Uh oh, did someone just leave an abandoned cart on your eCommerce website?
What if there was a tool that could communicate with the customer and solve their issues so they could go ahead and make the purchase?
Live chat apps can do that and much more.
Present-day retailers know that live chat apps can not only resolve customer queries but also recommend the right products and give a more personalized shopping experience.
Let’s discuss some of the best live chat apps for eCommerce and how they can help your retail business.
Best Live Chat Apps for eCommerce and Retail
- LiveChat – Best Overall Live Chat Software
- Shopify Inbox – Best for Shopify Users
- HubSpot – Best Live Chat Sofware for Large Companies
Importance of Live Chat in Enhancing Customer Service and Sales for Retail Businesses
We see almost all online retailers use live chat. What makes this feature so important in retail businesses?
Let’s begin with the fact that live chat enhances customer service. And when something improves customer service, it boosts sales as well.
Your customers get real-time support and there’s always a helping hand that attends to their concerns and inquiries. This increases customer satisfaction, and that’s what all retailers want.
While not every live chat app can do that, some apps guide the customer throughout their journey from selecting a product to making the payment and checking out.
They also reduce abandoned carts by noticing where the customer left off and what might have been the problem (for example, shipping queries or payment problems).
This doesn’t just reduce the chances of abandoned carts but also increases the possibility of repeat purchases.
Live chat is convenient and allows customers to communicate with the website without waiting time.
Brief Overview of the Criteria for Selecting the Best Live Chat Apps
There are legit too many live chat apps out there. I’m going to list some of the top ones here. These are the criteria I used for my list.
Ease of use and customer support
The live chat app should have a natural and intuitive interface that customers can easily use. I don’t want a chat app that makes customers confused. That just beats the entire purpose of using live chat in the first place.
Also, customer support of the chat provider is important. If the chat doesn’t work properly or there’s an issue, you want the team to support you.
Integration options
The live chat app I use should integrate with my other tools. For example, I use my ecommerce platform, CRM, invoicing solutions, and some other tools.
If the chat app doesn’t integrate with these services, it will be pretty unusable for me.
So I’m going to list the apps here that integrate with all major retail applications such as ecommerce platforms and inventory management systems.
Advanced features
Does the live chat app have AI capabilities? Because that would give it an extra boost. What about analytics? That can significantly improve the service quality.
I’ll keep all these things in mind while compiling my list of the best live chat apps for eCommerce.
Overview of Top Live Chat Apps for Retail
I would say there’s no reason not to have live chat support for your eCommerce website, especially when your competitors have it. But why exactly do you need it? Let’s see.
Introduction to the significance of live chat apps in eCommerce success
When your customers visit your retail website, they might have some questions. A live chat app is something that will keep them engaged.
For example, a customer might wonder how long it takes for your products to ship to their location. Such questions need personalized responses.
A good live chat app will be able to resolve queries, provide assistance, and engage with customers. This enhances the overall customer experience and boosts sales.
And of course, it also forms long-term customer relationships that are important for any retail business.
The keyword here is personalized customer support. Today’s customers aren’t impressed by generic responses.
Generic is a turn-off. With a personalized approach, customers are satisfied that they got your attention and the right response. This builds trust and loyalty, leading to higher retention rates.
Live chat apps don’t just solve user queries, they do much more – offer product recommendations, track orders, suggest complementary products, and get feedback.
They also give insights into customer behavior and pain points.
An efficient chat app can analyze the transcript and understand what many customers find the most difficult on your website. This will help you improve your website and drive more sales.
But can they also streamline operations and reduce support costs for retailers? Most definitely. When repetitive tasks are automated, it’s easy to scale support operations while reducing overhead costs.
Why Retail and eCommerce Brands Should Use a Live Chat Software Solution
If you’re running a retail or eCommerce brand, you should consider integrating live chat into your customer service. And there are many good reasons for that.
Let’s start by discussing customer engagement. With live chat, your retail business can provide immediate assistance to a customer who’s lost or confused. If they are confused about your website, they’ll probably just bounce off. But if they get a prompt that addresses exactly what they’re looking for, they might decide to stay.
