Conversational Commerce

Conversational commerce is making waves in the marketing world but many still aren’t aware of what it is, and just how influential it can be. When you look at the technology around you, you’ll notice that brands like Facebook and Google have found new ways to give you access to information within apps. For example, a long press word selection in Google Chrome cantrigger Google Now and lead to in-app search results related to the word.

You no longer have to select, copy the word, and paste it on another tab to find information. This is a good and familiar example of inter-app communication where Chrome communicates with Google Now to get the results you desire. Now, what if the Uber app could communicate with Facebook Messenger to help you book a car?

 

How Does Conversational Commerce Work?

It’s pretty straight-forward, so consider this scenario: your friend sends you his address through Messenger so that you can visit him. Until recently, you’d have to switch over to the Uber app, enter the address manually and book a ride. You no longer need to do this because now:

  • You can just tap on the address and a pop-up menu will ask you if you need a ride.
  • When you select the option, the ride will be booked directly and you’ll receive updates from Uber on the Messenger service.

This is the trend everyone is going to follow soon enough. Do you want to order a pizza? Simply send a message to your favorite pizzeria through Whatsapp. If you want to purchase a cake, order it through Messenger.  You can use your natural chat language to do it because the intuitive AI chatbots don’t need command phrases. They’ll automatically get the gist of the message.

 

How Will Conversational Commerce Influence e-Commerce?

You must’ve already noticed the potential of conversational commerce but there are some facts that make it even more obvious:

  • 97% of smart phone owners use messaging apps like Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, Line, We Chat, Viber, etc.
  • There are 900 million users on Whatsapp and 800 million users on Facebook Messenger.
  • These users are more active on messengers than they are on social media.

This is a very powerful tool that can drive additional traffic to your e-commerce website, all from the comfort of their own conversations.

You can contact us at OC Business Websites if you want to know more about conversational commerce or enquire about our services. Contact us now.