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Conversational Commerce Strategy

AI in CX Webinar Recap: Building a Conversational Commerce Strategy that Converts

By Gabrielle Policella
0 min read . By Gabrielle Policella

TL;DR:

  • Implement quickly and optimize continuously. Cornbread's rollout was three phases: audit knowledge base, launch, then refine. Stacy conducts biweekly audits and provides daily AI feedback to ensure responses are accurate and on-brand.
  • Simplify your knowledge base language. Before BFCM, Stacy rephrased all guidance documentation to be concise and straightforward so Shopping Assistant could deliver information quickly without confusion.
  • Use proactive suggested questions. Most of Cornbread's Shopping Assistant engagement comes from Suggested Product Questions that anticipate customer needs before they even ask.
  • Treat AI as another team member. Make sure the tone and language AI uses match what human agents would say to maintain consistent customer relationships.
  • Free up agents for high-value work. With AI handling straightforward inquiries, Cornbread's CX team expanded into social media support, launched a retail pop-up shop, and has more time for relationship-building phone calls.

Customer education has become a critical factor in converting browsers into buyers. For wellness brands like Cornbread Hemp, where customers need to understand ingredients, dosages, and benefits before making a purchase, education has a direct impact on sales. The challenge is scaling personalized education when support teams are stretched thin, especially during peak sales periods.

Katherine Goodman, Senior Director of Customer Experience, and Stacy Williams, Senior Customer Experience Manager, explain how implementing Gorgias's AI Shopping Assistant transformed their customer education strategy into a conversion powerhouse. 

In our second AI in CX episode, we dive into how Cornbread achieved a 30% conversion rate during BFCM, saving their CX team over four days of manual work.

Top learnings from Cornbread's conversational commerce strategy

1. Customer education drives conversions in wellness

Before diving into tactics, understanding why education matters in the wellness space helps contextualize this approach.

Katherine, Senior Director of Customer Experience at Cornbread Hemp, explains:

"Wellness is a very saturated market right now. Getting to the nitty-gritty and getting to the bottom of what our product actually does for people, making sure they're educated on the differences between products to feel comfortable with what they're putting in their body."

The most common pre-purchase questions Cornbread receives center around three areas: ingredients, dosages, and specific benefits. Customers want to know which product will help with their particular symptoms. They need reassurance that they're making the right choice.

What makes this challenging: These questions require nuanced, personalized responses that consider the customer's specific needs and concerns. Traditionally, this meant every customer had to speak with a human agent, creating a bottleneck that slowed conversions and overwhelmed support teams during peak periods.

2. Shopping Assistant provides education that never sleeps

Stacy, Senior Customer Experience Manager at Cornbread, identified the game-changing impact of Shopping Assistant:

"It's had a major impact, especially during non-operating hours. Shopping Assistant is able to answer questions when our CX agents aren't available, so it continues the customer order process."

A customer lands on your site at 11 PM, has questions about dosage or ingredients, and instead of abandoning their cart or waiting until morning for a response, they get immediate, accurate answers that move them toward purchase.

The real impact happens in how the tool anticipates customer needs. Cornbread uses suggested product questions that pop up as customers browse product pages. Stacy notes:

"Most of our Shopping Assistant engagement comes from those suggested product features. It almost anticipates what the customer is asking or needing to know."

Actionable takeaway: Don't wait for customers to ask questions. Surface the most common concerns proactively. When you anticipate hesitation and address it immediately, you remove friction from the buying journey.

3. Implementation follows a clear three-phase approach

One of the biggest myths about AI is that implementation is complicated. Stacy explains how Cornbread’s rollout was a straightforward three-step process: audit your knowledge base, flip the switch, then optimize.

"It was literally the flip of a switch and just making sure that our data and information in Gorgias was up to date and accurate." 

Here's Cornbread’s three-phase approach:

  1. Preparation. Before launching, Cornbread conducted a comprehensive audit of their knowledge base to ensure accuracy and completeness. This groundwork is critical because your AI is only as good as the information it has access to.
  2. Launch and training. After going live, the team met weekly with their Gorgias representative for three to four weeks. They analyzed engagements, reviewed tickets, and provided extensive AI feedback to teach Shopping Assistant which responses were appropriate and how to pull from the knowledge base effectively.
  3. Ongoing optimization. Now, Stacy conducts audits biweekly and continuously updates the knowledge base with new products, promotions, and internal changes. She also provides daily AI feedback, ensuring responses stay accurate and on-brand.

Actionable takeaway: Block out time for that initial knowledge base audit. Then commit to regular check-ins because your business evolves, and your AI should evolve with it.

Read more: AI in CX Webinar Recap: Turning AI Implementation into Team Alignment

4. Simple, concise language converts better

Here's something most brands miss: the way you write your knowledge base articles directly impacts conversion rates.

Before BFCM, Stacy reviewed all of Cornbread's Guidance and rephrased the language to make it easier for AI Agent to understand. 

"The language in the Guidance had to be simple, concise, very straightforward so that Shopping Assistant could deliver that information without being confused or getting too complicated," Stacy explains. When your AI can quickly parse and deliver information, customers get faster, more accurate answers. And faster answers mean more conversions.

Katherine adds another crucial element: tone consistency.

"We treat AI as another team member. Making sure that the tone and the language that AI used were very similar to the tone and the language that our human agents use was crucial in creating and maintaining a customer relationship."

As a result, customers often don't realize they're talking to AI. Some even leave reviews saying they loved chatting with "Ally" (Cornbread's AI agent name), not realizing Ally isn't human.

Actionable takeaway: Review your knowledge base with fresh eyes. Can you simplify without losing meaning? Does it sound like your brand? Would a customer be satisfied with this interaction? If not, time for a rewrite.

Read more: How to Write Guidance with the “When, If, Then” Framework

5. Black Friday results proved the strategy works under pressure

The real test of any CX strategy is how it performs under pressure. For Cornbread, Black Friday Cyber Monday 2025 proved that their conversational commerce strategy wasn't just working, it was thriving.

Over the peak season, Cornbread saw: 

  • Shopping Assistant conversion rate jumped from a 20% baseline to 30% during BFCM
  • First response time dropped from over two minutes in 2024 to just 21 seconds in 2025
  • Attributed revenue grew by 75%
  • Tickets doubled, but AI handled 400% more tickets compared to the previous year
  • CSAT scores stayed exactly in line with the previous year, despite the massive volume increase

Katherine breaks down what made the difference:

"Shopping Assistant popping up, answering those questions with the correct promo information helps customers get from point A to point B before the deal ends."

During high-stakes sales events, customers are in a hurry. They're comparing options, checking out competitors, and making quick decisions. If you can't answer their questions immediately, they're gone. Shopping Assistant kept customers engaged and moving toward purchase, even when human agents were swamped.

Actionable takeaway: Peak periods require a fail-safe CX strategy. The brands that win are the ones that prepare their AI tools in advance.

6. Strategic work replaces reactive tasks

One of the most transformative impacts of conversational commerce goes beyond conversion rates. What your team can do with their newfound bandwidth matters just as much.

With AI handling straightforward inquiries, Cornbread's CX team has evolved into a strategic problem-solving team. They've expanded into social media support, provided real-time service during a retail pop-up, and have time for the high-value interactions that actually build customer relationships.

Katherine describes phone calls as their highest value touchpoint, where agents can build genuine relationships with customers. “We have an older demographic, especially with CBD. We received a lot of customer calls requesting orders and asking questions. And sometimes we end up just yapping,” Katherine shares. “I was yapping with a customer last week, and we'd been on the call for about 15 minutes. This really helps build those long-term relationships that keep customers coming back."

That's the kind of experience that builds loyalty, and becomes possible only when your team isn't stuck answering repetitive tickets.

Stacy adds that agents now focus on "higher-level tickets or customer issues that they need to resolve. AI handles straightforward things, and our agents now really are more engaged in more complicated, higher-level resolutions."

Actionable takeaway: Stop thinking about AI only as a cost-cutting tool and start seeing it as an impact multiplier. The goal is to free your team to work on conversations that actually move the needle on customer lifetime value.

7. Continuous optimization for January and beyond

Cornbread isn't resting on their BFCM success. They're already optimizing for January, traditionally the biggest month for wellness brands as customers commit to New Year's resolutions.

Their focus areas include optimizing their product quiz to provide better data to both AI and human agents, educating customers on realistic expectations with CBD use, and using Shopping Assistant to spotlight new products launching in Q1.

Build your conversational commerce strategy now

The brands winning at conversational commerce aren't the ones with the biggest budgets or the largest teams. They're the ones who understand that customer education drives conversions, and they've built systems to deliver that education at scale.

Cornbread Hemp's success comes down to three core principles: investing time upfront to train AI properly, maintaining consistent optimization, and treating AI as a team member that deserves the same attention to tone and quality as human agents.

As Katherine puts it:

"The more time that you put into training and optimizing AI, the less time you're going to have to babysit it later. Then, it's actually going to give your customers that really amazing experience."

Watch the replay of the whole conversation with Katherine and Stacy to learn how Gorgias’s Shopping Assistant helps them turn browsers into buyers. 

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min read.

AI Chatbot Not Working? 7 Common Issues and How to Fix Them

If your AI chatbot is looping, escalating too fast, or giving wrong answers, here’s how to fix it.
By Christelle Agustin
0 min read . By Christelle Agustin

TL;DR:

  • If your AI is giving wrong answers or getting stuck, it’s likely due to missing or conflicting knowledge. Ensure your AI is trained with up-to-date documents and add guardrails to prevent off-topic replies.
  • Loops and escalations usually mean your escalation rules aren’t specific enough. Define when AI should step in, when it should hand over, and create “escape phrases” that trigger human takeover.
  • Customers still want human help. Always offer a path to a real person and make sure your agents get full conversation context when a handoff happens.
  • Inconsistent tone between AI and agents can make disjointed experiences. Align your brand voice across all support channels and choose tools that let you customize AI tone.
  • AI works best when its role is clearly defined. Decide which topics it can handle, train it using real conversations, and review performance regularly to fine-tune your setup.

You’ve chosen your AI tool and turned it on, hoping you won’t have to answer another WISMO question. But now you’re here. Why is AI going in circles? Why isn’t it answering simple questions? Why does it hand off every conversation to a human agent?

Conversational AI and chatbots thrive on proper training and data. Like any other team member on your customer support team, AI needs guidance. This includes knowledge documents, policies, brand voice guidelines, and escalation rules. So, if your AI has gone rogue, you may have skipped a step.

In this article, we’ll show you the top seven AI issues, why they happen, how to fix them, and the best practices for AI setup. 

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1. AI sends the wrong answer — with confidence

AI can only be as accurate as the information you feed it. If your AI is confidently giving customers incorrect answers, it likely has a gap in its knowledge or a lack of guardrails.

Insufficient knowledge can cause AI to pull context from similar topics to create an answer, while the lack of guardrails gives it the green light to compose an answer, correct or not.

How to fix it: 

  • Update the AI knowledge base. Create a new document that covers the affected topic in its entirety. To ensure AI follows every step, write your instructions in a when/if/then format.
  • Define topics that AI should not handle. As a preventive measure, specify the topics the AI should skip and hand over to a human agent. For example, add words such as ‘disappointed’, ‘bad’, and ‘unacceptable’ to your AI off-limit list, so that human agents automatically handle negative-intent tickets.

2. Customer is stuck in an AI loop 

This is one of the most frustrating customer service issues out there. Left unfixed, you risk losing 29% of customers

If your AI is putting customers through a never-ending loop, it’s time to review your knowledge docs and escalation rules.

How to fix it:

  • Double-check for conflicts in knowledge. You may have provided multiple resolutions for the same issue across different knowledge sources, such as uploaded documents, website pages, and in-app instructions.
  • Add “escape routes”. Choose a set of phrases that automatically escalate conversations from AI to your support team. For example, “it’s not working” or “I already tried that”.
  • Set a max number of failed interactions before escalation. Opt for a one-fail-and-escalate approach for every conversation, or specify the number of failed interactions for certain topics.

