Message Center

SHOPLINE has upgraded the Message Center feature which not only allows you to respond to customer messages and order messages, but also access customer information. You can manage customers' questions and requests more efficiently and increase customer satisfaction.

*Note: The feature and UI would be different depending on the merchant's plan.

• Introduction to Message Center
• Set up and manage customer profile
• Set up saved replies
• Notes

 

1. Introduction to Message Center

SHOPLINE has added detailed category filters and customer information management features to manage both messages and customers' information efficiently. You can also refer to these two FAQs for more feature details: Instant Message Management and Manual Order and Manage Post Comments under Facebook Pages.

When entering the Message Center, the first icon on the left is the "General Message Center" which will compile the messages that customers sent from the storefront or the orders that they've placed. You can switch tabs to choose the type of message you want to attend to.

 

 

i. "Shop Message" tab

Customers can leave their contact number on the "Contact Us" page

 

Step 1. Customers click on the Message Shop button. 

Step 2. Customers can leave their email or number and enter a message. In case they do not have an email, they can select to enter their mobile number.

*Note:

1. If the customer has not logged in as a member, they must leave their email address or contact number.
2. If the customer has logged in as an online store member, the system will automatically pull up the member's email and mobile number, no modification is possible. 
3. The "MESSAGE" button will appear on the categories/product details pages when a product is set as a hidden price product and/or when the product is still accepting orders when out of stock. 

Step 3. Viewing messages in two ways

• Proceed to SHOPLINE Admin > [Customer Management] > [Customer]. Click on the Message button next to the customer in the Customer List. The system will direct you to the Message Center.
• 
• Go straight to [Social Commerce] > [Message Center] and click on the Shop Message tab.

*Note:

If a guest customer only leaves a mobile phone number, you cannot reply directly to the customer via the Message Center. Please contact the customer through other channels such as SMS.

 

ii. Inbox message

On the left, you could see the list of messages from the newest to the oldest. You can reply to any particular message by simply clicking on it. 

 

iii. Filter messages

You could filter the messages based on three statuses: All, Unread, and (starred) Follow-up:

 

 

Auto-recognition of messages containing phone numbers

In the message list, the system will automatically identify whether the message sent by the customer contains a phone number, and mark it with a icon. You can also filter messages with phone numbers by clicking the drop-down filter list.

 

Click the   icon to retrieve the message that contains the phone number, or to copy the number directly.

 

Enter the phone number in the search field next to "Chat Record" to filter out messages that contain the particular number.

*Note: The system will filter the latest message that contains the phone number.

 

Click on the message to enter the conversation window. Click on the message bubble to copy the phone number. A "Number copied to clipboard" reminder will pop up at the top right corner. 

 

When adding or editing a customer's personal information and delivery address, the system will remind you of the phone number that was captured in the customer's conversation.

 

The feature supports phone numbers separated by spaces, period marks ("."), and dashes ("-").

For example, the system recognizes 0912-345-678 and 0912.345.678. 

 

Auto-recognition of messages from Facebook Ads

When a customer contacts the shop through the store's Facebook Ad, an AD icon will be automatically marked on the right side of the instant message list.

You can also filter the messages for "From Facebook Ad" at the top of the message list.

After opening the conversation window, click on the "AD" icon at the top right to view which FB advertisement the conversation comes from. Click the title to open a new window and view the corresponding Facebook Ad page.

*Note: A maximum of 10 advertisement sources can be listed in the conversation window.

 

iv. Search for a message

You can enter the customer's email in the search bar to look for their particular message.

 

v. Star and archive a message

In the message list on the left, each message has a "star" icon and an "archive" icon on the right. Click the "star" to mark messages that have to be followed up or archive the conversation.

If you star a message, it would appear in the "Follow-up" filter. If you archive one, the box icon would turn black and the message will go into the archived inbox.

 

You could see all archived messages by clicking the box icon on the top-right of the message list. Click the black box icon next to the message to unarchive that message.

