E-commerce
July 1, 2026
"The bot lists 12 fabrics without helping me choose." "The AI says my combo is OK when the configurator is blocking it." "I ordered the wrong option, the bot didn't double-check anything before payment." Three failures where the AI over-explains the configurator, invents a compatibility, or fails to distinguish between pre-purchase guidance and post-order correction (#481).
A product configurator AI chatbot does not replace CFG-FLOW agents (#481). It reads CFG-MAP and option rules, explains price and lead time deltas, reviews the config cart before checkout, reroutes incompatible options (#483), and hands off post-order edits.
This guide #482 covers intents bot_cfg_*, flow CFGBOT, and KPI cfg_bot. Pairs with the playbook bot CFGERR (#481). Distinct from the text validation bot (#418): here, guided selling multi-option configurator without overloading the user journey.
Summary
Why automate configurator guidance with a bot?
Configurable products generate abandonment when the customer does not understand the impact of an option on price, delivery time, or compatibility. A calibrated bot responds in seconds without opening ten FAQ tabs.
What the bot solves
Choice paralysis: too many options without decision criteria
Opaque pricing: delta of +$120 discovered at checkout
MTO lead time: option extends manufacturing without explaining it
Lack of proofreading: personalized text validated too quickly
Kickflip notes that clarity on options and lead times is the primary conversion lever for configurators (Kickflip, configurator 2026).
Baymard points out that complex product journeys without contextual help increase abandonment by 15% to 22% on tested configurators (Baymard, PDP 2025).
What the bot does not do
No post-order editing (CFG-FLOW #481). No post-delivery remake (#417). No modification of line properties without handoff. No custom design outside of the catalog.
CFGBOT vs CFG #481, VALID #418 and options #483
Four bots, four steps of the configurator journey.
Quick Matrix
#482 CFGBOT: PDP configurator: choice, price, lead time, pre-checkout review
#481 CFG-FLOW: post-order edit hold proof before manufacturing
#418 VALID-FLOW: custom text typo char limit pre add-to-cart
#483 future: incompatible options
#288 MTO: post-purchase manufacturing status
Bot #418 reroutes to CFGBOT if question = fabric or dimension module, not only text engraving.
Which bot_cfg_* intents should be classified?
Eight intents cover 90% of bot configurator sessions.
Eight bot_cfg intents
bot_cfg_how_choose: help choosing option based on usage/budget
bot_cfg_option_explain: difference between two fabrics, modules, finishes
bot_cfg_price_delta: € impact of changing an option
bot_cfg_lead_time: MTO lead time based on the selected config
bot_cfg_preview_help: how to read the configurator preview mockup
bot_cfg_pre_checkout_review: summary of cart options before paying
bot_cfg_post_order_edit: handoff CFG-FLOW #481
bot_cfg_incompatible: blocked combo reroute #483
Tier 1 auto: how_choose, explain, price_delta, lead_time, preview, pre_checkout_review. Tier 2 handoff: post_order_edit, incompatible complex.
How to consume CFG-MAP #481 and options rules?
The bot reads CFG-MAP #481 for stage delays and post-order edits. For pre-purchase, it primarily consumes CONFIG-RULES: options, compatibilities, price_deltas, lead_time_add.
Grounded sources
Shopify Metafields, configurator app export, /pages/product-configurator FAQ. Never any LLM-invented compatible combos.
Shared corpus
CFG macros #481 + CONFIG-GUIDE PDP + PERSO-MAP #418 for custom text fields.
CFGBOT-SUP policy in six rules
Six rules for a secure configurator bot.
CONFIG-RULES grounded: options and compat from map app, not LLM
NO-EDIT-PROMISE: post-order edit → handoff #481
PRICE-DELTA cited: exact € from rules, no estimation
LEAD-TIME cited: MTO delay from CFG-MAP option
PRE-CHECKOUT-REVIEW: recap line properties before checkout CTA
INCOMPAT-REROUTE: block combo → #483 or standard macro
Forbidden: promising free post-prod edit, guaranteeing color rendering outside official preview.
Flow CFGBOT CB-1 to CB-8
Short flow, eight steps.