3. AI escalates too quickly, even for easy questions

It can be frustrating when AI can’t do the bare minimum, like automate WISMO tickets. This issue is likely due to missing knowledge or overly broad escalation rules.

How to fix it:

  • Train AI on your FAQs and common issues. Which customer questions do you repeatedly receive? Create a document that lists out every question and its answer.
  • Update vague escalation rules. AI works best with specificity. For example, if you told it to escalate conversations about “returns,” it may even escalate frequently asked questions about return eligibility.

4. Customers can’t find a way to reach a human

One in two customers still prefer talking to a human to an AI, according to Katana. Limiting them to AI-only support could risk a sale or their relationship. 

The top live chat apps clearly display options to speak with AI or a human agent. If your tool doesn’t have this, refine your AI-to-human escalation rules.

How to fix it:

  • Set phrases to trigger escalation. In your knowledge docs, define which phrases should tell AI to hand a conversation over to your support team. For example, “I want to talk to someone” or “Can I talk to a human?”
  • Add a visible option to connect with a human. This can be a button in your chat widget, a note in your contact page, or even a link in your website footer. At minimum, give customers an easy-to-find way to reach a real person.

5. Handoff happens — but the agent gets no context

If your agents are asking customers to repeat themselves, you’ve already lost momentum. One of the fastest ways to break trust is by making someone explain their issue twice. This happens when AI escalates without passing the conversation history, customer profile, or even a summary of what’s already been attempted.

How to fix it:

  • Use rules to auto-tag conversations based on AI activity. Set up logic to tag tickets when certain conditions are met — like when AI attempted a specific action, couldn't resolve the issue, or triggered escalation.
  • Audit your escalated tickets. Look for patterns where context is missing, and adjust the AI-to-human transition logic accordingly.
  • Use an AI platform that provides automated ticket summaries. Choose a tool like Gorgias that provides a quick overview of every ticket.

6. The tone between AI and agent is jarring

Sure, conversational AI has near-perfect grammar, but if its tone is entirely different from your agents’, customers can be put off.

This mismatch usually comes from not settling on an official customer support tone of voice. AI might be pulling from marketing copy. Agents might be winging it. Either way, inconsistency breaks the flow.

How to fix it:

  • Create shared brand voice guidelines. Align tone, formality, and language rules across both AI scripts and agent responses.
  • Define emojis and punctuation use. A consistent visual style helps conversations feel smoother and more human.
  • Use AI tools that allow tone control. Choose platforms that let you customize the voice and personality of your AI to match your brand.
  • Train your agents with examples of ideal tone. Give your team brand voice examples of how conversations should continue when handed off.

7. You haven’t defined what AI should actually handle

When AI is underperforming, the problem isn’t always the tool. Many teams launch AI without ever mapping out what it's actually supposed to do. So it tries to do everything (and fails), or it does nothing at all.

It’s important to remember that support automation isn’t “set it and forget it.” It needs to know its playing field and boundaries.

How to fix it:

AI should handle

AI should escalate to a human

Order tracking (“Where’s my package?”)

Upset, frustrated, or emotional customers

Return and refund policy questions

Billing problems or refund exceptions

Store hours, shipping rates, and FAQs

Technical product or troubleshooting issues

Simple product questions

Complex or edge‑case product questions

Password resets

Multi‑part or multi‑issue requests

Pre‑sale questions with clear, binary answers

Anything where a wrong answer risks churn

How to set up AI that actually works

Once you’ve addressed the obvious issues, it’s important to build a setup that works reliably. These best practices will help your AI deliver consistently helpful support.

1. Define clear AI boundaries

Start by deciding what AI should and shouldn’t handle. Let it take care of repetitive tasks like order tracking, return policies, and product questions. Anything complex or emotionally sensitive should go straight to your team.

2. Train it using real customer conversations

Use examples from actual tickets and messages your team handles every day. Help center articles are a good start, but real interactions are what help AI learn how customers actually ask questions.

3. Set up fallback triggers

Create rules that tell your AI when to escalate. These might include customer frustration, low confidence in the answer, or specific phrases like “talk to a person.” The goal is to avoid infinite loops and to hand things off before the experience breaks down.

4. Make sure agents receive full context

When a handoff happens, your agents should see everything the AI did. That includes the full conversation, relevant customer data, and any actions it has already attempted. This helps your team respond quickly and avoid repeating what the customer just went through. 

An easy way to keep order history, customer data, and conversation history in one place is by using a conversational commerce tool like Gorgias.

5. Keep tone and voice consistent

A jarring shift in tone between AI and agent makes the experience feel disconnected. Align aspects such as formality, punctuation, and language style so the transition from AI to human feels natural.

6. Review handoffs regularly

Look at recent escalations each week. Identify where the AI struggled or handed off too early or too late. Use those insights to improve training, adjust boundaries, and strengthen your automation flows.

If your AI chatbot isn’t working the way you expected, it’s probably not because the technology is broken. It’s because it hasn’t been given the right rules.

AI that works your way and knows when to escalate

When you set AI up with clear responsibilities, it becomes a powerful extension of your team.

Want to see what it looks like when AI is set up the right way?

Try Gorgias AI Agent. It’s conversational AI built with smart automation, clean escalations, and ecommerce data in its core — so your customers get faster answers and your agents stay focused.

Get started with Gorgias AI Agent →

min read.

How to Pitch Gorgias Shopping Assistant to Leadership

Want to show leadership how AI can boost revenue and cut support costs? Learn how to pitch Gorgias Shopping Assistant with data that makes the case.
By Alexa Hertel
0 min read . By Alexa Hertel

TL;DR:

  • Position Shopping Assistant as a revenue-driving tool. It boosts AOV, GMV, and chat conversion rates, with some brands seeing up to 97% higher AOV and 13x ROI.
  • Highlight its role as a proactive sales agent, not just a support bot. It recommends products, applies discounts, and guides shoppers to checkout in real time.
  • Use cross-industry case studies to make your case. Show leadership success stories from brands like Arc’teryx, bareMinerals, and TUSHY to prove impact.
  • Focus on the KPIs it improves. Track AOV, GMV, chat conversion, CSAT, and resolution rate to demonstrate clear ROI.

Rising customer expectations, shoppers willing to pay a premium for convenience, and a growing lack of trust in social media channels to make purchase decisions are making it more challenging to turn a profit.  

In this emerging era, AI’s role is becoming not only more pronounced, but a necessity for brands who want to stay ahead. Tools like Gorgias Shopping Assistant can help drive measurable revenue while reducing support costs. 

For example, a brand that specializes in premium outdoor apparel implemented Shopping Assistant and saw a 2.25% uplift in GMV and 29% uplift in average order volume (AOV).

But how, among competing priorities and expenses, do you convince leadership to implement it? We’ll show you.

Why conversational AI matters for modern ecommerce

1) Meet high consumer expectations

Shoppers want on-demand help in real time that’s personalized across devices. 

Shopping Assistant recalls a shopper’s browsing history, like what they have clicked, viewed, and added to their cart. This allows it to make more relevant suggestions that feel personal to each customer. 

2) Keep up with market momentum

The AI ecommerce tools market was valued at $7.25 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $21.55 billion by 2030

Your competitors are using conversational AI to support, sell, and retain. Shopping Assistant satisfies that need, providing upsells and recommendations rooted in real shopper behavior. 

3) Raise AOV and GMV

Conversational AI has real revenue implications, impacting customer retention, average order value (AOV), conversion rates, and gross market value (GMV). 

For example, a leading nutrition brand saw a GMV uplift of over 1%, an increase in AOV of over 16%, and a chat conversion rate of over 15% after implementing Shopping Assistant.

Overall, Shopping Assistant drives higher engagement and more revenue per visitor, sometimes surpassing 50% and 20%, respectively.

AI Agent chat offering 8% discount on Haabitual Shimmer Layer with adjustable strategy slider.
Shopping Assistant can send discounts based on shopper behavior in real time.

How to show the business impact & ROI of Shopping Assistant

1) Pitch its core capabilities

Shopping Assistant engages, personalizes, recommends, and converts. It provides proactive recommendations, smart upsells, dynamic discounts, and is highly personalized, all helping to guide shoppers to checkout

Success spotlight

After implementing Shopping Assistant, leading ecommerce brands saw real results:

Industry

Primary Use Case

GMV Uplift (%)

AOV Uplift (%)

Chat CVR (%)

Home & interior decor 🖼️

Help shoppers coordinate furniture with existing pieces and color schemes.

+1.17

+97.15

10.30

Outdoor apparel 🎿

In-depth explanations of technical features and confidence when purchasing premium, performance-driven products.

+2.25

+29.41

6.88

Nutrition 🍎

Personalized guidance on supplement selection based on age, goals, and optimal timing.

+1.09

+16.40

15.15

Health & wellness 💊

Comparing similar products and understanding functional differences to choose the best option.

+1.08

+11.27

8.55

Home furnishings 🛋️

Help choose furniture sizes and styles appropriate for children and safety needs.

+12.26

+10.19

1.12

Stuffed toys 🧸

Clear care instructions and support finding replacements after accidental product damage.

+4.43

+9.87

3.62

Face & body care 💆‍♀️

Assistance finding the correct shade online, especially when previously purchased products are no longer available.

+6.55

+1.02

5.29

2) Position it as a revenue driver

Shopping Assistant drives uplift in chat conversion rate and makes successful upsell recommendations.  

Success spotlight

“It’s been awesome to see Shopping Assistant guide customers through our technical product range without any human input. It’s a much smoother journey for the shopper,” says Nathan Larner, Customer Experience Advisor for Arc’teryx. 

For Arc’teryx, that smoother customer journey translated into sales. The brand saw a 75% increase in conversion rate (from 4% to 7%) and 3.7% of overall revenue influenced by Shopping Assistant. 

Arc'teryx Rho Zip Neck Women's product page showing black base layer and live chat box.
Arc’teryx saw a 75% increase in conversion rate after implementing Shopping Assistant. Arc’teryx 

3) Show its efficiency and cost savings

Because it follows shoppers’ live journey during each session on your website, Shopping Assistant catches shoppers in the moment. It answers questions or concerns that might normally halt a purchase, gets strategic with discounting (based on rules you set), and upsells. 

The overall ROI can be significant. For example, bareMinerals saw an 8.83x return on investment.  

Success spotlight

"The real-time Shopify integration was essential as we needed to ensure that product recommendations were relevant and displayed accurate inventory,” says Katia Komar, Sr. Manager of Ecommerce and Customer Service Operations, UK at bareMinerals. 

“Avoiding customer frustration from out-of-stock recommendations was non-negotiable, especially in beauty, where shade availability is crucial to customer trust and satisfaction. This approach has led to increased CSAT on AI converted tickets."

AI Agent chat recommending foundation shades and closing ticket with 5-star review.

4) Present the metrics it can impact

Shopping Assistant can impact CSAT scores, response times, resolution rates, AOV, and GMV.  

Success spotlight

For Caitlyn Minimalist, those metrics were an 11.3% uplift in AOV, an 18% click through rate for product recommendations, and a 50% sales lift versus human-only chats. 

"Shopping Assistant has become an intuitive extension of our team, offering product guidance that feels personal and intentional,” says Anthony Ponce, its Head of Customer Experience.

 

AI Agent chat assisting customer about 18K gold earrings, allergies, and shipping details.
Caitlyn Minimalist leverages Shopping Assistant to help guide customers to purchase. Caitlyn Minimalist 

5) Highlight its helpfulness as a sales agent 

Support agents have limited time to assist customers as it is, so taking advantage of sales opportunities can be difficult. Shopping Assistant takes over that role, removing obstacles for purchase or clearing up the right choice among a stacked product catalog.

Success spotlight

With a product that’s not yet mainstream in the US, TUSHY leverages Shopping Assistant for product education and clarification. 

"Shopping Assistant has been a game-changer for our team, especially with the launch of our latest bidet models,” says Ren Fuller-Wasserman, Sr. Director of Customer Experience at TUSHY. 

