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. SaleMag connects a Telegram bot to the same shared inbox as your other channels in a few minutes.
What is a Telegram bot for business, and what does SaleMag do with it?
A Telegram bot is an automated Telegram account that a business runs through software, and customers message it like any other contact. SaleMag connects that bot to your team inbox and AI chatbot. The table shows what each part does:
| 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 to SaleMag?
You connect a Telegram bot to SaleMag by creating it with @BotFather, Telegram's official bot for making bots, and pasting its token into Channel Setup:
- 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 SaleMag Telegram connection secure?
Yes. SaleMag gives each connected Telegram bot its own webhook address, stores only a hash of that address, and rejects any delivery that lacks a separate secret Telegram sends back. 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 an AI chatbot answer Telegram messages?
Yes. Link a SaleMag AI chatbot to the Telegram account and it answers from 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 SaleMag's AI order taking switched on, the Telegram 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 can't a Telegram bot do in SaleMag?
A Telegram bot in SaleMag cannot message people first or send broadcasts. The table lists each limit:
| 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 |
Telegram vs WhatsApp vs Messenger: how do they compare in SaleMag?
In SaleMag, Telegram is the simplest channel to connect and has no 24-hour reply window, while WhatsApp is the only one of the three with broadcast campaigns and an in-chat order form. The table compares them:
| 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 a Telegram bot for business?
A Telegram bot suits a business that already has a Telegram channel or group where customers ask questions, or that sells to audiences who 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, and give the bot a clear profile photo and description in @BotFather so customers know it is your shop. Create an account or see pricing.
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 for my business?
Open @BotFather in Telegram, send /newbot, choose a name and a username ending in 'bot', and copy the token it gives you. You paste that token into SaleMag to connect the bot.
Do I need a developer to connect a Telegram bot to SaleMag?
No. Paste the bot token in SaleMag's Channel Setup; SaleMag checks it, reads the bot's name and sets the webhook.
Can SaleMag's AI chatbot answer Telegram messages in Bangla?
Yes. A SaleMag AI chatbot linked to the Telegram bot replies in the customer's language, including Bangla and Banglish, and answers only from your knowledge base instead of making things up.
Can a person take over a Telegram chat from the AI?
Yes. SaleMag's chatbot hands the chat to your team when it cannot answer or the customer asks for a person, and your team replies from the SaleMag inbox.
Can I send broadcast campaigns on Telegram with SaleMag?
No. 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 in SaleMag?
No. Telegram does not pass those messages to the bot, so reply from the SaleMag inbox to keep the thread complete.
Is there a 24-hour reply window on Telegram like on WhatsApp?
No. The 24-hour window is a WhatsApp rule. A Telegram bot connected to SaleMag can reply in an existing chat at any time.
How much does a Telegram bot cost with SaleMag?
Creating a bot with @BotFather is free. SaleMag charges for its plan, listed on the pricing page, and the AI chatbot uses your workspace's own AI provider key, so the provider bills AI usage directly.
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.