Businesses can sell goods and services directly through Telegram bots using various payment providers
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 6:21 am
How it Works: Telegram acts as an intermediary, facilitating the connection between the user, the bot developer, and the payment provider.
Role of User Data:
Telegram's Stance: Telegram itself states it does not process or store credit card details or transaction information. This data goes directly to the payment provider's server.
Shipping Information: If users provide shipping information, Telegram can store it if the user chooses to save it for future purchases, but this is done with consent and can be deleted.
Merchant Responsibility: Disputes and refunds are the responsibility of the bot developers, payment providers, and banks.
Indirect Data Usage: While Telegram doesn't handle the vietnam telegram mobile phone number list payment data, the merchant (bot developer) might collect and use user data (like purchase history, shipping address, contact info) for their own business purposes, in accordance with their own privacy policies. Users need to be aware of the data practices of the bots and mini-apps they interact with.
The Contrast: Telegram vs. Data-Driven Competitors
Telegram's monetization approach stands in stark contrast to many of its competitors.
Meta (WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram):
Revenue Model: Primarily advertising, heavily reliant on vast amounts of user data (demographics, interests, behaviors, cross-app activity) to create highly targeted ad profiles.
WhatsApp Business API: Charges per message, often with different tiers and templates, and these messages can be informed by user data on Meta's wider network.
Data Usage: Deeply integrated data collection and sharing across their "family of apps" for ad optimization.
Other Ad-Supported Platforms (e.g., Google, X, TikTok):
Revenue Model: Advertising, driven by user data, search history, content consumption, and behavioral patterns.
Data Usage: Extensive profiling of users to deliver highly personalized advertisements.
Telegram's commitment to "no ads based on user data" is a significant differentiator. It represents a philosophical choice to monetize through value-added services (Premium) and contextual advertising, rather than leveraging personal user insights for ad targeting.
Role of User Data:
Telegram's Stance: Telegram itself states it does not process or store credit card details or transaction information. This data goes directly to the payment provider's server.
Shipping Information: If users provide shipping information, Telegram can store it if the user chooses to save it for future purchases, but this is done with consent and can be deleted.
Merchant Responsibility: Disputes and refunds are the responsibility of the bot developers, payment providers, and banks.
Indirect Data Usage: While Telegram doesn't handle the vietnam telegram mobile phone number list payment data, the merchant (bot developer) might collect and use user data (like purchase history, shipping address, contact info) for their own business purposes, in accordance with their own privacy policies. Users need to be aware of the data practices of the bots and mini-apps they interact with.
The Contrast: Telegram vs. Data-Driven Competitors
Telegram's monetization approach stands in stark contrast to many of its competitors.
Meta (WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram):
Revenue Model: Primarily advertising, heavily reliant on vast amounts of user data (demographics, interests, behaviors, cross-app activity) to create highly targeted ad profiles.
WhatsApp Business API: Charges per message, often with different tiers and templates, and these messages can be informed by user data on Meta's wider network.
Data Usage: Deeply integrated data collection and sharing across their "family of apps" for ad optimization.
Other Ad-Supported Platforms (e.g., Google, X, TikTok):
Revenue Model: Advertising, driven by user data, search history, content consumption, and behavioral patterns.
Data Usage: Extensive profiling of users to deliver highly personalized advertisements.
Telegram's commitment to "no ads based on user data" is a significant differentiator. It represents a philosophical choice to monetize through value-added services (Premium) and contextual advertising, rather than leveraging personal user insights for ad targeting.