Are you looking for ways to get more customers to buy from your online store? It can be frustrating to have customers like, click, or even buy your products, coupled with the fact that there are many options to choose from. Hence, it has become necessary to keep customers glued to your website while managing various aspects of the business. That's why you need ecommerce chatbots for customer support.
eCommerce chatbots are a great way to improve your customer support. They engage and interact with customers helping them out with their needs and shopping preferences. Let's just say it's more of a shopping assistant, which most people prefer nowadays. This also means less work for you, as some requests are handled automatically. Because of this, eCommerce chatbots are becoming popular. According to a recent report by Business Insider Intelligence, global spending in online retail through chatbots is expected to hit $142 billion by 2024.
The best AI chatbot platforms for ecommerce allow companies to build smart bots to handle common questions. These bots are more advanced than old-style FAQ bots and can even learn and get better over time. So, If you want to know more about ecommerce AI chatbots platforms, their benefits, how you can integrate them into your website, and the best ecommerce chatbots in 2024, then you'll have to keep on reading.
Benefits of Ecommerce Chatbots
There are several benefits of Chatbot in ecommerce. They include:
- 24/7 Customer Support
Chatbots give help to online shoppers all the time. They can answer questions from customers anytime. This is super useful for eCommerce businesses that have customers in different time zones around the world.
Having chatbots means there's always someone ready to help customers whenever they need it. This makes shopping easier for customers and makes their experience with your store even nicer. - Personalized Shopping Experiences
Chatbots can give you personalized shopping tips by looking at your data and learning what you like. They notice what you check out and buy on the website, then they use that to give you suggestions made just for you.
For instance, if you often check out sports shoes, the chatbot will show you new sports shoes or any deals related to them. This makes shopping more enjoyable and simpler for you because you see things that match what you're interested in. - Increased Sales and Lead Generation
Instead of just telling customers to fill out a form, AI chatbots for ecommerce can act like humans and chat naturally to answer questions while keeping track of customer information. They can track which pages a customer looked at if they left items in their online cart, what language they speak, where they're from, and what they like.
After these chats, the chatbots will send the information they gathered to marketing teams. These teams will study the information to learn about customers and figure out trends and behaviors to help them make ads targeting specific groups. And you know what these ads will do? It will definitely drive sales to the ecommerce website. - Cost efficiency and scalability
A conversational AI for ecommerce doesn't just help you sell more, it also saves you money. It's way cheaper to set up this kind of software than to hire and train customer service teams. Plus, lots of chatbot builders and templates are free
Also, when businesses use their ecommerce chatbot, they can handle many questions at once, which cuts down on costs. The chatbot can do lots of different jobs on its own, so the business can spend money on other important things. Invariably, building an ecommerce chatbot helps businesses grow their customer service as they grow, so they can always give good service no matter how many questions they get.
How Ecommerce Chatbots Work
Ever wondered how those shopping chatbots on eCommerce websites actually work? Well, these chatbots are powered by artificial intelligence which enables them to understand and respond to customer inquiries just like a real human would, but without the wait time.
So, how does it all come together? When you visit an online store and start chatting with a chatbot, it uses natural language processing (NLP) to understand what you're asking for. Then, it searches through a database of information to find the right answer to your query. It's kind of like having your personal shopping assistant at your fingertips.
But it doesn't stop there. These chatbots can also integrate with existing systems, like inventory management or order tracking software. This means they can pull up real-time information about product availability or delivery status.
And let's not forget about customer support. eCommerce AI chatbot platforms are becoming increasingly popular for providing quick and efficient customer service. They can handle everything from answering basic questions to troubleshooting common issues, all while providing a friendly and personalized experience for the customer.
Criteria for Choosing the Best Ecommerce Chatbot
If you want to choose an ecommerce chatbot for customer service, here are some key features you should consider:
- AI and Learning Capabilities
When picking a chatbot for your business, make sure to look into its AI skills. High-level AI chatbots are good at understanding and answering customer questions in a way that feels normal. They learn from every chat, getting better as time goes on. This learning feature helps them provide more accurate and personalized assistance to customers. - Integration with ecommerce platforms
Having a shopping chatbot that blends well with your eCommerce setup makes life easier for you and enhances the shopping experience for your customers. When picking a chatbot, ensure it smoothly integrates with your online store and other tools you rely on. This way, it can access necessary information like product details or order status.
Also, ensure the chatbot can use data from your software for consistent and accurate customer service. Most providers specify compatible platforms, and some even offer trial periods for testing compatibility.
- Customization options
Every business is different, so your chatbot should be adjustable to fit your specific requirements. You should always select an ecommerce chatbot that you can customize to match your brand's style and tone. Make sure you can adjust its appearance and language to blend with your business. It should reflect your brand's personality, whether it's laid-back or formal.
