Chatbots for Ecommerce in 2023: A Vendor Selection Guide

Ecommerce platforms often face the complication of efficiently managing customer inquiries. The best ecommerce chatbots come as a game-changing resolution, offering timely assistance and elevating user experience.

To help businesses choose the best chatbot solution, we prepared a selection guide examining top 5 vendors that offer chatbots for ecommerce.

Ecommerce chatbots vendor selection criteria

* Ratings are out of 10. The vendors are listed in descending order based on the average ratings they received, except Zoho (see the transparency statement below).

As there are various vendors offering chatbots for ecommerce, we narrowed down our benchmarking based on certain criteria, such as the popularity of the product within the market through the number of B2B reviews. We selected these criteria as they are public and verifiable through vendors’ websites or software review platforms. We included companies with:

• Have more than 150+ employees as stated on LinkedIn
• Have more than 200+ user reviews on review platforms G2, Capterra and Trustradius
• Have an average rating above 8.5 (out of 10)

Comparison of ecommerce chatbot vendors

Ecommerce chatbot vendor evaluation

There are not enough chatbot-focused user reviews specific to each product. For this reason, we are providing overall product and vendor evaluatio..

1- Zoho SalesIQ

Zoho SalesIQ is a customer service and sales solution that focuses on business chatbots, live chat and website analytics.

Pros

• Zoho SalesIQ’s ability to measure and report the analytics functions work well.

Source: Capterra¹

Cons

• The tool is not easy to set up.²

2- Tidio

Tidio is a communication tool designed for businesses to easily connect with their customers. It combines live chat, chatbots, and email marketing features to facilitate efficient communication.

Pros

• Businesses can automate messages based on visitor behavior and customize the chat widget to align with their branding.³

Cons

• Setting up chatbot flow and questions is noted to be cumbersome because of the panel’s design. 

Source: G2⁴

3- Intercom

Intercom is a customer communication platform that allows businesses to engage with and support customers by business chatbots. The platform also includes a suite of applications for messaging, automation, and external customer support.

Pros

• Reviewers are satisfied with Intercom’s ability to efficiently pull in analytics for each contact. 
• Customers appreciate the platform’s ability to track team performance effectively.⁵

Cons

• Building a robust multi-channel program in Intercom can come with some challenges. Some users mention that it is not easy to establish such a program without sacrificing some channels.

Source: G2⁶

4- Twilio

Twilio is a renowned cloud communications platform that enables businesses to add voice, text, email, and other communication functions to their applications. The platform also offers chatbots for businesses in various sectors.

Pros

• Users appreciate Twilio’s API capabilities for WhatsApp and other software integrations, which enables seamless communication within their software.⁷

Cons

• Numerous users have reported a lack of timely and clear assistance from Twilio’s customer support, leading to frustration and delays in resolving issues.⁸

Twilio’s limited capabilities in providing marketing-related data metrics is a point of concern, restricting insights into sales contacts’ responsiveness on integrated messaging platforms.

Source: G2⁹

5- Kore.ai

Kore.ai is a conversational AI platform that provides businesses with advanced chatbot solutions.

Pros

• Kore.ai’s support for customization, including the use of custom JavaScript code and various types of nodes, is a significant advantage.
• Integration capabilities, particularly with third-party services, are highlighted.¹⁰

Cons

• Users report issues with natural language understanding (NLU), experiencing ambiguities while training bots with similar sentences or utterances.¹¹

Key features of ecommerce chatbots

There are various features of business chatbots that are commonly found in many. However, in terms of distinctive and ecommerce-focused abilities, these 4 features are important to have in an ecommerce chatbot:

1- Live agent handover

The live agent handover feature in ecommerce chatbots is an essential tool in ensuring seamless customer support. This function allows a chatbot to recognize when it is unable to assist with a customer’s request and transfers the interaction to a human customer service agent. Despite the sophisticated capabilities of chatbots, there are situations where human intervention is necessary to resolve sensitive issues. Ensuring a smooth transition from a chatbot to a live agent demonstrates an ecommerce business’s commitment to high-quality customer service, contributing to enhanced customer satisfaction and a better customer experience.

2- Chatbot analytics

Chatbot analytics is another key feature of ecommerce chatbots. This feature enables the collection and analysis of data regarding customer queries and interactions with the chatbot. The gathered insights can be invaluable for online retailers looking to understand their customer’s preferences, behaviors, and pain points. 

