Live chat produces a conversion rate of 15-20% at Backcountry, roughly 10 times the 1.7-2.0% buy rate for all customers. It also produces higher orders. In one week this spring customers who chatted ordered $224 on average, versus $135 for the site overall. We’ve taken what would be viewed as a consumption center—customer service—and turned it into a profit center."

56% of retailers that used live chat said they found it a useful tool, according to the State of Retailing Online 2006 survey by research and consulting firm Forrester Research and retailers organization Shop.org.