This instant help can enhance their overall customer experience as they get the answers they are looking for – and that too without waiting time.
And that’s not all. There will be several leads who will browse your website without the intention to purchase. If your live chat software can actively engage them, they can convert into customers.
A good chat app will top it off nicely with seamless communication across various channels. This means a customer can get support on mobile as well as desktop in a personalized way.
There are AI-based chat apps. But what if the chat isn’t able to solve the user query? AI isn’t 100% accurate, so the live chat should be able to send the inquiry to a real agent.
Your chat app should be able to save transcripts. With the transcript, you can identify trends, find out areas that need improvement, and ways to improve customer support. This will eventually be good for your business.
What are the Different Types of Live Chat Software for Retail Businesses?
Live chat software comes in all types of flavors. Let’s discuss the different types you can have for your retail eCommerce store.
Text-based customer support
This is the vanilla version of live chat. It’s the traditional chat support you’ve been seeing for all these years. It gives text-based support to customers in real time. It involves real agents talking to customers and solving their issues. While it has a high success rate, it involves long waiting times. Plus, agents might not be available 24/7.
Video live chat customer support
This gives the most personalized appeal. A real agent is on camera with customers and they can discuss things face-to-face. It’s ideal for demonstrations and consultations. It’s very effective, but also very time-consuming.
Chatbots
These are bots that are trained to answer the most common customer questions. In recent years, there’s been a rise in AI-drive chatbots. They are different than traditional chatbots as they learn with each interaction.
AI chatbots work on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and can give personalized responses based on customer queries. They are not 100% accurate but they don’t have waiting time and are always available.
What Are The Best Live Chat Apps for Ecommerce?
Now that we know what live chat apps are, let’s discuss the best ones here.
1. LiveChat – Best Overall Live Chat Software
I’ve tried several live chat apps for my websites, and many of them are amazing but I feel that LiveChat is the best. It comes with over 200 integrations, which means no matter which platform you’re using for eCommerce, CRM, invoicing, marketing, or any other retail purpose, it will work just fine. Some major features:
Customizable chat widget
Its chat widget is highly customizable. You can change its look and feel so it can align with your brand. I’ve added a human photo in my widget along with a name so it feels like the customer is talking to a real person.
Multilingual support
LiveChat can chat in multiple languages, giving your business an international edge.
Reporting and analytics
It offers next-level reporting with data summaries, chat reports (in CSV format), and even chat surveys. It reports everything – chat duration, missed chats, response time, etc.
Team management
It’s easy to manage your agents with LiveChat. You can divide them into teams and a customer will be sent to the right agent depending on their query. Want to send a question to the billing expert? The next one to a technical professional? No issue at all – it’s all easily managed.
And if a particular visitor sends spammy messages, I can block them for a specific period. It’s loaded with features, which is why it’s my favorite. Its prices start from $20/month.
2. Shopify Inbox – Best for Shopify Users
As a retailer, you must have heard of Shopify. You might even be using it. With Shopify Inbox, you can get customer support that can be set up right from your admin panel. It’s super convenient. And while it’s not as versatile as LiveChat, it’s good for retailers already using Shopify.
Shopify Inbox can see what customers have in their carts and talk to them accordingly. It can also give discount coupons on certain items to turn a one-time customer into a loyal one. Here are some cool features of Shopify Inbox.
Built-in solution for Shopify users
With Shopify Inbox, you don’t have to set up anything. If you’re already using Shopify, it’s automatically built in. You just have to turn it on and it will start working. It’s much easier than other platforms that need to be set up and integrated with other services.
Personalized responses
Since it’s built into Shopify, it can see the buying history of a user along with what they’ve placed in the cart. Reduce the chances of abandoned carts by giving your customers a special discount so they seal the deal.
Insights and analysis
All the insights and reports are available right in your Admin. It will show you the results of chats and how they are performing so you can tailor them accordingly.
