Help

Shelfie turns photos of your store shelves into AI-generated reports that flag what's running low and suggest what to reorder.

Setup

Shelfie needs an API key from one AI provider to analyze your photos. Pick whichever is easier for you — Gemini is free for small use; OpenAI is paid.

What's an API key?

Think of it as a password that lets Shelfie ask an AI service (Google or OpenAI) to look at your photos on your behalf. You get one from that service's website and only need to enter it here once — Shelfie remembers it for next time.

Who pays for the AI calls?

You do. The API key is tied to your billing account with the provider. Every time Shelfie analyzes a report, that provider charges you directly — usually just pennies per photo, but it adds up with lots of images. Gemini offers a small free tier; OpenAI requires you to add credit before you can use it. Shelfie never sees or touches any money.

Option A — Google Gemini (free tier)

  1. Open aistudio.google.com/apikey and sign in with your Google account.
  2. Click Create API key.
  3. Copy the key that appears (it starts with AIza…).
  4. In Shelfie, open the gear menu ⚙️ in the top-right, pick a Gemini model, and paste the key when the pop-up asks for it.

More from Google: ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs

Option B — OpenAI (paid)

  1. Open platform.openai.com/api-keys and sign in or create an account.
  2. OpenAI won't let you use the API until you add credit. Go to Billing and add $5–$10.
  3. Back on the API Keys page, click Create new secret key, give it a name like Shelfie, and click Create.
  4. Copy the key (it starts with sk-…). You only see it once, so copy it before you close the window.
  5. In Shelfie, open the gear menu ⚙️, pick an OpenAI model, and paste the key when the pop-up asks for it.

More from OpenAI: platform.openai.com/docs

Usage

1. Tell Shelfie about your business

Type one short sentence in the top field, like "small organic grocery store" or "corner convenience store in a tourist area". This helps the AI tailor its recommendations. Shelfie remembers it for next time.

2. Take and upload photos of your shelves

Use your phone or camera. Straight-on, well-lit shots work best. Try to make price tags and product labels readable. You can add one photo or many — click the + tile to add more.

3. Click Shelfetronerize

The AI looks at each photo one at a time and then combines everything into a single report. This usually takes a minute or two. A fun status line keeps you company while it works.

4. Read your report

Your finished report shows up in Past reports. Click any row to expand it. Inside you'll find:

Privacy

When you click Shelfetronerize, your photos are sent to the AI provider you picked (Google or OpenAI) for analysis. The photos themselves are not kept — Shelfie only holds onto them long enough to get your report back, then discards them.

Your reports (the summary, recommendations, and CSV files) and your API key are saved on the Shelfie server, tied to your email. That's how you can sign in from any browser and still see your past reports. Nothing is stored in the cloud beyond Shelfie's own server.

API key needed

Enter your OpenAI API key to use this model. It's saved to your account so you only need to do this once.

Past reports