By analyzing this data, ecommerce businesses can make more informed decisions to refine and improve the customer journey, tailor their offerings, and enhance the overall customer experience. Effective use of chatbot analytics helps in identifying trends and patterns, aiding businesses in proactive problem resolution and optimization of customer support processes.

3- No-code implementation

No-code implementation is a significant feature as it allows the easy setup and deployment of an ecommerce chatbot without the need for extensive programming knowledge. This feature is essential as it makes chatbot technology accessible to a broader range of online stores, even those with limited technical expertise. 

A no-code implementation allows rapid deployment, enabling businesses to quickly enhance their customer support, leading to improved customer satisfaction and potentially higher sales.

For those interested in no-code software, here is our comprehensive guide on the available no-code software in the market.

4- Server connection

Server connection feature enables ecommerce chatbots to access real-time data from the servers, ensuring the most up-to-date information is provided to customers. In an online store setting, this feature is crucial for offering current information about product availability, order status, and other relevant data. The ability to provide real-time information enhances the customer experience by offering accurate and timely responses to inquiries, showing customers that the business is reliable and trustworthy. 

Furthermore, it supports the effective functioning of the chatbot by integrating it with the existing infrastructure, allowing artificial intelligence to draw on a wide range of data to assist customers effectively.

Advantages of chatbots for ecommerce

1- Cost efficiency

By deploying their own ecommerce chatbot, businesses can handle a multitude of inquiries concurrently, substantially lowering operational costs. The chatbot can independently manage a variety of tasks, allowing the business to redirect financial resources to other essential areas.

2- Improved conversion rates

Immediate assistance and prompt information delivery via a messaging app like Facebook Messenger can lead to improved conversion rates. Customers feel more inclined to complete a purchase when their concerns and queries are addressed without delay.

3- Efficient handling of repetitive tasks

Ecommerce chatbots can automatically handle repetitive and mundane tasks, freeing human agents to deal with more complex customer issues. This efficient division of labor ensures a smoother, more responsive customer service experience.

4- Personalized customer experience

Utilizing an ecommerce bot to provide personalized recommendations and offers based on customer data enhances the shopping journey. This level of personalization, even on platforms like Facebook Messenger, can lead to increased customer loyalty and repeat purchases.

5- Scalability

Creating their own ecommerce chatbot allows businesses to easily scale their customer service operations as the business grows, ensuring consistent and reliable service regardless of the volume of inquiries.

6- Collecting customer data

Chatbots on messaging apps can systematically collect and analyze valuable customer data and feedback, aiding in the understanding and anticipation of customer needs and preferences.

7- Continuous availability

The continuous availability of chatbots on platforms like Facebook Messenger ensures that global customers receive consistent, uninterrupted support, further boosting customer satisfaction and experience.

For more, you can check our article on the ecommerce customer service best practices.

Also, you can check successful ecommerce chatbot examples from our article.

Transparency statement

AIMultiple serves numerous technology vendors, including Zoho.

If you need help in finding vendors or have questions, feel free to contact us:

Find the Right Vendors

External links

1. “Zoho SalesIQ Pricing, Alternatives & More 2023.” Capterra. Accessed 30 September 2023.
2. “Zoho SalesIQ Reviews 2023: Details, Pricing, & Features.” G2. Accessed 30 September 2023.
3. “Tidio Reviews 2023: Details, Pricing, & Features.”G2. Accessed 30 September 2023.
4. “Tidio Reviews 2023: Details, Pricing, & Features.”G2. Accessed 30 September 2023.
5. “Intercom Reviews 2023: Details, Pricing, & Features.” G2. Accessed 30 September 2023.
6. “Intercom Reviews 2023: Details, Pricing, & Features.” G2. Accessed 30 September 2023.
7. “Twilio Reviews 2023: Details, Pricing, & Features.” G2. Accessed 30 September 2023.
8. “Twilio Reviews 2023: Details, Pricing, & Features.” G2. Accessed 30 September 2023.
9. “Twilio Reviews 2023: Details, Pricing, & Features.” G2. Accessed 30 September 2023.
10. “Kore.AI Reviews 2023: Details, Pricing, & Features.” G2. Accessed 30 September 2023.
11. “Kore.AI Reviews 2023: Details, Pricing, & Features.” G2. Accessed 30 September 2023.