AI widgets make it faster, simpler, and more efficient to help customers with tasks such as tracking orders, answering questions, and managing returns. These widgets work 24/7, respond instantly, and handle multiple customers at once.
Big brands are already using them, but small e-commerce sites can now use them, too.
In this blog, we'll guide you through using it and share how it can save time, cut costs, and improve the customer experience.
Article Shortcuts:
- First Off, Let's Talk About the Types of AI Widgets for E-commerce Sites
- How to Implement AI Widgets on Your E-commerce Site
- Best Practices for Using AI Widgets on E-commerce Sites
First Off, Let's Talk About the Types of AI Widgets for E-commerce Sites
AI widgets come in many types, and each has its specifications. Here are the most common.
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Chatbots
Source: Yugasa Bot
Chatbots are among the most well-known AI widgets in e-commerce. As the above image shows, they act as virtual customer support agents, ready to assist users at any time.
Hamza G., an email outreach expert at Outreaching.io, says, “Unlike human agents who can only talk to one person at a time, chatbots can handle multiple customers at once. This makes them especially useful during busy sales events like Black Friday when customer inquiries are at their peak.”
Chatbots can answer simple questions like "Where’s my order?" or "Do you have this product in stock?" without human help.
They provide instant responses, which keeps customers from waiting and improves their overall experience.
The best part is that chatbots work 24/7, so customers can get help anytime — even outside regular business hours.
H&M's Virtual Assistant is a prime example of a chatbot. They use a chatbot on their website and mobile app to help customers with product searches, order tracking, and customer support.
The chatbot can answer questions like “Where’s my order?” or “Do you have this dress in size M?”
Source: Fibre2Fashion
Customers can also browse outfit recommendations based on their style preferences. This improves the shopping experience and increases the chances of customers purchasing.
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Self-service widgets
Self-service widgets allow customers to find answers on their own without having to contact support.
“These widgets are designed to give users quick access to ‘Track My Order’ or ‘Return My Item,’” shares Martin Seeley, CEO of Mattress Next Day.
Customers can get the information they need immediately instead of waiting to chat with a support agent. This not only saves time for the customer but also reduces the workload for support teams.
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FAQ bots
FAQ bots are like a smarter, faster version of a traditional FAQ page. Instead of making customers scroll through a list of questions, FAQ bots let them type their questions into a search box and get an instant answer.
Steve Morris, Founder & CEO of NEWMEDIA.COM, explains, “If a customer wants to know about shipping times, they can simply type ‘How long does shipping take?’ and the FAQ bot will answer immediately. This makes it much easier for customers to find the necessary information without searching multiple pages.”
Since the bot handles common questions automatically, it also reduces the number of support requests for your team.
If a customer asks a question the bot can’t answer, it can suggest connecting them with a live agent for further help.
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Recommendation widgets
Recommendation widgets suggest products to customers based on their browsing behavior, purchase history, or preferences.
You’ve probably seen this on sites like Amazon with ‘Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought…’ or ‘You might also like…’ sections.
Source: MeasuringU
These widgets use AI to determine what products a customer is most likely interested in.
Andy Slack, Founder of JuicyLlama, mentions, “If a customer is browsing running shoes, the widget might recommend matching running socks or other shoe models with better features. This personalized suggestion often leads to more sales because customers are likelier to buy something relevant to them.”
It also encourages customers to buy more than they originally planned, which increases the store’s average order value.
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Voice assistants
Voice assistants allow customers to interact with e-commerce sites using voice commands. Instead of typing, users can speak directly to the site, just like they do with Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant.
David Loo, Owner of Xpro Auto Glass, shares, “Voice assistants make it easier for customers to shop on mobile devices, especially when typing isn’t convenient. A customer can say, ‘Show me black sneakers,’ and the site will instantly display black sneakers. This hands-free experience is faster and more convenient for users — especially when browsing on mobile.”
Voice assistants also help customers track orders, get shipping updates, and ask questions like, ‘When will my package arrive?’ This makes shopping easier and more convenient, especially for users on the go.
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Live chat with AI assistance
Tim Jones, Founder of Zendash, says, “AI-assisted live chat is a hybrid system that combines AI and human agents. The AI gives the agent pre-written replies, useful ideas, and easily accessible information while a live agent speaks with the consumer. Agents can react to clients more quickly and precisely as a result.”
