reply in an existing Telegram chat at any time.
About the author
WhatsApp & F-commerce automation, Dhaka
The Dhaka team that builds SaleMag, the AI sales inbox for WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram used by online sellers in Bangladesh.