Modern Platforms for Building an Online Store in Telegram

Telegram has long outgrown its origins as a simple messaging app. Today it functions as a full-fledged business platform, enabling merchants to communicate with customers and process sales directly within the application. Specialized web-bot builders make it possible to create an online store in Telegram without any programming skills.

Why Sell Through Telegram

Telegram stores offer several compelling advantages. The platform supports online payments directly within the messenger, simplifying the buyer's journey from product selection to checkout. Unlike many other platforms, Telegram has virtually no intrusive advertising. Competition among sellers remains relatively low, providing an opportunity to establish a presence before the space becomes crowded. Automation features allow sales to happen without constant owner involvement.

Overview of Popular Builders

uShopWebBot is built on the uCoz platform, which has been operating since 2011. It costs 9.99 dollars per month on a single pricing tier. The builder offers not just a Telegram bot but also a full website builder, extensive integration options, and customization through CSS and JavaScript. It supports product imports from YML, XLS, XLSX, Google Docs, and 1C formats.

TGShop operates on a commission model, charging 1% per transaction. A fixed monthly plan at around 3,500 rubles is planned for the future. Its distinguishing features include integration with Telegram channels and localization in English and Uzbek. Product imports are supported via XML (Yandex.Market format), with Excel and 1C planned.

ChatFood focuses exclusively on restaurants and cafes. It costs approximately 89 rubles per day (around 2,670 rubles per month). Table reservation functionality is planned for future development.

ShopBack offers plans starting at 750 rubles per month, scaling based on subscriber count. It supports multiple platforms including Telegram and VKontakte. Features include sales funnels, gamification elements, and AmoCRM integration.

WebBot is currently in beta testing and remains free. Its expected price after launch is between 500 and 1,000 rubles per month. Planned features include user broadcasts, order exports, digital goods sales, and a referral system.

What to Look For When Choosing

When evaluating a builder, key factors include full web-bot capability, integrated payment processing, no-code setup options, built-in CRM functionality, and responsive customer support. Each tool fills a specific niche, and the right choice depends on the type of business and the scale of planned sales.