This consistency helps customers recognize your eCommerce company. It's also important that your chatbot can handle more and more interactions as your business gets bigger. - Security Features
Keeping customer information safe in online shopping is important for trust and credibility. When picking an online shopping chatbot, there are two things to check. First, make sure it's really good at security. Second, it needs to have high-level security features. This makes sure that customer info and payment details stay safe from people who shouldn't see them. When looking for ecommerce chatbots, check if they meet SOC 2 Type 2 compliance. This means the company behind the chatbot takes data safety, privacy, and keeping things secret seriously.
Review of the 7 Best Ecommerce Chatbots for 2024
If you're looking for the best ecommerce chatbots, then you can choose anyone from the following:
1. Bodt
Bodt is one of the best chatbots for ecommerce. It is a fast-growing tool that makes talking to customers easier for big online stores worldwide. With GPT-4 and special chat technology, it makes conversations feel real and keeps customers happy. You can make smart chatbots with it without knowing how to code.
Features
- It gives you a code to add your chatbot to your website.
- You can change how your chatbot looks to match your website.
- Understand and reply in different languages.
- Compatible with Shopify, WordPress, and all other platforms
Pros
- Runs on AI, NLP, and ML.
- Easy to use and cheap
- You don't need any tech knowledge to use it.
Cons
- It's still pretty new.
Pricing and Plans
You can subscribe for as low as $1 per month.
2. Tidio
Tidio is a smart chat assistant that combines AI and human help to assist customers. Specifically designed for online stores, it uses Lyro AI to make conversations sound more natural and human-like. This chatbot ecommerce platform does more than just answer questions and fix issues, it also follows visitors to your website. This allows you to offer personalized deals based on what they do and works well on Shopify.
Features
- Personalized greetings for new and returning visitors.
- Ready-made templates.
- Handles live chat, Messenger, WhatsApp, email, and Instagram conversations.
Pros
- Easy to install.
- Allows smooth transition from bot to human support.
- No need for coding skills with the visual builder.
Cons
- Doesn't handle math calculations.
- Templates might take some getting used to.
- Limited options for managing chats.
Pricing and Plans
Tidio has different pricing options. You can start with a free plan, but it has fewer features. If you want more, there are paid plans like:
- Starter - $29 monthly
- Automation - $29 monthly
- Lyro AI - $39 monthly
- Growth - $59 monthly
- Tidio + - $499 monthly
3. Zipchat
Zipchat is made for e-commerce businesses to make things easier. It's all about making operations smoother while keeping customers engaged. What sets Zipchat apart is its chat engine, which is completely powered by AI. This means it's always available, and it gives accurate responses all the time, no matter how many people are using it.
Features
- Fast setup process
- Uses advanced scraping technology
- Provides personalized responses designed to meet individual business needs
Pros
- Zipchat's AI assistant is available 24/7
- Ability to adapt to your business's unique knowledge base
- Prioritizes data security with top-notch protocols to safeguard your information.
Cons
- No mobile app for getting quick notifications when clients need help.
- Lack of common questions, like tracking orders or learning about new products.
Pricing and Plans
You can start with the basic plan for $49.00 per month. The pricing works on a subscription basis, meaning you pay monthly. Also, there's a free trial available, and you don't need to provide your credit card details to try it out.
4. Chatbot
Chatbot transforms how customers engage by responding faster, enhancing their experience, and reducing expenses without relying on platforms such as OpenAI, Google Bard, or Bing AI. Your online store can benefit from an in-house ecommerce chatbot platform that requires no coding, eliminates the need for third-party assistance, and delivers prompt and accurate responses. This chatbot also integrates into Shopify, showcasing products, and displaying order statuses
Features
- Prebuilt chatbot templates that allow brands to launch, customize, and reuse stories effortlessly.
- Matches your brand's style with just a few clicks, using the free chat widget.
- Ability to test your chatbot within the platform before making it live on your store with the in-platform testing tool.
Pros
- Simple Flow Designer
- Includes AI features like recognizing intentions, items, and a knowledge base
- Has a website tool and sends proactive messages
Cons
- Lacks a comprehensive view of all chat flows
- Unable to utilize marketing tools on Facebook”
Pricing and Plans
Has a 14-day free trial
5. Many Chat
Manychat is great for eCommerce businesses that want to connect with customers through SMS, Instagram, WhatsApp, or Facebook. You don't need to know how to code because you can just drag and drop to build your chatbot. This makes it easy for beginners and saves time for you to focus on growing your business. By using automation, you can gather information from your conversations to use in your marketing. Manychat also works with lots of other tools like Shopify, MailChimp, and HubSpot.
Features
- Allows broadcast messages.
- Link up with SMS and email, giving you more ways to reach out to your audience through different channels.
Pros
- Easy to make chatbots without coding.
