Chat with your shoppers

This guide shows you how to add live chat to your store, so shoppers can message you while they browse, and how to answer them from your admin.

Live chat is included on every plan, including the free trial. It's off until you switch it on.

Switch on live chat

1. Go to Settings → Live chat.
2. Switch live chat on.
3. Write your greeting and the reply time shoppers see, for example "We usually reply in a few minutes."
4. Choose the colour and the side of the screen for the chat button.
5. Click Save. The chat button appears on your store.

The button is hidden on your checkout by default. You can hide it on other pages too.

Set your business hours

1. In Settings → Live chat, turn on business hours.
2. Choose your time zone and the hours for each day.
3. Choose what shoppers see when you're away: a form to leave a message, the chat as usual (you reply later), or no chat button.

Messages left while you're away wait in your inbox. When a shopper leaves their email, they can get your reply by email.

Answer shoppers

1. In the sidebar, click Inbox. A badge shows how many conversations are waiting.
2. Click a conversation to read it and type your reply.
3. Attach a photo if it helps, for example a size chart.

Tip: save answers you give often as canned replies, and insert them with a click.

Work as a team

• Assign a conversation to a staff member so everyone knows who's answering.
• Staff who can manage customers can use the inbox.
• You get notified when a shopper writes, and the team is emailed if a shopper waits too long without a reply.

Good to know

• Live chat for your store is between you and your shoppers. To reach the SellOrchard team, use Help → Chat with us (see "Get help from SellOrchard support").
• Switch live chat off at any time. The chat button disappears from your store, and your past conversations stay in the inbox until they're older than the keep-for period you choose in the settings.