“Expanding our product catalog has given customers more choices than ever, which can overwhelm first-time buyers. Now, they’re increasingly looking to us for guidance on finding the right fit for their home and personal hygiene needs.”

The bidet brand saw 13x return on investment after implementation, a 15% increase in chat conversion rate, and a 2x higher conversion rate for AI conversations versus human ones. 

AI Agent chat helping customer check toilet compatibility and measurements for TUSHY bidet.
AI Agent chat helping customer check toilet compatibility and measurements for TUSHY bidet.

6) Provide the KPIs you’ll track 

Customer support metrics include: 

  • Resolution rate 
  • CSAT score 

Revenue metrics to track include: 

  • Average order value (AOV) 
  • Gross market value (GMV) 
  • Chat conversion rate 

Shopping Assistant: AI that understands your brand 

Shopping Assistant connects to your ecommerce platform (like Shopify), and streamlines information between your helpdesk and order data. It’s also trained on your catalog and support history. 

Allow your agents to focus on support and sell more by tackling questions that are getting in the way of sales. 

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min read.
Create powerful self-service resources
Capture support-generated revenue
Automate repetitive tasks

Further reading

Re:amaze Pricing

Reamaze Pricing Breakdown: Worth It for Ecommerce?

By
3 min read.
0 min read . By

TL;DR:

  • Re:amaze pricing starts at $29 per user per month with three main tiers (Basic, Pro, Plus)
  • Annual billing reduces costs by 10%, and a flat-rate Starter plan exists for low-volume teams
  • Enterprise custom pricing is available for brands with specialized needs or high volume
  • The platform lacks deep ecommerce integrations and revenue tracking compared to purpose-built alternatives
  • Platforms like Gorgias offer similar pricing with stronger Shopify integration and AI-driven resolution

Re:amaze pricing follows a per-user model that starts at $29 per month for the Basic plan. The platform offers three main tiers: Basic, Pro, and Plus. Each tier adds features like SMS support, advanced reporting, and team management tools.

Annual billing reduces costs by roughly 10%, and enterprise options are available for brands with custom needs. Understanding what you get at each tier helps you decide if Re:amaze fits your support strategy and budget. This guide breaks down each plan and compares Re:amaze to platforms built for ecommerce.

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Reamaze pricing overview

Re:amaze uses per-user pricing, also called per-seat pricing, where you're charged based on the number of team members using the platform. The three main tiered plans—Basic, Pro, and Plus—each build on the previous tier's features. Annual billing saves you 10% compared to monthly pricing.

A flat-rate Starter plan exists for teams handling fewer than 500 responded conversations per month, offering unlimited users for $59 USD/month. Enterprise custom pricing is available for high-volume brands or those requiring specialized implementation.

Plan

Monthly

Annual (10% off)

Basic

$29/user

$26.10/user

Pro

$49/user

$44.10/user

Plus

$69/user

$62.10/user

Enterprise

Custom

Custom

Re:amaze offers a 14-day free trial with access to all Plus plan features and no credit card required. Billing options include monthly, annual, and volume-based pricing for the Starter plan.

Reamaze plans and costs

Each tier builds on the previous plan's features, adding functionality as you move up. The Basic plan covers core helpdesk capabilities, while Pro and Plus add multi-brand support, advanced reporting, and team management tools.

Basic plan pricing

The Basic plan costs $29/user/month ($26.10/user billed annually) and includes core helpdesk features for teams just getting started with structured support.

Core features included:

  • Unlimited email inboxes
  • Live Chat widget
  • Social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
  • Chatbots (prebuilt and custom)
  • Workflow automation (Macros)
  • Response templates
  • Basic reporting (volume, response time, first response rate)
  • Public and internal FAQ

What's not included: multi-brand support, SMS and voice channels, advanced reporting, team management features.

Best for solo support agents or very small teams testing helpdesk software without significant channel or reporting needs.

Pro plan pricing

The Pro plan costs $49/user/month ($44.10/user billed annually) and adds multi-brand capabilities and communication channels beyond email and chat.

Everything in Basic, plus:

  • Multi-brand management (manage multiple storefronts in one account)
  • SMS and voice channels (via Twilio, RingCentral, etc.)
  • Live dashboard (see customer activity in real-time)
  • Advanced reporting (satisfaction ratings, tags, workflows)
  • Custom hosted domain for Help Center
  • Status page for service updates

What's not included: team management features, satisfaction surveys, co-browse and video calls.

Best for growing brands managing multiple stores or needing SMS and voice support alongside email and chat.

Plus plan pricing

The Plus plan costs $69/user/month ($62.10/user billed annually) and adds team management, performance tracking, and advanced collaboration tools.

Everything in Pro, plus:

  • Staff performance reporting (individual agent metrics)
  • Departments (assign conversations to team groups)
  • Staff shifts and vacation management
  • Customizable staff roles and permissions
  • Automated satisfaction surveys
  • Live screen sharing (Peek feature)
  • Video calls
  • FAQ edit history

Note: The 14-day trial includes all Plus plan features, so you can test team management and advanced reporting before committing.

Best for established teams needing full team management, performance tracking, and collaboration features like screen sharing.

Enterprise and custom pricing

Enterprise pricing is custom and starts around $899/month based on volume and contract terms. This tier is for high-volume brands or those signing annual contracts.

It includes customizable features, volume-based or annual pricing discounts, dedicated implementation, and priority support. Contact Re:amaze's sales team for a quote tailored to your needs.

What's included in each plan

Re:amaze groups features into categories that matter for support operations: channels, automation, reporting, and team management. Understanding how these features stack across plans helps you compare Re:amaze against ecommerce-specific platforms.

Brands like SkyBell use Re:amaze to manage support across multiple channels, but the platform's strengths lean toward general helpdesk functionality rather than deep ecommerce integration.

Channels and shared inbox

Re:amaze offers a unified inbox for email, live chat, and social media channels including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. SMS and voice support are available in Pro and Plus plans through integrations with Twilio, RingCentral, and similar providers.

A Shopify integration is available and allows you to view customer order data within tickets. However, this help chat Shopify integration isn't as deeply embedded as purpose-built ecommerce platforms that let you edit, cancel, or refund orders directly from the support interface.

Channels supported:

  • Email (unlimited inboxes)
  • Live Chat widget
  • Social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
  • SMS (Pro and Plus, via third-party)
  • Voice/VoIP (Pro and Plus, via third-party)
  • Shopify (view orders and customer data)

Automation and AI

Re:amaze includes chatbots in all plans, with both prebuilt bots for common queries and custom workflows. Workflow automation (called Macros in Re:amaze) is available across all tiers, along with response templates and proactive messages (Cues).

Automation features available:

  • Chatbots (prebuilt for orders, custom for workflows)
  • Workflow automation (Macros for repetitive tasks)
  • Response templates (saved replies)
  • Proactive messages (Cues to engage visitors)
  • AI tagging and intent detection
  • Article suggestions based on conversation content

AI capabilities focus on tagging and suggestions rather than autonomous resolution. Re:amaze doesn't offer an AI agent that fully resolves and closes tickets without human intervention.

Reporting and analytics

Reporting capabilities increase as you move up tiers. Basic plans include volume, response time, and first response rate metrics. Pro and Plus add satisfaction ratings, tag analytics, and workflow performance tracking.

What's available at each level:

  • Basic plan: Volume, response time, first response rate, Shopify attributed orders (if connected)
  • Pro and Plus: Satisfaction ratings, tags and workflows, outbound messages, bot processed tickets
  • Plus only: Individual agent performance, team summaries

Re:amaze offers limited ecommerce-specific metrics compared to platforms built for online stores. You won't find gross merchandise value (GMV) tracking or detailed revenue attribution beyond basic Shopify order data.

Team management and roles

Team management features are concentrated in the Plus plan. Departments allow you to assign conversations to specific team groups, while custom staff roles let you control permissions at a granular level. Staff shifts and vacation tracking help you manage coverage.

Plus plan team management features:

  • Departments (assign conversations to team groups)
  • Custom staff roles (control permissions by role)
  • Staff shifts (schedule coverage)
  • Vacation tracking (manage agent availability)

Basic and Pro plans include basic user permissions but lack the structured team management suitable for larger support organizations.

Reamaze alternatives and comparisons

Other platforms to consider include Gorgias, Zendesk, Help Scout, Intercom, Freshdesk, Kustomer, and Tidio. Each platform positions differently: some focus on ecommerce (Gorgias, Kustomer), while others target broader markets (Zendesk, Intercom). Comparing features at similar price points helps clarify what you're gaining or losing.

Gorgias vs Re:amaze at similar price points

At comparable per-user pricing, Gorgias offers features purpose-built for ecommerce brands. The platform is a Shopify Premium Partner, meaning it has the deepest possible integration with Shopify's order management, customer data, and checkout systems.

Feature

Re:amaze

Gorgias

Starting price

$29/user/month

Similar per-user pricing

Shopify integration

Available (view orders)

Premium Partner (edit, cancel, refund in-ticket)

AI capabilities

Tagging, intent detection

AI Agent (resolves tickets and drives revenue)

Order management

View orders

Edit, cancel, refund directly in tickets

Revenue tracking

Basic Shopify orders

GMV tracking, revenue attribution

Built for

General helpdesk

Ecommerce-specific

Gorgias's AI Agent autonomously resolves support tickets and converts browsers into buyers, tracking the revenue impact of every conversation. Order management capabilities let agents edit shipping addresses, cancel orders, or process refunds without leaving the support interface. This level of ecommerce integration reduces resolution time and improves the customer experience during critical moments like order issues or returns.

Getting started

Evaluating helpdesk software means testing it with real conversations and integrations. Re:amaze's trial gives you access to Plus plan features, which helps you assess team management and reporting before deciding.

How to trial and evaluate Re:amaze

Follow these steps to evaluate Re:amaze effectively:

  1. Sign up for Re:amaze's 14-day trial
  2. Test with real customer conversations across your active channels
  3. Evaluate integration depth with your ecommerce platform (Shopify, BigCommerce, etc.)
  4. Compare against ecommerce-specific alternatives to see what features you'd gain or lose

If you're looking for a helpdesk built specifically for ecommerce, book a demo with Gorgias to see how our platform handles support and revenue in one place.

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Freshdesk Pricing

Freshdesk Pricing Guide: What You Actually Pay in 2026

By Julien Marcialis
5 min read.
0 min read . By Julien Marcialis

TL;DR:

  • Freshdesk uses per-agent pricing starting at $15/month, but real costs stack up with AI add-ons, omnichannel modules, and session overages
  • Core ticketing plans (Growth, Pro, Enterprise) gate key features like advanced routing and multilingual support behind higher tiers
  • AI capabilities require separate purchases: Freddy Copilot costs $29/agent/month, while AI Agent sessions run $100 per 1,000 sessions with no rollover
  • Hidden costs include per-seat licensing that grows with team size, premium integration fees, and usage-based charges that expire monthly

Freshdesk's pricing looks straightforward at first glance. Per-agent plans start at $15/month for basic ticketing.

But the real cost becomes clear once you add omnichannel support, AI automation, and the integrations your team actually needs.

Session limits expire monthly, collaboration costs scale per seat, and many essential features live behind higher-tier paywalls.

This guide breaks down what you'll actually pay for Freshdesk in 2026, from core ticketing plans to AI add-ons and hidden costs. We'll also show you how Gorgias delivers predictable pricing with ecommerce-native automation built in.

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Freshdesk pricing overview and plan structure

Freshdesk uses a modular pricing model that splits support tools into separate products. Per-agent licensing means you pay for each support team member who uses the platform, and costs increase as your team grows.

The company offers four main modules:

  • Freshdesk Ticketing: Core helpdesk with email support, knowledge base, and automation
  • Freshdesk Omni: Unified inbox for multichannel support across email, chat, social, and voice
  • Freshchat: Live chat and messaging platform with chatbot capabilities
  • Freshcaller: Cloud phone system with call routing and interactive voice response (IVR)

Each module is priced separately, though some bundles exist. Annual billing saves 15-20% compared to monthly payments.

