Why Support Bots Can’t Keep Up: The Case for E-commerce Specific Chatbots

To succeed in today’s market, e-commerce businesses need to provide exceptional customer service and seamless shopping experiences across multiple channels. Businesses are addressing this shift by deploying chatbots to handle customer interactions. Gartner forecasts that by 2027, chatbots will become the primary customer service channel for a quarter of all businesses.

There are many chatbots on the market nowadays, all of them promising different features and ways to boost customer retention, but not all chatbots suit every business. Some chatbots are better suited for general customer service tasks, while others are specifically designed for e-commerce. If you want to get the most out of your chatbot, you need to choose one that is tailored to your specific needs. Support-based bots attached to popular helpdesks like Gorgias and Hubspot can be useful for streamlining general customer support,  such as answering FAQs, resolving issues, and collecting feedback. While these bots can be useful for some aspects of e-commerce, they are not optimized for the specific needs and goals of e-commerce businesses.

An e-commerce chatbot, on the other hand, not only aids in customer support but acts as a dedicated sales assistant. E-commerce chatbots are tailored to the e-commerce industry and equipped with functionalities that help e-commerce businesses increase conversions, reduce cart abandonment, boost customer loyalty, and grow their brand awareness.

Advantages of an E-Commerce Chatbot

Relevant product recommendations

One of the main challenges of e-commerce is to match the right products with the right customers. Customer support bots are often strictly focused on directing customers to company FAQs, missing out on a key sales opportunity.

E-commerce bots, on the other hand, use advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) to analyze customers’ queries, intents, and sentiments. They can direct customers to the right products or answer additional information about the product. Some, like Ochatbot, allow businesses to create pre-defined product upsells and cross-sells, leading to an overall increase in Average Order Value (AOV).

Reduce cart abandonment

Cart abandonment is a major problem for e-commerce businesses, with an average rate of 69.57%https://www.shopify.com/blog/ecommerce-chatbots. This means that more than two-thirds of online shoppers add items to their cart but leave without completing their purchase. There are many reasons why customers abandon their carts, such as high shipping costs, complicated checkout process, lack of payment options, or simply changing their mind.

E-commerce chatbots reduce cart abandonment by providing customers with the information, incentives, and reassurance they need to make a purchase. They can also offer instant answers to common questions, resolve issues, and provide social proof, such as reviews, ratings, or testimonials.

E-commerce chatbots also proactively engage with customers throughout their shopping journey thanks to AI pop-ups/page targeting. For instance, a chatbot can be made to pop open on a checkout page with an engagement question that asks if the shopper has any checkout questions. E-commerce chatbots can store a customer’s cookies and prompt them with reminders about the items in their cart.

Boost customer loyalty and retention with Round the Clock Service

Customer loyalty and retention are crucial for e-commerce businesses, as acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than retaining an existing one. Moreover, loyal customers tend to spend more, refer more, and provide more feedback than one-time buyers.

However, loyal customers cannot be made from a mediocre shopping experience. When shoppers encounter trouble, they expect timely assistance. A store where an agent is not available to live chat immediately has lost a customer. That’s why e-commerce businesses need to deploy chatbots so their business is manned 24/7. 

Not only is the chatbot available at all times, but it can also perform customer retaining tactics, such as offering discounts, loyalty points, or bonus gifts for people browsing the site.

Grow brand awareness and reputation

Using a chatbot as a set-it-and-forget-it tool is missing out on a key piece of marketing genius: brand voice. Over the years, we have seen several businesses employ unusual marketing tactics to capture the general public’s attention, to much success–Wendy’s Twitter account, Duolingo’s TikTok, and more. 

In the realm of chatbots, some companies have used them to achieve virality over the years. For instance, the mattress startup, Casper designed the perfect late-night friend in insomnobot-3000, a chatbot that stays up with you past company hours. 

A chatbot from a helpdesk will come with limited features, making it unlikely that you’ll be able to build a memorable experience on these simple rule-based bots.

E-commerce chatbots, on the other hand, often come with deep customization that will allow you to craft the perfect sales assistant brimming with your brand’s personality.

See also: 10 Steps to Design an AI Chatbot Personality that Connects

Implementing E-commerce Chatbots: A Strategic Approach

Implementing an e-commerce chatbot requires a strategic approach that aligns with your business objectives, enhances the customer experience, and drives sales. To ensure a successful deployment, here’s an actionable list of tips to guide you through the process:

1. Define Your Objectives

Before diving into the world of e-commerce chatbots, clearly define what you want to achieve. Are you looking to reduce cart abandonment, have the bot handle queries, provide 24/7 customer support, increase sales through product recommendations, or collect customer feedback? Setting clear objectives will guide your strategy and help you measure the success of your chatbot.

