# Our approach to AI Source: https://docs.supercycle.com/ai/approach How Supercycle thinks about and implements AI across the platform Circular is complex. Every merchant has different relationship with how circular fits into their operation. We want to keep you at the edge of what is possible with AI, with a network of elegantly embedded partners and open integrations that give you the best possible foundation for the workflows and tools *you* want to build. *** ## What we believe **AI should meet merchants where they work** Most merchants already have a preferred AI assistant, an internal dashboard, or an automation stack they rely on. We don't want to compete with those tools, we want Supercycle to work seamlessly inside them. That means exposing our data and actions through open standards. **Answers should arrive at the point of decision** Whether you're configuring a rental plan, reviewing a trade-in, or assessing a secondhand listing, the moment you need information is when you're looking at the thing itself. We're building towards AI that surfaces the right insight, inline, exactly when it matters. **We'd rather partner than pretend** There are companies with years of data on secondhand pricing, product authentication, and condition grading. We're not going to build that from scratch. Instead, we're building a network of elegantly embedded partners, specialist providers whose intelligence surfaces directly inside Supercycle at the point of decision, so you get better answers than we could ever provide alone. You can either waterfall or compare and automate data from multiple providers. *** ## How it works in practice ### Build your own tools on top of Supercycle If you or your team want to build custom dashboards, internal tools, or automated workflows on top of Supercycle data, the **[Builders MCP](/ai/builders-mcp/overview)** is your starting point. Powered by the [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io), it gives AI coding tools like Claude, Cursor, and Windsurf direct, structured access to Supercycle's documentation. This means you can describe what you want to build in natural language, a Retool dashboard showing cycle performance by SKU, a Lovable app for your warehouse team, a custom automation in Make or Zapier and your AI tool will understand Supercycle's data model well enough to help you build it accurately. Learn more about [AI for Building](/ai/building/overview). *** ### Access and automate Supercycle actions from your AI of choice The **[Operators MCP](/ai/operators-mcp/overview)** lets you connect Supercycle to your preferred AI assistant, Claude, ChatGPT, or any MCP-compatible client and interact with your live customer data directly. Ask questions, trigger actions, and automate workflows without leaving your AI chat: * *"Show me all cycles that are overdue for return this week"* * *"What's the average cycle duration for our camera lens listings?"* * *"Flag all trade-ins received in the last 7 days that haven't been graded"* This is particularly useful for operators managing Supercycle day-to-day, or for teams building lightweight internal automations without a full development cycle. Learn more about [AI for Operations](/ai/operations/overview). *** ### Instant answers while you're setting up We know that the most common moment someone needs help is the moment they're trying to configure something. That's why we've built AI directly into our documentation. You can also use the Builders MCP to access our documentaiton from your preferred AI assistant. Rather than opening a chat tab, switching to support, or searching through guides, you can ask a question right where you're reading and get an answer immediately, grounded in Supercycle's actual documentation. Learn more about [AI for Support](/ai/support/overview). *** ### Enrichment partners to bring third-party industry specific intelligence inline Some of the most valuable questions in circular commerce aren't answerable from your own data alone. * *Is this product authentic?* * *What's the current secondhand market value of this item?* * *Does this condition match the description provided?* We're building a network of **enrichment partners**, specialist AI providers with deep data in authentication, secondhand pricing, and condition grading, who surface their insights directly inside Supercycle, at the point where a decision is being made. *** ### Shopify Sidekick We're integrating with [**Shopify Sidekick**](https://www.shopify.com/sidekick) rather than building our own in-app AI chat experience. Sidekick already lives inside Shopify admin, which is where your team spends most of their time. It makes more sense for Supercycle to be a capable, well-integrated part of that experience than to ask you to context-switch into a separate chat. As the Sidekick integration matures, you'll be able to ask Sidekick questions that draw on your Supercycle circular commerce data alongside the rest of your Shopify store. Learn more about [Shopify Sidekick](/ai/sidekick/shopify-sidekick). *** ## What we're not doing It's worth being explicit about the choices we've made: * **We're not building our own in-app AI chat.** Sidekick and MCP-connected tools do this better. * **We're not training models on your merchant data.** Enrichment partner insights come from their own specialist datasets, not yours. * **We're not adding AI features for the sake of it.** Every AI surface in Supercycle should make a real decision faster or a real workflow easier. * **We're not using AI to charge you more.