AI for online shops

Answer "where's my order?" without opening your inbox

Most shop emails ask the same few things. Where is my parcel, can I return this, will it fit. We set up AI that answers those from your own policies, so you can get back to packing orders and buying stock.

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Your business

Website assistant, replies instantly

Where is my order?

I can help with that. Could I take your name and email, so the team can confirm the details for you?

Sure, it’s Sam, sam@example.com

Thanks, Sam. I’ve passed this to the team, and they’ll reply first thing tomorrow.

Enquiry captured and sent to the team

Type your question…
Example conversation. Answers come only from the business's own information.

In short

  • We set up a website chatbot that answers delivery, returns, sizing and stock questions using only your own shop policies and product pages.
  • It can look up order status where your platform allows it, such as Shopify or WooCommerce, and passes anything it cannot check to you.
  • Automations can follow up abandoned baskets, ask for reviews after delivery and sort enquiries into one inbox.
  • It does not issue refunds, change orders or make promises about delivery dates your courier has not given.
  • We start with a short call, then teach the chatbot your FAQs, policies and best sellers before it goes live.

The problem

Where the time goes in a small online shop

Selling online means customers can shop at midnight. They also expect answers at midnight.

01

The same five questions, all day

Delivery times, tracking, returns, sizing and "is this back in stock?" fill the inbox. Each reply only takes a minute, but there are dozens of them. That is time not spent on photos, listings or suppliers.

02

Shoppers leave when they can't get an answer

Someone is about to buy but wants to know if it ships to Ireland or fits a size 12. If the answer isn't on the page, many close the tab. By the time you reply in the morning, they have bought elsewhere.

03

Abandoned baskets with no follow-up

People add items, get distracted and never come back. Without a simple reminder, that sale just disappears. Setting this up properly often sits on the to-do list for months.

04

Peak seasons swamp the inbox

Black Friday, Christmas and sale weeks bring more orders and many more questions. Couriers run late and customers chase. A small team ends up answering emails instead of shipping parcels.

What we set up

What we would set up for your shop

We pick the pieces that fit how you sell. Most shops start with the chatbot and one or two automations.

Website Chatbot

Price on application

A shop assistant that knows your policies

The chatbot learns your delivery, returns and size guides, plus your product pages. It answers shoppers before they buy and after the parcel ships. If it doesn't know, it says so and takes their details for you.

  • Explains your delivery options and cut-off times for next-day dispatch
  • Walks a customer through how to start a return
  • Points to the right size guide for a product
  • Takes an email address when someone asks to be told when an item is back
About the Website Chatbot

Integrations

Fixed quote

Order status from your shop platform

We can connect to the system you already use, where it allows integrations (an API). Shopify and WooCommerce both offer this. The chatbot can then check an order and share the tracking link, after the customer confirms their details.

  • Looks up an order by number and email address
  • Shares the courier tracking link it finds on the order
  • Sends wholesale or trade enquiries straight to your CRM or inbox
  • Flags damaged or missing parcel reports for you to deal with
About the integrations work

Integrations

Fixed quote

Follow-up that brings people back

Simple automated emails do the chasing for you. A friendly reminder goes out when a basket is left. A review request arrives a few days after delivery, not before the parcel lands.

  • Abandoned basket reminder with the items they chose
  • Review request timed after the courier marks it delivered
  • Restock email to people who asked about a sold-out item
  • A thank-you and care guide after a first order
About the integrations work

Automation

Fixed quote

Phone calls answered in your shop name

Not every shop wants a phone line, but customers still need help. The chatbot answers on your website, takes the order number and the problem, and alerts you. Customers with a damaged item or wrong delivery are marked urgent.

  • Answers website questions while you're at the post office or a trade fair
  • Takes order number, name and issue, then emails you a summary
  • Handles out of hours calls in the run-up to Christmas
About the Automation

Automated Social Media

£99 a month

Product posts you approve in one go

We plan and write a month of Facebook and Instagram posts around your products, launches and sales. You approve them in one sitting. Nothing goes out without your say-so.

  • New arrival posts using your product photos
  • Sale and delivery cut-off reminders before Christmas
  • Behind-the-scenes posts about how you make or source items
About the Automated Social Media

Day and night

Questions it can answer for your customers

Answered from your own information, by chat or by phone. Anything it cannot answer comes to you.

  • “Where is my order?”
  • “Do you deliver to Northern Ireland?”
  • “How long does standard delivery take?”
  • “Can I return this if it doesn't fit?”
  • “How do I start a return?”
  • “What size should I get? I'm usually a 12.”
  • “When will the black one be back in stock?”
  • “If I order today, will it come before Saturday?”
  • “Do you do gift wrapping?”
  • “Can I change my delivery address?”

With it running

An example week with it running

This is an illustration of how it might work, not a real shop.

A shopper asks if a jacket runs small. The chatbot shares the size guide and the note from your product page. She buys a size up.

Three customers ask where their parcels are. The chatbot checks each order in Shopify and sends the tracking links. One says the parcel arrived damaged, so the chatbot asks for a photo and flags it for you.

You open one message instead of four.

A reminder goes to someone who left two items in their basket on Monday. Later that day, review requests go to customers whose parcels were delivered at the weekend.

Built carefully

What it should not do

The chatbot is there to answer and route questions. Decisions about money and orders stay with you.

  • It does not issue refunds, discounts or replacements. It explains your policy and passes the request to you.
  • It does not change or cancel orders, unless you choose to set that up and your platform supports it.
  • It never promises a delivery date the courier hasn't given. It shares tracking and your stated delivery times.
  • It only shares order details after the customer confirms their order number and email, so personal data stays protected.
  • It doesn't argue with an angry customer. Complaints and disputes go straight to a person.
  • It won't make claims about products that aren't in your listings, such as safety or allergy information.

