More and more people are shopping by asking AI tools like ChatGPT questions such as "What products would you recommend?" or "Can I return items at this store?" If AI gives incorrect information about your Shopify store, you could miss out on orders you would otherwise have gotten.
This is where Shopify's official free app, "Shopify Knowledge Base," comes in. This article explains what this app can do, how to use it, and things to watch out for.
※ This app itself can be installed on any store. However, according to Shopify's official announcements, AI-agent purchasing (Agentic Storefronts) is currently offered mainly to stores based in the US selling to US customers.
Because of this, its practical effectiveness is limited for stores selling only within Japan. Read on with the understanding that this app is most useful for stores that sell internationally or that want to prepare for what's ahead. (As of May 2026.)
What Is "Shopify Knowledge Base," Shopify's AI-Readiness App?
Image source: Shopify Knowledge Base | Shopify App Store
Shopify Knowledge Base is an app that provides accurate information to AI tools like ChatGPT when they're asked questions about your store. Any Shopify user can use it for free.
One thing to note: this isn't an app for building an FAQ (frequently asked questions) page that customers view directly on your store. It's a tool for preparing the underlying "source data about your store" that AI can reference. You can prepare FAQs based on your store's information, such as shipping and return policies, and check what customers are asking AI.
Whether AI actually references the information you've prepared, and how it answers based on it, is determined by each AI platform's own algorithm. Understand that this app's role is "preparing an accurate information source and providing it to AI" — nothing more.
Shopify Knowledge Base's Main Features and What It Can Do
Shopify Knowledge Base has several features. Here are three especially worth knowing about.
Automatically Generate FAQs from Your Store Information
When you install the app, FAQs are automatically created based on your store's settings, such as language settings, customer account settings, shipping settings, and return policies. Since a set of questions and answers is prepared for you from the start, you don't need to build them from scratch by hand. That said, check before publishing whether the content matches reality.
Add and Edit Your Own FAQs
On top of the auto-generated FAQs, you can register your own questions and answers. Just enter a question in the question field and a short answer of 1–2 sentences in the answer field, then save. You can prepare "accurate information you want AI to reference" in your own words.
Check Customer Questions and Whether They Were Answered, and Test, via Query Logs
You can check what questions customers are asking AI, and whether AI was able to answer them, in the query log section.
A key feature is being able to see even the "small questions before a purchase" that never make it to your contact form. You can also enter test questions to check in advance which information gets used in the answer, so you can test whether it "answers properly" before publishing.
Benefits of Adopting Shopify Knowledge Base
Here are the main benefits of adopting Shopify Knowledge Base.
Lower the Risk of AI Giving Incorrect Information
When AI generates an answer, without an accurate information source, it may answer with outdated information or guesswork. Adopting Shopify Knowledge Base lets you provide accurate information about your store to AI, lowering the risk of incorrect guidance.
For example, if a customer asks AI about returns and gets an incorrect answer and hesitates to order, you lose that sale. With Knowledge Base in place, you can reduce this kind of missed opportunity, and the query log feature also lets you see what questions are coming in and whether they're being answered.
That said, there's no guarantee AI will always reference this information, nor that it will answer correctly even if it does. Understand this as an app that "prepares an accurate information source to reduce risk," not one that "completely prevents mistakes."
Understand Customer Questions and See Room for Improvement
Since you can see what customers are actually asking AI, you get hints for improving your site. From the list of unanswered questions, you can identify which policies or product descriptions are missing information, letting you improve with priorities in mind rather than adding information at random.
Prepare for the AI Era Without Extra Cost
Using an external AI-readiness tool or consulting service comes with monthly fees or setup costs. Shopify Knowledge Base is an official, free app that requires no special setup or development, making it a good starting point for trying out and thinking through "how to prepare for AI-driven traffic."
How to Use the Shopify App Shopify Knowledge Base
Here's how to use Shopify Knowledge Base.
First, install the app from the Shopify App Store. Once installed, the app automatically reads settings such as shipping and returns from your store admin and generates FAQs. Note that the FAQs generated here aren't visible to customers.
Once auto-generation is complete, the main screen is displayed.
You can check the auto-generated FAQs in the "Store FAQs" section at the bottom of the main screen. The item shown in the "Source" field is the information source the FAQ was generated from.
FAQs you've added yourself are labeled "Custom," while everything else (Shipping, Returns, etc.) was auto-generated from your store settings.
Click one to view the question and answer content.
If you want to make a correction, click "Override" and make your edit.
Questions the app couldn't automatically prepare an answer for appear in the "Top unanswered questions" section.
Hover over a question and "Answer" will appear — click it and enter your answer.
To add a new question and answer, click "Add FAQ" at the top right of the main screen. Here you can enter both the question and the answer.
Finally, let's use the test feature to check whether it answers properly. Select the "Query log" menu, enter a question in the input field, and click "Send."
The query log appears as a list. If your configured answer shows up in the "Matched to" field, everything is working. If it shows "Unanswered," no answer has been set.
Note that questions sent for testing get a "Test" badge, so they're shown separately from customers' actual questions.
Once you're up and running, the app accumulates query logs over time and lists unanswered questions. Review these regularly and keep adding answers.
Things to Watch Out for When Using Shopify Knowledge Base
Shopify Knowledge Base is a handy app, but there are two things worth knowing before you adopt it.
The Setup Screen Is English Only
This app doesn't support Japanese — the interface is English only. Even using a browser translation feature like Google Translate, some parts of the interface won't get translated and will stay in English. Because of this, if you're not comfortable with English, you'll need to translate the English text piece by piece with a translation tool.
Auto-Generated Information Can Be Inaccurate
Always check the content of auto-generated FAQs. For example, an auto-generated answer might state that shipping is available to a country it actually isn't, or otherwise not match reality.
Don't leave it unattended after installing — check each item one by one, and be sure to fix any mistakes you find.
Use Shopify Knowledge Base to Give AI an Accurate Information Source
As more customers discover stores through AI, Shopify Knowledge Base is a free app that lowers the risk of incorrect guidance by providing AI with an accurate information source. Just remember: it's not an FAQ page shown directly to customers, but a tool for preparing information for AI to reference.
AI-agent-driven selling is currently offered mainly to stores based in the US selling to US customers. If you sell internationally, or want to prepare for what's ahead, why not start by installing the app and reviewing the auto-generated FAQs as your first step toward the AI era?