** Our goal is to deliver the best possible solutions to help you drive circular revenue growth. We share in your success through our fractional revenue share — so we build to make you as successful as possible. # Builders MCP Source: https://docs.supercycle.com/ai/builders-mcp/overview Give your AI tools direct access to Supercycle's documentation and API reference The Builders MCP gives AI tools a search tool that queries Supercycle's documentation and API reference directly. Instead of searching the web, your AI assistant gets up-to-date, structured access to our docs while helping you build. ## How it works When you connect the Builders MCP, your AI tool can: * Search our documentation while generating a response, not just when you explicitly ask * Access up-to-date content, not cached web results * Understand Supercycle's data model, API endpoints, and platform concepts The MCP is read-only and requires no authentication — it serves the same public documentation available on this site. ## Getting started Connect the Builders MCP to your preferred AI tool by following the [setup guide](/ai/builders-mcp/setup). For ideas on what you can build, see [AI for Building](/ai/building/overview). # Setup Source: https://docs.supercycle.com/ai/builders-mcp/setup Connect the Builders MCP to your preferred AI client The Builders MCP server is available at: ``` https://docs.supercycle.com/mcp ``` Connect it to your preferred AI tool using the instructions below. ChatGPT supports MCP connections through its Connectors feature. In ChatGPT, go to **Settings** → **Connectors** → **Add custom connector**. * **Name:** `Supercycle Builders MCP` * **URL:** `https://docs.supercycle.com/mcp` When starting a new chat, select the attachments button (the plus icon) and choose the Supercycle Builders MCP connector. ChatGPT will now search Supercycle's documentation when relevant to your questions. Claude supports MCP connections through its Connectors feature. Navigate to the [Connectors](https://claude.ai/settings/connectors) page in your Claude settings. Select **Add custom connector** and enter: * **Name:** `Supercycle Builders MCP` * **URL:** `https://docs.supercycle.com/mcp` When using Claude, select the attachments button (the plus icon) and choose the Supercycle Builders MCP connector. Claude will now search Supercycle's documentation when relevant to your questions. Run the following command to add the Supercycle Builders MCP server to Claude Code: ```bash theme={null} claude mcp add --transport http supercycle-builders-mcp https://docs.supercycle.com/mcp ``` Verify the connection: ```bash theme={null} claude mcp list ``` Use Cmd + Shift + P (Ctrl + Shift + P on Windows) to open the command palette. Search for **Open MCP settings** and select **Add custom MCP**. Add the following to your `mcp.json`: ```json theme={null} { "mcpServers": { "Supercycle Builders MCP": { "url": "https://docs.supercycle.com/mcp" } } } ``` Create a `.vscode/mcp.json` file in your project and add: ```json theme={null} { "servers": { "Supercycle Builders MCP": { "type": "http", "url": "https://docs.supercycle.com/mcp" } } } ``` Open an existing agent or create a new one. On the **Configuration** tab, click **Add new tool** → **Connect to MCP Server**. Select **Add new resource** and enter: * **Name:** `Supercycle Builders MCP` * **Server URL:** `https://docs.supercycle.com/mcp` Your Retool agent can now search Supercycle's documentation when building apps, dashboards, and workflows. Go to **Settings** → **Connectors** → **Personal connectors**, then click **New MCP server**. * **Server name:** `Supercycle Builders MCP` * **Server URL:** `https://docs.supercycle.com/mcp` * **Authentication:** No authentication The Lovable agent can now search Supercycle's documentation when generating code, prototypes, and integrations. Any MCP-compatible client can connect using the server URL: ``` https://docs.supercycle.com/mcp ``` # Guidance for AI Source: https://docs.supercycle.com/ai/building/guidance-for-ai Instructions for AI agents working with the Supercycle Builders MCP This page is written for AI agents. If you're an AI assistant helping a developer build on Supercycle, follow these guidelines. You are helping a developer build on the Supercycle platform. Follow these rules: 1. Supercycle is the source of truth. Do not store or cache Supercycle data locally. Always read from and write to the Supercycle API. 2. Use the Admin API ([https://app.supercycle.com/api/v1](https://app.supercycle.com/api/v1)) for server-side operations: cycles, inventory, charges, products, customers. Use the Storefront API (via Shopify app proxy) for customer-facing experiences: availability, intents, storefronts. 3. Search the Supercycle documentation via the MCP before making assumptions about how something works. 4. The Admin API uses Bearer token authentication. Never hardcode API keys - use environment variables. 5. List endpoints use keyset pagination with a nextPage cursor. Always handle pagination. 6. Handle rate limits (429 responses) with backoff and retry logic. 7. When building internal tools, fetch data from the API on each load - do not sync to a local database. 8. When building automations, read current state from the API before acting - do not rely on stale data. 9. When building storefronts, use the Storefront API for availability checks and rental intents. 10. Do not scrape the Supercycle admin UI. Do not build your own rental logic. Do not assume Shopify metafields are the full picture - Supercycle stores its own data beyond metafields. ## Core principles ### Supercycle is the source of truth Supercycle manages rental cycles, subscriptions, memberships, resale, inventory, and charges. **Do not store or cache Supercycle data locally.