Chatbot

A chatbot is automated conversation on the store, answering common questions and routing to humans when needed.

What a chatbot is

A chatbot is automated conversation on the store: a widget or messaging integration that answers questions, looks up orders, and routes to a human when needed, without staffing every minute.

Modern versions run on language models; older ones follow scripted decision trees.

Why chatbots matter

Most support questions repeat: where’s my order, what’s the return policy, does it fit. A bot answers those instantly at any hour, keeping human agents for the conversations that need judgment.

What store chatbots handle well

Order status and tracking lookups
Policy questions: shipping, returns, payments
Guided product finding on defined catalogs
Collecting context before a human handoff

Frequently asked questions

What makes shoppers hate a chatbot?

No path to a human, confident wrong answers, and looping menus. A bot that admits its limits and hands off fast keeps goodwill; one that traps people burns it.

Chatbot or live chat?

Both, layered: the bot takes the repetitive volume instantly, live agents take what’s left. The order matters less than the escape hatch between them.

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