Apple Business Chat Now Available to Over 800,000 Shopify Merchants, Also Rolling Out to Delta Air Lines [Updated]

[MacRumors]

Shopify today announced that Apple Business Chat is now available to all of its over 800,000 merchants around the world.

As noted by Engadget, some Shopify merchants are already using Business Chat, but now Apple and Shopify are rolling out the feature to all businesses who use the e-commerce platform, including those outside the United States.

Merchants can manage and respond to all Apple Business Chat customer conversations through Shopify Ping.

Apple Business Chat launched in iOS 11.3 in March 2018, enabling iPhone and iPad users to ask for information, schedule appointments, make purchases, and complete other customer service tasks directly in the Messages app. Business Chats must be initiated on an iPhone or iPad, but they can be continued on any iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch signed in to the same Apple ID.

Apple Business Chat is available in over a dozen countries and has been adopted by over 30 companies, such as The Home Depot, Lowe's, Hilton, Wells Fargo, DISH Network, Burberry, American Express, Sprint, and T-Mobile.

Update: Delta, Too

Delta Air Lines is also rolling out Apple Business Chat to select customers ahead of a wider launch in the fall:

With testing beginning this summer, customers using an iOS device can get real-time answers to questions using their Messages app. This works in one of two ways: customers who receive a summer travel tips email can click "Go Now" and it will open in Messages app, or as a part of a limited test, customers can do so using the Fly Delta app. Visit the "More" section in the Fly Delta app and tap "Message Us" to get quick answers to frequently asked questions from a Delta Virtual Assistant ... or message with a live Delta representative.

Delta is the first U.S. airline to adopt Apple Business Chat.

Article Link: Apple Business Chat Now Available to Over 800,000 Shopify Merchants, Also Rolling Out to Delta Air Lines [Updated]

 

[Mikey44]

This is amazing! I’ve used it for Apple and it’s a phenomenal user experience.


Now if we could get Apple to include 3rd party messaging in Messages... I have a few apps I’d like to uninstall...

 

[jmh600cbr]

wow, thats incredible

 

[adamjackson]

Does this work on the Mac? I have no interest of typing on my iPhone and do all of my messaging on the iMac or MBP.

 

[BreuerEditor]

Does this work on the Mac? I have no interest of typing on my iPhone and do all of my messaging on the iMac or MBP.

It’s a standard iMessage so yes it works. I can easily text Home Depot from my Mac or iPhone/iPad just like you’d be messaging another phone.

 

[TheSkywalker77]

I legitimately forgot Business Chat existed, but with this, I can hopefully find more ways to use it.

 

[skir]

I guess it is mostly American internal story as the whole outer world had switched to Any Other Messenger many years ago. I get Apple's security point on iMessages but the user experience is so mediocre. I wonder how these companies feel about being unavailable to all of the clients without iPhones, for example.

Also I'd like to mention Memoji is Apple's second worst thing after U2. Hope these disgusting 3D faces will go away (sorry people using them, you are good, but these pictures don't).

 

[Mikey44]

I guess it is mostly American internal story as the whole outer world had switched to Any Other Messenger many years ago. I get Apple's security point on iMessages but the user experience is so mediocre. I wonder how these companies feel about being unavailable to all of the clients without iPhones, for example.

If I was to bet, they also provide functionality for Facebook Messenger, which they do: https://www.shopify.com/kit
The iMessage integration is just another tool in the arsenal of communicating with businesses.