Claude MCP Setup Guide

Complete guide to connecting your store to Claude via Anthropic's Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Overview

Anthropic's Model Context Protocol (MCP) enables Claude to interact with external tools and data sources, including your e-commerce store. This guide covers setting up MCP integration to allow Claude to browse products, check inventory, and help with orders.

Prerequisites

  • A ZaLink account with an active subscription
  • Your store connected to ZaLink (Zid, Salla, Shopify, or WooCommerce)
  • Products synced to your ZaLink catalog

Step 1: Enable Claude MCP Connection

Navigate to Dashboard > AI Connections > Claude and toggle "Enable Claude MCP". This generates your MCP endpoint URL and authentication token.

Step 2: Configure MCP Endpoint

Your MCP endpoint provides Claude with access to your store:

  • Endpoint URL: The URL Claude uses to connect to your store
  • Authentication Token: Secure token for validating requests
  • Server Name: Displayed name in Claude's tool list

Step 3: Set Up Authentication

Configure how Claude authenticates with your store:

  • Bearer Token: Use your API token for authentication
  • Token Rotation: Set up automatic token rotation for security
  • IP Allowlist: Optional restriction to Anthropic's IPs

Step 4: Configure Permissions

Control what Claude can do with your store:

  • Read Products: Allow browsing and searching products
  • Read Orders: Allow viewing order status
  • Read Customers: Allow looking up customer information
  • Create Orders: Allow placing orders on behalf of customers
  • Update Inventory: Allow stock level modifications

Step 5: Ready-Made Prompts

ZaLink provides ready-made prompts to help Claude work with your store effectively:

  • Product Search: Optimized prompts for product discovery
  • Inventory Check: Prompts for checking stock levels
  • Order Status: Prompts for tracking orders
  • Customer Support: Prompts for handling common inquiries

Testing Your Integration

Verify your MCP integration is working:

  1. Copy your MCP configuration to Claude Desktop
  2. Ask Claude to list products from your store
  3. Test product search functionality
  4. Verify permission restrictions work as expected

Claude Desktop Setup

To connect your store to Claude Desktop, add the MCP configuration to your claude_desktop_config.json file. The configuration includes your endpoint URL, authentication token, and enabled tools.

API Reference

For developers building custom MCP integrations, see the MCP Tools documentation for available tools, input schemas, and response formats.

Troubleshooting

  • Connection failed: Verify endpoint URL and token are correct
  • Tools not appearing: Ensure MCP is enabled in Claude settings
  • Permission denied: Check tool permissions in dashboard
  • Slow responses: Consider enabling caching for product data
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