Module

Starting Price (Annual)

Starting Price (Monthly)

Core Use Case

Freshdesk Ticketing

$15 USD/agent/month

$18/agent/month

Email support and basic ticketing

Freshdesk Omni

$29/agent/month

$35/agent/month

Unified multichannel inbox

Freshchat

$19/agent/month

$23/agent/month

Live chat and messaging

Freshcaller

$15/agent/month

$18/agent/month

Phone support system

The costs stack when you combine modules. A team using Freshdesk Pro ticketing ($49/agent) plus Omni ($29/agent) pays $78 per agent per month before AI add-ons.

Freshdesk ticketing plans

Freshdesk's core ticketing platform offers three paid plans: Growth, Pro, and Enterprise. A free plan exists but lacks fundamental features like advanced automation and multichannel support, making it impractical for most teams.

Plan

Price/Agent/Month (Annual)

Best For

Key Features

Growth

$15

Small teams with basic needs

Email ticketing, one SLA, basic automation, standard reports

Pro

$49

Growing teams needing routing & analytics

Multiple SLAs, custom dashboards, multilingual, 500 AI sessions

Enterprise

$79

Large teams requiring security & compliance

Audit logs, skill-based routing, sandbox, IP whitelisting

Growth plan

Growth costs $15/agent/month when billed annually. Growth fits small teams needing basic ticketing with simple workflows.

What's included:

  • Ticketing system with shared inbox and customer portal
  • Basic knowledge base and FAQs
  • Threads and tasks for ticket organization
  • Basic automation with event and time-based triggers
  • Basic ticket routing and assignment
  • Standard reporting and dashboards
  • Multilingual help desk interface
  • Up to 5,000 collaborators (view-only users)

Key limitations: Growth doesn't include advanced routing options, multiple SLAs, or multilingual conversation support. You also miss out on custom dashboards and AI Agent sessions. Upgrade to Pro when your team needs more sophisticated automation or serves multiple product lines or regions.

Pro plan

Pro costs $49/agent/month when billed annually. Pro fits growing teams needing advanced routing, multilingual support, and stronger analytics.

Everything in Growth plus:

  • Custom support portals for different customer segments
  • Custom objects to track business-specific data
  • Multiple SLA policies for different service tiers
  • Round-robin and load-balanced ticket assignment
  • Business hours configuration across multiple time zones
  • Multilingual conversations and knowledge base (not just interface)
  • Custom dashboards and advanced reporting capabilities
  • First 500 Freddy AI Agent sessions included per month

What's still missing: Enterprise security features like audit logs and IP whitelisting, sandbox environments for testing, and skill-based routing. Freddy Copilot costs extra even on Pro.

Enterprise plan

Enterprise costs $79/agent/month when billed annually. Enterprise fits large teams requiring advanced automation, security, and global support operations.

Everything in Pro plus:

  • Audit logs for compliance and security tracking
  • IP whitelisting and data center selection
  • Skill-based ticket assignment for specialized routing
  • Approval workflows for sensitive actions
  • Sandbox environment for testing changes
  • Custom object analysis in reports
  • Advanced automation capabilities
  • Enterprise-grade security controls

Note that Freddy Copilot still costs $29/agent/month extra, even at the Enterprise tier.

Freshdesk omnichannel add-ons (Omni, Freshchat, Freshcaller) and how they affect price

Freshdesk's core ticketing plans focus on email support. If you need live chat, social media, SMS, or phone support, you'll purchase separate omnichannel modules. Each module is priced per agent, and costs stack when you combine them.

Freshdesk Omni ($29/agent/month) provides a unified inbox that consolidates conversations from email, WhatsApp, SMS, Facebook, Instagram, and other channels. It includes IntelliAssign for intelligent routing and custom portals for different customer segments.

Freshchat ($19/agent/month) focuses specifically on live chat and messaging. It includes chatbot capabilities, proactive messaging, and campaign tools. Teams using this alongside core ticketing pay for both seats.

Freshcaller ($15/agent/month) adds cloud phone system capabilities with call routing, IVR, call recording, and voicemail. Like other modules, it's billed per agent who needs phone access.

Module

Starting Price

Key Features

Best For

Freshdesk Omni

$29/agent/month

Unified inbox, WhatsApp, SMS, social media routing

Teams needing full omnichannel support

Freshchat

$19/agent/month

Live chat, chatbots, proactive messaging, campaigns

Teams prioritizing real-time chat

Freshcaller

$15/agent/month

Cloud phone, call routing, IVR, recording

Teams offering phone support

The modular approach means flexibility, but total costs add up quickly. A team using Pro ticketing ($49) plus Omni ($29) pays $78 per agent per month. Add Freshcaller ($15) and you're at $93 per agent before AI costs.

Freshdesk AI pricing explained (Freddy Copilot and AI Agent sessions)

Freshdesk offers two AI products: Freddy Copilot and AI Agent. Both are add-ons that cost extra beyond base ticketing plans.

Freddy Copilot is an agent-assist tool priced per user. It helps human agents write better responses with AI suggestions, ticket summaries, and tone adjustments.

AI Agent handles customer conversations autonomously using a session-based pricing model. Sessions are purchased in packs and expire monthly with no rollover.

Feature

Freddy Copilot

AI Agent

Pricing

$29/agent/month

$100 per 1,000 sessions

Billing Model

Per agent subscription

Session packs with expiration

Core Purpose

Agent assistance

Autonomous resolution

Key Capabilities

Reply suggestions, summaries, tone adjustment

Auto-resolve conversations, perform actions

Limits

40 translations per license/month

Sessions expire end of billing cycle

Availability

Add-on (included in Pro ticketing)

Add-on (500 sessions included in Pro)

Freddy Copilot pricing: What's included for agents

Freddy Copilot costs $29/agent/month. You don't need to purchase it for every agent. Only purchase it for those who want AI assistance.

Capabilities included:

  • AI-powered reply suggestions based on ticket context
  • Automatic ticket summaries for quick context
  • Sentiment analysis to identify frustrated customers
  • Tone adjustment to match brand voice
  • Draft email generator for common scenarios
  • Help article suggestions from knowledge base

The main limitation: Copilot includes only 40 translations per license per month. Teams supporting multiple languages may find this restrictive.

Freddy Copilot is available as a paid add-on for Growth and Enterprise plans. It's included with Pro ticketing plans at no extra cost.

AI Agent sessions: How packs, limits, and overages work

AI Agent sessions cost $100 per 1,000 sessions. A session is one complete customer conversation from start to resolution, regardless of how many messages are exchanged.

How sessions work:

  • Sessions are purchased in packs of 1,000
  • All sessions expire at the end of your billing cycle with no rollover
  • Auto-recharge triggers when fewer than 400 sessions remain, automatically purchasing another 1,000-session pack
  • If you run out of sessions mid-month, AI Agent stops working until you manually purchase more

Pro plans include the first 500 AI Agent sessions per month. Beyond that, you purchase additional packs at $100 per 1,000 sessions.

The expiration policy means unused sessions provide no value. A team that purchases 1,000 sessions but only uses 600 loses the remaining 400 at month-end.

Hidden costs to watch for in Freshdesk pricing

Freshdesk's listed prices don't tell the full story. Several non-obvious cost drivers can significantly increase your actual spend.

Session overages and AI add-on creep increase your bill

AI session packs expire monthly with no rollover. If you don't use all 1,000 sessions in a pack, those sessions disappear at billing cycle end. Auto-recharge can surprise teams when it triggers at 400 remaining sessions, adding $100 to your bill.

Freddy Copilot is per-agent, so costs grow with your team. Ten agents with Copilot means $290 extra per month beyond base ticketing costs.

Example: A 10-agent team on Pro ($49/agent = $490) adding Copilot for everyone ($29/agent = $290) plus 2,000 AI Agent sessions ($200) pays $980/month instead of the advertised $490.

Per-agent licensing grows quickly with collaboration

Per-agent pricing means every support team member costs money. Adding seasonal or part-time agents increases your bill immediately.

Simple math: Growing from 5 agents to 10 agents doubles your base cost. On the Pro plan, that's jumping from $245/month to $490/month.

Collaborators (view-only users) are free but limited to 5,000. Most teams won't hit this limit, but it exists.

Higher-tier gates and premium integrations add cost

Many essential features live on Pro or Enterprise tiers only. Growth users can't access:

  • Multiple SLA policies for different service tiers
  • Advanced routing like round-robin or load-balancing
  • Custom dashboards for team-specific metrics
  • Multilingual conversation support (interface only)

Some integrations require higher tiers or incur separate fees. Application programming interface (API) rate limits exist but aren't publicly documented for paid plans, creating uncertainty about integration costs.

When Freshdesk makes sense for support teams

Freshdesk works well for specific use cases, particularly traditional business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) support teams with standard ticketing needs.

Freshdesk fits when you need:

  • Email-first support with basic automation
  • Multilingual support operations across multiple regions
  • Complex routing rules with custom service level agreements (SLAs)
  • Flexible module selection to avoid paying for unused features
  • Traditional helpdesk workflows without ecommerce-specific requirements

Consider alternatives if you're:

  • An ecommerce brand needing deep Shopify or BigCommerce integration
  • A team wanting predictable AI pricing without session limits
  • A business prioritizing support as a revenue driver, not just cost center
  • A company looking for built-in omnichannel without separate modules
  • A brand requiring order management actions inside support tickets

For ecommerce businesses, platforms like Gorgias offer better alignment with Shopify workflows, revenue attribution, and predictable pricing.

Gorgias vs. Freshdesk for Shopify stores

Unlike Freshdesk's modular approach, Gorgias is purpose-built for ecommerce. The platform integrates directly with Shopify, enabling support teams to manage orders, process returns, and drive revenue without switching tools.

Feature

Freshdesk

Gorgias

Base Pricing

$15/agent (Growth), modules extra

Ticket-based, omnichannel included

Omnichannel

Separate Omni module ($29/agent)

Included in all plans

AI Automation

Session-based, expires monthly

Built-in, up to 60% automation

Ecommerce Integration

Basic via marketplace apps

Native Shopify integration

Revenue Features

None

Upsells, recommendations, attribution

Gorgias reduces ticket volume and drives revenue for ecommerce

Gorgias is built for ecommerce, not generic support. Deep Shopify integration means agents can cancel orders, process refunds, modify subscriptions, and update shipping addresses directly inside tickets—no tab-switching required.

AI Agent automates common ecommerce intents like where is my order (WISMO), return requests, and order modifications.

AI Agent automates common ecommerce intents like where is my order (WISMO), return requests, and order modifications. Instead of deflecting customers to Self-service, it resolves their issues automatically.

Revenue features turn support into a profit center:

  • AI-powered product recommendations based on customer history
  • One-click upsell and cross-sell options in conversations
  • Automated discount code generation for retention
  • Revenue attribution showing which support interactions drive sales

Example: A customer asks about sizing. Instead of just answering, your agent recommends a complementary product and applies a bundle discount—all within the same ticket. Support becomes a revenue channel, not just a cost center.

Gorgias AI Agent automates up to 60% with on-brand actions

Up to 60% of repetitive tickets can be automated with Gorgias AI Agent. The system learns your brand voice, policies, and common scenarios, then handles conversations that match those patterns.

Unlike Freshdesk's session-based AI, Gorgias AI Agent performs real actions:

  • Cancels and modifies orders in Shopify
  • Processes returns and exchanges automatically
  • Updates subscription schedules in Recharge or Bold
  • Changes shipping addresses before fulfillment
  • Applies store credit or discount codes

The Guidance system gives you control over AI behavior. Set rules for when AI should escalate to humans, which actions require approval, and how to handle edge cases. Your AI stays on-brand and follows your policies automatically.

Predictable omnichannel pricing and faster time-to-value

Gorgias includes omnichannel support—email, live chat, SMS, Instagram, Facebook, voice—in base plans. No separate modules, no per-channel fees, no surprise add-ons.