2. Understand Your Audience

Knowing your customer’s needs, preferences, and pain points is crucial. Gather insights through surveys, customer feedback, and shopping behavior analysis. This information will help you tailor your chatbot to address the specific needs of your audience, making interactions more engaging and effective.

3. Choose the Right Platform

Select a chatbot platform that integrates seamlessly with your existing e-commerce system. Consider factors such as ease of integration, compatibility with your e-commerce platform, and the ability to support your desired functionalities. A smooth integration ensures that your chatbot can access the necessary data to provide personalized customer interactions.

4. Focus on Customization

Opt for a chatbot solution that offers a high level of customization. A customizable chatbot can be tailored to reflect your brand’s voice and personality, creating a consistent and memorable customer experience. Customization also allows you to fine-tune responses and interactions based on customer feedback and evolving business needs.

5. Implement Generative AI and NLP Capabilities

To enhance the effectiveness of your e-commerce chatbot, leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP). These technologies enable your chatbot to understand and process natural language inputs, making interactions more human-like and intuitive. AI and NLP capabilities also allow for more accurate product recommendations and customer support.

6. Design a User-Friendly Interface

Ensure that your chatbot interface is intuitive and easy to navigate. A user-friendly chatbot encourages engagement and reduces frustration, leading to a more positive customer experience. Consider including quick-reply options, menus, and buttons to guide the conversation and make it easier for customers to find the information they need.

7. Plan for Scalability

As your business grows, your chatbot should be able to scale accordingly. Choose a chatbot solution that can handle increased volumes of interactions and adapt to new products, services, or business processes. If you’re using a generative AI chatbot, it should be able to ingest new blogs and product information. Planning for scalability ensures that your chatbot remains an effective tool for customer engagement and support over time.

8. Continuously Monitor and Optimize

After launching your e-commerce chatbot, continuously monitor its performance and customer interactions. Collect feedback, analyze chat logs, and track key performance indicators (KPIs) related to your objectives. Use these insights to optimize your chatbot’s responses, functionalities, and overall performance, ensuring it evolves to meet customer needs and business goals.

9. Educate Your Team

Ensure that your team is familiar with the capabilities and limitations of your e-commerce chatbot. Training your staff on how to manage the chatbot, interpret its data, and intervene when necessary is crucial for a harmonious integration of human and automated customer support.

10. Promote Your Chatbot

Lastly, promote your chatbot to your customers. Use your website, social media channels, and email marketing to inform customers about the chatbot and encourage them to use it. Highlighting its benefits, such as 24/7 availability and instant assistance, can increase adoption and engagement rates.

Conclusion

E-commerce chatbots are no longer a luxury but a necessity for businesses aiming to compete in the digital marketplace. By offering personalized, efficient, and engaging customer interactions, they play a pivotal role in enhancing the online shopping experience, boosting sales, and building customer loyalty.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes e-commerce chatbots different from general support chatbots?

E-commerce chatbots are specifically designed for online retail, equipped with features that support sales, such as personalized product recommendations, cart recovery prompts, and seamless integration with e-commerce platforms. In contrast, general support chatbots focus on customer service across various industries, handling FAQs and basic inquiries without specialized e-commerce functionalities.

How do e-commerce chatbots reduce cart abandonment?

E-commerce chatbots tackle cart abandonment by engaging customers in real-time, offering incentives, answering questions, and providing reassurances about payment security and shipping policies. They can also remind customers about items in their cart and offer discounts or free shipping to encourage completion of the purchase.

Can e-commerce chatbots really increase sales?

Yes, by providing personalized shopping experiences, product recommendations, and promotional offers, e-commerce chatbots can significantly increase sales. They guide customers through the buying process, suggesting products based on customer interests and behaviors, which can lead to higher average order values and conversion rates.

Are e-commerce chatbots expensive to implement?

The cost of implementing an e-commerce chatbot varies depending on the complexity of the bot, the platform chosen, and the level of customization required. Many platforms offer scalable pricing models, making it affordable for businesses of all sizes to adopt e-commerce chatbots.

Ochabot’s pricing plans start at $29/month for their scripted NLP and generative AI plans. 

How do e-commerce chatbots improve customer loyalty and retention?

E-commerce chatbots contribute to customer loyalty and retention by providing 24/7 support, personalized interactions, and exclusive offers. They enhance the customer experience by ensuring that shoppers receive timely assistance, feel valued, and have a smooth shopping journey, which encourages repeat business.

Can I integrate an e-commerce chatbot with my existing CRM and e-commerce platform?

Most e-commerce chatbots are designed to integrate seamlessly with popular CRM and e-commerce platforms. This integration allows for the synchronization of customer data, enabling more personalized and informed interactions, and streamlining the customer service process.