- You can reach customers on platforms like WhatsApp.
- There's a free course to help you start.
Cons
- The analytics tools could be better.
- It can get expensive if you have a lot of customers.
Pricing and Plans Manychat has a free plan with some features. Meanwhile, the Pro plan costs $15 per month and includes unlimited contacts.
6. Chat Fuel
Chatfuel is a great AI chatbot for online store owners who want to help customers on different platforms. It claims to handle 98% of customer questions, saving you time and reducing repetitive queries. You can also set up ready-made answers for common questions.
Features
- Send messages automatically when certain things happen.
- Automatic replies for common questions.
- Schedule updates or new content to be posted by your chatbot.
Pros
- Support customers on social media and your website.
- Personalized to match your brand.
- Lots of advanced features and automation options.
Cons
- There are only two pricing plans, and they get more expensive as you go.
Pricing and Plans While there's no free option, their basic plan is $11.99 per month. However, if you need something more advanced, you'll have to go for their enterprise plan, which is $199 per month.
7. Botsify
Botsify is a tool that allows you to make chatbots for Facebook, your website, and WhatsApp. It's known for its voice capabilities and is mainly used for customer support.
Features
- Uses AI and machine learning
- Comes with pre-made templates
- Supports multiple languages
Pros
- Easy setup process
- Ability to translate chatbots
- Offers a 14-day free trial
Cons
- Requires coding for optimal integration experience
- Marketing features are limited to Facebook Messenger
Pricing and Plans
The basic plan costs $49 per month, while the professional plan costs $149 per month.
Implementing Ecommerce Chatbots on Your Website
If you want to incorporate an ecommerce chatbot into your website, here are the steps you should take:
- Decide What Your Chatbot Should Do
Before you start your AI platform for eCommerce you need to clearly decide what you want your chatbot to do. What tasks do you want it to handle? Is it helping with customer questions, tracking orders, or suggesting products? These are the questions you need to answer.
For instance, if you run an online clothing store, your chatbot could help customers find the right size, suggest outfit ideas, or offer styling tips based on what they like. By being clear about these tasks, you can be sure your chatbot is helpful and gives customers what they need.
- Pick the Right ecommerce Chatbot Platform
Choosing the right chatbot platform is necessary if you want your online store to thrive. You should consider how well it can handle lots of users, and how good it is at understanding what people say. When you're picking a chatbot system, you want to make sure it can handle lots of people using it at once, especially as your online shop gets busier.
It should also be able to work smoothly with your existing online store and other tools you use. Plus, it needs to be good at understanding what customers are asking, so they feel like they're talking to a real person. On the flip side, having features that let you see how people are interacting with your chatbot can help you make it better over time.
- Design Your Chatbot
When you're designing your chatbot, how it looks and feels is really important for making sure people like using it. It should fit with your brand and can be easily used by your customers. This involves things like colors, fonts, and pictures that will make it look nice and correspond with your brand message. Also, people should easily find what they're looking for without getting confused. Use simple words, give helpful hints, and organize everything in a way that people can use easily. - Test Your Chatbot
After you're done designing your chatbot interface, get skilled developers to handle the programming. They'll use coding languages to give your chatbot chatting abilities and connect it with your online store. Make sure it works well with your system and add extra features if needed.
When you're done with the programmers, you can go ahead and test your chatbot. You can try different prompts to see if it acts right and does what it's supposed to do. If you discover any errors, fix them before letting your customers use it. Meanwhile, feedback from your customers can help make it even better.
Future Trends in Ecommerce Chatbots
AI chatbot platforms for ecommerce are getting smarter by the day. They're not just programmed to respond to basic questions anymore. Soon, they'll be able to understand complex requests, know what you might need before you even ask, and provide personalized recommendations like your own personal shopper.
Imagine chatting with a bot that knows your style preferences, past purchases, and even your budget, and can suggest the perfect item just for you. That's where ecommerce chatbots are headed. But it's not just about helping you find the right pair of shoes or the perfect gift.
Chatbots are becoming increasingly important for sales too. Businesses are realizing that having a chatbot on their website can boost sales by engaging customers in real-time conversations, answering their questions instantly, and guiding them through the buying process. And with the rise of emerging technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), the shopping experience is about to get a whole lot more immersive.
Conclusion
Ecommerce chatbots for online stores are a big improvement in shopping online. They make the shopping experience better, easier and also increase sales. As technology keeps evolving, these chatbots keep getting better. There will be more options for conversational ecommerce chatbots. These will vary in features and prices.
Meanwhile, if you run an online store, Bodt is the best ecommerce chatbots for helping your customers. It gives awesome suggestions for products, helps people find what they're looking for, and does lots more to help your business grow. You can sign up and make chatbots for your store in under 10 minutes.