Predictable pricing means you know what you'll pay:

  • Ticket-based pricing instead of per-agent seats
  • AI automation built into plans, not sold separately
  • No session limits that expire monthly
  • No hidden fees for channel access

Implementation takes days, not months. Ecommerce-focused onboarding teams understand Shopify workflows, peak season preparation, and common automation patterns. You get dedicated support from people who've worked with hundreds of online stores.

How to choose the right Freshdesk plan for your team

Selecting the right Freshdesk plan depends on your team size, channel requirements, automation needs, and security posture. Here's how to decide.

Choose Growth if you only need basic email support and light automation

Growth fits small teams with simple needs and email-first support models.

What you get:

  • Basic ticketing with one SLA
  • Standard knowledge base
  • Simple automation triggers
  • Basic routing and assignment
  • Standard reporting dashboards

What you don't get:

  • Advanced routing options
  • Multiple SLAs for service tiers
  • Custom dashboards or reports
  • Multilingual conversations
  • AI Agent sessions

Upgrade to Pro when you need sophisticated automation, serve multiple product lines, or require custom analytics.

Choose Pro if you need multiple SLAs, advanced routing, and analytics

Pro fits mid-sized teams managing multiple products, regions, or customer segments with different service requirements.

Everything in Growth plus:

  • Multiple SLA policies for different tiers
  • Custom dashboards for team metrics
  • Round-robin and load-balanced assignment
  • Multilingual conversation support
  • 500 AI Agent sessions included
  • Freddy Copilot included at no extra cost

What you still miss: Enterprise security controls like audit logs, IP whitelisting, sandbox environments, and skill-based routing.

Upgrade to Enterprise when compliance requirements demand audit trails or when your routing needs become highly specialized.

Choose Enterprise if you require skill-based routing and security controls

Enterprise fits large teams with complex routing requirements, strict compliance needs, or global operations requiring advanced governance.

Everything in Pro plus:

  • Audit logs for security and compliance
  • IP whitelisting and data center selection
  • Skill-based assignment for specialized teams
  • Sandbox for testing workflows safely
  • Advanced automation capabilities
  • Enterprise-grade security controls

Note that Freddy Copilot still costs $29/agent/month extra if you're on the Enterprise Omni or other non-ticketing plans.

Consider alternatives like Gorgias if you're an ecommerce brand that doesn't need enterprise-level security but wants predictable pricing with built-in automation.

Add Omni/Chat/Caller only if multichannel is essential to your model

Omnichannel modules are separate purchases that significantly increase total cost. Add them only if:

  • Customers actively demand those specific channels
  • Your team has capacity to manage increased volume
  • Return on investment (ROI) justifies the per-agent cost increase

Example cost impact: Pro ticketing ($49/agent) + Omni ($29/agent) = $78/agent/month. For a 10-agent team, that's $780/month instead of $490/month.

Gorgias includes omnichannel in base pricing without separate module fees.

What to know before buying

Freshdesk offers standard billing options with modest discounts for annual commitments.

Key billing facts:

  • Annual billing saves 15-20% compared to monthly payments
  • Free trial: 14 days, no credit card required
  • No startup discounts or special programs for early-stage companies
  • Pro-rata adjustments when adding or removing agents mid-cycle
  • AI session auto-recharge triggers automatically at 400 remaining sessions

Billing cycles start on your purchase date. AI Agent sessions expire at cycle end with no rollover, so plan usage carefully to avoid waste.

See how Gorgias compares to Freshdesk for ecommerce support

Gorgias delivers predictable omnichannel pricing with AI automation built for Shopify brands. See how our platform reduces ticket volume, drives revenue, and scales with your team without hidden costs or session limits. Book a demo to compare Gorgias and Freshdesk side by side.{{

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Integration: Loop Returns

Loop X Gorgias: The Key To Reducing Return-Related Questions

By Billy McClennan
2 min read.
0 min read . By Billy McClennan

You might be assuming that there’s really nothing you can do to change this outside of overworking your team, or hiring more people.

This is completely normal, but there’s no need to panic. That’s because with Gorgias you can now integrate Loop in your ecommerce store. In case you’re wondering, Loop is an on-demand portal that allows customers to get the product they want, with less support touchpoints. 

Using Loop, there are many ways you can reduce one of the biggest and more time-consuming support-related requests… returns. Plus, they do this while still giving your customers a seamless experience. 

So, let’s dive in.

What’s the problem?

Did you know that 40% of support tickets are order related, with 5% being about returns? It might not seem like something worth looking into, or too problematic, but it is. 

Though these customers returning items do deserve a great level of customer care (everyone does), it’s not the most valuable way to actually use your support team’s skills. 

Why? Glad you asked.

There’s already a lack of resources

It’s always good to remember that your support team is juggling a lot more than you think because there’s so many different types of requests that come through. One of those requests that takes a lot of time is, you guessed it, return requests. While these are important, they don’t exactly require a human touch since they’re very straightforward and focus heavily on process. 

If your support team isn’t able to address other requests in a timely manner, that could mean losing new customers or returning ones because of those support tickets. 

Luckily, return-requests can be easily automated.

Customers want to control their returns

It may come as a surprise to hear that your customers don’t actually want a high touch support experience for returns from your team. They actually want to be the ones to choose where and when they want to engage with support teams. 

Since customers want a more on-demand experience when it comes to returns and something that happens fast, automation doesn’t hurt in these scenarios since it can be quick. 

What’s the solution? Enter Loop.

loopreturns.com

Bringing Loop and Gorgias together for a seamless customer experience that saves your team time is like a dream come true. 

But how exactly, can this address the issues we’ve been discussing?

First off, this partnership will allow your support team to use that extra time in valuable ways that make sense and benefit the business. For example, focusing more on new customers, shipping issues and more.

Secondly, it benefits your customers since it allows them to take control of their returns and do things on their own time. This makes it more seamless and makes them feel like the return process is easier than ever. 

Loop Returns widget in Gorgias helpdesk

Using both Loop and Gorgias together will create a better environment all around, decreasing stress both within your support team and customers so that your team can focus on conversions instead of returns.

Whether you’ve been looking for a way to reduce your support requests related to returns, or if it’s something new on your radar, it’s worth thinking about. Thankfully, you can sign up for a free 7-day trial with Gorgias and add in the Loop integration to see just how much time it can save.

Zendesk Pricing

Zendesk Pricing in 2026: Plans, Add-Ons, and If It's Worth It

By Gorgias Team
6 min read.
0 min read . By Gorgias Team

TL;DR:

  • Zendesk uses per-agent pricing with plans ranging from $19 USD to $169 USD per agent/month depending on channels and features
  • Support plans cover ticketing only, while Suite plans bundle chat, voice, messaging, and Help Center
  • Add-ons for AI, workforce management, and security cost $25-50/agent/month each and compound across your team
  • True costs often exceed advertised rates due to implementation fees, training, and required add-ons
  • Transparent alternatives exist for ecommerce brands that need simpler pricing and built-in features

Zendesk's pricing starts at $19/agent/month for basic ticketing and scales to $169/agent/month for enterprise omnichannel support. But advertised rates rarely tell the full story, as add-ons and implementation costs push total ownership higher.

This guide breaks down Zendesk's plan tiers and true costs so you can budget accurately. We'll also show you where transparent, ecommerce-focused alternatives might be a better fit.

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Zendesk pricing overview (2026)

Zendesk uses per-agent pricing across 2 main product lines: Support (ticketing only) and Suite (omnichannel). Plans range from $19 to $169/agent/month depending on features and channels.

Each person on your support team needs a paid seat. As you hire, your software costs scale directly with headcount. This means a 10-person team pays 10 times what a single agent pays, and a 50-person team pays 50 times that amount.

Annual billing saves roughly 20% compared to monthly. For example, Suite Team costs $55/agent/month annually versus $69/agent/month on monthly billing. The model itself is straightforward:

  • Per-agent seat licensing
  • Tiered feature access
  • Annual billing discounts
  • Separate add-on costs

Support vs Suite (what's included)

Support plans focus on ticketing for email and social channels (X, Facebook). They lack phone, chat, and Help Center capabilities.

Suite plans bundle ticketing with live chat, voice, messaging, and a self-service help center. This is Zendesk's omnichannel option.

Choose Support if you only need email ticketing. Choose Suite if customers contact you across multiple channels.

Per-agent, monthly vs annual billing

Per-agent pricing means your bill grows with your team. A 10-person team on Suite Professional pays $1,150/month. A 50-person team pays $5,750/month. Understanding the marginal cost of customer service becomes critical at this scale.

Annual billing reduces costs by roughly 20%. Suite Team drops from $69/month to $55/month per agent. Monthly billing costs more but lets you test Zendesk before committing. Useful for seasonal hiring or pilot programs.

Zendesk Support plans and pricing

Support plans provide ticketing, automation, and reporting for email and social channels. They're Zendesk's entry point but lack phone, chat, and Help Center.

Support team

Support Team: $19/agent/month (annual) or $25/agent/month (monthly)

  • Email and social channel ticketing (X, Facebook)
  • Basic automation Rules
  • Pre-built integrations
  • Standard reporting

No phone, chat, or Help Center. Best for very small teams handling email only.

Support professional

Support Professional: $55/agent/month (annual) or $69/agent/month (monthly)

Adds to Team:

  • Multilingual support
  • Service level agreements (SLAs) and business hours
  • Customer satisfaction (CSAT) surveys
  • Advanced reporting

Still lacks voice and chat channels. Requires Suite upgrade for omnichannel.

Support enterprise

Support Enterprise: $115/agent/month (annual) or $149/agent/month (monthly)

Adds to Professional:

  • Skills-based routing
  • Custom agent roles
  • Contextual workspaces
  • Sandbox for testing

Maximum Support tier but still email-focused. Consider Suite for full channel coverage.

Zendesk Suite pricing breakdown

Suite plans include ticketing plus Live Chat, voice, messaging, and Help Center in one package. This is Zendesk's omnichannel solution.

Each tier includes a set number of Help Centers (1, 5, or 300). Multi-brand businesses may hit this limit.

Suite team

Suite Team: $55/agent/month (annual) or $69/agent/month (monthly)

  • All Support Team features
  • Live Chat and messaging
  • Voice (phone support)
  • 1 Help Center
  • Basic AI agents
  • Social channels

Single Help Center limits multi-brand setups. Basic AI only.

Suite growth

Suite Growth: $89/agent/month (annual) or $115/agent/month (monthly)

Adds to Team:

  • Self-service customer portal
  • Multiple ticket forms
  • Multilingual support
  • SLAs

Still limited to basic AI. Advanced AI requires $50/agent/month add-on.

Suite professional

Suite Professional: $115/agent/month (annual) or $149/agent/month (monthly)

Adds to Growth:

  • Community forums
  • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance
  • Skills-based routing
  • Advanced analytics
  • Up to 5 Help Centers

Good for mid-market but still requires add-ons for full AI capabilities.

Suite enterprise

Suite Enterprise: $169/agent/month (annual) or $219/agent/month (monthly)

Adds to Professional:

  • Custom agent roles
  • Sandbox environment
  • Advanced AI with content cues
  • Dynamic workspaces
  • Up to 300 Help Centers

Highest tier but add-ons still required for full AI, WFM, and security features.

Zendesk add-ons and AI pricing

Base plans don't include all AI and specialized features. Add-ons cost $25-50/agent/month each and compound quickly across your team.

A 10-agent team adding Advanced AI ($50) and WFM ($25) pays an extra $750/month beyond base plan costs.

Advanced AI (Copilot, triage)

Advanced AI: $50/agent/month

  • AI Copilot for agent assistance
  • Intelligent ticket triage
  • Smart routing
  • Generative AI responses

Must purchase for all agents. No selective assignment.

Example: 10 agents = $500/month additional cost

Workforce management (WFM) & Quality assurance (QA)

WFM: $25/agent/month for scheduling, forecasting, and capacity planning

QA: $35/agent/month for conversation analysis, agent coaching, and performance tracking

Available across all plan tiers. Useful for larger teams managing schedules and quality.

Advanced data privacy & protection

Advanced Data Privacy & Protection: $50/agent/month

  • Advanced encryption
  • Data masking and redaction
  • Custom retention policies
  • Enhanced compliance features

Essential for regulated industries like healthcare and finance. Not yet fully available.