The best part about Shopify Inbox? It’s totally free for Shopify users.
3. HubSpot – Best for Large Business
If you handle the marketing department of your retail website, HubSpot won’t be a new name for you. It’s a platform that streamlines marketing, sales, customer service, and content management.
It also offers customer service software that can help you build long-term relationships with your customers. It offers helpdesk automation, shared inbox, reporting tools, and other features. Here are some of the important features of HubSpot.
Comprehensive CRM integration
When you integrate your existing CRM with HubSpot, you can pass data between the two systems. This can lead to more personalized customer interactions and more accurate reporting. This gives a more unified approach and you can use customer data across various channels.
Custom chatbots
Connect with your website visitors in real time and get more sales. When you create a custom chatbot, you can create a chat flow that will lead customers to the right agent. HubSpot also offers chat automation that will give faster responses to some common questions. You can easily customize the chat widget to give it the feel of your brand.
There’s a Free Tools plan that will cost you nothing. It includes free marketing, sales, service, and CMS tools. The Start plan will cost you $15/month.
4. Gorgias
Gorgias is another helpdesk platform for retail businesses. It offers several amazing features such as live chat, omnichannel support, chatbots, and a ticketing system. It integrates seamlessly with eCommerce platforms such as Shopify and BigCommerce.
This enables all order history and product information to be available through the helpdesk. It can also offer personalized discounts and AI ticketing. Here are some of its features.
Specialized for retail eCommerce with CRM integration
Gorgias integrates with retail platforms such as Shopify and BigCommerce, which allows it to access the customer data, product information, and order history. So when a customer chats on your website, Gorgias can give personalized results, leading to higher customer satisfaction.
Marketing templates
Gorgias has templates for service emails. There are templates for Gmail, LinkedIn, and Outlook and Gorgias Templates is now known as Briskine. With Briskine, you can insert templates in the tools you use.
AI features
With AI-integrated technology, you can respond faster to your customers and give article recommendations to help them. It also helps in prioritizing tickets so urgent concerns can be handled quickly.
You can try Gorgias at only $10/month on the Starter pack. The most popular plan for retailers is the Pro plan for $300/month and there’s a free trial on that.
5. Re:Amaze
Re:Amaze is your all-inclusive customer service platform that offers live chat and helpdesk options. As a retailer, you can streamline your support processes with it. With Re:Amaze, you can centralize customer interactions from various platforms such as email, social media, live chat, and SMS on a single dashboard. Here are some of its main features.
Customizable chat experiences
Re:Amaze lets you tailor the chat experience to your retail brand. You can customize the widget color, font, and logo to align it with your brand. The chatbot itself can also be customized by feeding it answers to some commonly asked questions.
Integration with eCommerce platforms
It integrates with popular eCommerce platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce. This way, it can access customer data to give customers a more personalized interaction. It reads customer orders, history, and shipping behavior and responds accordingly.
AI-powered approach
With AI power, your customers can get instant replies, based on their queries. It’s based on the GPT model and uses natural language to understand user queries. It also lets retailers record their own responses to commonly asked questions.
You can try the Re:Amaze Basic plan for $29/month. Or start with their free trial and then choose your plan.
6. Intercom
Intercom engages your website visitors in real time and provides immediate support with personalized recommendations. As a retailer, you get one central workspace that connects your tickets, help center, and inbox.
It gives you an AI chatbot and you can feed it your support content. Based on that, it answers customer queries. And if there’s a problem too complex for the AI chatbot, it can be passed to one of your agents.
Let’s discuss its features.
Rich features for engagement
Intercom can create a powerful onboarding experience by announcing new offers when your customers are ready to take action. It lets you split-test the system to see which type of campaign gives the most results. With its rich engagement features, it creates a direct channel from customers to your products so they can order without any hindrance. Here are some of its features.
AI bots
Fin, the AI bot by Intercom, can resolve almost 50% of your support questions in an instant. Fin gets trained when you give it support content. Based on that, it solves customer issues by providing accurate and conversational answers.
