Question 1

Is Project Shadow AI the same as "shadow AI" in cybersecurity?

Accepted Answer

No. Project Shadow AI is a WooCommerce plugin that adds AI-powered analytics, content, and assistant features inside WordPress. In security contexts, "shadow AI" usually means unsanctioned or ungoverned AI tools inside a company. Similar wording, completely different meaning.

Question 2

What is Project: Shadow?

Accepted Answer

Project: Shadow is an AI-powered backend for WordPress and WooCommerce. It gives store owners a natural-language interface to their own store data - you ask questions, Shadow answers them using your live WooCommerce database. It also generates content through Shadow Writer, creates product images through Mirage, and can handle customer questions through its Chatbot addon. Everything runs inside your WordPress admin - no separate dashboard to learn.

Question 3

Who is Project: Shadow built for?

Accepted Answer

It's built for anyone running a WooCommerce store who wants faster, clearer answers about their business. That includes solo store owners who spend too much time in reports, marketing managers who need data without bothering a developer, and agencies managing multiple client stores. You don't need any technical background - if you can type a question, you can use Shadow.

Question 4

What can I actually ask Shadow?

Accepted Answer

Anything about your store that WooCommerce tracks. Examples: "What was my net revenue this month compared to last month?", "Show me my top 10 best-selling products", "Which customers spent the most this quarter?", "How many orders are pending payment right now?", "Which coupons generated the most revenue?", "What's my average order value this week?", "Which products haven't sold in 30 days?", "Show me all orders from Germany this week", "How many refunds were processed this month?" Shadow understands follow-up questions too - ask "Now filter that by country" or "Show me more detail about that" and it remembers the context.

Question 5

How is Shadow different from WooCommerce's built-in reports?

Accepted Answer

WooCommerce reports are static - they show you predefined charts for predefined date ranges. You can't ask a follow-up. You can't combine metrics. You can't drill down on a hunch. Shadow is conversational - every answer can lead to another question, every result can be filtered or refined. It also covers data that WooCommerce reports don't surface at all, like cross-plugin insights, profitability calculations (with COGS plugins), and affiliate commission breakdowns.

Question 6

Is Project: Shadow available right now?

Accepted Answer

Shadow is currently in private beta. We're onboarding stores progressively to ensure quality and performance. Join the waitlist to get early access - beta members receive 50 free credits and get to shape the product before public launch.

Question 7

What languages does Shadow support?

Accepted Answer

Shadow's WooBrain engine understands and responds in multiple languages - English, German, and Greek are fully supported, with broader multilingual capability built in. Ask your question in the language you work in and Shadow responds in kind. No configuration required.

Question 8

Does Shadow work for stores of any size?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Shadow works for stores with hundreds of orders and stores with hundreds of thousands. The WooBrain query engine is optimized for performance regardless of catalog or order volume. Small stores benefit from instant answers without needing a developer. Large stores benefit from cross-table analysis that would otherwise require custom reporting tools.

Question 9

How does Shadow connect to my store?

Accepted Answer

You install the Project: Shadow WordPress plugin, enter your API key from app.projectshadow.ai, and the setup wizard auto-generates secure WooCommerce REST API keys. Shadow uses these keys to query your store's data in real time. The whole setup takes under five minutes - no server configuration, no database access required.

Question 10

Do I need technical knowledge to use it?

Accepted Answer

No. If you can install a WordPress plugin and copy-paste an API key, you can set up Shadow. The setup wizard walks you through every step. After that, using Shadow is just typing questions in plain language - no SQL, no formulas, no dashboards.

Question 11

Which WordPress and WooCommerce versions are supported?

Accepted Answer

Shadow requires WordPress 5.8 or higher and WooCommerce 7.0 or higher. PHP 7.4 minimum, with PHP 8.1+ recommended. It works with any WordPress theme, both Classic and Block (Gutenberg) editors, and all major hosting environments including shared hosting, VPS, and dedicated servers.

Question 12

Does Shadow support HPOS (High-Performance Order Storage)?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Shadow supports both WooCommerce HPOS (the modern, recommended storage engine) and the traditional legacy post-based storage. You select your storage mode in the plugin settings and Shadow automatically adapts its queries to match your store's architecture.

Question 13

Will Shadow slow down my WordPress site?

Accepted Answer

No. The WordPress plugin is lightweight - it doesn't add front-end scripts or slow down your store pages. All AI processing happens through Shadow's API layer, which communicates with your WooCommerce database via secure REST API calls. The plugin itself has no performance impact on your store's page load times.

Question 14

Does it work with my existing plugins?

Accepted Answer

Yes - and it gets smarter the more plugins you have. Shadow's Plugin Intelligence system automatically detects your installed plugins and unlocks additional AI capabilities for each recognized one. Over 200 plugins are supported across categories including subscriptions, affiliate marketing, SEO, cost of goods, analytics, shipping, inventory, and compliance. When you add a new plugin, Shadow's capabilities expand automatically - no configuration needed.

Question 15

What is the Plugin Intelligence feature?

