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The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is Anthropic’s standard for connecting Claude to external tools and data sources. This guide shows how to create an MCP server for your e-commerce store.

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What is MCP?

MCP allows Claude Desktop to:
  • Tools: Call your backend functions (search, add to cart, checkout)
  • Resources: Access live data feeds (product catalog, inventory)
  • Prompts: Use pre-defined conversation templates

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Quick Setup

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1. Install the Package

npm install @betterdata/commerce-gateway

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2. Create Your MCP Server

mcp-server.ts
import { MCPServer } from '@betterdata/commerce-gateway/mcp';
import { MyBackend } from './backend';

const server = new MCPServer({
  backends: {
    products: new MyBackend(),
    cart: new MyBackend(),
  },
  tools: [
    'search_products',
    'get_product_details', 
    'add_to_cart',
    'check_inventory',
    'get_recommendations',
    'create_order',
  ],
  resources: ['catalog'],
  prompts: ['shopping_assistant'],
  name: 'my-store',
  version: '1.0.0',
});

server.start();

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3. Configure Claude Desktop

Add to ~/.config/claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows): 
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "my-store": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/mcp-server.js"],
      "env": {
        "REDIS_URL": "redis://localhost:6379",
        "API_KEY": "your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

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4. Restart Claude Desktop

Close and reopen Claude Desktop. Your tools should now be available!

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Built-in Tools

The gateway includes 6 commerce tools out of the box:
ToolDescription
search_productsSearch product catalog with filters
get_product_detailsGet detailed product info by ID
add_to_cartAdd item to shopping cart
check_inventoryCheck stock availability
get_recommendationsGet product recommendations
create_orderCreate order from cart

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Example Conversation

1

User asks about products

“What wireless headphones do you have?”
Claude calls search_products with query “wireless headphones”
2

Claude shows results

“I found 3 wireless headphones:
  1. Premium Wireless Headphones - $299.99 ⭐ 4.8/5 Active noise cancellation, 30-hour battery
  2. Sport Earbuds - $149.99 ⭐ 4.6/5 Water resistant, 8-hour battery
Would you like details on any of these?”
3

User adds to cart

“Add the Premium headphones in black to my cart”
Claude calls add_to_cart with product ID and variant

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Troubleshooting

  1. Check that the path in claude_desktop_config.json is absolute
  2. Ensure the script runs without errors: node /path/to/mcp-server.js
  3. Restart Claude Desktop completely
Your backend might be throwing errors. Add logging to your terminal output and check there.