Global Settings
Global settings control the default behavior and appearance of all ShopGuide chat widgets across your store. Configure these settings once to ensure consistent branding and functionality throughout your customer's shopping experience.
Accessing Global Settings
From ShopGuide Dashboard
- Open your ShopGuide app from Shopify admin
- Navigate to Settings in the main menu
- Select Global Settings to access store-wide configurations
- Changes apply to all chat widgets unless overridden at block level
Core Global Settings
Store Information
Basic Store Details
- Store name: Used in AI responses and chat context
- Primary language: Sets default language for AI responses
- Time zone: Ensures accurate conversation timestamps
- Currency: For price discussions and product recommendations
Business Information
- Business hours: When your store is typically available
- Support contact: Fallback contact information
- Store description: Brief description for AI context
- Target audience: Primary customer demographics
Default Chat Behavior
Chat Availability
- 24/7 operation: Always-available AI assistance
- Business hours only: Limit chat to specific times
- Holiday schedule: Disable during store closures
- Maintenance mode: Temporarily disable chat
Session Management
- Session timeout: When to end inactive conversations
- Conversation persistence: Remember chats across page visits
- Auto-launch: Automatically open chat for new visitors
- Welcome delay: Time before showing initial message
Appearance Configuration
Brand Colors
Primary Color Scheme
- User message color: Background for customer messages
- Bot message color: Background for AI responses
- Accent color: Buttons, links, and highlights
- Text colors: Ensure readability and accessibility
Advanced Color Options
- Gradient support: Create gradient backgrounds
- Hover states: Interactive element colors
- Error states: Colors for error messages and alerts
- Success states: Colors for confirmations and positive feedback
Typography Settings
Font Configuration
- Font family: Choose from web-safe or custom fonts
- Font sizes: Heading, body, and small text sizes
- Font weights: Bold, normal, light variations
- Line height: Optimize for readability
Text Formatting
- Message formatting: Support for bold, italic, links
- Code formatting: Monospace font for technical content
- List formatting: Bullet points and numbered lists
- Quote formatting: Highlighted quote styling
Layout and Spacing
Container Settings
- Chat width: Maximum width for chat container
- Chat height: Maximum height before scrolling
- Border radius: Corner rounding for modern appearance
- Shadow effects: Depth and visual appeal
Spacing Configuration
- Message spacing: Gaps between individual messages
- Section padding: Internal spacing within chat areas
- Button spacing: Gaps between interactive elements
- Container margins: External spacing around chat widget
Functional Settings
Message Handling
Response Behavior
- Typing indicators: Show when AI is composing response
- Response delays: Natural conversation pacing
- Message grouping: Combine related AI responses
- Auto-scroll: Automatically scroll to new messages
Conversation Flow
- Welcome message: Default greeting for new conversations
- Quick replies: Suggested response buttons
- Conversation starters: Pre-defined topic buttons
- End conversation: Options for closing chats
User Experience
Interaction Features
- Sound notifications: Audio alerts for new messages
- Visual notifications: Badge counts and highlights
- Keyboard shortcuts: Quick access keys
- Gesture support: Swipe and touch interactions
Accessibility Options
- High contrast mode: Enhanced visibility options
- Font size scaling: Adjustable text sizes
- Screen reader support: Proper ARIA labels and descriptions
- Keyboard navigation: Full keyboard accessibility
Privacy and Data
Data Collection
- Anonymous mode: Chat without customer identification
- Data retention: How long to keep conversation history
- Analytics tracking: What data to collect for insights
- Cookie preferences: Compliance with privacy regulations
Customer Information
- Login integration: Connect with Shopify customer accounts
- Guest conversations: Allow anonymous interactions
- Data sharing: What information to share with AI
- Export options: Customer access to their data
Advanced Global Settings
AI Configuration
Response Personality
- Tone of voice: Professional, friendly, casual, or custom
- Response length: Concise, detailed, or adaptive
- Formality level: Formal business or conversational
- Brand voice: Specific personality traits and characteristics
Knowledge Base
- Product information: How detailed to be about products
- Store policies: Shipping, returns, and customer service info
- FAQ integration: Common questions and standard responses
- External resources: Links to help docs and support
Integration Settings
Third-Party Connections
- CRM integration: Sync customer data and conversations
- Email marketing: Connect chat leads to campaigns
- Analytics platforms: Send data to Google Analytics, etc.
- Support systems: Escalate to human agents when needed
API Configuration
- Webhook endpoints: Send conversation data externally
- Rate limiting: Manage API usage and performance
- Authentication: Secure access to external services
- Data synchronization: Keep information updated across platforms
Notification Management
Admin Notifications
- Email alerts: High volume, issues, or satisfaction drops
- Dashboard notifications: Real-time alerts and updates
- Weekly reports: Performance summaries and insights
- System notifications: Maintenance and feature updates
Customer Notifications
- Message alerts: Notify customers of new responses
- Email transcripts: Send conversation summaries
- Follow-up messages: Post-conversation engagement
- Satisfaction surveys: Request feedback after chats
Setting Inheritance and Overrides
How Global Settings Work
Default Behavior
- Global settings apply to all chat widgets by default
- Provides consistent experience across your store
- Simplifies management with centralized configuration
- Ensures brand consistency automatically
Override Capability
- Individual chat blocks can override global settings
- Useful for page-specific customizations
- Maintains global defaults while allowing flexibility
- Clear indication when settings are overridden
Best Practices for Global Settings
Start Simple
- Configure basic appearance and behavior first
- Test with default settings before customizing
- Make incremental changes and test impact
- Document successful configurations
Maintain Consistency
- Use global settings for brand elements (colors, fonts)
- Keep core functionality consistent across pages
- Override only when specific page needs require it
- Regular review and cleanup of overrides
Configuration Management
Backup and Restore
Configuration Backup
- Export settings: Save current global configuration
- Version control: Track changes over time
- Team sharing: Share configurations across team members
- Disaster recovery: Restore previous working configurations
Import and Migration
- Import settings: Restore from backup files
- Migration tools: Move settings between stores
- Bulk updates: Apply changes across multiple configurations
- Validation: Verify imported settings work correctly
Testing and Validation
Configuration Testing
- Preview mode: Test changes before applying
- Staging environment: Safe testing environment
- A/B testing: Compare different global configurations
- Rollback options: Quickly revert problematic changes
Performance Impact
- Loading speed: Monitor impact of configuration changes
- Resource usage: Track memory and CPU impact
- User experience: Measure customer satisfaction changes
- Conversion impact: Monitor business metric changes
Troubleshooting Global Settings
Common Issues
Settings Not Applying
- Clear browser cache and refresh
- Check for conflicting block-level overrides
- Verify user permissions for settings changes
- Allow time for changes to propagate
Performance Problems
- Review complex configurations for optimization
- Monitor page loading times after changes
- Optimize images and assets used in chat
- Consider simplifying overly complex setups
Optimization Tips
Performance Optimization
- Use optimized images for chat elements
- Minimize custom CSS and JavaScript
- Test configurations on various devices
- Monitor real-world performance impact
User Experience Optimization
- Gather customer feedback on chat experience
- Monitor chat usage analytics for insights
- Test configurations with real customer scenarios
- Iterate based on performance data
Next Steps
Optimize your global configuration:
- Customize chat appearance
- Set up custom launch messages
- Configure visibility controls
- Implement advanced styling
Global settings provide the foundation for your entire chat experience. Take time to configure them thoughtfully, as they impact every customer interaction with your AI assistant.