CB-1 Classify: bot_cfg_* intent
CB-2 Context: SKU config, options selected[], cart or PDP
CB-3 CONFIG-RULES lookup: compat, price, lead_time
CB-4 Reroute: custom text #418, incompat #483, post-edit #481
CB-5 Respond: TPL-CFGBOT-* grounded
CB-6 Branch: suggest option | pre_checkout_review | handoff
CB-7 Log: intent, options[], price_delta
CB-8 Conversion: tag cfg_bot_assist if checkout complete
Example bot_cfg_pre_checkout_review
TPL-CFGBOT-RECAP: "Config: [module A], fabric [X], text [Y]. Total [Z] €. Production time [N] days. Confirm or modify before payment."
TPL-CFGBOT templates and touchpoints
Four essential templates.
TPL-CFGBOT-CHOOSE
Based on [usage/budget]: option [A] vs [B], delta [€], lead time [days]. PDP config link.
TPL-CFGBOT-PRICE
Switch from [option1] to [option2]: +[€] incl. tax. Estimated total [Z] €.
TPL-CFGBOT-LEAD
Selected config: production [N] days + shipping [M] days. See #288 MTO details.
TPL-CFGBOT-HANDOFF-EDIT
Post-order modification: CFG agent transfer within 2 hours. Order [id] properties attached.
Touchpoints
PDP configurator: "Help choosing option?" chip
Config cart: "Review my config" button
Pre-checkout: embed bot recap before paying
Edge cases and mandatory reroutes
Five cases outside tier 1 bot.
Post-order edit: handoff CFG-FLOW #481, NO-EDIT-PROMISE
Text-only typo: reroute VALID #418
Incompatible combo: reroute #483
Custom quote: handoff sales, outside catalog configurator
Configurator bug: handoff ops + DEC #237, no bot workaround
Multi-SKU bundle: see bundle help (#97) if mixed stock + config cart.
Essential cfg_bot KPIs
Five metrics to monitor CFGBOT.
cfg_bot_auto_resolve: tier 1 without agent
cfg_bot_pre_checkout_complete: checkout config after bot assist
cfg_bot_invent_compat_violation: invalid compatibility promises, target 0
cfg_bot_handoff_edit_rate: post-order → #481
cfg_bot_downstream_cfg_err: #481 tickets post bot assist
Monthly review: cross-reference cfg_bot_downstream_cfg_err with the most frequently cited post-purchase error options to enrich CONFIG-RULES and TPL-CFGBOT-CHOOSE.
CFGBOT anti-patterns to avoid
Six common mistakes in deploying a bot configurator.
Listing all options: without usage filter, paralysis
Inventing compatibility: CONFIG-RULES violation
Promising post-prod edit: NO-EDIT-PROMISE
Ignoring lead time: MTO dispute #288
Duplicating #418: custom text without char limit check
Empty handoff: without options[], cart, SKU config
CFGBOT with Qstomy
Qstomy on Shopify: classify bot_cfg_*, CONFIG-RULES lookup, pre-checkout summary, reroute #418/#481/#483, handoff payload properties[].
Pipeline: #482 bot tier 1 PDP guidance → #418 text validation → checkout → #481 if post-order edit.
Explore AI support and request a demo.
Deployment checklist, FAQ, and going further
CFGBOT Checklist (8 steps)
Import CONFIG-RULES: compat price lead options from app
Sync CFG-MAP #481: post-order stages handoff
Policy CFGBOT-SUP: 6 guardrail rules
8 intents bot_cfg_*: flow CB-1 to CB-8
4 templates TPL-CFGBOT-*: CHOOSE PRICE LEAD RECAP
PDP cart Touchpoints: help chip + review config
6 scenario tests: choose, price, lead, recap, incompat reroute, post-edit handoff
KPI Dashboard: cfg_bot_* section 9
FAQ
Does the bot modify a completed order?
No. Handoff #481 CFG-FLOW with order_id and properties.
Difference with #418?
#418 = pre-cart custom text typo. #482 = global configurator options.
Difference with #481?
#481 = agents edit hold proof. #482 = guidance and review pre-checkout.
Going further
p: Playbook CFGERR (#481)
p: Incompatible options (#483)
This week: publish "Help option choice" chip, test TPL-CFGBOT-RECAP on 5 config carts, check post-order reroute to #481 in staging.
Enzo
July 1, 2026