Customizable widget
You can change the display characteristics of the chat widget. Give it the right color and font so it aligns with the overall look and feel of your brand.
You can get started with Intercom with its Essential plan which costs $39/month. There’s also an Advanced plan and you can get a free trial on both.
7. LiveAgent
Are you looking for a comprehensive helpdesk solution? Because LiveAgent will give you that. It’s easy to set up and offers 24/7 customer support. It’s an omnichannel platform, which means it works on multiple channels – email, calls, contact forms, chat, social media, and others. Plus, it integrates with other services like Salesforce, WordPress, Shopify, Mailchimp, etc.
Here are some of its features.
Social media integration
It’s easy to connect your social media channels with LiveAgent. You must have an online presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Connect all these accounts with LiveAgent – pretty much like Tidio.
Centralized ticketing system
Your customers can message you from any platform – Whatsapp, Messenger, or wherever. The messages received through all these channels come to one universal inbox and are transformed into tickets. You’ll be notified of comments and likes on your posts and the customer queries will be converted into tickets.
Call handling
LiveAgent comes with call center features including automatic callback, call detail records, call routing, call transfers, and IVR.
Analytics
You can see different types of reports with LiveAgent. For example, which channels do customers use the most to connect with your retail business, how do they rank your support agents, etc.
You can try LiveAgent for just $9/month. There’s also a special demo available upon request.
Choosing the Right Live Chat App for your Retail Business
Now that we have discussed the eight best live chat apps for eCommerce, it’s time to choose one for your retail business. I use Shopify Inbox for my Shopify websites and LiveChat for two other websites. But which one is the best for you?
It depends on several factors, like your budget, platform, and features you’re looking for.
Let’s discuss these options.
Cost
If you’re a small retailer, going for an over-the-top chat app won’t be a sensible decision. If you’re a Shopify user, it makes sense to use Shopify Inbox as it is free to use. Tidio has a free plan too. HubSpot also offers some tools for free. Next in line would be LiveAgent which costs $9/month/agent on the annual plan. A close third would be Gorgias which costs $10/month for 50 tickets.
Features
When you want something that’s got the best features, try LiveChat. It integrates with all big platforms and uses AI to speed up communication. It gives key insights that are easy to understand. Basically, it carries all the features that a retailer would want in their eCommerce chat widget.
Integration capabilities
All the live chat apps I have mentioned above integrate with all major platforms. However, if you want to know if a particular app integrates with your eCommerce platform, you’ll need to contact the customer support of that app.
User experience
This is the most important factor. There’s no point in having a live chat app if it doesn’t enhance the user experience for your customers. I feel that LiveChat and Tidio give the best user experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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What features are most important in a live chat app for eCommerce?
Some important features of a live chat app are customization and branding, automation and AI chatbots, multi-channel support, integrations, and reporting.
How can live chat software improve sales?
With live chat, your customers can get instant replies and product recommendations. They can also get a guide whenever they feel stuck. This improves customer experience and leads to higher chances of sales.
Are there free live chat apps suitable for small eCommerce businesses?
Shopify Inbox is a free chat app for Shopify users. If you’re a small retailer, Shopify Inbox should be enough for you. Tidio and HubSpot also have free plans. Apart from that, several live chat apps have free trials.
Conclusion
As a retailer, it makes business sense to have a live chat app on your eCommerce website, especially when your competitors already have that edge. This little widget will keep your customers engaged and increase the chances of a sale. Evaluate your needs and budget to find the right chat app for your business.
I discussed the top live chat including LiveChat, Shopify Inbox, Re:Amaze, Intercom, and Gorgias. All of them offer powerful features like multi-channel support, chatbots, customization, and analytics.
These apps also let you understand customer preferences. As a retailer, you can identify patterns and trends that will help you improve customer experience. The way I see it, there’s no reason for not using a live chat app, especially since some of them are free.
Remember, it’s all about understanding your customers' preferences. Even after finding the right chat app, you need to continually refine your live chat strategy. The right app can boost customer satisfaction and drive business growth.
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