The term “eCommerce” needs no introduction. People have started to purchase online from the comfort of their homes. And statistics show that there are more than 20 million eCommerce stores today.
Lately, chatbots have increasingly become a part of eCommerce stores. In order to answer trivial customer questions and carry out miscellaneous tasks, online stores have been using chatbots.
But with WhatsApp business API released in the year 2018, WhatsApp eCommerce integration has been a gamechanger for online stores. With WhatsApp being used by over two billion people, eCommerce stores saw it as the perfect opportunity to enhance their customer support game and introduced a WhatsApp eCommerce bot.
So, in this article, we’ll be looking at the different use cases of a WhatsApp eCommerce chatbot and the benefits of using one.
If you want to know more about WhatsApp Business API and automation, this article can help you understand in detail,
👉 WhatsApp Business Automation Ultimate Guide
That said, we’ll start looking at the use cases of a WhatsApp eCommerce chatbot.
But if you are able to collect a chunk of leads from people who did not purchase, you can later reach out to them, offer discounts and convert them into customers. As we already said, it all starts with lead generation.
Deploying a WhatsApp eCommerce chatbot can help you collect the necessary data you need to follow up on your potential audience. You can simply include a click-to-chat link on your website (product offerings) or paid ad campaigns or even include a WhatsApp chat bubble at the corner of your website.
Once when a customer starts chatting, you can continue the conversation for the next 24 hours (called a session).
As the image shows, you can collect necessary information from your customers – could be their email address, name, contact number, or anything else for that matter of fact.
Deploying an eCommerce WhatsApp chatbot with a “shipment tracking” feature will reduce support queries and increase the CSAT scores without a doubt! Sending order updates via Email and SMS can often go unnoticed but sending them updates on WhatsApp helps them keep track of their order anytime they want!
As the image shows, you can simply send out satisfaction surveys, include links and do more with a WhatsApp eCommerce bot.
Sending such reminders can help increase your sales numbers to a great extent. Because these are people who have made every effort to purchase something from you and backed out at the last moment. Make sure that you deploy a WhatsApp eCommerce bot to do this.
Top Use Cases of a WhatsApp eCommerce Bot
1. Lead Generation
When it comes to sales, the most important factor is lead generation. Businesses that efficiently generate leads will be able to convert them into prospects and customers later. But it all starts with lead generation. Today, eCommerce websites no doubt receive a lot of traffic. But here’s the brutal truth – most of the visitors are not your customers. Chances could be they wanted to know about a specific product or could simply be around for a while. Statistics say only an approximate 2.17 percent of eCommerce visits convert into purchases. And the others just drift away from your website – they might or might not come back.
But if you are able to collect a chunk of leads from people who did not purchase, you can later reach out to them, offer discounts and convert them into customers. As we already said, it all starts with lead generation.
Deploying a WhatsApp eCommerce chatbot can help you collect the necessary data you need to follow up on your potential audience. You can simply include a click-to-chat link on your website (product offerings) or paid ad campaigns or even include a WhatsApp chat bubble at the corner of your website.
Once when a customer starts chatting, you can continue the conversation for the next 24 hours (called a session).
As the image shows, you can collect necessary information from your customers – could be their email address, name, contact number, or anything else for that matter of fact.
2. Order Placement
This is one of the most important benefits of having an eCommerce WhatsApp bot in place. The purchase process becomes automated and customers can buy products without having to switch between multiple channels. This also paves the path for repeat purchases which can drive more sales and revenue for your business. Say, for example, if a customer wants to buy a watch, they can simply request the WhatsApp chatbot for available models. They can select the model they like, choose the payment option and get done with the purchase. If it’s for purchasing apparel, the WhatsApp bot would ask for the required size and then proceed with the order. The overall process improves the shopping experience to a great extent and helps your customers stay loyal, thanks to WhatsApp eCommerce chatbots!3. Refund/Replacement
Refunds and replacements are the most common issues an eCommerce support team would be facing. The refund statistics for the clothing sector was a massive 88% in 2021 and it is clearly evident that this could kill your customer support team’s productivity. Also, a refund experience that’s not satisfying will make you lose the customer forever. WhatsApp chatbots for eCommerce can help you provide a quick and hassle-free refund/return experience and since the process is automated, there’s no need for your customer support team to intervene – they can concentrate on more important issues. You can simply ask your customers the reason for the request and automatically initiate the return process. Since the chatbot is deeply integrated with your CRM, all details are fetched with ease. With a WhatsApp eCommerce bot for return & replacement, you’re not only offering a great experience for your customers but also helping improve your agent’s productivity – it’s a win-win.4. Shipment Tracking
Customers are often anxious about when they would receive their purchase, especially if it’s something important. And helping them stay updated on their shipping status can help you win over customers ❤️. By deploying a WhatsApp eCommerce chatbot, your customers automatically receive shipping updates on WhatsApp and they can also inquire about the shipping status.
