- There are five ways to answer: AI chat, proactive chat, an FAQ section, public Q&A, and a popup at the moment of hesitation.
- Chat fits varied questions, but the shopper has to open it and type.
- An FAQ section and public Q&A stay on the page, but only shoppers who scroll to them see them.
- A popup at the moment of hesitation brings the answer to the shopper in one tap, for the product's common questions.
The five ways
A shopper with a question on a product page can get an answer in one of five ways. Each one suits a different situation.
| Way | Who writes the answers | When the shopper sees it | What the shopper has to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI chat widget | AI, with a hand-off to a person | When they open the chat | Type a question and wait for the reply |
| Proactive AI chat | AI | When the app spots hesitation and opens a chat | Type a question |
| FAQ section on the page | The store, or AI the store approves | If they scroll down to it | Find and open the question |
| Public product Q&A | The store answers questions shoppers send | If they scroll down to it | Read, or send a question and wait |
| FAQ popup triggered by hesitation | AI from the page and policies, edited by the store | When they hesitate: time on the page, a scroll, or an add to cart with no checkout | Tap a question |
AI chat widgets
A chat window where a bot answers any question, sometimes handing over to a person. It works well when shoppers ask very different questions, and when someone can answer what the bot can't. The catch: the shopper has to open the chat and put the question into words.
- Tidio: AI Chatbot & Live Chat: live chat, helpdesk and an AI chatbot. Free plan; paid plans from $29 a month.
- Shopify Inbox: Shopify's own app, listed as an AI sales associate on your storefront. Free.
- Manifest AI Chatbot & Agents: a chat built on ChatGPT, with product recommendations. A free trial of at least 30 days.
- Moose AI Chatbot & Live Chat: AI chatbot, live chat, inbox and product FAQs. Free plan; paid from $19 a month.
Proactive AI chat
A bot that doesn't wait to be asked: the app spots a hesitating shopper and opens a chat. It reaches the shopper at the right moment, but still asks them to hold a conversation.
- Rep AI: AI Agent & Live Chat: its listing says it spots hesitating shoppers and opens an AI chat. Free to install with 100 visitors a month; the Starter plan is $104 a month.
An FAQ section on the product page
A list of questions and answers, usually in an accordion or a tab below the product. Everyone can see it, and it stays on the page. The catch: only shoppers who scroll down to it and open it see the answer.
- StoreFAQ: Product FAQ Chatbot: an AI FAQ builder for product pages and an FAQ page, with a chatbot. Free plan; paid from $7.99 a month.
- HelpLab FAQ Page, Product FAQs: an FAQ page and product FAQs. Free plan; paid from $3.99 a month. Showing on product pages is in the Professional plan.
- Sales AI by Yuma: a live AI Q&A box on every product page. From $250 a month.
Public product Q&A
Shoppers send a question, the store answers, and the answer shows on the page for everyone. Over time it builds a set of real questions. The catch: whoever asks has to wait for the answer.
- Querio ‑ Product Q&A: a Q&A section for product pages, inline or as a popup. Free.
- AC ‑ Questions & Answers: product page Q&A. Free plan; paid from $1.99 a month. AI answers are in the $9.99 plan.
An FAQ popup at the moment of hesitation
This is how BOOX works, the app we make. When the shopper hesitates, a popup offers three questions about the product. They tap one and get the answer at once, with nothing to type and nothing to wait for. The answer ends with a button that leads to the store's own buy button.
- AI writes the questions and answers from the product page and the store's policies, and you edit every word.
- You choose when it shows: after time on the page, after a scroll, or after an add to cart with no checkout.
- Your data shows which answers led to a sale, and what shoppers typed when no question fit.
- Free for up to 50 answers a month. Premium, unlimited: $10 a month, with a 14-day trial.
The catch: three questions per product cover the common questions, not every possible one. A shopper whose question isn't listed can type it under Other. How BOOX works
How to choose
- Shoppers ask very different questions, and someone can answer? A chat.
- Want the answers on the page, for anyone who scrolls? An FAQ section, or public Q&A.
- Shoppers stall on the same few questions and don't open a chat? A popup at the moment of hesitation.
You can combine them: many stores keep an FAQ on the page, plus one way that reaches out to the shopper by itself.
The apps mentioned, in numbers
| App | Kind | Price as listed | Rating (reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOOX: FAQ Popup | FAQ popup | Free up to 50 answers a month, Premium unlimited at $10 | 5.0 (1) |
| Tidio | Chat | Free, paid from $29 | 4.8 (1,359) |
| Shopify Inbox | Chat | Free | 4.6 (5,804) |
| Manifest AI | Chat | Not stated | 4.4 (61) |
| Moose | Chat and FAQ | Free, paid from $19 | 5.0 (486) |
| Rep AI | Proactive AI chat | Free to install, plan from $104 | 4.5 (123) |
| StoreFAQ | FAQ and chat | Free, paid from $7.99 | 5.0 (157) |
| HelpLab | FAQ section on the page | Free, paid from $3.99 | 5.0 (220) |
| Sales AI by Yuma | AI Q&A box | From $250 | None yet |
| Querio | Public product Q&A | Free | None yet |
| AC ‑ Questions & Answers | Public product Q&A | Free, paid from $1.99 | 5.0 (29) |
Prices are per month, in US dollars. Prices and ratings change, so check each app's own page before you decide.
More on this: AI FAQ apps compared, Shopify Inbox vs Tidio, Is live chat worth it for a small store.