Quick Start: Your First AI Description in 5 Minutes

Time to complete: 5 minutes You'll learn: How to generate and apply an AI-powered product description from scratch

By the end of this guide, you'll have successfully created your first AI-generated product description and published it to your WooCommerce store. No technical knowledge required.

What You'll Accomplish

This 5-minute quickstart guides you through the complete workflow:

1. Connect to an AI provider (we recommend OpenRouter's free tier)
2. Generate an AI description for a product
3. Review the generated content
4. Apply it live to your WooCommerce store

Total time: 5 minutes | Difficulty: Beginner | Cost: Free to start

Step 1: Configure Your AI Provider

After installing the plugin, you need to connect an AI provider to generate content.

Choose Your Provider

Pick the provider that best fits your needs:

Get Your API Key

For OpenRouter (Free - Recommended for beginners):

1. Visit openrouter.ai ↗ in a new tab

2. Click Sign Up (or Sign In if you have an account)

3. Navigate to the API Keys section in your account dashboard

4. Click Create Key

5. Copy the API key (starts with sk-or-v1-)

Example format: sk-or-v1-abc123def456ghi789...

For OpenAI:

1. Visit platform.openai.com/api-keys ↗
2. Sign in or create an OpenAI account
3. Click Create new secret key
4. Name your key (e.g., "AI Product Tools")
5. Copy the key (starts with sk-)

For Gemini:

1. Visit aistudio.google.com/app/apikey ↗
2. Sign in with your Google account
3. Click Get API Key
4. Create or select a Google Cloud project
5. Copy the API key

Enter API Key in Plugin

1. Navigate to Products → AI Product Tools → Settings in WordPress admin

2. Select your AI provider from the dropdown

3. Paste your API key into the API Key field

4. Click Save Settings

5. Wait for validation confirmation (green checkmark appears)

Step 2: Generate Your First Description

Now that your AI provider is connected, let's generate content for a product.

Access the Product Editor

1. Navigate to Products → All Products in WordPress admin

2. Click Edit on any product

   • Choose a product that needs a description
   • Products with more information (title, categories, attributes) generate better results

3. Locate the "AI Product Tools" metabox in the right sidebar

   • If not visible, click Screen Options at the top
   • Enable the "AI Product Tools" checkbox

Generate Description

1. Click the Generate Description button in the metabox

2. Wait 3-10 seconds for AI to generate content

   • Progress indicator shows generation status
   • Generation time varies by provider and model

3. Review the generated description in the preview area

Step 3: Review and Apply

Before applying the generated content, review it for accuracy and quality.

Quality Check

Ask yourself:

• ✅ Does the description accurately describe the product?
• ✅ Is the tone appropriate for your brand?
• ✅ Are product details (specs, features) correct?
• ✅ Is the length suitable for your needs?

Apply to Product

1. Click the Apply Description button in the metabox

2. Verify the description appears in the product description editor

3. Click Update button to save the product

Complete End-to-End Example

Let's walk through a real-world scenario from start to finish.

Product Details:

• Name: Premium Leather Wallet
• Category: Accessories
• Tags: leather, wallet, mens
• Attributes: Material: Genuine Leather, Color: Black/Brown
• Existing description: Empty

What You Do (Step-by-Step)

1. Go to Products → Edit "Premium Leather Wallet"

2. Find AI Product Tools metabox in right sidebar

3. Click Generate Description button

4. Wait 5-8 seconds while AI analyzes product data

5. Read the generated description:

Discover the perfect blend of style and functionality with our Premium Leather
Wallet. Crafted from genuine leather, this wallet features multiple card slots,
a spacious bill compartment, and a sleek design that fits comfortably in your
pocket. Available in classic black and rich brown, it's ideal for the modern
man who values quality and craftsmanship. The durable construction ensures
years of reliable use while developing a beautiful patina over time.

6. Click Apply Description

7. Click Update to save the product

8. Visit your product page → Description is now live!

Total time: 4 minutes 45 seconds

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues during your first generation, try these solutions:

Issue: "Invalid API key" error

Symptoms:

• Error message appears after clicking Generate
• Red X icon next to API key field

Solution:

1. Verify you copied the complete API key (no extra spaces)
2. Check you selected the correct provider in Settings
3. For OpenAI: Ensure you have billing configured in your OpenAI account
4. For OpenRouter: Confirm your account is active
5. Re-enter the API key and click Save Settings

Related: API Provider Setup Guide | Troubleshooting API Errors

Issue: Generation takes longer than 30 seconds

Symptoms:

• Loading spinner continues indefinitely
• No error message appears

Solution:

1. Refresh the product edit page
2. Check your internet connection
3. Try a different AI model in Settings
4. For OpenRouter: Switch to a faster model (qwen/qwen3-8b:free)
5. Contact your hosting provider to ensure outbound API calls are allowed

Related: Troubleshooting Generation Failures

Issue: Metabox not visible

Symptoms:

• AI Product Tools metabox doesn't appear in product editor sidebar

Solution:

1. Click Screen Options at top-right of product edit screen
2. Enable "AI Product Tools" checkbox
3. Scroll down to find the metabox in sidebar
4. Verify plugin is activated (Plugins → Installed Plugins)

Related: Enhanced Metabox Documentation

What You've Learned

Congratulations! You now know how to:

• ✅ Configure an AI provider and validate API keys
• ✅ Generate AI-powered product descriptions
• ✅ Review and apply generated content
• ✅ Troubleshoot common setup issues

Next Steps

Now that you've generated your first description, explore these features:

Immediate Actions:

• Generate titles and tags - Complete your product content
• Customize prompts - Control writing style and tone
• Try bulk generation - Scale up to 10+ products at once

Advanced Features:

• Use custom variables - Include product specs automatically
• Set up automation jobs - Auto-generate for new products
• Compare AI models - Learn about OpenAI, Gemini, OpenRouter options

Related Topics

• Installation Guide - Full plugin installation instructions
• API Provider Setup - Detailed provider configuration
• Single Product Generation - Complete metabox guide
• Settings Configuration - Customize generation behavior
• Troubleshooting Guide - Common issues and solutions