Chan: Chatbots slow down e-commerce; messaging should link to web views
Connie Chan · a16z Podcast | Bots and Beyond · Jan 2, 2019 · at 4:53
a16z Partner Connie Chan argues that back-and-forth chat UI is ill-suited for standard e-commerce and messaging apps should provide links to full web views.
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“I think a lot of commerce actually doesn't need the conversation. And I don't think it, the dialogue, the back and forth chat is that additive. I take customer service aside from that because that's an instance where I feel like I want someone listening. I want to pretend that there's someone on the other side. And things like travel agent or personal shopping, something when you want personalization, that aside though, I think there's a lot of types of commerce where I know exactly what I'm looking for. And The back and forth chat actually slows me down, and I think that's what happened in China, and actually in China, the app within an app model is much more focused on web views as opposed to bots, so I actually think bots is an unfortunate name because it kind of insinuates there's this back and forth conversation happening, where I think in many transactions Messenger should be thought of more as a shortcut, a link to a web view that can give a much broader, richer experience.”
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