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Knowledge Base & Catalog Training

Your AI Shopping Guide is only as good as the information it can access. ShopGuide combines automated product catalog synchronization with a dedicated Knowledge Base for store policies, ingredient details, and custom brand guidelines.

You can access the Knowledge Base by opening ShopGuide → Test your Guide (or via the Knowledge Base link under Extras).

1. Automated Product Catalog Synchronization​

When you install ShopGuide, the app automatically performs an initial catalog bootstrap:

  • What is indexed: Product titles, handles, full descriptions, vendor, product type, variant options, prices, SKUs, inventory availability, and tags.
  • Real-time webhook updates: Whenever you update a product, adjust pricing, or mark an item out of stock in your Shopify Admin, Shopify immediately notifies ShopGuide via webhooks. The assistant's catalog knowledge updates automatically within seconds.
  • Manual Sync button: If you make bulk CSV catalog imports or major inventory overhauls, you can trigger a manual catalog refresh at any time by clicking Sync Products on the Training page.
Zero Risk to Custom Knowledge

Manual and automated product syncs only update product points in the AI's catalog memory. Your custom brand FAQs, policies, and behavioral rules are protected and never overwritten during catalog syncs.

2. Ingesting Store Policies & Custom FAQs​

While product descriptions provide specifications, customers often ask broader operational questions. The Knowledge Base provides three easy ways to train the AI on non-catalog facts:

A. Question & Answer Pairs​

Perfect for concise, frequent customer inquiries:

  • Question: "Do you offer local pickup?"
  • Answer: "Yes! Free local pickup is available at our main warehouse in Michigan Monday through Friday, 9am to 4pm. Select Local Pickup during checkout."

B. Long-Form Policy Documents​

Paste full policy text from your website:

  • Shipping policy & transit times.
  • Return & refund eligibility windows.
  • Care instructions and wash guides.
  • Sizing charts and measurement guidelines.

C. PDF & CSV Ingestion​

Upload files directly:

  • PDFs: Technical specification sheets, certificate of analysis (COA) documents, wholesale catalogs, or brand lookbooks.
  • CSVs: Bulk FAQ sheets or tabular ingredient guides.

3. The Live Testing Sandbox​

Never test experimental prompts or new policies on live customers. The Training page includes a dedicated Test Assistant interface:

  1. Type questions into the chat input just like a shopper would.
  2. Observe the AI's answer, tone, and formatting.
  3. Review the retrieved sources: click on the source citation below the answer to confirm whether the AI retrieved data from a product record or a specific Knowledge Base entry.
  4. If an answer needs adjustment, use the thumbs-down button to inject an immediate correction rule or update the source document directly.