April 10, 2024

Shopify Inbox vs. Chatway Live Chat: Which Is Better?

If you run an e-commerce business, attracting and retaining customers should be among your top priorities. The more people are happy buying what you offer, the more profits you’ll generate.

However, building strong relationships with your customers goes beyond offering a high-quality product or service. You need to improve your interactions with the people who contact you through your website. That’s why live chat has become an essential resource in the e-commerce universe.

How can you integrate shopify live chat into your e-commerce site? You’d be surprised to know that there are many options. Two of the most popular solutions for Shopify users are Shopify Inbox and Chatway.

What is the better alternative between those two Shopify live chat options? Is Chatway the ideal software to improve communications with your customers? Will Shopify Inbox meet your business’s needs?

This article compares both solutions to help you choose the right one for your Shopify live chat app. Read on!

Shopify Inbox

Before comparing both options, it’s important to carefully evaluate each one, starting with Shopify Inbox.

Overview

In essence, Shopify Inbox is a free tool integrated with your admin panel, which means you can use it at no cost if you have an account on this platform and want to have a Shopify live chat app. 

This tool has been designed to help users start and manage conversations with customers from their online stores. According to Shopify, the integrated live chat solution focuses on sales and support to convert such conversations into purchases.

Key Features

Do you want to know if Shopify Inbox can benefit your business? To determine if this solution is effective, you should take a look at its main features, which are:

• Centralized inbox: With this tool, you can manage all customer interactions from a single platform, streamlining communication and improving response times.
• Product and discount sharing: This solution allows you to showcase products and share discount codes within chat windows, increasing sales and conversion potential.
• Shopify Forms: If you use this tool, you can create attractive and highly convertible online forms. Users can log in on such forms with their accounts and automatically save and apply discounts.
• Automated messages: Shopify Inbox allows you to set up automated greetings or responses, away messages, and cart abandonment triggers to enhance customer engagement.
• Team collaboration: If using the integrated Shopify live chat app, you can assign chats to specific team members to efficiently answer their questions, handle complex inquiries, and manage chat availability.
• Shopping cart insights: This solution provides information about customer cart activity, allowing you to offer timely support and potentially prevent abandoned carts.
• Message classification: With Shopify Inbox, you can identify conversations with high potential to become a sale through automation.
• Shopify Magic: This feature suggests personalized responses and FAQs for your store. You can make sure such messages suit your business’s voice to bring potential buyers closer to a sale.

Pros

Shopify Inbox offers many benefits to e-commerce businesses, including the following:

• Free and easy setup: Since it’s a free app directly integrated with Shopify, this tool is a convenient and cost-effective solution for those who are just starting with live chat, such as small businesses or new stores.
• Exceptional engagement features: Thanks to Shopify Inbox’s real-time chat and email integration, you can improve your interactions with your customers and offer a satisfactory experience.
• Seamless integration and management: Shopify Inbox relies on the existing Shopify ecosystem, which eliminates the need for additional integrations. Plus, this solution centralizes communication to streamline customer interaction management processes.
• Sales-oriented features: This tool’s product sharing and discount capabilities boost engagement within chats and help you increase conversions to drive sales.
• Personalized conversations: Since Shopify Inbox provides access to customer profiles, you can set tailored responses to give a personalized touch to conversations.

Cons

Although it has impressive features and offers some advantages, Shopify Inbox has some drawbacks and limitations, such as:

• Previous users have complained about Shopify Inbox’s poor functionality.
• Automation options are limited, especially the advanced ones that most live chat solutions feature.
• There’s a lack of customization options for the chat interface and functionalities.
• While basic data is available, Shopify Inbox’s reporting and analytics capabilities are less robust than those offered by other live chat options.
• As your business grows and the volume of customer conversations increases, Shopify Inbox may no longer support scalability. 
• Since this tool is only available and compatible with Shopify, it’s limited to a small number of users.

Chatway Live Chat

Now, it’s time to evaluate the second option in this comparison: Chatway. Is it really beneficial for e-commerce businesses? Find out more about this solution below.

Overview

Although it’s a standalone tool, Chatway can be used for those who need a Shopify live chat app because it can integrate well with this platform.

Thanks to its wide range of features and functionalities, this solution can be ideal for businesses of all sizes. Chatway will help you generate engagement and increase conversions through your conversations with your customers.

