--- title: "Instagram DM automation: shared inbox and AI replies for shops" description: Answer Instagram DMs from the same team inbox as WhatsApp and Messenger, and let an AI chatbot reply to price and stock questions from your own product list. url: https://salemag.net/platforms/instagram-dm-automation language: en published: 2026-10-21 updated: 2026-10-23 author: SaleMag Team tags: - instagram dm automation - instagram inbox - ai chatbot - f-commerce - bangladesh --- # Instagram DM automation: shared inbox and AI replies for shops > SaleMag's Instagram DM automation brings an Instagram professional account's direct messages into a shared team inbox, next to WhatsApp and Messenger, for businesses in Bangladesh. An AI chatbot answers DMs from your products and FAQs in Bangla, Banglish or English, takes cash-on-delivery orders through a secure link, and hands the chat to your team when needed. - You need an Instagram professional account linked to a Facebook Page you manage. - DMs, photos and attachments land in the same SaleMag inbox as your other channels. - Messages you send from the Instagram app also show in the SaleMag thread, so the history stays complete. - The AI chatbot replies from your knowledge base and product list and hands over when unsure. - SaleMag automates Instagram direct messages only, not comments on posts or reels. Instagram is where many Bangladeshi fashion, beauty and gift shops show their products. The sale still happens in the DMs: "price plz", "available?", "Dhaka delivery koto din?". If those DMs sit in one person's phone, replies get slow and leads go cold. SaleMag brings Instagram DMs into the same team inbox as WhatsApp and Messenger, and adds an AI chatbot that can answer them. ## What is Instagram DM automation in SaleMag? Instagram DM automation is software that receives and answers a business's Instagram direct messages, so routine questions get a reply without a person typing it. In SaleMag it means a shared inbox and an AI chatbot working together, as the table shows: | Part | What it does | |---|---| | Shared inbox | Every DM appears in one inbox your whole team can work from | | AI replies | A chatbot answers common questions from your own products and policies | | Order taking | The bot builds the cart and sends a secure order-form link | | Handover | The chat moves to a person when the bot should not answer | Customers' photos and attachments come into the thread. Messages your team sends from the Instagram app are recorded as well, so the history in SaleMag matches what the customer sees. ## What do I need to connect Instagram to SaleMag? To connect Instagram to SaleMag you need an Instagram professional account that is linked to a Facebook Page you manage. In **Channel Setup**, choose Instagram and log in with Facebook. SaleMag reads the Instagram account through that Page and subscribes it to Meta's webhooks. If the account does not appear, check the link between the Page and Instagram in Meta's settings first. ## How does the AI chatbot reply to Instagram DMs? SaleMag's [AI chatbot](https://salemag.net/features/ai-chatbot) replies to Instagram DMs from a knowledge base you fill with your products, delivery charges, return policy, files, web pages and FAQs. It is told to answer only from that material and never to invent prices, stock or links. It replies in the language of the customer's message, so Bangla, [Banglish](https://salemag.net/glossary/banglish) and English all work. Typical questions it can handle: - "Ei dress ta koto?" (price, from your product list) - "M size ache?" (options and stock) - "Outside Dhaka delivery charge?" (from your delivery settings or policy text) - "Amar order er ki obostha?" (the customer's recent order status) ## Can Instagram DMs turn into orders? Yes. With SaleMag's [AI order taking](https://salemag.net/ai-agents/ai-order-taking) on, the chatbot turns an Instagram DM into a numbered [cash-on-delivery](https://salemag.net/glossary/cash-on-delivery) order. It looks up each product before quoting, asks for the size or colour, and sends a secure order-form link. The customer picks a delivery area, enters name, phone and address, and places the order. Your team gets a notification, and the form re-checks live prices and stock before it accepts the order. ## When does my team step in on Instagram DMs? SaleMag's chatbot passes an Instagram DM to a person for complaints, bulk orders, custom requests and changes to an order already placed. With handover switched on, it also hands over when it cannot answer or when the customer asks for a human. Your team is notified, and the bot stays out of a chat that a person is handling. This is called [human handover](https://salemag.net/glossary/human-handover). ## What can my team do in the Instagram inbox? In SaleMag's [shared inbox](https://salemag.net/glossary/shared-inbox), agents can assign an Instagram DM to a teammate, add labels such as "Eid order" or "follow up", leave internal notes, and use saved replies for answers they send every day. Filters let you look at Instagram only, or at every channel together. That matters during a sale rush, when the same person might be answering Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp at once. ## How do I handle Instagram DMs during a sale rush? To handle an Instagram DM rush, update your product list and saved replies before the sale, then let the chatbot answer price and stock questions while your team works the handovers. Ad campaigns and Eid or 11.11 posts can bring in hundreds of DMs in a few hours. A simple plan: | Before the sale | During the sale | |---|---| | Add sale products and prices to the product list | Let the chatbot answer price and stock questions | | Write sale dates and offer rules into the bot's instructions | Filter the inbox by Instagram and work the handovers first | | Create saved replies for exchange and delivery questions | Label chats that need a follow-up call | Because the bot answers from the product list, change a price there once and every reply after that uses the new price. ## Are there Meta rules for Instagram DM automation? Yes. Instagram messaging for businesses runs on Meta's platform, and Meta limits how long after a customer's last message a business can reply freely, generally 24 hours. Reply quickly, especially to ad-driven DMs, and follow Meta's policies for your account. ## Get started Link your Instagram account to your Page, connect it in SaleMag, and attach a chatbot with your best-selling products. Look at the [shared inbox](https://salemag.net/features/shared-inbox) features, [create an account](https://salemag.net/register), or see [pricing](https://salemag.net/pricing). ## Steps 1. **Link Instagram to your Page**: Make sure your Instagram professional account is linked to your Facebook Page in Meta's settings. 2. **Connect in SaleMag**: In Channel Setup, choose Instagram, log in with Facebook and pick the account. 3. **Attach a chatbot**: Link an AI chatbot with your product knowledge to the Instagram account and send a test DM. ## FAQ ### What kind of Instagram account do I need for SaleMag's DM automation? An Instagram professional account that is linked to a Facebook Page you manage. SaleMag finds the Instagram account through that Page when you log in with Facebook. ### Do I need a developer to connect Instagram to SaleMag? No. In SaleMag's Channel Setup you choose Instagram, log in with Facebook and pick the account; SaleMag subscribes it to Meta's webhooks for you. ### Can the Instagram DM chatbot reply in Bangla? Yes. SaleMag's AI chatbot replies in the language of the customer's message, including Bangla script, Banglish and English. ### Does the AI make up prices or stock in Instagram DMs? No. SaleMag's AI chatbot is instructed to answer only from your knowledge base and product list, and never to invent prices, stock or links. When it cannot answer, it can hand the chat to your team. ### Can the AI take orders from Instagram DMs? Yes, when SaleMag's order taking is on. The bot builds the cart and sends a secure order-form link for delivery details, and payment is cash on delivery. ### Does SaleMag reply to comments on my Instagram posts or reels? No. SaleMag handles Instagram direct messages, not comments on posts or reels. ### Can I still reply from the Instagram app after connecting SaleMag? Yes. Messages your team sends from the Instagram app are recorded in the SaleMag thread too, so nobody misses a reply. ### How much does Instagram DM automation cost with SaleMag? SaleMag charges for its plan, listed on the [pricing page](https://salemag.net/pricing). The AI chatbot uses your workspace's own OpenAI, Anthropic or Google Gemini API key, so the AI provider bills AI usage to your business directly.