Ecommerce chat: one assistant across your widget and inboxes
Ecommerce chat means bringing your website chat widget and the inboxes your customers already message (Facebook Messenger, marketplace chats) into one channel, where an AI assistant answers from your products and policies and leads the customer to the ordering step. The assistant does not create orders or take payment, but pre-purchase questions get resolved on the spot instead of waiting for someone to come online.
This page helps you choose channels, understand what the assistant can say about products and stock, install the website widget and know where a person still has to step in. If you want the basics first, read what an AI chatbot is.
Why does a website chat widget often not resolve anything?
Plenty of stores install a widget and forget it, and it underperforms for three reasons:
- Nobody is on shift. A shopper asks "is this in stock?", sees "leave a message" and closes the tab.
- Questions are scattered. Website, Facebook Page, marketplace: each has its own inbox and its own way of answering.
- Answers drift. One person quotes one shipping fee today and another quotes a different one tomorrow.
One assistant with one knowledge base and one Inbox fixes all three: it answers instantly, gathers everything in one place and stays consistent.
Which channels should you use: widget, Messenger, marketplaces?
No channel is "best", because each has its own kind of customer.
| Channel | Who writes there | What the assistant does | Limits to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website chat widget | Shoppers browsing your products | Advises on the page, checks stock | Only appears on the websites you list |
| Facebook Messenger | People who found you through posts or ads | Answers your Page inbox | Does not answer comments under posts or livestreams |
| Shopee chat | Marketplace buyers | Answers product and policy questions | Specific orders go to your team |
| TikTok Shop chat | Buyers from videos and lives | Answers questions, checks order status | Does not answer live comments |
| Zalo Official Account (Vietnam) | Returning and referred customers in Vietnam | Answers messages sent to the Official Account | Official Account only, not a personal Zalo; needs a verified OA on Zalo's Growth+ plan (Tăng trưởng+) |
Instagram, Lazada, WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram and personal Facebook accounts are not available. Each channel is described on the integrations page and in the channel glossary entry, and the Page inbox has its own article on the Messenger chatbot.
The website widget is the easiest place to begin, followed by whichever channel your customers use most.
What can the assistant say about products and stock?
The assistant searches your product catalog, shows product details and checks stock, then answers in the language the customer wrote in. Typos and shorthand are fine.
- Customer: "do u have the linen shirt in white, size L?"
- Assistant: "Yes, the white linen shirt is in stock in size L, and I can send you the fabric and care details."
The catalog comes from three places:
- Website import. The assistant reads your site through its sitemap and links, recognises storefronts built on Shopify, Haravan, Sapo, WooCommerce, Magento or Pancake, and turns product and listing pages into a product list. It never opens cart, checkout, account or search pages.
- Store sync with WooCommerce, TikTok Shop and Shopee, covering products, variants, prices and stock.
- Files and written answers for everything else, such as a size chart or a promotion.
For products imported from a website, price and stock are re-checked when a customer asks. Orders are not synced from any store.
How does order status work in TikTok Shop chat?
- The customer asks "where is my order?" in TikTok Shop chat.
- The assistant asks them to confirm the last 4 digits of the phone number on the order.
- If they match, the assistant reports the order status.
This works for TikTok Shop orders only. On Shopee, your website or Messenger the assistant cannot look up an order, so it explains your shipping policy and passes the lookup to your team.
How do you add the chat widget to your website?
- Open Assistant, go to Connect channels, choose Website chat and click Set up.
- Click Create install code and enter the websites that should show the chat, since the widget only appears on listed websites.
- Copy the line of code and paste it just before
</body>on every page. - Adjust how the chat looks and works, then save.
The widget options:
- The first message customers see, and the chat colour.
- Bubble position, bottom right or bottom left.
- Asking for name and email before chatting, with email optionally required.
- A 1 to 5 rating prompt after the conversation.
- Opening hours per day, with an away message for anyone writing outside them.
The Inbox also lets your team send an email follow-up to website visitors who have left.
What still needs a person?
The assistant resolves questions; it does not make decisions for you. Keep these with your team:
- Complaints, damaged goods and price negotiation.
- Creating orders, taking payment and approving returns. The assistant does none of these, but it can alert you when a customer is ready to buy.
- Order lookups outside TikTok Shop.
- Facebook comments, livestream comments and marketplace product reviews. These are outside the inboxes the assistant answers.
- Anyone who asks for a person.
How to pass a chat to your team and hand it back is in the handoff setup guide. For the wider picture of splitting work between the assistant and people, see customer support automation.
Next steps
If you sell from your own storefront, read how it works for online stores. If you sell mainly on Shopee or TikTok Shop, read how it works for marketplace sellers. To begin, follow the getting started guide, try the demo and see plans on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
How is ecommerce chat different from a normal chat widget?
A normal widget waits for someone on shift to reply. Here an AI assistant answers instantly from your products and policies, on the website and in your messaging inboxes, and hands off to your team when it is not sure.
Should I start with the website widget or Messenger?
The website widget is the easiest start because it takes one line of code. If most of your customers write to your Facebook Page, start with Messenger instead, since the channel where customers ask most is the one to do first.
Can the assistant place orders or take payment in the chat?
No. It advises, checks stock and leads the customer to the ordering step. Orders and payment still happen on your website or marketplace.
Does the assistant reply to Facebook comments or livestream comments?
No. It answers messages only: your Facebook Page inbox and TikTok Shop chat. Comments under posts and in livestreams stay with you.
Which channels can check order status?
Only TikTok Shop orders, after the customer confirms the last 4 digits of the phone number on the order. On other channels the assistant explains your policy and passes order lookups to your team.
Is there a limit on the number of channels?
No plan limits the number of channels. Plans limit monthly messages, conversations and knowledge sources; see the pricing page for details.