Key Features

Do you want to know if Chatway is a good option for you? Explore its features and determine if they meet your needs.

• Multi-channel support: With Chatway, you can engage with customers across various channels, including website chat, mobile app, and social media. Plus, it’s compatible with multiple platforms besides Shopify, such as Duda and Wix.
• Innovative live chat widget: Thanks to Chatway’s intuitive live chat widget, you can provide immediate and personalized responses to your Shopify website’s visitors, improving communication and boosting engagement.
• Multilingual support: If you use Chatway, you can interact with people who visit your e-commerce website in their preferred language. There are no cultural barriers. This solution supports over 20 languages.
• Reporting and analytics: Since this tool offers valuable data, you can gain in-depth insights into customer behavior, chat performance metrics, and more to better understand your customer interactions.
• Customization options: Chatway allows you to customize the widget or chat interface to match your brand identity or style and offer a unique experience to customers.
• Segmentation tools: With this solution, you can categorize and group conversations based on specific aspects to provide personalized customer support.
• Team collaboration tools: Chatway has some features that can improve how your team works and manage conversations, such as chat assignments and private notes.
• Prompt notifications: Chatway can help you stay on top of customer interactions since you’ll get prompt notifications for messages within existing chats or new requests.

Pros

Chatway can greatly benefit Shopify businesses, as this tool offers the following advantages:

• Scalability and flexibility: Any business can use Chatway. Additionally, this tool seamlessly adapts to changing needs to promote scalability.
• Solid mobile interface: With Chatway, you won’t miss out on any opportunities to interact with customers, as you can manage chats on the go from your iOS or Android device.
• Advanced features: Chatway has impressive functionalities and features that similar tools don’t, such as live chat widgets, segmentation options, file-sharing, multiple agent support, and comprehensive analytics.
• Omnichannel support: Thanks to Chatway’s numerous communication channels and integrations, you’ll always be available to provide the assistance your customers need, improving their experience to ensure satisfaction.
• User-friendly interface: You won’t have problems integrating Chatway into your Shopify website. This tool is so easy to use!

Cons

Although it offers exceptional benefits, there are some potential drawbacks that you should consider if you use Chatway.

• While Chatway doesn’t currently offer AI bots, a common feature in many live chat solutions today, they do have plans to introduce them in the near future.

Comparison Chart

Want to see how Chatway compares to Shopify Inbox? Take a look at the following chart:

Features	Pricing	Integrations	Mobile app	Customization options	Scalability	AI-backed tools
Shopify Inbox	Free	Only compatible with Shopify	Yes	Limited	Limited	Yes
Chatway	Free	Integrates with multiple platforms	Yes	Extensive	Highly adaptable	No

Choosing the Right Shopify Live Chat

With a plethora of live chat solutions available, choosing the right one for your Shopify store can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, this guide can help you! Below are the aspects you should consider to make the right choice:

• Your needs: Before diving into each solution’s features, assess your specific requirements.
• Business size and growth expectations: Are you a startup or an established business? How much customer interaction do you anticipate? Understand these aspects to choose an option that allows you to scale.
• Budget: Define whether you can invest in a paid tool or should use a free Shopify live chat app.
• Desired features: Do you prefer basic functionalities or need some advanced features to manage your customer interactions? Answer this question and choose the option that offers what you’re looking for.
• Mobile app and interface: Do you have experience using live chats before? Are you looking for a tool to manage your integrations with your customers on the go? Pick the solution suitable for your skills and goals.
• Integrations: Determine if you want to use the live chat solution only with Shopify or need to integrate it with other platforms.
• Customization: Prioritize tools that allow you to customize your Shopify live chat app or widget to match your business’s style and voice.
• Security: Ensure the tool you choose prioritizes data security and adheres to industry regulations to protect customer information.

Final Thoughts

Looking for a solution for a highly converting Shopify live chat app? Choosing the ideal one depends on your specific needs, budget, and business size. 

If you need a free option with basic features, Shopify Inbox may come in handy. However, this tool has some limitations. 

Thus, Chatway would be a better choice if you’re looking for an easy-to-use yet robust tool that supports your escalation efforts, optimizes customer interaction management, and provides all the resources you need to succeed in the e-commerce world.

Do you want to know more about Chatway? Sign up for free!