 

vi. Emojis and upload photos

There is a message editor at the bottom of each conversation. Aside from text messages, you could also send emojis, photos, and saved replies to shorten the response time as well as create a personable impression. Please also refer to 3. Set up saved replies for more details.

 

vii. Switch accounts

At the top of the message management interface, there are an "All Pages" button and icons showing the accounts connected to your store.

A. Click on the three dots next to "All Pages", you can gather all messages from all accounts on the page.

*Note:

• The system defaults to compile from all accounts.
• If you choose to compile all pages, the accounts connected to your store will also automatically appear on this page.
• Administrators can refer to the icon to identify which platform the message comes from

 

B. Click the account icon to switch and view a different account.

 

viii. New message notifications

Step 1

Click on the Gear "Setting" icon at the bottom left of the Message Center and select the "Change notifications" setting button.

 

Step 2

New instant message notification is turned off by default. You can switch on the toggles on the right to enable the function, and click Save when you're done.

Step 3

After enabling the function, the browser will ask for permission to display notifications, please click Allow.

 

After enabling the new instant message notification and announcement sound, when a customer sends a new message, the customer name, message content and notification sound effect will appear in the upper right of the page.

When clicking on the notification message, the page will automatically jump to the message dialog with the customer.

 

The total number of unread messages will also be displayed in the browser tab and next to the account icons you have connected with.  

*Note:

• The "Instant message announcement sound" can only be enabled when the "New instant message notification" is switched on.
• Only when the Message Center page is opened, new message notifications and notification sound effects will appear.

 

ix. Edit and send shopping cart link

Click on the customer's message to access the shopping cart you want to edit, you will find the "shopping cart" icon at the top right of the page. Click on the icon to edit the customer's shopping cart. 

• Click Select Product to add store products or gifts to the shopping cart.
• Click Custom Product to add customized products.
• Click on the "bin" icon on the right to remove the added product. 

 

After editing the shopping cart, click Send shopping cart link to send out the link to the customer's Facebook Messenger. 

 

x. Automation assignment

Step 1

Click on the Gear "Setting" icon at the bottom left of the Message Center. Select Working hours and click New working hours.

 

Step 2

Set the store time zone, name of the working hours, working day(s), and scheduled hours. Click Save to complete.

 

The established working hour range will appear on the setting page. Click the icon on the right to edit or remove the working time.

 

Step 3

Click the Automation assignment on the left.

• Switch on the "Automation assignment" toggle. When the customer sends a message, the system will automatically assign the conversation to the employee at work.
• Click the + Working hours button in the employee list below to set the employee's working time. Select the working time established in Step 2.

*Assignment rules:

• The message will be automatically assigned only when the automatic assignment mode is on and there are employees at work.
• If the automatic assignment mode is turned on but there are no employees during working hours, the message will remain in the pending assignment status.
• When there are multiple employees during working hours, the system will assign the message according to the last time the employee was assigned, in order of time from the farthest to the nearest.
• When there are employees who have been assigned to a conversation and employees who have never been assigned to a conversation, the system will give the assignment priority to the employees who have never been assigned.
• If there are multiple employees who have never been assigned to a conversation, the employees will be randomly assigned until all of them have been assigned, and then sorted and processed according to the time of the last assigned session.

 

*Notes:

• This feature currently only supports the automatic assignment of private message conversations.
• If the store manager is not found in the employee list, go to [Settings] > [Permission & Security] and edit the access right of the manager. Select the Message Center tab and check the box for "Send Message". (Wait 5 minutes after editing the permission)

 

xi. Editing customer tags

A. Edit tags

In the Instant message page, go to the User Profile block on the right side and click Edit tags to check the amount of used tags and to delete tags.

 

There will be a pop-up screen indicating all established tags and the number of customers attached to them. Enter key words in the search box to search for tags to edit.

*Note:

• Search results do not distinguish upper and lower case letters.
• Spaces and special characters will affect the search results. For example: for a tag named "repair", you can find this tag  by inserting "REPAIR" or "Repair". If you insert "re pair" or "re.pair", you will be not able to find the tag.

Click on the trash can icons to delete tags.

An alert will pop up after clicking on the trash can icon.

