Some interesting stats on the effects of live chat:
Roughly 10 percent of customers who use a "click to chat" button on a product page go on to buy something, he said, and more than 20 percent of people who are solicited for a chat go on to make a purchase.
And on the troubleshooting end, LoCascio said, fewer than 15 percent of people who click on the chat button while in the midst of checkout problems complete their purchases, compared with more than 25 percent of those whom the retailer has approached.
LivePerson, based in New York, has benefited from the trend. Largely from the sales of its chat service, Timpani, the company's revenue will most likely surpass $30 million this year, LoCascio said, up from about $22 million last year.
Full article: 'Live chat' gives push to buying