Your questions answered

AI for online shops and ecommerce: questions answered

How does an AI chatbot work for an online shop?

An AI chatbot for an online shop answers customer questions on the website using the shop's own policies, product pages and FAQs. It reads what the shopper types, finds the matching information and replies in plain language, day or night. A well set up chatbot says it doesn't know rather than guessing, and takes the customer's details so a person can reply. It also passes on questions it cannot handle, such as refund requests or complaints. The quality of its answers depends on how clear and up to date the shop's own information is.

Read our guide: What can an AI website assistant do for a small business?

Can a chatbot handle where is my order questions for an online shop?

Yes, a chatbot can handle most where is my order questions if it is connected to the shop platform. On Shopify or WooCommerce, it can look up an order through the platform's API once the customer gives details such as the order number and email address. It can then share the order status and the courier's tracking link. Without that connection, it can still explain the shop's usual dispatch and delivery times. It should never guess at a delivery date the courier hasn't given, and lost or damaged parcels should go to a person.

Read our guide: How to connect your website, CRM and booking system so leads don't slip through

Is an AI chatbot GDPR compliant for an online shop?

An AI chatbot can be used by a UK online shop under UK GDPR if customer data is handled lawfully, securely and openly. The shop should explain in its privacy notice that a chatbot is used, what it collects and who processes the data. The chatbot should only share order details after the customer confirms who they are, for example with an order number and email address. It is also wise to check where the chatbot provider stores data and to have a data processing agreement in place. The ICO's guidance on AI and data protection is a good place to check the detail.

Read our guide: AI and GDPR: what UK small businesses must know before using AI tools

Should a chatbot take card payments on an online shop?

No, a chatbot on an online shop should not take card details in the chat window. Card payments belong in the shop's checkout or payment provider, such as Shopify Payments, Stripe or PayPal, which are built to handle card data securely. If a customer types a card number into a chat, it can end up stored in conversation logs where it doesn't belong. A better approach is for the chatbot to answer the question and then send the customer back to the basket or checkout. The chat can also remind customers never to share card details there.

Read our guide: How to add online booking or payments to your website

Do customers mind using a chatbot on an online shop?

Most shoppers don't mind a chatbot on an online shop if it gives a quick, correct answer and makes it easy to reach a person. Frustration usually comes from bots that loop, guess or hide the contact details. The best approach is to be open that it is an AI assistant, keep answers short and offer a clear way to leave a message for the team. Shoppers asking about delivery or sizing late at night often prefer an instant answer to waiting until morning. Complaints and upset customers should always go to a person.

Read our guide: How to use AI for customer service without annoying your customers

Is an AI chatbot cheaper than hiring customer service staff for an online shop?

An AI chatbot usually costs less than hiring customer service staff for a small online shop, but it does a narrower job. A chatbot can answer repeat questions about delivery, returns and sizing at any hour, however many people ask at once. It cannot make judgement calls, calm an angry customer or decide on a refund, so someone still needs to handle those. For many small shops the real comparison is with the owner answering emails late at night. Look North Digital quotes the chatbot after a short call, because shops differ in size and setup.

Read our guide: How much does AI automation cost for a small business?

Can a chatbot give sizing or allergy advice for an online shop?

A chatbot can give sizing advice for an online shop only by repeating the size guides and product notes the shop has given it. It should not invent fit advice, and it should never make safety, allergy or health claims that are not in the product listing. If a shopper asks whether a product is safe for a child, an allergy or a medical condition, the chatbot should share only the published information and pass the question to a person. Keeping product pages accurate matters, because the chatbot can only be as right as its source.

Read our guide: Will a chatbot make things up? How to stop AI giving customers wrong answers

How it starts

From first call to working AI

A managed service. We build it, connect it and keep it tuned.

  1. 01

    A short call

    We look at your inbox, your platform and the questions that come up most. We agree what the chatbot should handle and what comes to you.

  2. 02

    We teach it your shop

    We load your delivery and returns policies, size guides, FAQs and product pages. If your platform allows it, we connect order lookups.

  3. 03

    You test it

    You ask it awkward questions and check the answers. We adjust the wording and the hand-off rules until you're happy.

  4. 04

    It goes live

    One line of code adds it to your site. You can read every conversation, and we add follow-up emails once the chatbot is settled.

FAQ

AI for online shops and ecommerce: your questions

The chatbot works on any website with one line of code, so it can sit on a Shopify or WooCommerce store. For order lookups, we connect to your platform where it allows integrations (an API). We check what your setup supports on the first call.
It only uses the delivery times you give it and the tracking on the order. If it isn't sure, it says so and offers to pass the question to you. It won't make up a date.
It can explain your returns policy and tell customers how to start a return. It does not approve refunds or decide if an item qualifies. Those requests come to you with the details already gathered.
This is where it helps most. The chatbot answers the repeat questions however many people ask at once. You can also add notes, such as last posting dates, and it will use them straight away.
The chatbot only looks up an order once the customer confirms details like their order number and email. Every conversation is logged so you can check what was said. We go through data handling with you before anything goes live.
We set its tone to match your shop, whether that's chatty or more formal. You see sample answers before launch. You can change the wording at any time.
The Website Chatbot and any integrations are quoted on application after a short call, because shops differ a lot. There's no obligation to go ahead.

Keep reading

Related pages and guides

Websites and marketing for the same businesses, related sectors, and our guides to AI in practice.

More from us

Official sources

External sites open in a new tab. We link to regulators, trade bodies and primary sources only.

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