Skip to main content

Introduction

  • The Bik API provides core capabilities including WhatsApp message delivery and receipt, as well as advanced features such as building automated bots on WhatsApp.

  • Bik.ai delivers intelligent, personalized solutions for businesses powered by artificial intelligence. The platform provides data-driven insights, analytics, and predictions that enable informed decision-making and streamlined operations.

API Flow​

  • To get started, create an application through the Bik dashboard. Upon creation, you will receive an app key and secret, both of which must be included with every API request.

  • The API is organized into the following categories:

    • Messaging APIs: Send messages to customers across channels (WhatsApp, Email, SMS, template messages). See the Messaging section below.
    • Event APIs: Ingest single or bulk events into the Bik system. These events power campaigns, dynamic segments, and journey triggers. Use the Bik Tracker SDK for frontend events, and User Properties to attach custom attributes to customers alongside event ingestion.
    • Customer APIs: Create or update customer records and fetch customer details.
    • Product & Catalog APIs: Sync product and catalog data for AI recommendations, WhatsApp catalogs, and CRM product suggestions.
    • Flow APIs: Trigger predefined flows such as abandoned cart reminders, order confirmations, and lifecycle journeys.
    • Webhooks: Receive real-time event notifications for message status, customer interactions, agent assignments, and store activity.
    • Other APIs: Reports for analytics generation/retrieval, and Tickets for creating and assigning support tickets to agents.

Messaging​

Send messages to customers across multiple channels. Use template messages for transactional flows (OTP, order confirmations, abandoned cart) and session messages for ongoing conversations.

Non‑Shopify Store Onboarding Guide

Purpose​

This guide explains the minimum setup required to onboard a non‑Shopify brand on BIK/Manifest. Since the store is not on Shopify, some features work out of the box, while others need API, event, product, or custom integrations.

1. Website Widgets Setup​

  • Install the BIK script on all website pages by adding it inside the website <head> tag.
  • Once the script is installed, the brand can choose from available widgets such as lead collection, chat redirection, and other website engagement widgets.
  • Lead collection and chat redirection widgets work out of the box after script installation.
  • Reward-based widgets like spin the wheel, scratch card, or discount disbursement do not work out of the box because discount generation is closely tied to Shopify.
  • For reward widgets, handle the requirement case by case as a custom integration.

Documentation / Links

2. CRM and Channel Setup​

  • Connect required communication channels from the CRM section, such as WhatsApp, Email, Instagram, Facebook, or SMS.
  • CRM inbox works out of the box once channels are connected.
  • Agents can reply to customers and manage conversations from the inbox.
  • Customer event history will only show if events are ingested into BIK. Event ingestion docs: single event API, bulk events API.
  • Order history does not work automatically for non‑Shopify stores because BIK does not have direct access to the brand's order system.

Documentation / Links

3. Customer Data, Campaigns and Segmentation Setup​

  • Customers are required for campaigns, segmentation, personalized journeys, and customer-level targeting.
  • Customers can be added manually through CSV/Excel upload, created through the Customer API, or created through event ingestion when phone numbers are passed.
  • Campaigns can be sent to static customer lists or to dynamic segments created from customer and event data.
  • Dynamic segments require proper customer and event ingestion, such as purchase events, add to cart events, or product viewed events.
  • Anonymous events, anonymous customer merging, and custom event schemas are not supported; only fixed BIK-supported schemas should be used.

Documentation / Links

4. Event Tracking Setup​

  • Events are required for dynamic segmentation, automations, customer activity history, and attribution.
  • The brand should send common ecommerce events such as product viewed, add to cart, ordered, purchased product, and customer created.
  • Frontend events can be used for user actions like product viewed and add to cart. Use the Bik Tracker SDK on the website to capture these without writing custom backend code.
  • Backend events should be used for reliable actions like order placed, payment completed, refund, or cancellation.
  • Historical events can be imported if the brand wants to create future segments using past behavior.
  • Use the User Properties API to attach custom attributes (preferences, tier, lifecycle stage) to customers alongside event ingestion.