** Always read from and write to the Supercycle API as your primary interaction model. * **Read live data** — Query the API for current state rather than relying on previously fetched data * **Write back to Supercycle** — When a workflow creates, updates, or acts on Supercycle resources, use the API to make those changes, not a local database or file * **Don't duplicate state** — Avoid building local copies of cycles, inventory, or customer data. Supercycle handles the lifecycle of these resources ### Use the right API for the task Supercycle has two APIs: * **[Admin API](/api-reference/admin/introduction)** — For server-side operations: reading and managing cycles, inventory, charges, products, and customers. Base URL: `https://app.supercycle.com/api/v1` * **[Storefront API](/api-reference/storefront/introduction)** — For customer-facing experiences: checking availability, creating rental intents, and building custom storefronts. Accessed via Shopify app proxy Use the Admin API for internal tools, dashboards, and automations. Use the Storefront API for anything customer-facing. ### Search the docs before guessing You have access to Supercycle's documentation through the MCP search tool. **Use it.** Before making assumptions about how something works, search the docs. This is especially important for: * Understanding which fields are required vs optional * Learning how rental methods (calendar, subscription, membership, resale) differ * Understanding Supercycle-specific concepts like cycles, allocation, and intents ## Working with the API ### Authentication The Admin API uses Bearer token authentication: ``` Authorization: Bearer [api_token] ``` API keys are generated by the merchant in their Supercycle admin settings. Never hardcode API keys — always use environment variables or secure configuration. ### Pagination List endpoints use keyset pagination with a `nextPage` cursor. Always handle pagination when building tools that list resources — don't assume all results fit in a single response. ### Rate limits The API enforces rate limits. If you receive a `429 Too Many Requests` response, back off and retry. Build retry logic into any automation or integration. ## Common patterns ### Building internal tools When building dashboards or admin tools (e.g. in Retool, Lovable, or custom apps): * Fetch data from the Admin API on each page load — don't sync to a local database * Use the API to perform actions (process returns, update cycles) — don't build a separate action queue * Display Supercycle data alongside Shopify data where useful, but let Supercycle remain the authority for circular commerce data ### Building automations When building workflows (e.g. in Make, Zapier, or custom scripts): * Trigger automations from Supercycle events where possible * Read current state from the API before taking action — don't rely on stale data from a previous step * Write results back to Supercycle via the API ### Building storefronts When building custom customer-facing experiences: * Use the Storefront API to check product availability and create rental intents * The intent endpoint returns form attributes needed to add items to the Shopify cart * Availability timelines return 12 months of day-by-day inventory data for date pickers ## What not to do * **Don't scrape the Supercycle admin UI** — Use the API * **Don't store cycle or inventory data in a local database** — Read from Supercycle * **Don't build your own rental logic** — Supercycle handles cycle management, allocation, charges, and returns * **Don't assume Shopify metafields are the full picture** — Supercycle stores its own data beyond what's exposed in Shopify metafields * **Don't skip error handling** — Always handle API errors, rate limits, and authentication failures gracefully # Overview Source: https://docs.supercycle.com/ai/building/overview Build custom tools, integrations, and workflows on the Supercycle API with AI assistance Connect the [Builders MCP](/ai/builders-mcp/overview) to your AI tool and start building on the Supercycle API. Describe what you want in natural language and your AI will use Supercycle's documentation to help you build it accurately. *** ## Applications Use platforms like [Retool](https://retool.com), [Lovable](https://lovable.dev), or custom code to build full applications that read and write Supercycle data through the [Admin API](/api-reference/admin/introduction). * **Operations dashboards** — Cycle performance by SKU, inventory utilization, revenue breakdowns * **Warehouse apps** — Scan-to-receive tools, pick lists, restocking workflows * **Customer portals** — Branded rental experiences, account management, self-service returns * **Admin tools** — Bulk operations, custom reporting, team-specific views *** ## Integrations and automations Connect Supercycle to your existing systems and automate workflows using the [Admin API](/api-reference/admin/introduction) and [Shopify Flow](/documentation/manage/automation/automation). * **System integrations** — Sync data with your ERP, WMS, or CRM via the Admin API * **Workflow automations** — Build triggers and actions in Make, Zapier, or custom scripts * **Notification systems** — Slack alerts for returns, email reminders for overdue cycles * **Data pipelines** — Export cycle, charge, and inventory data to your analytics stack *** ## Working with Shopify Supercycle is built on Shopify, so many projects will involve both platforms. When building, you may also need: * [Shopify Developer Documentation](https://shopify.dev/docs) — APIs, webhooks, themes, and app development * [Shopify Dev MCP](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/devmcp) — Give your AI tools access to Shopify's developer docs alongside Supercycle's * [Customer