AI Settings
The AI Store Assistant is an intelligent helper built directly into your e-shop administration. It helps you with sales analysis, stock management, product overview, and answers questions about the Merzio platform.
Path: Admin > Settings > AI Settings
What the AI Assistant Can Do
- Analytics — revenue, orders, conversions, average order value, trends
- Stock — low stock, sold out products, stock alerts
- Products — product performance, catalog issues, pricing, variants
- Support — questions about Merzio platform features, settings, and procedures
The assistant has access to real data from your store and to the Merzio platform documentation.
Two Modes of Operation
Platform Key (Free)
Every store automatically has 50 messages per month for free without any setup. Merzio uses its own API key and you don't need to configure anything.
- Limit: 50 messages per month
- Automatic reset at the beginning of each month
- Suitable for trying out the assistant and basic usage
Your Own API Key (Unlimited)
If you want unlimited messages, you can set up your own API key from OpenAI or Anthropic. In this case, you pay the AI provider directly and have no message limits in Merzio.
- No message limit
- You pay OpenAI or Anthropic directly
- Full control over model selection
How to Set Up Your Own API Key
Step 1: Get an API Key
- OpenAI: Sign up at platform.openai.com, go to API Keys and create a new key (starts with
sk-...) - Anthropic: Sign up at console.anthropic.com, go to API Keys and create a new key (starts with
sk-ant-...)
Step 2: Add Configuration in Merzio
- Open Admin > Settings > AI Settings
- Click Add Configuration
- Fill in the form:
- Provider — select OpenAI or Anthropic (Claude)
- API Key — paste your key (it will be encrypted)
- Base URL — auto-filled based on the selected provider
- Model — select an AI model (see recommendations below)
- Notes — optional internal notes
- Check Set as active configuration if you want to use this configuration immediately
- Click Create Configuration
Step 3: Test the Connection
After creating the configuration, click the Test Connection button. The system will verify that your API key is valid and that it can connect to the selected provider.
Possible test results:
- Success — connection works, assistant is ready
- Invalid API key — check that you copied the key correctly
- Insufficient credit — add credit with the provider (OpenAI/Anthropic)
- Model not found — the selected model is not available for your account
- Rate limit — too many requests, try again later
Supported Models
OpenAI
| Model | Description |
|---|---|
| GPT-4o | Latest and recommended — best balance of quality and speed |
| GPT-4o Mini | Faster and cheaper, suitable for simpler queries |
| GPT-4 Turbo | Previous generation, still high quality |
| GPT-4 | Older model |
| GPT-3.5 Turbo | Cheapest, but lower response quality |
| O1 Preview | Advanced model with reasoning capabilities |
| O1 Mini | Smaller version of the reasoning model |
Anthropic (Claude)
| Model | Description |
|---|---|
| Claude Sonnet 4 | Recommended — excellent balance of quality, speed, and cost |
| Claude Haiku 4.5 | Faster and cheaper, good results for common queries |
| Claude Opus 4 | Most capable model, highest response quality |
Which Model to Choose?
For most e-shops, we recommend GPT-4o (OpenAI) or Claude Sonnet 4 (Anthropic). They offer the best balance of response quality, speed, and cost. If you need maximum quality and don't mind higher costs, choose Claude Opus 4.
Managing Configurations
In the AI settings list, you can see all created configurations. The active configuration is highlighted.
Editing a Configuration
Click on a configuration to edit it. You can change the provider, model, base URL, and notes. If you leave the API key field empty, the current key will be preserved.
Activating a Different Configuration
Click the Activate button next to the desired configuration. Only one configuration can be active at a time — the previous one is automatically deactivated.
Deleting a Configuration
A configuration can only be deleted if it is not active. If you want to delete the active configuration, first activate a different one.
Security
- API keys are encrypted in the database and never displayed in plain text
- Keys are hidden in the admin panel — when editing, you only see a masked field
- If you leave the API key field empty when editing, the original key remains unchanged
- Keys are never sent to Merzio servers — communication happens directly between your store and the AI provider
Usage Tracking
The system automatically tracks token usage:
- Daily limit — automatic reset every day
- Monthly limit — automatic reset at the beginning of the month
- Platform messages — counter of 50 free messages per month (only when using the platform key)
Tokens are counted separately for input (your question) and output (assistant's response).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to set up my own API key?
No. Every store automatically has 50 free messages per month via the platform key. You only need your own key if you want unlimited messages.
What happens when I use up the 50 free messages?
The assistant will notify you that you've reached the monthly limit. To continue using it, you need to set up your own API key, or wait until the next month.
Where do I find the AI assistant?
The AI assistant is available in the bottom right corner of your store's administration (chat bubble icon).
Does the assistant see customer data?
The assistant has access to aggregated store data (revenue, orders, products) but never displays personal customer data (names, emails, addresses).