Accepted Answer

It's Shadow's automatic capability detection system. You click "Index Plugins" once in your settings. Shadow scans your WordPress site, identifies your installed plugins, and expands what it can query accordingly. For example, if you have a COGS plugin installed, Shadow gains the ability to calculate profit margins. If you have a subscription plugin, it can analyze churn and recurring revenue. These capabilities grow as more plugins are added to Shadow's knowledge base - and every site benefits automatically, without a plugin update on your end.

Question 16

Can Shadow take actions in my store - not just answer questions?

Accepted Answer

Yes. WooBrain Actions lets Shadow create draft orders, add products, update prices and stock, modify product metadata, and generate posts and pages - all through conversation. Every write action follows strict safety rules: Shadow shows you a full preview before saving anything, all created content is saved as draft (never published directly), orders created by Shadow use a special "AI-Generated" status so they don't trigger customer emails, and every action is logged in a full audit trail.

Question 17

What is Shadow Writer?

Accepted Answer

Shadow Writer is an AI content generation tool built into Shadow. It generates product descriptions, blog posts, landing pages, email copy, and category descriptions using your actual store data and any materials you upload (PDFs, Word documents, images). It auto-detects and fills your SEO plugin fields (Yoast, Rank Math, All in One SEO), writes in any language you choose, and lets you iterate through conversation - "make it shorter," "change the tone," "add more detail about the materials."

Question 18

What is Mirage?

Accepted Answer

Mirage is Shadow's image generation engine. Describe what you want and Mirage creates it - product photos, blog headers, marketing visuals, social media assets. Six specialized models are available, from the fast and affordable Mirage Flux Fast to the premium-quality Mirage Ultra. All images go directly to your WordPress media library with no watermarks.

Question 19

What is the Chatbot addon?

Accepted Answer

The Chatbot addon adds an intelligent support widget to your customer-facing storefront. It queries your live WooCommerce data - products, categories, prices, stock - in real time. You can also upload documents (PDF, Word, text files) to a Knowledge Base for extra context like policies, FAQs, or product guides. Appearance, position, colors, and greeting message are all customizable from your WordPress admin.

Question 20

What is the AI Code Assistant?

Accepted Answer

The AI Code Assistant (powered by Cipher) generates custom code snippets through natural language — PHP functions, shortcodes, CSS, JavaScript, and WordPress hooks/filters. It requires WPCode (free plugin) to safely manage snippets. Code is always created as inactive — you review and activate it. WPCode's safe mode auto-deactivates any snippet that causes errors. Monthly subscription at €19.99, uses credits from your main balance. If you cancel, all existing snippets remain active.

Question 21

Is AI-generated code safe?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every snippet goes through multiple safety layers: you see a full code preview before anything is created, snippets are always created as inactive in WPCode so you must manually review and activate them, and WPCode's built-in safe mode automatically deactivates any snippet that causes a fatal error on your site. The plugin never executes code directly — WPCode handles all execution.

Question 22

How does Shadow handle multiple sites?

Accepted Answer

Each WordPress site connects to Shadow independently via its own API key. You manage all connected sites, usage, and billing from your account at app.projectshadow.ai. Agency and Enterprise plans are designed for multi-site management. Each site has its own credit allocation and usage reporting.

Question 23

What are WooBrain models?

Accepted Answer

WooBrain is Shadow's proprietary AI layer - a family of models each optimized for different task types: Whisper & Flicker (Light) for ultra-fast responses on simple lookups and counts. Phantom & Specter (Medium) for balanced performance on analysis, comparisons, and content generation. Overlord (Heavy) for maximum depth on complex cross-table analysis and trend detection. Mirage family for dedicated image generation. Shadow automatically selects the right model for each query. You never configure this manually - and you never pay for a heavy model when a light one is sufficient.

Question 24

How does the credit system work?

Accepted Answer

Credits are the universal currency for all Shadow features. Every query, content generation, image creation, and chatbot interaction uses a small number of credits. Simple queries (quick counts, status checks) use minimal credits. Complex multi-metric analysis and content generation use more. You always see exactly how many credits an action used after it runs. Your credit balance is visible at all times in the Shadow side panel and your dashboard.

Question 25

What plans are available?

Accepted Answer

Shadow offers three tiers: Free Demo - 50 credits, no credit card required. Use Shadow with your real store to see what it can do. PRO - €49.95/month, 1,850 credits/month. For growing stores that need deeper analytics, content generation, and full platform access. Enterprise - €149/month, 5,500 credits/month. For agencies and high-volume stores requiring maximum credits and priority support. Full plan details are available on the Pricing page.

Question 26

Is there a free plan?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Free Demo gives you 50 real credits - not a sandbox, not a demo environment. You connect your actual WooCommerce store and use Shadow with live data. No credit card required. It's designed to let you experience Shadow on your real business before committing to a paid plan.

Question 27

Do unused credits roll over?

Accepted Answer

Credits never expire. All credit packs are one-time purchases - buy once, use at your own pace. When your balance runs low, simply buy another pack.

Question 28

Can I upgrade or downgrade my plan?