Account MCP](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/storefront-mcp/servers/customer-account) — Access customer account data and actions * [Storefront MCP](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/storefront-mcp/servers/storefront) — Access storefront data for building custom shopping experiences Connecting both MCPs gives your AI tool a complete picture of the Supercycle + Shopify stack. *** ## Key resources Server-side API for managing cycles, inventory, charges, products, and customers Customer-facing API for availability, intents, and custom storefronts Connect the MCP to your preferred AI coding tool Instructions for AI agents working with the Supercycle API # AI at Supercycle Source: https://docs.supercycle.com/ai/index Explore how AI enhances your circular commerce operations Supercycle integrates AI throughout the platform to help you support customers, manage operations, and build custom solutions. Read more about [our approach to AI](/ai/approach). Use our built-in documentation AI to get help with setup and usage. Manage your circular models from your preferred AI chat with the Operators MCP. Build custom portals and workflows on the Supercycle API with the Builders MCP. *** ## MCPs Connect your AI assistant to your live Supercycle data. Give AI coding tools access to Supercycle's documentation and API reference. ## Shopify Circular commerce AI, built into Shopify Sidekick via our native extension. # Overview Source: https://docs.supercycle.com/ai/operations/overview Manage your circular operations from your preferred AI chat with the Operators MCP The Operators MCP is currently in early access. [Request access](https://admin.shopify.com/apps/supercycle/settings/integrations) from integrations. The Operators MCP connects Supercycle to your preferred AI assistant, letting you review, audit, and take action on your circular operations without leaving your AI chat. Connect it to Claude, ChatGPT, or any MCP-compatible client and interact with your live Supercycle data using natural language. *** ## What you can do ### Review your operations Get summaries and insights across cycles, inventory, customers, and charges without opening the Supercycle admin. Give me a summary of today's operations. How many new orders came in, how many returns are expected, and are there any overdue cycles? Which items in our camera lens collection are currently available for rental? Show me their condition and last rental date. Show me the rental history for customer [emma@example.com](mailto:emma@example.com). How many cycles have they completed and are any currently active? What's our revenue breakdown across calendar, subscription, and membership methods this month? ### Audit workflows and compliance Spot issues before they become problems. Check charge statuses, fulfillment rates, and return processing. Show me all cycles where the return is overdue by more than 3 days. Include the customer email, product name, and how many days overdue. List all charges that have failed payment in the last 7 days. Which ones are in active dunning and which have exhausted retries? Are there any orders from more than 24 hours ago that haven't been fulfilled yet? Show me the details so I can prioritize. How many items across our inventory are in a damaged condition? Group them by product and show which ones are repairable vs unrepairable. ### Take action Execute operational tasks directly from your AI chat. Update cycles, manage returns, tag resources, and add comments. Mark cycle SC-1042 as packed and assign item #4012 to it. Create a return for customer [sarah@example.com](mailto:sarah@example.com) with rentals SC-1042 and SC-1043. Use collection as the return method. Return #2001 has been received. Mark all return lines as received. Find all cycles that are overdue for return by more than 5 days and tag them as "overdue-followup" so I can track them. Add a comment to cycle SC-1042: Customer called to request early return, approved by manager. *** ## Common workflows ### Morning operations check Start your day with a comprehensive overview of what needs attention. Good morning. Give me a rundown of: 1. Orders that need fulfilling today 2. Returns expected to arrive today 3. Any overdue cycles or failed payments that need attention 4. Current inventory utilization rate ### End-of-week audit Review the week's performance and flag anything that needs attention before the weekend. Run a weekly audit for me: 1. How many cycles were completed this week vs last week? 2. Are there any returns that have been "in progress" for more than 3 days? 3. What's our charge collection rate this week? 4. Flag any items that have been rented more than 10 times and might need condition review. ### Membership management Stay on top of membership operations, swaps, and billing. Show me all active memberships. For each, tell me how many items they currently have checked out vs their allowance, and when their next billing date is. *** ## Getting started The Operators MCP is currently in early access. [Request access](https://admin.shopify.com/apps/supercycle/settings/integrations) from [Integrations](https://admin.shopify.com/apps/supercycle/settings/integrations), then follow the setup guide to connect. See the [setup guide](/ai/operators-mcp/setup) for connection instructions. # Operators MCP Source: https://docs.supercycle.com/ai/operators-mcp/overview Use the Operators MCP to manage your circular models from your preferred AI chat The Operators MCP connects your preferred AI assistant directly to your Supercycle data. Query cycles, inventory, customers, returns, and charges using natural language — without leaving your AI chat.