Bold Software released its annual research on the effectiveness of live chat technology today, collaborating with the e-tailing group on a blind survey of 1,000 regular Internet shoppers.
The 2011 findings include several interesting insights for internet retailers. One in five shoppers, for example, prefers live chat more than any other communication method. These live chat advocates are also a highly desirable population that typically have a higher household income than average, spend more online per year than other shoppers, and generally have a higher positive attidtude about the technology's presence on the website.
One of the more interesting insights from the research was that shoppers in the UK are as similar to their US counterparts as they are different when it comes to live chat. UK respondents agree with US shoppers on what makes a live chat session successful, but they are less enthusiastic with just half as many live chat users in the UK as the US does.
This poses an interesting opportunity for firms doing business in the UK (and internationally) and wanting to engage with on-site visitors in sales-related situations.
Recent Website Magazine coverage of Bold Software:
- Live Chat Advantage: Deeper Engagement, More Conversions
- Bold Software Unveils Latest Salesforce Integration
- Holiday Preparations for Web Professionals