During the holidays, timing is everything. When someone reaches out via chat, they're actively considering a purchase. They need quick answers about sizing and fit, gift recommendations, shipping deadline clarity, product comparisons, and confidence that they're making the right choice.

Traditional support chat is reactive. It's focused on solving problems after a purchase is made. Sales-focused chat is proactive. Your team sees what shoppers are browsing, asks the right questions, and guides them to checkout — just like they would on your sales floor.

The difference? One approach treats chat as a cost center. The other treats it as a revenue driver.

Here's the thing: during the holidays, most live chat inquiries aren't technical problems. They're buying signals disguised as questions.

"Will this dress work for a holiday party?"
"I'm not sure about the sizing."
"Can this arrive by December 23rd?"

These aren't support questions, they're sales opportunities that require sales expertise.

Picture this: A customer is browsing your website, unsure about sizing. A sales-savvy team member jumps in via chat, offers personalized advice based on the customer's past purchases, suggests complementary accessories, and guides them through checkout with a reminder about your current promotion. That uncertain browser just became a confident buyer — and probably spent more than they originally planned.

Support agents are trained to solve problems and close tickets. Salespeople are trained to build relationships, understand needs, and close deals. During holidays, when every conversation is a potential sale, that expertise makes all the difference.

Generic chat responses kill conversions. Holiday shoppers need someone who actually knows your brand, and they can tell the difference immediately.

What "knowing your brand" really means:

• Understanding your products, fits, and styles
• Speaking confidently about what's in stock
• Knowing shipping timelines and cutoffs
• Being familiar with current promotions
• Recognizing your brand voice and values
  

You can't outsource this expertise to people who don't know your products. Whether your chat is staffed by store associates during downtime or a dedicated digital team, they need to know your stuff inside and out.

This is why sales-focused chat works. The people on the other end aren't reading from scripts or searching through databases. They're having real conversations, offering the same personalized service they'd give someone walking into your store. And customers can feel the difference.

This isn't theory. Real brands are seeing real results.

UNTUCKit's results with sales-focused live chat:

• 32% chat conversion rate
• 84% of chat-attributed sales happened online
• 16% of chat-attributed sales happened in-store later
  

The takeaway? Sales-focused chat doesn't just drive immediate online purchases. It influences the entire customer journey, including store visits that happen days later.

As Meher Chopra, UNTUCKit's Omni Live Chat Manager, puts it: "SalesChat continues to prove that live chat is far more than just a customer support tool. It's a powerful selling channel that seamlessly connects our online and in-store experiences."

The best part? You don't need a massive team or complex infrastructure to make this work.

Some brands have store associates jump on chat during slower shifts. Others build a dedicated digital selling team. What matters is that whoever's on chat knows your products inside and out and understands how to sell, not just answer questions.

And when a true support issue comes up? Your sales team can easily transfer those requests to your customer service platform and stay focused on what they do best: closing sales. Platforms like Endear's SalesChat make these handoffs seamless, so your team isn't bogged down troubleshooting order issues when they could be helping browsers become buyers.

The right tools also provide full customer visibility — like past purchases, browsing behavior, communication history — so your team can personalize every interaction without juggling multiple systems or guessing about context.