Zipchat shipped two features that resolve buying doubts before a shopper opens the chat: AI search and AI PDP questions. AI search turns the search bar into a conversation that qualifies intent. PDP questions surface smart, product-specific prompts on the product page. Early users saw 85% fewer no-results searches and product-page conversion lifts of 3 to 5 percent on average.
This is the written companion to Zipchat’s first product webinar of the year, hosted by Alessandro Valenti (Head of Success) and Anel Fakic (Customer Support Manager). The recording sits above. Below is what was covered, how to set each feature up, the results so far, and the audience questions answered live.
What AI search does
AI search connects an AI layer to your store’s existing search so shoppers can describe what they want in plain language. A shopper can type “something warm for winter” or “a $100 gift for my girlfriend” instead of guessing exact product names. The search bar returns standard product results on one side and an AI response on the other that asks qualifying questions and recommends products.
Traditional search engines force the shopper to already know the product. AI search flips that. Every query becomes a conversation, which means you also capture intent data you never saw from a plain search box.
How AI search works and how to set it up
AI search pulls results from your catalog and re-ranks them semantically, so results stay current in both meaning and stock. On Shopify, Zipchat reads your catalog through the Shopify API, so there is nothing to connect. On other platforms, a retrieval system does the semantic re-ranking against your product feed.
To turn it on:
- Open AI search in your Zipchat dashboard and click Update Visibility.
- Enable it for mobile and desktop.
- Click Edit to change the look of the search page and set a search trigger.
- Add the CSS selector for the element that should open AI search when clicked. It is usually pre-filled.
- If you do not know the right selector, ask Zipchat support and the team will find it for your store.
A preview mode lets you test AI search results with a built-in Test button before you make it live.
What AI PDP questions do
PDP questions are smart, clickable questions on your product pages that resolve buying doubts before the shopper asks. A shopper often has a question they have not fully formed, about sizing, materials, or returns. PDP questions put those prompts on the page, and a tap opens the chat with the question pre-filled.
The questions are dynamic. Zipchat reads each product page and generates questions specific to that product, so a t-shirt page and a hat page get different prompts. You choose how many questions appear per page, from two to six.
There is a second benefit. When a common question has no answer on your product page, the AI flags the gap, which tells you exactly what information to add to move shoppers closer to the buy button.
How to turn on AI PDP questions
Both AI search and PDP questions run off the main Zipchat script already installed on your store, so no extra script is needed. You choose where the question block appears.
On Shopify:
- Open the PDP questions setup and click the link to your theme.
- Add the Zipchat block on the product page.
- Place the block wherever you want the questions to appear, then save.
On WooCommerce, headless, or other platforms:
- Add the provided HTML tag to your product template.
- Position the tag exactly where the questions should render.
- Enable the block for mobile and desktop.
You can let the AI generate questions or set static questions that stay the same across pages. The recommended setup is AI-generated with guidance: tell the AI to always ask about sizing on apparel, or about color on hats, so you keep automation while steering it to what matters. Static questions are supported in any language.
Where to place PDP questions on the page
Place PDP questions near the add-to-cart button, the variant selectors, or the description. There is no single correct spot, but these three locations match how shoppers look for missing information.
Anel Fakic’s guidance from the session: shoppers who scroll to the description are usually hunting for detail, so questions sitting there meet them at the moment of doubt. Questions near the variant selectors catch size and color uncertainty. Questions near the buy button nudge the decision.
This is a strong candidate for A/B testing. Try the questions inside the description, far from it, and near the images, then keep the placement that lifts revenue.
Results from early users
The metrics below come from Zipchat’s beta accounts, measured over roughly the first month of AI search and the first weeks of PDP questions live (Zipchat internal data, as of July 2026).
| Feature | Metric | Result |
|---|
| AI search | No-results searches | Down 85% on average |
| AI search | Conversion | Higher on average; up to 3x for some stores vs their previous search |
| AI search | Searches ending in a product click | Almost 90% |
| PDP questions | Product-page conversion | 3 to 5 percent lift on average, up to 8 percent in some cases |
| PDP questions | Conversations | More shopper conversations per product page |
The qualitative gain matters too. A plain search box tells you only whether someone clicked. AI search turns each query into a conversation you can analyze, so you learn what shoppers want.