After deleting a tag, a "Tag modification reminder" will pop up. Click Click to refresh to complete the deletion process.

 

B. Change tag colors

You can change the tag color when adding tags to a customer. 

*Note:

• You can use the same color for different tags.
• Currently, you can only change colors for customer tags, but not for order and blacklist tags.

 

You can also change colors for established tags.

*Note: If you change the color of an established tag, other customers who are under the same tag will also be affected. For example, Customer A is under the "VIP" tag and the staff changes the tag color to red. Other customers who are also under the "VIP" tag will have a red tag in their user profiles. 

 

Up to 3 customer tags can be shown in the instant message list. Click the number next to the tag to view the rest of the tags. You can also filter messages by tags.

 

xii. Set customer messages as unread / read

Click on any conversation window and click the "envelope" icon at the top right of the conversation block to set the message as unread.

*Remarks: The number 1 icon will appear next to the profile picture of the customer once it is set to "unread".

 

Set customer messages as unread/read in bulk

Click the "Bulk edit" button at the top right of the message list, and then check the messages to set them as unread or read.

 

At the top right of the Message Center page, a reminder text of "Bulk set as unread successfully" will appear.

 

*Note: If the staff cannot set the message as read/unread, please go to [Settings]> [Permission & Security] to edit the staff member's permission. Check the box for "Assign conversation" in the Message Center tab, then click "Update".

 

xiii. Managing conversations on behalf of other employees

On the instant message page, open any sessions that have been assigned to other employees and you will still be able to reply or create orders for customers. 

For example, the following conversation is assigned to staff member L, but staff member H can still reply to this message without the system changing the original assignee (staff member L). 

*Notes: 

• This feature also works for replying Facebook posts and instant messages in the Message Center, sending instant messages on livestream and the post sales page. 
• If the administrator is unable to respond on the behalf of other employees, please proceed to [Settings] > [Permission & Security], in the "Message Center", check "Assign and manage conversations on behalf of employees". 
  
  
  

 

xiv. Automatically add tags

Click on the Gear "Setting" icon at the bottom left of the Message Center. Select Automatically add tags and click Add tags sand keywords.

 

Add a new tag or select a tag from the drop-down list, then enter the keywords (separate keywords by hitting "Enter"). Click the "floppy disc" icon on the right to save the setting. 

*Note: 

• The system currently supports a maximum of 60 tags with a 3-40 characters range. 
• The character limit for keywords is 40. Each tag can add at most 20 keywords.

 

You can view your saved tags and keywords in this "Automatically add tags" tab. Click the "pencil" icon to edit or the red "bin" icon to remove the tag. 

Please switch the toggle located at the top to enable the function of adding tags to the message center.

 

After enabling the feature, the system will identify customers' message content and automatically add tags to the customer correspondingly.  

 

xv. Unread messages sort order 

In the "Instant Message" tab, filter for "Unread" messages.

After you select "Unread", a "New messages display first" drop-down menu will appear. You can select either the newest messages or "Longer waiting time messages (older messages)" to display first. 

 

xvi. Auto-recognition of messages containing addresses

The system will automatically identify messages containing addresses from the conversation. When adding a delivery address to the customer's profile, a box will appear to suggest the address.

Click to select the address to add it to the customer's profile. The system will auto-fill in the content according to the address levels (Region, District, Area, Address). Click Save to complete the update.

 

*Notes:

• The suggestion box can save up to 3 latest addresses.
• The feature supports addresses separated by spaces, line breaks, and commas.
• For the best result, it is recommended to remind customers to write in full address, including the address levels (i.e., City - District - Ward - Village) and no abbreviations.

 

xvii. Set customer message "processing status"

In the "Instant Message" tab, open any customer chat window and click the icon at the top right to set the processing status of the customer message to "Completed".

Then click the "Completed" icon again to change the status to "Open".

*Note: 

• The system will set the customer message processing status to "Open" by default. 
• In the following two cases, the open status of the customer message will automatically change from "Completed" to "Open".
  • After the processing status is set to "Completed", the customer sends a new message.
  • After the processing status is set to "Completed", change the customer message to "Unread".

