Think of your experience every time you use an e-commerce platform. You have a question that you would like a quick response to. But, it can take hours or days before anyone gets back to you. So, your Shopify Store Needs Chatbots.

If it was a pressing issue, you start to experience a level of frustration. It feels like the company does not care about you as a customer. A typical response for many people would be to move on to the competitors.  

Now, look at it from a business owner's perspective. Every time a customer has a bad experience, you lose them. 

Chatbot technology has been a game-changer in customer management. Installing the technology on your Shopify store has many benefits. We will show you which ones in our article below. 

But first, let’s start with a basic understanding of chatbots. 

Chatbots For Shopify; What Are They

A chatbot is a program or software that can simulate human conversation. The interaction can take place through text or voice. 

When looking for chatbots for Shopify, you will find different types. These are the most basic that you need to program with preset answers. They are excellent for handling questions that customers frequently ask. But, they do not have the ability to go outside the script. 

The more advanced AI chatbots have technologies that give them human-like abilities. Technologies like natural language processing and machine learning make them smarter. 

The AI bots learn human behavior through observation. They will, for example, look at a customer's shopping habits. They can then make product recommendations based on such insights.

And that's not all, when handling customer queries, they can modify responses depending on the question. 

Chatbot technology is fascinating, and a big boost for eCommerce platforms. You will see why below.  

Why Investing In Chatbots for Your Shopify Store Is A Good Idea?

 Let us look at some advantages of having chatbots in your Shopify store.

1. Chatbots for Shopify Store Provide Excellent 24/7 Customer Service 

Customer service is a major challenge for most business owners, whether offline or online. Hiring full-time staff can be expensive. 

And, human agents come with a host of issues that could impact service delivery. You have probably been a recipient of one who was having a bad day. 

With chatbots, you don't have to deal with such challenges. The only thing you need to do is program the machine with the right instructions. 

After that, it picks up and handles customers, without needing human intervention. They do not get sick, require time off for whatever reason, or go to sleep. 

Shoppers have access to support 24/7. That means you can service your customers from all over the world without worrying about time differentials.  

2. Chatbots Assist Shoppers

Shopify introduced the chatbots Shopify Chat in August 2019. The aim was to give business owners an avenue to have real-time conversations with customers. And that's not all, Shoppers were able to get assistance, thus improving the overall experience.

The technology can also provide answers to questions about products. Shoppers get updates on their orders, recommendations, and access to discount codes. The bots can handle simultaneous conversations. It is unlike a human agent who can only speak to one person at a time. 

Providing a seamless experience on the e-commerce platform will have customers coming back. For the business, it means an increase in the number of sales. 

 3. Chatbots Can Sway Purchasing Decision

What is the one thing you find you do not like about salespeople? For most, it is the fact that they can be pushy. This is understandable because they do have to meet their targets. But the approach does not always work out in their favor. 

Conversational marketing through chatbot technology can sway purchasing decisions. First, it is an interaction, which means dialogue. The second is that the conversations are friendly. 

The reality is many people do not even realize that they are chatting with bots. It makes shoppers feel comfortable and more receptive to the purchasing process. 

And, it gets better due to the personalization that comes from product recommendations. The Shopify chatbots collect data, analyze it, and generate useful insights specific to each shopper. Targeting, retargeting, upselling and cross-selling become easy with such information.

4. Reduce Abandoned Carts with Chatbots 

Not everyone who visits your e-commerce platform will leave with an item. 69.8% of shoppers will abandon their carts for various reasons. 49% will do so because of high shipping costs.

A complicated checkout process accounts for 18%. Other reasons include slow delivery, account creation requirements, and crushing websites. But, it does not mean that you need to let such potential customers go. 

Sometimes, all they need is a little attention or nudge to return and complete the purchase. You can schedule the Shopify bot to send out cart reminders. It is a more effective way of communicating than using emails. 

You may have hundreds of unopened emails sitting in your inbox right now. But, an instant message or notification is likely to get your immediate attention. 

Lack of information is also another factor that can make a customer leave without completing their checkout process. A chatbot provides an effective way to give critical information whenever they need it.  

Finally, some people will have items in the cart simply because they are browsing. At this point, they have not made a final decision on whether to buy or not. They may even start the checkout to see what the costs they may incur. 

Using chatbots to interact with such customers can result in conversions. Not only do they provide information that the customer may need. Use the opportunity to throw in any special offers to reel in the customer.  

Final thoughts 

Consider it an investment to have a chatbot for your Shopify store. We have looked at some advantages of the technology. They provide a fantastic way to keep your customers happy through excellent service 24/7. 

Chatbots are virtual shopping assistants and can give product recommendations. They can sway purchasing decisions and help reduce the number of abandoned carts. 

There is a lot to know about chatbots, so take the time to do a little more research. Finally, when looking for one, determine your business needs to help you choose the right chatbot for your Shopify store.

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