Chat to sell domain names — Using live
Live support chat can help sell domain names if executed well.
Have you ever been on an e-commerce site when a window pops up asking you if you need help?
Live chat on e-commerce sites is a critical component of pushing sales and reducing cart abandonment.
So I was delighted this morning to see Sedo doing this on their domain listing pages. I had a domain listing on Sedo.com open in my browser for a while. Next thing I know I see a friendly young lady asking if I need help.
Ah, a brilliant way to sell more domain names. Push people along in the process. Answer their questions.
I’m sure Sedo has been doing this for awhile. It’s just the first time I’ve noticed it.
Yet Sedo doesn’t execute this technique really well.
I clicked the chat button and I got this window:
Asking for your name and email address all makes sense. Especially if it gets placed into a CRM where they can follow up with potential buyers.
But that’s where things break down.
It quickly becomes clear that this chat window is for general support. It’s not geared to get people to buy domains.
You have to select a support topic. “Buying Domains” is way down the list. A typical non-Sedo user who finds your domain listing on Sedo.com probably won’t know which option to choose from here.
Another problem is that chat is only available from 9-5 CET. That’s Central European Time. By the time California gets to work the chat support has by now closed for the day.
I realize Sedo is a global firm and makes a lot of its sales overseas. But if English is the only language your chat supports, only supporting it during European work hours doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
Finally, since this is a general support chat, there’s another big issue: the support person has no idea what domain you’re interested in. I tested by asking “is this domain available”. Response: “which domain”.
So what’s the takeaway? Kudos to Sedo for offering this type of support chat. Many domain sales firms could use this type of chat on their domain listing pages. It just needs to be executed properly.
