It is predicted that by 2027, chatbots will be the main source of customer service by approximately 25% of companies.

What is driving the chatbot revolution is – better customer service, cost savings, and multi-channel interactions at scale.

What is an Ecommerce chatbot?

1. Artificial intelligence (AI) driven chatbots that use natural language processing and conversational AI. This mimics human behaviour and speech patterns.
2. Rules-based chatbots that offer answers to predefined questions that a user may ask.
3. Hybrid chatbots that offer AI and rules-based conversations.

Most channels such as Instagram, Whatsapp, GoogleMyBusiness, and Facebook Messenger are platforms where most chatbots are able to be used to make sure that customers get the assistance they need and the best possible experience.

Chatbots will be able to:

• Answer FAQs
• Engage customers
• Automate sales
• Offer post-sale support
• Gather data and feedback

How could I use a chatbot for an Ecommerce website?

Well, there are a few steps you need to take in order to understand what your customers want, and what your business needs – as different chatbots can offer different features that can benefit your business in different ways.

Make a list of what you need your chatbot for…

This means what could the chatbot do for your customers and for your business.

Go through the following list:

• Pre sales engagements, such as; sales promotions, product suggestions, prompts to add items to the cart, prompts to checkout, add-on suggestions
• Post-sales engagement; gathering feedback, asking for reviews, providing shipping update, providing products information and tips, suggesting complimentary items
• General support; always on support, suggested resources
• Simple or complex FAQ answers

Looking at your list, it will help guide you to getting the right chatbot that you need for your website.

Research

Researching the Ecommerce chatbots that are used for your industry will help give you some idea on where to start.

Look to websites like G2 Crowd, TrustRadius, Capterra, and Gartner to create a list of vendors to talk to. Schedule some calls, and begin creating a shortlist. Collaborate with your ecommerce team to decide on the best solution.

Don’t forget these key considerations:

• In-house development and maintenance or plug and play
• Rules-based or AI
• Integration
• Data and analytics
• Sales hand off
• Upfront and ongoing costs

Check out this guide on Shopify chatbots

Shopify users can check out Hootsuite’s guide called How to Use a Shopify Chatbot to Make Sales Easier. This highlights the different ways chatbots improve Shopify ecommerce stores’ customer support. It talks about why Shopify users should install a chatbot. You’ll also learn do’s and don’ts for retailers.

Make sure to pick a chatbot that’s right

Pick a chatbot that is right for your business and your customers. The needs of you and your customers will help choose the right chatbot.

Look at queries that customers are searching for, ready through comments, online reviews and chat rooms – this will give you an idea on the type of information that your customers are searching for.

Speak to all members of your team to find out as many insights of your customers as you can, the more you know the better.

Use Google Analytics, heat maps, and any other tools that let you track website activity. This will help determine how and where to deploy your chatbot.

Layer these findings on top of your business needs and pain points. By doing so, you’ll get a good idea of what features you and your customers need from a chatbot.

Install your Ecommerce chatbot

Once you’ve chosen your ecommerce platform, it’s time to install it to your web properties.

Step 1: Add the chatbot code to your website – do this through HTML or Google Tag Manager

Step 2: Set up your business hours and timezone.

Also edit your welcome and absence message to match your brand’s voice and tone. This will ensure that users are aware of the days and times when a live agent is, and isn’t, available.

Step 3: Make sure it is all up and running by testing it out!

1. Set up chatbot analytics, this will vary depending on the platform.
2. Track user engagement and behaviour

Keep an eye on the engagement, sales funnel impact, and customer satisfaction – make sure you and your team track it.

Make sure to use these insights to make any changes that are needed to improve the websites structure, flow and overall experience – adjust the chatbot settings if insights are proving that changes are needed.

For any questions, don’t hesitate to get in contact with us!