How to choose an AI shopping assistant
What to check before you pay, and how to test one on your own store.
1. Decide what you need it for
Swipe to see the full table.
| Your main goal | Look for |
|---|---|
| Helping shoppers find products | Catalog search, follow-up questions, product cards, add to cart |
| Fewer repeat questions | Policy answers, order lookups, FAQ and document upload |
| A support team’s daily work | A helpdesk with AI, not just a shopping assistant |
| Selling on messaging apps | WhatsApp and Instagram support |
| Selling in several countries | Replies in the shopper’s language, multi-currency and market support |
2. Test it with real questions
Most tools have a free plan or trial. Use questions from your own support inbox:
- A vague request: “something for dry skin”
- A request with a limit: “black shoes under $100, size 42”
- A product detail: “is this compatible with…?”
- A policy question: “can I return it after 30 days?”
- Something you don’t sell: it should say so, not invent a product
- A request in another language
- An order question, if you’ll use order features
Score whether the answer is correct, whether the products are relevant, and whether it asks a useful follow-up question.
3. Compare what you’ll actually pay
- What counts as usage? Conversations, replies, tickets and outcomes are different things.
- What happens at the limit? Does it stop, or do you get a bill?
- What’s an add-on? AI, automation and channels are sometimes priced separately.
- Is the price monthly or annual? Some pricing pages show annual-billing prices by default.
See what AI shopping assistants cost for real numbers.
4. Check control and handoff
- Can you set its tone and rules?
- Can you influence which products it recommends?
- How does a shopper reach a person?
- Can you read every conversation?
5. Check data and privacy
- Is a data processing agreement available?
- Which sub-processors are used?
- What happens to data when you uninstall?
6. Decide how you’ll measure it
Before you start, note your current conversion rate and support volume. Then look at attributed orders, add-to-cart rate from chats, and how many questions still reach your team.
How Talkom fits this checklist
Talkom focuses on helping shoppers find products. It’s a native Shopify app that counts conversations, stops at your limit with no overage fees, and has a Free plan for testing. It isn’t a helpdesk or a messaging tool. See the comparison for alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
What questions should I ask an AI shopping assistant vendor?
Ask what counts as billable usage, what happens at the limit, which channels are supported, how handoff works, who the sub-processors are, and what happens to your data when you leave.
How long should I test an AI shopping assistant?
Long enough to see real shoppers use it, which depends on your traffic. Many vendors offer 7 to 14 days free. Talkom’s paid plans have 14 days, and you can also test it on the Free plan.
Should I choose a helpdesk or a shopping assistant?
If your priority is managing support work across a team, choose a helpdesk. If it’s helping shoppers choose and buy, choose a shopping assistant. Some stores use both.
Try Talkom on your store
Start on the Free plan, or try any paid plan free for 14 days.