For example, ‘How long does shipping take?’ is a question a consumer may ask. An example of a pre-written response the AI can recommend is ‘Shipping takes 3-5 business days.’
Then, rather than typing the response, the agent only needs to click once to transmit it. This shortens response times and expedites help.
Richard McKay, CEO & Managing Director of Sprung Gym Flooring, mentions, “AI-assisted live chat is particularly helpful when customer service representatives are managing several clients at once during moments of high shopping demand. It enables agents to operate more productively and provide customers speedier service.”
How to Implement AI Widgets on Your E-commerce Site
Let’s discuss how you can add AI widgets to your site.
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Select the right AI widget platform
The first step is to choose a platform that meets the requirements of your shop.
Pareen Sehat MC, RCC - Clinical Director at Well Beings Counselling, explains, “AI widget platforms come in various formats, including Zendesk, Tidio, Intercom, and LiveChat. Selecting one that meets your unique support requirements is crucial because each has unique characteristics.”
Here’s what to consider when selecting a platform.
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- Ease of Use: Look for a platform that doesn’t require coding skills to set up.
- Features: Check if it offers live chat, FAQ bots, order tracking, and self-service options.
- Compatibility: Ensure it integrates smoothly with your e-commerce platform (like Shopify, WooCommerce, or Magento).
- Pricing: Choose a plan that fits your budget but still offers essential features.
Andrew Pickett, Lead Attorney & Owner of Andrew Pickett Law, advises, “After deciding on a platform, you must register, make an account, and connect it to your online store. Most platforms offer easy-to-follow instructions to assist you in this procedure.”
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Identify customer support needs
Before setting up your widget, determine what kind of help your customers need most. This will assist you in customizing the widget to meet their specific demands.
Do your clients regularly have refunds, order tracking, or shipping questions? An AI widget can offer immediate solutions in each of these areas.
Here’s how to identify your customer needs.
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- Check Customer Support Logs: Look at past customer inquiries and spot common themes.
- Ask Your Support Team: Your support agents know which questions arise most.
- Use Customer Surveys: Ask customers what support they expect when shopping on your site.
Ben Karlovich, Founder of StoveShield, shares, “Understanding your customers' needs can help you configure your AI widget to respond to the most frequently asked queries and minimize the number of support calls that need human assistance.”
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Train the widget with customer data
After identifying what clients want assistance with, training your AI widget is time. Training provides the widget with pre-written answers, frequently asked questions, and product details to react appropriately.
Here’s how to train your widget.
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- Upload Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Add answers to common questions like ‘Where’s my order?’ or ‘How do I return an item?.’
- Provide Order Tracking Info: Add tracking scripts or connect your e-commerce system so the widget can provide real-time tracking updates.
- Add Product Info: If customers often ask about product sizes, colors, or availability, ensure the widget also includes that information.
- Set Up Keywords & Triggers: Teach the widget to recognize phrases like ‘order status’ or ‘talk to a person’ and respond accordingly.
The widget gets smarter and the better you train it. It will eventually be able to answer more queries independently without human assistance.
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Test the widget before launching
Before launching your widget, you need to make sure it works. Testing helps you spot issues before your customers do.
During testing, you should pretend to be a customer and ask questions to see if the widget gives the correct answers.
Here’s how to run a proper test.
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- Test the Most Common Questions: Ask things like ‘How long does shipping take?’ or ‘How do I return an order?’
- Check for Mistakes: See if it provides wrong answers, confusing responses, or irrelevant information.
- Test the Human Hand-off: Ask to "talk to a human" and see if the widget connects you to a live support agent properly.
- Check Response Speed: Make sure responses are fast and smooth, especially on mobile devices.
Steven Guo, Co-Founder of Medjool Days, shares, “If any issues come up, go back and make improvements. Adjust and retrain the widget’s scripts to ensure it handles customer requests properly.”
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Launch the AI widget on your site
Once you’re confident that everything works, it’s time to launch the widget.
This step is simple but important. You must ensure that your customers notice the widget. If they can’t find it, it won’t be helpful.
Here’s how to launch it effectively.
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- Place It in the Right Spots: Add the widget to key areas like your homepage, product pages, checkout page, and order tracking page.
- Make It Visible: Use bright colors, chat icons, or pop-ups to make sure customers see it.