 

Set customer messages as processing/completed in bulk

First click the "Bulk Edit" button on the top right of the message list, and then check the messages to set the processing status of multiple messages at once.

 

Filter messages by processing status

The "Open/Completed" messages can be selected from the filter above the list.

 

xviii. Customize cart link messages

Click on the Gear "Setting" icon at the bottom left of the Message Center. Select [Information settings] > [cart link]. 

 

You can make changes to the content of "send messages" and "button text".

*Note: A template message is shown by default.

 

Under the text box are 3 dynamic text buttons, including "Customer Name", "Total amount of shopping cart items" and "Total number of items in the shopping cart" for your use. You can enable the variables in the text by clicking on the buttons.

 

After editing, you can preview your work on the right section. Once you are complete, click renew to save the changes.

 

When you send the cart link message to a customer, it will be the custom message you created.

*Note: Before editing the custom cart link massage, if you selected "based on customer's browser language" for "Default Shop Language" in [Settings] > [Basic Settings], the system will send the template message in the language corresponding to your customers choice. However, once you edit the custom message, the system will only send that message with no language switch in correspondence to your customer preference. 

 

xix. Payment reminder

Click on the Gear "Setting" icon at the bottom left of the Message Center. Select [Information Settings] > [Payment Reminders] tab.

 

Switch on the "Send a message" toggle. 

The "Message content" and "Button text" of the payment reminder can be customized. (The message template provided by the system is displayed by default)

*Note: 

• Message content has a character limit of 340 characters, and button text has a character limit of 23 characters.
• Custom multilingual content is not currently supported. 
  

On the right side of "Insert dynamic text," two dynamic text parameters of "Customer Name, Order Amount" are provided. Click to copy and paste the parameters into the edit field. 

 

Set the message send time. The system is preset to send a payment reminder at 14:00 on the same day 2 days after the order is created.  

• Once an order is created: Select between 1-7 days
• Send time: Select between 0-23 o'clock to send

For example, you set a payment reminder to be sent at 14:00 2 days after the order is placed. If a customer places an order on 1 June and has not paid yet, the customer will receive a payment reminder at 14:00 on 3 June. 

*Note: If you adjust the sending time afterward, the system will send payment reminders according to the following rules. 

• If the adjusted time is earlier than the send time set when the order is created, the system will send a payment reminder according to the time set when the order is placed.
• If the adjusted time is later than the send time set when the order was created, the system will send a payment reminder based on the adjusted time. 

For example: 

Scenario 1: The original payment reminder was set to be sent at 10:00 3 days after the order is created.
A customer placed an order on 1 June and has not yet paid.
On 2 June you adjust the send time to 2 days after the order is placed at 10:00,
the system will send a payment reminder at 10:00 on 4 June.  

Scenario 2: The original payment reminder was set to be sent at 10:00 3 days after the order is created.
A customer placed an order on 1 June and has not yet paid.
On 2 June you adjust the send time to 5 days after the order is placed at 10:00, 
the system will send a payment reminder at 10:00 on 6 June.  

 

After editing, you can preview the message on the right. After confirming the content, click the renew button to save the settings. 

 

If the customer has not paid after placing the order, the system will automatically send your customized payment reminder message according to the send time you set.

*Note: 

• The system will send your customized payment reminder content. Currently, language switching is not supported. 
• The system will only send payment reminders  if the order meets the following conditions: 
  • Orders created through "Live/ Message Center/ Post Sales" (currently does not support orders from [Social Commerce] > [Manual Order]) 
    
  • The payment method is not "Cash on delivery"
    
  • The payment status is "Unpaid"
    
• Currently only supports sending payment reminders to customers via Facebook Messenger/ Instagram/ LINE, not WhatsApp.

xx. Ice breaker question 

Click on the Gear "Setting" icon at the bottom left of the Message Center. Select the [Messenger Settings/ Instagram Settings] > [Icebreaker] tab. 

