Starting today, we’re excited to introduce a new way to connect with your customers through Apple Business Chat. And it’s as simple as using the Messages app on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. With just a few clicks, the Messages button will be featured on every page of your online store, and any visitor can quickly ask for product information, and easily and securely pay for products with Apple Pay right within the conversation. This new feature brings Apple Business Chat to Shopify’s 800,000+ merchants around the world.

We know that customers who engage in a conversation with a brand are nearly three times as likely to complete a purchase. Live chat also creates a personal connection between a brand and the customer which builds trust and makes them more likely to come back.

For merchants, you can now manage and respond to all your Apple Business Chat customer conversations through Shopify Ping . We introduced Shopify Ping last year as a dedicated mobile app that brings together all your customer conversations, along with intelligent, automated marketing workflows. For the growing number of merchants who are running a businesses entirely on mobile, this new feature for Shopify Ping will allow you to communicate with your customers on-the-go, access products and inventory, and give real-time support via Messages. More importantly, this will also allow you to continue conversations with your customers even after they have left your store, further strengthening relationships with your customers.