- Add an Announcement: Let customers know about the new feature. You can do this with a pop-up message, email announcement, or a banner at the top of your site.
“The more visible your widget is, the more people will use it. The goal is to make it feel like instant help is always available,” says Gerald Ming, CEO of KalaWear.com.
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Monitor and improve the widget
Launching the widget isn’t the end of the process. It needs constant monitoring and updates to stay useful.
Customers will always ask new questions that the widget might be unprepared to answer. Reviewing chat logs and feedback allows you to spot areas where the widget needs improvement.
Here’s how to monitor and improve it.
- Review Chat Logs: Examine customers' questions. If the widget doesn’t recognize certain questions, add them and their answers to its knowledge base.
- Collect Customer Feedback: Add a feedback button so users can rate the widget’s performance. If customers report issues, make changes.
- Track Performance Metrics: Check how many chats the widget handles, how often it passes customers to a live agent, and how long it takes to answer questions.
- Update Regularly: If you launch a new product or change your return policy, update the widget to know the new information.
Best Practices for Using AI Widgets on E-commerce Sites
AI widgets can speed up and improve customer support, but only if they’re set up properly. You must ensure they work smoothly, sound natural, and help your customers.
Here’s how you can do this.
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Offer an option to ‘Talk to a Human’
Some clients will always prefer speaking with a human, no matter how intelligent AI becomes.
Sometimes, the issue is too complicated, or the AI cannot comprehend the customer's meaning. Customers can get irate and depart if they cannot communicate with a human.
To prevent this, Gould Cooksey Fennell recommends “Include a ‘Talk to a Human’ option in the chat. A button or an alert can appear when a consumer requests assistance.”
‘I want to talk to someone’ or ‘speak to a person’ are typical requests that may be programmed into the AI to transfer the chat to a support representative automatically.
This assists clients and shows your concern for their experience rather than merely automating tasks.
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Customize AI responses to match your brand voice
Your AI widget should sound like your brand. If your brand has a laid-back and welcoming tone, the chatbot should be as well.
Dan Close, Founder and CEO at We Buy Houses in Kentucky, advises, “Your widget should have a more gloomy, businesslike tone if your brand has one. By doing this, you maintain brand consistency, and clients will be able to identify the tone of your emails, social media posts, and website.”
For example, the standard ‘How can I assist you?’ can be replaced with something more appropriate for the tone of your business, such as ‘Hey there! Do you need assistance with something?’
As a result, the client experiences less automation and more personalization. Maintaining consistent messaging across all platforms increases consumer trust and enhances brand recall.
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Train the widget regularly
To be honest, AI widgets have flaws. To be helpful, they must be updated often.
Markus Åkerlund, CEO of MEONUTRITION, explains, “The widget has to be trained if users continually ask the same question and the AI cannot respond. The more queries the widget can answer, the more beneficial it will be for your company and clients.”
The first step in training your widget is to examine users' most frequently asked queries.
For example, it's time to include a response if many consumers inquire, ‘How do I track my order?’ and the AI cannot provide a clear answer. Examine client interactions to see where issues are occurring.
“Add improved answers to the knowledge base of the widget. By doing this regularly, the widget becomes more intelligent and efficient,” says Dalia R. Rojas, Owner of Sixty61.com.
Your customer service procedure will become quicker and more effective as it gains the ability to resolve more issues without the need for human assistance.
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Make self-service widgets easy to find
Customers are unlikely to use your self-service features if they are not visible.
Your website should provide self-service widgets that are easy to find, such as ‘Track My Order’ or ‘Return My Item.’ Clients will turn to support if these are hidden, increasing your workload.
Bradley Fry, Owner of PinProsPlus, said, “These widgets work best on pages with a lot of traffic. Include a ‘Track My Order' button on the product, checkout, and home pages. Also, your order confirmation email should contain it. This way, customers can easily track their order without asking for help.”
Conclusion
AI widgets are everywhere now — from the ‘Track My Order’ buttons to the chatbots that pop up when you have a question. If you’ve ever been frustrated by slow customer support, you know how much a quick response matters.
Following the steps we’ve shared, you can set up an AI widget that helps your customers rather than annoys them. This will increase customer satisfaction, reduce support costs, and make your store feel modern, fast, and ready for anything.