 

Click on the Facebook Page/ Instagram account for which you want to set up an icebreaker question, switch on the "open icebreaker" toggle, and click Create icebreaker question. 

 

Enter questions and auto-reply messages. When you are done typing, click Save.

On the right side of "Insert Dynamic Text", there is one dynamic text parameter of "Fan Page Name/ IG account name". Click to copy the parameters, and paste them into the edit field to apply. 

*Note: 

• The question is limited to 80 characters, and the auto-reply message is limited to 500 characters. 
• Set up to 6 questions per Facebook Page, and set up to 4 questions per Instagram account. 

 

After successfully creating an icebreaker question, click the Operate buttons to edit or delete the question. 

If you have set multiple icebreaker questions, click the icon on the left of the question to adjust the order of the questions. You can preview the effect on the right. Click renew to save your update.  

 

Customers can view the icebreaker questions you set on the Facebook Messenger/ Instagram Direct message page. 

View on Facebook Messenger 

*Note: If your Facebook Page has a "Get Started" button and an icebreaker, Facebook will show the icebreaker first. 

View on Instagram Direct message 

*Note: Icebreaker questions are currently not supported on Instagram iOS and Desktop Web version. 

 

When the customer clicks on the icebeaker question, the system will automatically reply with the response you have set. 

 

 

2. Set up and manage customer profile

On the right side of the Message Center, you could see the customer's profile, including personal information, tags, remarks, delivery address, and order history.

*Notice: Administrators with access to "Send Message" could edit the information in this column. The customer profile is in sync with the membership details (except remarks). Please confirm with your customers before modifying data.

 

 

i. Supports display of membership tier/ gender/ birthday

In the "User Profile" section, besides customer phone number and email, membership tier, gender, and birthday are also supported in display. 

Click the Edit button to set up the customer's gender and birthday information. 

*Note: 

• Gender and birthday fields are optional. 
• If the customer's gender field is set as "Undisclosed", the gender icon next to their name will be hidden. 
• If a customer's birthday is set, the system will display a relevant prompt on the day of the birthday.
  

 

ii. Supports more scenarios for account merging

If a customer's message includes phone number or email address, the system will automatically identify whether it is registered by existing members.

*Note:

• This feature only supports identifying messages from guests, but not replies from merchants.
• If you hit the X button to turn off this feature, the system will not show the reminder again.

A. Phone number or email address is not registered by existing members

The system will not display the account merging button but will still identify the phone number. You can click the number to copy it.

 

B. Phone number or email address had been registered by existing members

If a customer includes the phone number and email address of any existing member in one message, a Merge account button will appear on the right side.

If a customer includes any existing member's phone number and email address in different messages, the system will only identify the latest message. A Merge account button corresponding to the latest message will appear on the right side.

 

3. Set up saved replies

You could set up saved replies based on frequently asked questions to reply to your customers more efficiently:

 

To create a saved reply, click on the "Saved Reply" button, and click Add in the pop-up box, then enter your "Title" and "Content".

 

Support more saved reply formats

After clicking Add for creating a saved reply, administrators now have more options to edit their reply messages.

• When editing the text, you can insert the parameters of the customer's name to create a friendly message.
• Insert pictures to make the reply content richer (picture limit: 10).
• Click Save to complete adding a new saved reply.

*Note: 

1. Title and Content are required fields.
2. If there are multiple pictures in the saved reply for store messages and order messages, the system currently only supports displaying the first picture.

 

After saving the reply message template, resume the message conversation, and the saved reply will replace the content in the text box. The customer's name will also replace the name parameter. When clicking Send, the saved reply will be sent as a message.

 

4. Notes

1. The list of messages includes general and archived messages. You could click on the box icon to separate archived ones from others.
2. There are three filters: "All", "Unread", and "Follow-up" for you to check out messages in different statuses.
3. If you or your customer replies to one of the archived messages, it will appear on the list for administrators to check out and respond to.
4. The customer profile column is in sync with the membership details (except remarks). Please take note when updating the profile.
5. As long as the administrator has the "send message" permission, they can edit the relevant information in the member field in the Message Center.