Documentation / Links

6. Product and Catalog Integration​

  • Product/catalog integration is required for AI product recommendations, WhatsApp product suggestions, WhatsApp catalog, and CRM product suggestions.
  • Products can be imported either through product APIs or through product sync methods such as feed-based integration.
  • Product data should include product name, images, price, product URL, inventory status, category, and variants.
  • A one-time import is not enough; continuous sync should be configured for price, inventory, product, and catalog changes.
  • Until product integration is completed, agents can manually search the website and share product links as quick replies.

Documentation / Links

7. Chatbot and AI Bot Setup​

  • Start with a basic static chatbot for common options like FAQs, explore products, talk to an agent, and track order.
  • FAQs, policies, help docs, and PDFs can be added from the training section.
  • AI product recommendations work only when product/catalog data is integrated.
  • Track order does not work automatically; it requires an API integration with the brand's order system using a REST API block.
  • Nitro integration does not work by default for non‑Shopify stores.
  • WhatsApp ordering is supported for non‑Shopify stores via the Non‑Shopify Ordering integration. The brand hosts two endpoints (placeOrder and getOrder) and Bik manages the cart, shipping, discounts, and totals internally. A reference Node.js server is available at BikDotAiDev/non-shopify-examples for smoke-testing the contract before wiring it into the real backend.

Documentation / Links

8. Automations and Journeys​

  • Journeys can be triggered using APIs for events like add to cart, quiz completed, lead captured, product viewed, or abandoned cart.
  • The brand can pass parameters such as customer name, cart value, cart link, discount code, product name, product URL, or quiz result.
  • These parameters can be used inside message templates and journey conditions.
  • Example: abandoned cart journey can use cart value, cart link, and customer name inside the WhatsApp template.
  • Every journey should be tested end to end before go-live.

Documentation / Links

9. Revenue Attribution​

  • Revenue attribution does not work automatically for non‑Shopify stores.
  • The brand needs to send reliable order/purchase events to BIK.
  • Required data usually includes customer identifier, phone/email, order ID, order value, currency, and order timestamp.
  • Attribution logic depends on how the brand wants to connect campaign/message engagement with orders.
  • Validate attribution using a test campaign and a test purchase before relying on reports.

Documentation / Links

Suggested Go-Live Approach​

Phase 1: Quick Launch​

  • Install website script.
  • Enable lead collection or chat redirection widgets.
  • Connect CRM channels.
  • Upload customers through CSV.
  • Launch basic campaigns and static chatbot.

Phase 2: Data and Automation​

  • Integrate customers API.
  • Integrate ecommerce events.
  • Create dynamic segments.
  • Trigger journeys using APIs.
  • Import historical events if needed.

Phase 3: AI and Advanced Use Cases​

  • Integrate product/catalog data.
  • Train AI bot with FAQs, policies, and product data.
  • Enable AI product recommendations.
  • Integrate track order using REST API block.
  • Set up revenue attribution using purchase/order events.

Feature Support Summary​

AreaFeatureNon‑Shopify Support
WidgetsLead collectionWorks out of the box after script installation
WidgetsChat redirectionWorks out of the box after script installation
WidgetsReward widgetsNeeds custom integration
CRMChannel inboxWorks out of the box
CRMOrder historyNot automatic
CRMProduct suggestionsRequires product/catalog integration
CampaignsStatic campaignsSupported
CampaignsDynamic segmentsRequires customer and event ingestion
CampaignsWebpushNot supported
DataCustomersAPI or CSV upload
DataEventsSupported with fixed schemas
DataProductsAPI or feed integration required
ChatbotStatic chatbotSupported
ChatbotTrack orderRequires custom API integration
ChatbotWhatsApp orderingSupported via Non‑Shopify Ordering (placeOrder + getOrder endpoints)
ChatbotAI botRequires training data and product data
AutomationsJourneysSupported through API trigger
AttributionRevenue attributionRequires purchase/order events

Key Rule​

For non‑Shopify onboarding, do not try to replicate every Shopify feature on day one. First launch widgets, CRM, customer upload, campaigns, and a static chatbot. Then add events, products, journeys, AI recommendations, order tracking, and attribution in later phases.