The real cost of Zendesk (TCO)

Advertised prices rarely reflect the true cost. Implementation, training, and add-ons push total cost of ownership higher. This ultimately impacts your customer service return on investment (ROI).

Hidden costs include:

  • Implementation services ($5,000-20,000)
  • Training and onboarding ($1,500-5,000)
  • Multi-brand instances (separate accounts)
  • Add-on stack ($75-150/agent/month)

Small team (5 agents): Starts with Suite Team ($55/agent/month = $275/month). Adds Advanced AI ($50/agent) for holiday rush. Total jumps to $525/month, nearly double.

Mid-market team (20 agents): Needs Suite Professional ($115/agent) plus AI ($50) and WFM ($25). Total: $3,800/month or $45,600/year.

Enterprise (50 agents): Full add-on stack (Suite Enterprise $169 + AI $50 + WFM $25 + QA $35 + Data Privacy $50). Total: $329/agent/month or $197,400/year.

Zendesk pricing by team size

Optimal plan varies by team size, channel needs, and budget. Here's what makes sense for different segments.

Small teams

1-10 agents

Recommended: Support Team ($19/agent) if email-only. Suite Team ($55/agent) if you need chat or phone.

Considerations:

  • Limited budget makes add-ons costly
  • Simple workflows fit entry tiers
  • May outgrow quickly as business scales

Mid-market

10-50 agents

Recommended: Suite Professional ($115/agent) for omnichannel, SLAs, and analytics

Considerations:

  • Need for customization and reporting
  • Multi-brand support may require multiple instances
  • AI add-ons push costs toward $150-200/agent/month

Enterprise

50+ agents

Recommended: Suite Enterprise ($169/agent) with full add-on stack

Considerations:

  • Customization and security requirements
  • Add-ons (AI, WFM, QA, Data Privacy) add $100-150/agent/month
  • Total cost often exceeds $300/agent/month

Zendesk vs alternatives (Freshdesk, HappyFox, and Kustomer)

Zendesk's per-agent pricing with add-ons can exceed alternatives that include more features in base plans.

Freshdesk starts at $15/agent/month with omnichannel included. Transparent pricing, no hidden add-ons.

HappyFox starts at $29/agent/month with unlimited agents on higher tiers. Better for scaling teams.

Kustomer uses session-based pricing instead of per-agent. Better for high-volume, lower-complexity support.

Ecommerce brands often choose Gorgias for Shopify-native features, transparent pricing, and included AI capabilities without per-agent add-ons.

Pricing models compared:

  • Per-agent (Zendesk, Freshdesk, HappyFox)
  • Session-based (Kustomer)
  • Unlimited agents (HappyFox higher tiers)
  • Included AI (Gorgias)

Final verdict on Zendesk pricing

When Zendesk makes sense:

  • Enterprise scale with budget for add-ons
  • Complex multi-brand requirements
  • Need for extensive customization and security

When to consider alternatives:

  • Cost-sensitive growing teams
  • Ecommerce-specific workflows
  • Preference for transparent, all-inclusive pricing

Zendesk's pricing works for large organizations with complex needs and dedicated budgets. But the per-agent model with mandatory add-ons pushes total costs higher than many teams expect. For ecommerce brands, platforms built specifically for online retail often deliver better value with clearer pricing.

See how Gorgias delivers transparent pricing and ecommerce-specific features. Book a demo.

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BigCommerce API

What Can You Do With All Those BigCommerce API Calls?

By Lucas Walker
4 min read.
0 min read . By Lucas Walker

A quick look into BigCommece, and you'll quickly see one of the main advantages about

As eCommerce-Aholic says in their YouTube video: 5 reasons to choose BigCommerce over Shopify, when deciding whether a SaaS ecommerce platform is right for you, you have to consider APIs.

What does this mean for you?

Because more often than not, you don’t have access to the underlying code fuelling your ecommerce website. 

This is where APIs come into their own.

In short, API stands for 'Application Programming Interface.' This enables two apps to communicate with each other. As such, this is what allows you to extend the overall functionality of your chosen ecommerce platform.

With that in mind, let’s delve into this subject a little deeper. 

BigCommerce APIs

BigCommerce's API coverage is incredibly impressive. As is the number of API calls that BigCommerce can process per second. In fact, it can handle 100 times more API calls per second than Shopify Plus! 

Shopify limits you to just two API requests a second, or four API per second if you’re a Shopify Plus user. Whereas BigCommerce can handle a whopping 400 API calls per second!

How Often Will You Need to Hit an API Call?

Let’s take synchronizing your entire stock list with BigCommerce’s Catalog API as an example. This API enables you to integrate your BigCommerce store with your POS and multiple online sales channels...so that you can handle everything from a single platform. Needless to say, this makes selling on popular third-party platforms like Amazon, Walmart (Jet), Wayfair, Best Buy, Houz, etc. a breeze!

So, suppose you’re running a large enterprise and have thousands of items to synchronize (or have tons of different product options). In that case, 25,000 products could take over four hours to sync on Shopify! Whereas, with BigCommerce, that same volume of merchants would take around a minute. 

Following this same logic, if you're syncing multiple systems with your ecommerce store, you’ll be thankful that BigCommerce handles so many API calls per second. After all, there are only so many hours in the day!

The biggest perk?

But, that isn't the best thing about BigCommerce's APIs. In fact, it's the real-time information your shipping and logistics partners feedback to your store that's of the most value. 

Of course, this also has a knock-on effect on the quality of your customer support. Slow and unreliable API calls adversely impact your store's inventory levels and shipping updates for customers.

BigCommerce's API can sync inventory across multiple locations including warehouses and instore.

‍Customer Support

While we're on the topic of customer service, just think of the kind of high-quality customer support you could provide, using one of your many APIs to connect your BigCommerce store with Gorgias. 

You'll be able to offer all the following at lightning speed:

  • Real-time live chat (you can even trigger automatic live chat campaigns depending on your visitor's web page).
  • Centralize customer communications - social media, email, phone, etc. You can answer all pending support tickets from the convenience of one dashboard.
  • You can create template answers to respond faster to FAQs - just write your response once and save it as a macro. Then you'll be able to reuse it automatically.
  • Utilize machine learning to detect what customers will ask - shipping updates, refunds, exchanges, etc. Then, you can send laser-targeted automated responses to proactively answer their questions. 

How to Utilize API Calls

On top of the obvious benefits listed above, you can also use BigCommerce's API points to create mobile apps using data retrieved from your online store. Not only does this make app development much easier, but ultimately, it'll also provide a seamless experience for the end-user. Win-win!

For the sake of ease, we've listed some of the different kinds of BigCommerce APIs you can use and how they could benefit your online store. Hopefully, this provides some much-needed inspiration for making the most out of your abundance of APIs.

Storefront APIs: This enables you to manage customer carts and checkouts (from the client's side and your back end). For instance, you can add products to a shopper’s cart, gather and display customer order info, update billing addresses, and erase current e-shopping trolleys. 

GraphQL Storefront API: Similar to above, you can also use this API to access your customer's product info and modify customer details and orders. But more unique to this API, you can build frontend apps. This permits you full control over the look and feel of your brand. 

Scripts API: You can insert any scripts for analytics, single-click apps, live chat, support plugins, and theme extensions for any apps or integrations you’ve downloaded, so you'll no longer have to manually paste code into your control panel.

Widgets API: Here, you can create modular blocks of content to reuse wherever you want. Similarly, you can also develop tools to empower non-techy users to manage your content. Trust us, your team will thank you for not making them go to the trouble of modifying the theme files.

Payments API: As its name so aptly suggests, this API facilitates the acceptance of customer payments. You can create custom checkouts either using a Server-to-Server Checkout API Orders endpoint or via the V2 Orders endpoint.

Getting Started with BigCommerce APIs 

First off, you need to obtain the API credentials.

From there, you can experiment with your APIs using BigCommerce's in-built 'Request Runner.' Here, you just copy and paste your store_hash, client_id ID, and access_token. 

Then once you've done that, hit 'Send.'

Alternatively, you can use the REST Client extension to make API requests, using the Visual Studio Code. Once you've installed this extension, you'll need to create a new file called BigCommerce.http. 

Then you'll need to paste the following:

@ACCESS_TOKEN = your_access_token

@CLIENT_ID = your_client_id

@STORE_HASH = your_store_hash

###

GET https://api.bigcommerce.com/stores/{{STORE_HASH}}/v3/catalog/products

X-Auth-Token: {{ACCESS_TOKEN}}

X-Auth-Client: {{CLIENT_ID}}

Content-Type: application/json

Accept: application/json

Now, hit 'Save.' 

This should trigger a 'send request' link to display above GET. Click 'send request,' and the API response will appear in a split window.

There are other ways to start using BigCommerce APIs, but we don't have time to go through them all in this article. Hopefully, this has been enough to help steer you in the right direction. For more information, take a look at BigCommerce’s API documentation

Are You Ready to Start Using BigCommerce?

We hope having read this article, you have a better idea of what you could achieve with BigCommerce's generous API allowance. The BigCommerce API lets you sync inventory across channels, and locations, connect to apps, and offer exceptional customer support. How have you used the BigCommerce API?

Black Friday vs Buy Nothing Day

Black Friday vs. Buy Nothing Day

By Frederik Nielsen
7 min read.
0 min read . By Frederik Nielsen

For most retailers, Black Friday is the busiest and most profitable day of the year. However, not everyone is into shopping on Black Friday. Every year, more and more activists are protesting the consumer culture by celebrating ‘Buy Nothing Day.’

Never heard about it? Although the anti-consumerism celebration has been gaining traction in the last couple of years, it’s still not well-known among the general public.

How did we come to this point? That’s what we’ll learn today.

You’ll find out:                      

  • A short history of Black Friday
  • What’s Buy Nothing Day All About
  • Black Friday vs. Buy Nothing Day

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The History of Black Friday

As high-speed Internet spread across the planet so did Black Friday. What initially started as a mall craze has evolved in an online phenomenon. But do you know how Black Friday started? When and where did it happen and how did it spread?

How Black Friday Started

The holiday got started in the early-50s, in Philadelphia. The term was used to describe the heavy traffic on the day after Thanksgiving when hordes of tourists and suburbanites would storm the city in advance of the annual Army-Navy football game. 

While we don’t know for certain, the term “Black Friday” was possibly coined by the members of the Philadelphia police department to describe the shoplifting, traffic jams, and general mayhem. Yes, Black Friday incidents are nothing new.

Even though retailers tried to change its name to “Big Friday” during the late 60s in an effort to avoid the negative connotations, the original name persevered. In the mid-80s, marketers started using the term in connection to “being in the black” after a financially bad year. 

Cyber Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Black November

Black Friday sales became commonplace across the United States, in the early 90s. By the mid-2000s, online shopping started gaining traction. In 2008, online shoppers spent $534 million on Black Friday

During the same period, Cyber Monday got its start. The holiday took off when the staff at Shop.org noticed a 77% increase in online sales on Monday after the Black Friday weekend. Since Cyber Monday was so successful, some of the largest store chains in the US, like Walmart and Amazon merged the two into a single shopping weekend

Soon after, retailers started creating different spin-offs of the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend. For example, the day after Black Friday is called Small Business Saturday. That’s why some retailers now celebrate Black November all month long. 

Image Source: Statista

Pros and Cons of Black Friday

Last year, retailers from all over the world saw more than 93 million people shopping online, during the Black Friday weekend. While a huge number of people are looking forward to the holiday, there are some that aren’t as nearly excited. 

The holiday has its positive and negative sides. Some of the Black Friday pros include:

  • Most consumers are able to save a lot of money on great deals
  • Retailers are able to make a good percentage of their yearly revenue during BFCM
  • It’s great for the economy; 30% of retail sales happen between BFCM and Christmas 

Of course, we need to take into consideration Black Friday cons as well:

  • People tend to overspend during BFCM and buy things they wouldn’t otherwise
  • Some retailers that artificially heighten their prices in the weeks leading up to BFCM
  • Some small businesses can’t compete with large discounts offered by large chains  

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The History of Nothing Day

Not all people see Black Friday as a great opportunity to buy that 40-inch smart TV for a fraction of its price. Some see it as nothing more than a decadent celebration of commercialism. That’s why some people opt to celebrate Buy Nothing Day.

