Icebreakers: The Emerging Cheatcode to Boost Sales in e-commerce
Icebreakers lower the barrier to a first engagement with Chatbots on your store. Boosting overall revenue driven by AI.
When most brands add a chat assistant to their site, they do see shoppers engage. But the reality is that very few unlock the full potential of those interactions. The hardest part isn’t what happens once a customer is in the conversation: it’s getting them to start one in the first place.
That’s where icebreakers come in, an addition worth considering to your AI playbook. These short, tappable prompts sit right inside the chat window. Instead of asking a visitor to think, type, and commit, they lower the barrier to the very first message. One tap, and they’re in.
And the results speak for themselves.
At Alhena, we see on average a 40% open rate (visitors who open the chat window) and a 60% engagement rate (visitors who actually send at least one message). But icebreakers can take those numbers even higher (way higher).
A Customer Story: From 58% to 72% Engagement
One of Alhena AI’s fashion clients, put icebreakers to the test. Their baseline engagement rate sat at a strong 58%. By introducing four simple icebreakers (in this case, questions tailored to common shopper intents like fit, delivery, and recommendations) engagement jumped to 72%.
That’s not just a vanity metric. More conversations mean more opportunities to upsell. 60 days after adding icebreakers to their website, bot-driven upsell revenue rose by 8%.
It wasn’t because the AI got “smarter” overnight. It was because more people actually started talking to it.
Why Icebreakers Work
From a growth perspective, icebreakers are deceptively simple. They:
- Reduce friction: Shoppers don’t have to type the first message.
- Feel non-invasive: They’re contextual and optional, not pushy pop-ups.
- Unlock intent: Each prompt is a doorway into higher-value conversations.
In growth terms, this is the equivalent of moving your “sign-up button” above the fold. The product didn’t change; the starting line did.
The Growth Lens
Too often, conversational tools are measured by what happens after a shopper engages. Response accuracy, resolution time, and deflection rates matter, but from a growth lens, the bigger unlock is simply driving more shoppers into the conversation in the first place.
By treating icebreakers as an intentional engagement tool, brands can consistently push their engagement rates higher and convert more conversations into revenue in a way that feels natural to the shopper.
Because at the end of the day, growth doesn’t come from waiting for customers to start talking: it comes from lowering the barrier so they want to.
Icebreaker Prompts to Try
If you’re curious to test icebreakers on your own store, here are a few examples that consistently spark engagement:
- “Looking for a gift? ” - Great for beauty, fashion, or lifestyle brands where gifting is common.
- “Need help finding your size?” - A classic low-friction entry point that surfaces high-intent shoppers.
- “Want to see what’s back in stock today?” - Plays into urgency and drives repeat visits.
- “Not sure where to start? Ask me anything.” - A catch-all prompt that feels approachable.
- “What’s trending this week?” - Lets the bot spotlight new arrivals or bestsellers.
If you don’t yet have a generative AI-powered shopping assistant on your online store to try these icebreakers, get Alhena today.