New in this release: product updates recap
The webinar opened with several updates worth turning on. Each is live now or available on request.
| Update | What it does | Availability |
|---|
| Add to cart from the chat bubble | Shoppers add a product, and pick a size, without leaving the chat | Live for Shopify |
| WooCommerce skills | New skills for order tracking and creating discount codes directly through Zipchat, no custom API integration | Live for WooCommerce |
| JudgeMe integration | Zipchat collects product reviews in chat and sends them to JudgeMe; can request reviews in set scenarios or via WhatsApp | Live |
| Zipchat agent inside Zendesk | Zipchat acts as an agent within Zendesk, handling autonomous and escalated conversations in one UI, with workflow controls | Live |
| Unlimited plans | Unlimited AI replies at a flat price, so peak periods like Black Friday carry no overage fees | On request |
The add-to-cart, WooCommerce, and review skills reflect a wider point: Zipchat’s Agentic Skills can connect the AI to most systems quickly, so if a workflow is not built yet, the team can help build it. To follow every release, subscribe to the product newsletter or check the changelog on the Zipchat site.
Who these features are for
AI search and PDP questions fit ecommerce stores where shoppers browse before they buy and often stall on missing details. They apply across Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and headless stores, since both run off the main website script.
By platform, Shopify stores get the fastest setup because the catalog connects automatically. By vertical, catalogs with variant complexity (apparel, beauty, footwear) gain the most, because sizing, material, and color are exactly where shoppers hesitate. Stores without a live product catalog can still use Zipchat, trained on the relevant information on the site, and a booking skill for consultations is in development.
Limitations and when this is not needed
These features assume shoppers reach a search bar or a product page, so they add less for stores with almost no on-site browsing or no product pages. A few honest constraints came up in the session.
Images sent over WhatsApp arrive one by one with separate timestamps, so the AI reads them as separate messages. That behavior is set by WhatsApp and Instagram, so batching many photos into one reply is hard on those channels. For the on-site chat bubble, Zipchat is improving how multiple images are handled.
Live agent handoff needs a capture step. A shopper who leaves before an agent replies is hard to reach again, so collecting an email, or using WhatsApp where you have a 24-hour reply window, keeps the conversation open.
AI search vs traditional site search
AI search differs from a standard search box on inputs, results, and data. The table below sets the two side by side.
| Dimension | Traditional site search | Zipchat AI search |
|---|
| Query style | Exact keywords and product names | Natural language and intent, like “gift under $100” |
| No-results handling | Blank “nothing found” page | Follow-up questions and recommendations |
| Result logic | Keyword match | Semantic re-ranking against your feed |
| Data captured | Whether a result was clicked | Full conversation and shopper intent |
| Outcome | Shopper must already know the product | Shopper is guided to the right product |
Pricing
AI search and PDP questions are included in every Zipchat plan. There is no per-feature charge. Paid plans start at the Starter plan at $49 per month, with a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee (as of July 2026).
A new channel can raise the volume of AI replies, which may move you to a higher plan. The question to answer is whether the channel brings more revenue than the cost of the upgrade. For stores that want no reply limits, unlimited plans are available on request, priced per store based on countries, platforms, and volume.
Where this is heading
Shoppers increasingly expect to describe a need and get an answer, not to translate that need into keywords first. Both features move the store toward that model: search that qualifies intent, and product pages that pre-empt doubt. On the roadmap discussed live: deeper Klaviyo and HubSpot flows in both directions, a booking skill inside the chat, and more notification options for live handoff.
Frequently asked questions
Do AI search and PDP questions cost extra?
No. Both are included in every plan. Heavier usage can increase AI replies and may require a plan upgrade, but the features themselves carry no separate fee.
Where should I place PDP questions on a product page?
Near the add-to-cart button, the variant selectors, or the description. Shoppers looking for missing detail gravitate to those spots. A/B test placement and keep what lifts conversion.
Can Zipchat push contacts to Klaviyo or HubSpot?
Sending contact data to Klaviyo or HubSpot is possible today through Zapier, and native two-way integrations are on the roadmap. Share your exact use case in a review or the feedback survey to join the beta.
Does AI search work if I am not on Shopify?
Yes. On non-Shopify platforms, Zipchat runs semantic re-ranking against your product feed, so results stay current. Setup uses the same site script plus a CSS trigger.
What if I do not have a product catalog?
Zipchat can train on the relevant information already on your site, even without a catalog or merchant feed. Stores without a catalog have gone live without issues, and a consultation booking skill is in development.
How are images sent over WhatsApp handled?
WhatsApp delivers images one at a time with separate timestamps, so the AI treats each as its own message. This is a platform behavior. For the on-site bubble, multi-image handling is being improved.
Watch the recording and try both features
To set up AI search or PDP questions, start a free trial or book a setup call, and turn either feature on in a few clicks. If a review helped shape your decision, leaving one on Shopify or G2 feeds directly into the product roadmap.
Written by Alessandro Valenti, Head of Success at Zipchat. Reviewed by Anel Fakic, Customer Support Manager.