Never heard of Buy Nothing Day before? You’re not alone. A lot of people haven’t. But don’t worry, we’re here to explain everything… 

How Nothing Day Started

Now, Buy Nothing Day is actually nothing new. The anti-holiday was originally thought out by a Canadian artist by the name of Ted Dave way back in 1992. His anti-shopping campaign started gaining steam once it got picked up by the non-profit magazine, Adbusters.

According to the official Adbusters website, the day is meant for ordinary consumers to re-examine their spending habits and take a look at the “issue of overconsumption.” 

During the 90s and 00s, this anti-holiday was mainly “celebrated” in the US and Canada, but in the last couple of years, thanks to the Internet, it reached a worldwide audience. While it’s certainly not popular as Black Friday, it’s slowly catching on.

How is Buy Nothing Day Celebrated

Seeing how Buy Nothing Day is still new, it’s no wonder that different people celebrate it in different ways. However, over the last decade, certain traditions have developed. Here a few universal ways in which people celebrate Buy Nothing Day:

  • Cutting Up Credit Cards: This is perhaps the most extreme way in which people celebrate Buy Nothing Day. Some consumers gather in front of shopping malls on Black Friday to cut up their credit cards in protest of consumerism. 
  • Starting Whirly Marts: Another “on-location” way to celebrate Buy Nothing Day is to take a shopping cart and create a long -conga-like line around the mall. As you might’ve guessed, the shopping carts are traditionally empty. 
  • Taking Buy Nothing Hikes: A less confrontational way to celebrate it is to ignore the stores and shoppers completely and go for a group hike. This allows people to leave the stress-filled spending day behind them and enjoy nature. 
Image Source: YouTube

Pros and Cons of Buy Nothing Day

People who are preoccupied with the negative aspects of commercialism are obviously more likely to participate in the Buy Nothing Day celebration. But just like its consumerism-celebrating counterpart, Buy Nothing Day has its negative and positive sides.

Let’s go over the positive aspects first:

  • It encourages people to think about how much money they’re needlessly spending
  • Also, it helps consumers control the urge to buy things compulsively and spend wisely  
  • Finally, it shows that your personal happiness doesn’t revolve around material objects

Nothing is perfect and Buy Nothing Day isn’t the exception. Here are some negative aspects:

  • Not overspending for a single day doesn’t mean you won’t do it for the rest of the year
  • Consumerism drives a country’s economy, so it’s not always the most sustainable protest. 
  • Not shopping for a single day won’t prevent consumerism on a large scale 

Black Friday vs. Buy Nothing Day

As a retailer, are you wondering if you should be worried? Can Buy Nothing Day turn some of your customers against you, destroy your relationship, and hurt your sales? Let’s see how the BFCM weekend will stack up against Buy Nothing Day in 2020. 

The Emergence of the Conscious Shopper

Consumers have become more conscious in recent years. They’re more worried about global problems than ever before, and they would like the companies they’re dealing with to share their concerns. 

But if overspending in rampant consumerism is such a problem, why isn’t Buy Nothing Day bigger? You have to remember that the day is competing with well-established holidays. Also, Black Friday backlash has been much more noticeable outside the US.

For example, just last year in France, protesters gathered in an attempt to block an Amazon warehouse in the suburbs of Paris. In other European countries, lawmakers are considering banning Black Friday altogether, due to the negative environmental impact.

Make Black Friday Green Again

Speaking of France, a collective known as MFGA (Make Friday Green Again) recently formed in the country, in order to help the citizens become more conscious about their consumption. More than 450 brands signed up to support the MFGA initiative in 2019. 

Faguo, the organization behind the movement is inviting consumers to drop unwanted clothing items into their stores and encouraging consumers to take part in their tree-planting campaign. 

The #OptOutside Campaign 

In the United States, REI, an outdoor-gear manufacturing company is doing its part to slow-down overconsumption during the BFCM weekend. On Black Friday, the REI officials close all of their stores, give their employees a paid day off, and encourage people to go outside for a walk, hike, or a campaign trip. 

Their Opt Outside campaign not only helps their consumers become more physically active and financially responsible, but also spreads awareness about their values. The fact that the healthy activities they promote are what their products are made for is not a coincidence.  

Buy Nothing Day vs Ecommerce

Will Black Friday sales suffer from Buy Nothing Day? Not really. While some will choose to ignore the BFCM weekend, most people are either not aware of Buy Nothing Day or don’t feel like they have any trouble controlling their spending. 

Large stores probably won’t feel any consequences. However, their small-to-midsize counterparts might feel the hit. 

Around 60% of all online spending during BFCM goes to a dozen or so large retailers. None of them will feel the impact of Buy Nothing Day. The rest of the money goes to thousands of small stores. They’re the ones that could potentially feel the hit. 

How to Do Your Part

Should you be concerned about Buy Nothing Day? Yes and no. On one hand, you have to be aware that as a small business owner, you can’t afford to lose any customers. On the other, it’s not likely that many of your customers will choose Black Friday to ignore you. 

There’s a simple solution if you feel like Buy Nothing Day may be a problem. To get the younger, socially-aware crowd on your side, you just have to show them that you care. 

You can use your website to encourage people to spend more time outdoors or promote a good cause. Take DoneGood for example. In 2018, the Boston-based ecommerce website donated Black Friday revenue to the RAINN foundation.   

Looking Beyond Black Friday 2020

It took nearly 50 years for Black Friday to become a worldwide phenomenon. Although information travels fast nowadays, it’s not realistic to expect for Buy Nothing Day to become a large-scale protest against consumerism any time soon. 

When done right, Black Friday can be a great day for both retailers and shoppers. If you’re a store owner and you want to make it great for your customers, here’s what you need to do:

One thing is certain: your customers should always come first. You need to show them that you share their values, respect their concerns, and that you’re ready to take that extra step to keep them satisfied. And you can’t do that without a good helpdesk. 

With Gorgias helpdesk, you can attend to your customers, establish, and nurture relationships with ease. 

Go ahead, sign up for Gorgias, get your 15-day free trial, and see your customer satisfaction rates skyrocket.

Ecommerce Fundraising

The Ultimate Guide to Raising Funds for Ecommerce Brands

By Rohan Kapoor
13 min read.
0 min read . By Rohan Kapoor

As many of you already know, Gorgias has spilled their blood, sweat, and tears into creating the best customer support platform on the market. 

BUT...

We want to provide our customers with more.

More value. More possibilities. And, most importantly, more opportunities to grow and scale your online business. 

...Enter our new show Vested Interest

Like Shark Tank and Dragons Den, Gorgias is partnering with venture capital companies, including Greycroft, Swiftarc, and Rosecliff. You guessed it...successful applicants have the chance to pitch investors and receive valued feedback and advice. Pitching helps brands boost their profile, and may even lead to a second conversation with an investor.

So, in honor of our exciting new initiative, in this blog post, we're delving into ecommerce fundraising in more detail. More specifically, what it is, why you should consider it, and how to raise those all-important funds to transform your business dream into reality.

Does that sound good to you? Fab! Continue reading to find out more...

What's Business Fundraising?

First things first, we want to clarify what ecommerce fundraising actually is. In short, it's the process online merchants take to secure the funds they need to launch and/or grow their ecommerce businesses.

Traditionally, business fundraising was associated with start-ups, brick and mortar stores, and scaling companies to reach new heights.

But, fast forward to today, more and more DTC brand owners and online merchants are also leveraging capital to launch and/or expand their business. 

And there's no reason you can't do the same. 

Of course, there are several ways to raise business capital, but some of the more popular routes include:

  • Venture capital
  • Crowdfunding
  • Angel investors
  • Taking out a bank loan
  • Equity investors
  • Revenue-based financing

As we've just said, there are plenty of other fundraising avenues, but for the purposes of this article, we're focusing on these. 

What are the Different Business Fundraising Options?

Let's explore the options above in a little more detail...

Angel Investors 

Seeking funds from an angel investor(s) might be the ideal option if you're running a small ecommerce brand that's generating steady profits. I.e., without external funding, you're doing okay. Still, to take your business to the next level, you need a cash injection. 

This is where an “angel” investor might come in handy.  

Typically speaking, angel investors are wealthy people, or groups, who pool their know-how, research, and resources to provide promising start-ups capital. 

Generally, angel investors give companies some sort of financial assistance in exchange for either convertible debt (i.e., the promise of converting part (or all) of the loan into common shares, at some point in the future) or ownership equity.

Usually, you'll approach an angel investor with a pitch outlining who your business is, how much money you want to secure, and what you hope to achieve with their finances. 

As the size of angel investments substantially varies (usually anywhere under $50,000 to over $500,000), you'll have to prove how you'll provide reliable results. You need to show investors why your business is worth their time, and more importantly, money. After all, it stands to reason, if you can prove your brand will go the distance, the safer bet you are for them to invest in. 

Then, after your initial meeting(s) with the angel investor(s), they'll typically go away and conduct their own research, ask you questions, etc. to help determine whether your proposition is a good fit with their investment portfolio. 

Crowdfunding 

In short, crowdfunding is where a wider pool of small-time investors assist a company during its earlier stages. As crowdfunding is typically used to accumulate funds to launch, these businesses often have a minimal (if any) track record of their profits. As such, this fundraising method is ideal for those with a killer business idea, without the financial forecasts to wow angel investors, banks, or venture capital firms.   

There are tons of crowdfunding sites online. For instance:

These are just a few of the many online crowdfunding platforms on the web. But, the ones above are a great starting point - here, you can get your brand and business plan in front of loads of people actively looking to invest in fledgling businesses. 

How to Run a Successful Crowdfunding Campaign

Crowdfunding relies on your ability to inspire trust and enthusiasm in your audience. Show them you've done your research and are prepared to put their money to good use. This means breaking up your estimated costs and demonstrating where the money will go. For instance, how much is allocated to production, how much on design? Showing you understand your costs improves your credibility. 

Whatever crowdfunding platform you choose to use, post regular updates, and answer questions. Show the community that's building around your idea that you care for their involvement. Investing in a crowdfunding project can be daunting, some investors might fear that you won’t come through. So, demonstrate from the start that you're reliable and fully invested in putting their worries at bay. 

Last but not least, make sure your crowdfunding campaign is well presented. Where possible, use high-quality graphics and video content. Proofread your proposal, ensuring all the info is shown in a way that's logical and easy-to-read. Get friends and family to check over your campaign description for you. Professionalism goes a long way in inspiring the confidence of potential investors!

Venture Capital Investors

Securing investment from venture capital firms like Greycroft, Swiftarc, and Rosecliff, is (usually) better suited to larger online enterprises. For the uninitiated, 'venture capital' is a form of private equity and financing that investors provide businesses with long-term growth potential. 

Entrepreneurs typically secure this kind of financing from affluent investors or investment banks. But, it's worth noting that venture capital doesn't always take a monetary form. Venture capital can also be provided as technical or managerial expertise. 

As investments go, plowing money into an ecommerce business is one of the riskier options. But, the potential for above-average returns is enticing, so we're seeing more and more investors adding online brands to their investment portfolio. 

However, the main drawback for brand owners is that investors usually get equity in the company. As such, you'll give up the luxury of having full control over your business's operation. You don't need us to tell you that this a big deal. So, take your time weighing up the pros and cons of any investment agreement before signing the dotted line!

Equity Investors

Equity investors do precisely what they say on the tin. They're people who provide companies with financial investment in exchange for a share of the business's ownership.

Generally, equity investors don't get a guaranteed return on their investment. But, should the company be liquidated, the equity investor will get a share of the assets (as stipulated in your contract). 