Deploying an eCommerce WhatsApp chatbot with a “shipment tracking” feature will reduce support queries and increase the CSAT scores without a doubt! Sending order updates via Email and SMS can often go unnoticed but sending them updates on WhatsApp helps them keep track of their order anytime they want!
5. Frequently Asked Questions
It’s common for customers to have doubts regarding the product they are about to purchase. And they can have questions anytime during their purchase journey. It is at these times customers should be fed with relevant information to make sure they have an uninterrupted purchase journey. Usually, customers don’t reach out to support if they have to wait in queues or to hear back from you via email. But deploying an eCommerce WhatsApp bot and automating FAQs can help customers get instant resolutions for queries. This way, customers can continue their purchase without having to rely on a support agent. Intelligent WhatsApp chatbots can identify complex queries and transfer them to support agents making sure all queries are resolved.6. Payment Related Queries
Speaking of queries, we wanted to speak about this feature separately. Transaction-related queries are one of the most common reasons for reaching out to support. And with a chatbot in place, customers can easily get status updates on their transactions – saving a lot of time for your support team (again).7. Post Sales Support
Your interaction with the customer doesn’t end when they are done with a purchase. In fact, it only starts there. Engaging your customers consistently through various channels will make them become more attached to your brand and they become loyal brand advocates eventually. With an eCommerce WhatsApp chatbot, you can provide support to your customers when they have completed their purchase. Reaching out to them asking whether they have received the product or sharing the setup instructions can help customers realize how much you care for them and paves the way to building a loyal customer base.8. Customer Feedback Collection
Every business needs to know what its customers think about their products. And what better way is there to do this than directly asking customers? Often, survey emails go unanswered. Either the customer would ignore it or it would end up in the pile of unnoticed emails. But when you send satisfaction surveys using a WhatsApp eCommerce bot, chances are high that your customers would respond to it.
As the image shows, you can simply send out satisfaction surveys, include links and do more with a WhatsApp eCommerce bot.
9. Retargeting Abandoned Cards
Your customers could sometime abandon their cart just because they had something more important to do. And they tend to forget about the cart totally! 🛒 In such scenarios, all that’s needed is a gentle nudge that reminds your customers of their abandoned cart! Drip email campaigns are an ideal way to send cart abandonment reminders but what’s even more effective is a personalized message on the platform they often use (and cannot ignore). You can simply send out a reminder message on WhatsApp like this,
Sending such reminders can help increase your sales numbers to a great extent. Because these are people who have made every effort to purchase something from you and backed out at the last moment. Make sure that you deploy a WhatsApp eCommerce bot to do this.
10. Profile and Customer Detail Updation
Customers, at times, need to change their contact number or shipping address. Heading back to your website and doing it might seem much of an inconvenience. But with a WhatsApp eCommerce chatbot in place, it could be a walk in the park! Your customers can simply request the bot as to what needs to be done, send information and the WhatsApp chatbot for eCommerce automatically updates the customers’ details on the database – no support agent needed and no support ticket queries raised. The process happens on autopilot and saves huge time for the business and the customer. So, those are the ten common use cases of a WhatsApp eCommerce bot. You can also use your WhatsApp eCommerce chatbot to respond to payment-related queries, offer product recommendations and do more. Now that we’re done with the use cases part, let’s quickly look at the benefits of using a WhatsApp chatbot for eCommerce.Benefits of a WhatsApp eCommerce Chatbot
Instant Query Resolving: Like traditional support methods, customers do not have to wait on hold or check their inbox frequently for a response. A WhatsApp eCommerce bot will provide customers with instant resolutions for their queries. Easy to Access: Customers do not have to head to your website to reach out to support. They can simply start chatting from WhatsApp on the respective window – 100% hassle-free. Complete History: Like any other WhatsApp chat, users can view the complete conversation history with the WhatsApp eCommerce chatbot – helps them quickly review their purchase journey and interactions. Automated Messages: Businesses can keep customers updated with their order status and delivery by automating the process. Multilingual Support: Your WhatsApp eCommerce bot doesn’t necessarily have to be in English. You can deal with customers in their own language – helps you connect with customers on a higher level. Reduces Support Costs: Businesses can save huge money by deploying a WhatsApp eCommerce chatbot. Since most of the tasks are taken care of by the chatbot, businesses can save money on customer support. There! Those are the benefits of using an eCommerce WhatsApp Chatbot. Since you’re here, we thought why not suggest an eCommerce WhatsApp bot solution as well! You can use Simplify360’s WhatsApp chatbots for your eCommerce store. The chatbot comes with powerful features like,- Sentiment analysis
- Automated chat routing
- Automated alerts to teams and agents
- Live chat interactions
- Multi language support and more.