Accepted Answer

Credit packs are one-time purchases, so there are no plans to upgrade or downgrade. Simply buy the pack that fits your needs. Need more credits later? Buy another pack anytime.

Question 29

Can I cancel anytime?

Accepted Answer

There is nothing to cancel. All credit packs and addons are one-time purchases - no subscriptions, no recurring charges. You only pay when you choose to buy more credits.

Question 30

What payment methods do you accept?

Accepted Answer

All major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express). Additional payment options for Enterprise plans - contact us to discuss invoicing or bank transfer arrangements.

Question 31

Are there addons beyond the base plan?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Shadow Writer (advanced content generation) and the Chatbot Assistant (customer-facing widget) are available as one-time feature unlocks. Once activated, they use credits from your main balance - no separate pools, no recurring fees.

Question 32

Is there a discount for annual billing?

Accepted Answer

All packs are one-time purchases, so there are no annual vs monthly options. Larger packs give you a better cost-per-credit - the Enterprise pack offers the best value.

Question 33

Is my store data secure?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Shadow communicates with your WooCommerce store through encrypted HTTPS/TLS API calls. Your customer data is never copied to Shadow's servers - queries run against your store's own database and only the results are returned to Shadow's processing layer. API keys are stored securely and never exposed in frontend code or browser traffic.

Question 34

Does Shadow store my customer data?

Accepted Answer

No. Shadow does not store your customer data, order details, or personal information on its servers. It queries your WooCommerce database in real time and processes the response to generate your answer. The data stays in your store - Shadow only sees what it needs to answer each specific question.

Question 35

Is Shadow GDPR compliant?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Shadow is designed for GDPR compliance from the ground up. Your store data stays on your server. API communication is encrypted. You can request data access, export, or deletion at any time. Shadow does not share, sell, or use your store data for any purpose other than answering your queries.

Question 36

Who can access Shadow within my WordPress site?

Accepted Answer

Shadow uses WordPress role-based access control. Only users with WooCommerce management permissions can query store data or trigger write actions. System configuration is restricted to super-admin only. No anonymous access to store data is possible through Shadow.

Question 37

What happens when Shadow takes a write action - like creating an order or product?

Accepted Answer

Every write action is protected by multiple layers: Shadow shows you a full preview card before saving anything. You must explicitly confirm before the action runs. All created content (products, posts, pages) is saved as draft - nothing is published automatically. Orders created by Shadow use a special "AI-Generated" status and don't trigger customer emails until you manually activate them. Every action is logged with the user's identity, timestamp, and what was changed. Shadow never takes write actions autonomously - confirmation is always required.

Question 38

Is there an audit trail for AI actions?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every action Shadow takes - queries, write operations, content generation - is logged in a searchable audit trail from your WordPress admin. You can see who ran what, when, and what result was produced. This applies to all users on your site who have Shadow access.

Question 39

Can Shadow access my WordPress passwords or payment information?

Accepted Answer

No. Shadow connects to WooCommerce through the WooCommerce REST API using API keys - not WordPress login credentials. It has no access to user passwords, payment gateway credentials, or stored payment methods. The API keys Shadow uses are scoped specifically to WooCommerce data access.

Question 40

What happens if I uninstall the plugin?

Accepted Answer

Uninstalling the Shadow WordPress plugin immediately revokes its access to your store. The WooCommerce API keys generated during setup can be deleted from your WooCommerce settings. Your account at app.projectshadow.ai remains accessible independently. Any content Shadow created (products, posts, pages) remains in your WordPress site as drafts unless you manually delete them.

Question 41

What is Bulk Edit and how does it work?

Accepted Answer

Bulk Edit lets you update hundreds of products at once using natural language. Simply describe what you want (e.g., 'increase prices by 10% for all accessories') and Shadow shows a detailed preview with before/after values for every product. You review, confirm, and it applies the changes. Supports prices, sale prices, stock levels, categories, tags, and product status. All changes can be undone within 24 hours.

Question 42

Can I undo a bulk operation?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every bulk operation automatically creates a restore point. Within 24 hours, you can click 'Undo All Changes' to revert every product to its previous state. You can also view your rollback history from the bulk operations panel.

Question 43

How does bulk AI content generation work?

Accepted Answer

Bulk content generation creates unique, AI-written content for each product individually. You can generate product descriptions, short descriptions, or SEO metadata (titles and meta descriptions for Yoast SEO or Rank Math). The system processes products in small batches, shows progress in real-time, and estimates the credit cost upfront before you start.

Question 44

Does bulk editing work with variable products?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When you bulk edit variable products, Shadow automatically detects all variations. You see them in an expandable list with their attribute labels (e.g., Size: M, Color: Blue). You can include or exclude individual variations using checkboxes. Toggling the parent product checkbox also toggles all its variations.

Question 45

How much does bulk editing cost in credits?

Accepted Answer

The initial query to classify your request costs ~4-18 credits (standard WooBrain query). The actual bulk update itself (changing prices, stock, etc.) costs no additional credits - it's a local operation. For bulk AI content generation, each product costs ~3-5 credits depending on the operation type. The system shows an estimated total before you start.

Frequently Asked Questions