Unsurprisingly, as equity investment is a riskier option for investors, they often expect to receive certain benefits to offset these risks. For instance, your investment agreement might stipulate that their initial investment is paid back within a specific time frame. Then, afterward, it's common for investors to be paid a pre-agreed share of the profits once you've paid back their initial investment.

Alternatively, (or as well as) equity investors can receive stock shares. Of course, stocks rise and fall depending on the market. So, again their return on investment isn't set in stone. But, the investor has the luxury of selling their stocks on the stock market or via other trading platforms, whenever they feel like it. So, be sure to bear that in mind while you're drafting up your agreement. 

Securing a Business Loan From a Bank

Of course, the more traditional route for securing funding is to apply for a small business loan with a bank or other reputable lending institution. 

If this is an avenue you're considering, you'll want to know why business loans get rejected to increase the likelihood of securing your requested funds. 

Interestingly, the most common reason cited for why business loans are rejected is 'risk.' This is why thoroughly preparing before meeting to discuss (or applying) for a potential loan is imperative. You want to do your utmost to show you’re ‘low risk.’

Part of this planning phase will be gathering the below details and documents:

  • Your personal credit history
  • Your business plan
  • The workability of the business you're launching/expanding
  • Your experience
  • Your education

As you go about creating your business plan, focus on explaining why the small business loan you're asking for is a low-risk proposition. Be sure to carefully assess how much money you need and why. Outline how you'll spend these funds, and how the loan will specifically help you launch and/or grow your business.

Be prepared to explain how you'll designate every dollar you've asked for, with specific reference to your business's following aspects:

  • Business operations (employees, software, marketing, utilities, etc.)
  • Physical assets (equipment, office space, warehousing, etc.)
  • Consolidating loans to pay off business debts.

You'll also need to explain how you'll repay the loan through your financial statements and cash flow projections. This should highlight to the potential lender that you're able to repay them over a set amount of time.

Revenue-Based Financing

Revenue-based financing is sometimes referred to as royalty-based financing, so don't let the interchangeable terminology confuse you. Both terms mean exactly the same thing!

In short, revenue-based financing is a method businesses use to raise capital from investors. In turn, the investors receive a percentage of the company's regular gross revenue until a pre-set amount is paid (in exchange for their original investment). Typically, this sum is three to five times the initial investment. Companies like Clearbanc charge a flat fee for their capital. Uncapped is also another fantastic example of a revenue-based financing company. 

Essentially, organizations offering revenue-based financing use data-driven methods to provide ecommerce companies with funding. Capital is typically spent on online marketing and inventory.  The best thing about this kind of arrangement for the entrepreneur is that there aren’t any credit checks, personal guarantees, warrants, or covenants involved.

Why Should You Leverage Investors to Build my Ecommerce Business?

Whether you're leveraging angel investors, an equity investor, or the help of a venture capital firm, there's one significant advantage. 

These kinds of investments are (usually) nowhere near as risky as taking out a bank loan. Unlike a loan, (depending on the contract you have with your investor(s)), invested capital doesn't typically have to be paid back if your business flops. 

Plus, most experienced investors understand that they're playing the long game. So, there isn't quite as much pressure to make quick decisions and turn high profits immediately. 

Why Shouldn't You Leverage Investors to Build an Ecommerce Business?

If you don't like the idea of losing some (or even complete) control of your business, then seeking the support of investors might not be the best option for you. Often investors become part-owners of your company, so depending on their share, there's a good chance they'll have a say about how you run your business. On top of that, should you ever sell your business, they'll also receive a portion of the profits.

How to Best Raise Capital to Fund an Ecommerce Brand 

For this section of the blog post, we're mainly focusing on angel, venture capital, and equity investors. 

When it comes to raising capital to fund an ecommerce brand, there are specific times in the business cycle when you're more likely to secure funding. 

Yes, your best bet is to seek investment when you're actually ready to grow your business. But, securing financing, especially from an angel investor, can take roughly six months to a year. 

So, it's advisable to start contacting and pitching investors roughly 12 months before you actually need the funds to boost your business to its next phase. 

Not only will this increase the likelihood of securing funding for when you actually need it, but for every failed pitch (yes, sadly, there will be failures), you'll benefit from those all-important pointers. 

The more investors you talk with, the more apparent it becomes what investors want to see from your company and your business plan before they're happy to invest. 

With this info to hand, you're then in a better position to adapt your business (and your pitch), to meet the needs of investors, when you actually need the funding. 

How do you strike up a Relationship with a Potential Investor?

Typically, you'll kickstart your relationship with an investor by presenting a business plan. Do your utmost to wow them from the get-go, so they'll only be telephone a call away when you need capital. 

As we've just said, if you're preemptively pitching investors before your business is fully investor-ready, the investor will probably point you in the right direction. 

You can then go away and mull over this information and make the necessary changes to increase the chance of them investing in your business in the future. 

What Can You do to Prepare your Business for Investment?

The best thing to do is to write a full business plan. The most important thing for lenders is what they'll get from the arrangement. As we've already hinted at, you'll want to highlight your expected financial projections. This serves as much-needed bait for enticing investors into funding your business.  

We talked about business plans a bit earlier. However, they're essential to securing funding, so we're delving a bit deeper into creating a killer business plan (of course, this advice also applies if you're considering a bank loan)...

Here are a few tips:

  • Keep your business plan as concise and to the point as possible. Just focus on what the reader needs to know. 
  • Thoroughly proofread your business plan - you can use Grammarly to help you weed out and fix any typos. 
  • Use charts to help illustrate your points, visuals are often helpful aids. 
  • Include any extra info in an appendix, for instance:
  • Financial forecasts 
  • Market research and data to back up your proposal
  • The resumes and credentials for all your key team members.
  • Any product/service literature that explains what you're bringing to the market. 

Don't be tempted to be overly optimistic about where your profit forecasts are concerned. Yes, this might up your chances of securing the desired finances. Still, in the long run, you're more likely to suffer from a cash flow crisis and damage your management credibility. Put simply, it's not worth it - stick to the truth. 

Also, ensure your business plan looks as professional as possible. Show the lenders you're taking their investment seriously! So, put a cover on it, include a contents page complete with page numbering, and kickstart your proposal with an executive summary. 

For those unsure what an executive summary is, it's just a condensed synopsis of the key points covered in your business. The reader's digest version if you will. 

On top of that, you'll also want to highlight the following details:

  • How your business runs, including a breakdown of your organizational structure and all the stakeholders' roles and responsibilities.
  • Your brand identity - who you are, your brand story, your goals, mission, aims, etc. 
  • A detailed report of your target market (this should include any weaknesses in your competitors’ products/operations you'll capitalize on). 

Other Tips for Securing Investment

As you go about creating your pitch, familiarize yourself with your audience. You want to know your potential lenders inside out and back to front to tailor your pitch accordingly. 

Yes, specific metrics (like your current profits and profit forecasts) lay the framework for any pitch. Still, you'll need to tailor your core messaging to appeal to each investor's needs. 

The key takeaway: Do your homework and modify your presentation accordingly. 

Last but not least, remember business financing is a process. It's likely you'll have to divide your financing objectives into two to three rounds. Securing funds for your business when it's brand-new, (and all risk), and has very little revenue behind it, is more of a challenge. 

So, when you first start out, you're unlikely to obtain all the money you need to launch and scale your business. But, once you have a working prototype and a loyal customer base, you'll take away some of the risks, and as such, you'll probably secure more funds. Prepare for this in advance by dividing your business's growth into specific sections that you raise funds for accordingly. 

How Much Can Ecommerce Brands Raise? 

There are tons of examples of ecommerce brands furthering their business by raising capital. Take Womenswear retailer, Hush, as an example. Hush sells women’s clothing, shoes, and lifestyle items. Currently, it's retailing its products via its website, its partnership with John Lewis.

But, recently, they've secured investment from a private equity firm, True. Hush, now worth over 50 million dollars, plans to utilize these funds to expand into new sales channels and markets.

True acquired a controlling interest in Hush, (roughly a 50% stake). This is what the owners of Hush had to say about the investment:

“We never thought [Hush] would get to a fraction of the size it is,” “We could have carried on [without outside investment], but we felt...real value in bringing in a partner with a similar vision to us, but different skills, to help us grow.”

Interestingly, this is what True had to say about investing in Hush: 

“We think highly profitable, predominantly direct-to-consumer brands such as Hush...will emerge in [good] shape from this current crisis – and completing the transaction now demonstrates that we’re very much open for business and excited about the opportunity ahead of us.”

What About Crowdfunding?

If you're considering crowdfunding avenue, below are a few brands that smashed their targets. Hopefully, these examples will fuel you with inspiration:

Pebble – also known as “The Kickstarter Watch”

Pebble successfully raised $10.3m, when their target was just $100k!

This is what they had to say about the process:

“We had a pretty firm idea of what Pebble would look like. We just didn’t have a bunch of cash to start actually building the product. So, we thought of some other ways to get funding, and one of them was Kickstarter."

Bo & Yana 

These are interactive toy robots that help teach kids how to code. Product owners, Play-i, managed to raise a whopping $1.4 million when their initial aim was just $250k. 

Play-i successfully attracted investors from dozens of countries around the globe, securing 11,000 pre-orders! Interestingly, this company utilized crowdfunding to test the market and get a feel for consumer demand, having already secured $1m from Google Ventures. 

How did Play-i manage to entice so many crowdfunding investors? 

In short, they provided various benefits to their first buyers: 

“We needed to build social proof right off the bat, so we created special perks for the first few buyers. Our first 1,000 backers got limited edition, exclusive outfits for their robots as an incentive to back early. We emailed our existing audience and friends several hours before our campaign went live [to] be among the first to back the project. This gave us the momentum we needed to get off to a good start.” 

The team at Play-i also responded personally to all their audience interaction - every email, comment on Facebook, query on Twitter, etc. It stands to reason investors and customers feel more confident in your brand when they have a personal connection with you and your business. By taking the time to write customized responses to each and every person who wrote them, they ensured people got excited about their product!  

OpenaCase 

OpenaCase is described as the 'world’s most functional iPhone case is a bottle opener.'

The ecommerce brand managed to raise an impressive $283k, massively exceeding their $150k target. 

This is what the founders had to say about the crowdfunding process:

“We didn’t have the capital, so we turned to crowdfunding... When we put the idea on Kickstarter, we realized... lots of people loved the idea and were willing to put money towards it to make it happen. [There's] Nothing better than having your idea validated by people voting with their wallets.” 

They attracted attention to their crowdfunding campaign by creating a Facebook page, and contacting online publications like Tech Crunch and Gizmodo, that's as well as their local paper. They spent lots of time cultivating as much possible PR to gain the traction they needed to raise those all-important funds. 

Are You Ready to Secure the Funds You Need to Launch or Scale Your Ecommerce Business?

We hope that having read this article, you now have a better idea about raising the funds you need to take your ecommerce brand to the next level. 

As we said from the get-go of this article, Gorgias wants to help ambitious e-commerce brands scale up, so we created the Vested Interest event. If you're interested in securing finances from high-quality investors, then what are you waiting for? Apply today to get the ball rolling! If you have any questions about the show, please feel free to reach out, and we'll furnish you with all the info you need. Speak soon!

Fighting Discrimination And Racism

Our contribution to help fight discrimination and racism

By Romain Lapeyre
1 min read.
0 min read . By Romain Lapeyre

2020 has seen two crisises so far. Because of the global pandemic, millions of people lost their jobs. We've responded with a plan to offer free credits to businesses that struggle.

George Floyd's death is showed us again how deep racism still is in the US and around the world. Gorgias is committed to supporting members of the Black community against racism, prejudice, and hate.

We're actively taking measures to make a difference now, and tomorrow:

  1. We're donating $10K to local non-profits that support minorities in the Bay Area and in Charlotte. We were profitable for the first time in May and this is 100% of our profits.
  2. We're proactively sourcing diverse candidates for our hiring needs and we remain committed to making sure everyone gets an unbiased chance through the interview process.

We realize this is only a small contribution to a big problem, but change has to start somewhere. We see lots of businesses take action so we hope the sum of all these initiatives will lead to long lasting change.

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