Live Chat

Live chat is real-time text support on the store, catching shopper questions while they’re still on the page.

What live chat is

Live chat is real-time text support on the store: a widget in the corner where shoppers ask and a person, or a bot handing off to one, answers while they browse.

Why live chat matters

Pre-purchase questions have a shelf life of minutes. Chat catches the doubt while the shopper is still on the page, where email support would answer after they’ve bought elsewhere.

The transcripts are also a running list of what the site fails to explain.

What stores use chat for

  • Pre-sale questions on fit, stock, and shipping
  • Order status and delivery queries
  • Guided product selection on complex catalogs
  • Rescuing stalled checkouts in the moment

Frequently asked questions

Bot or human first?

Bot for the repetitive layer, order status, shipping policy, with a fast, visible path to a human. A bot that traps people costs more goodwill than no chat.

Does chat need to be 24/7?

No, but the widget should be honest about hours and fall back to email cleanly. A dead chat that pretends to be live is the worst version.

Related terms

Checkout Optimization · Product Q&A · Customer Feedback