Protodesk

AI shared inbox for ecommerce

Shipping, returns, sizing, stock — one queue, with AI prepping the routine work.

Updated July 6, 2026 4 min read
AI shared inbox for ecommerce

Key takeaways

  • Bring WhatsApp, email, and live chat into one queue for the whole admin team.
  • Use AI for policy answers, sizing guidance, and reply drafts while humans handle order-specific judgment.
  • Turn peak-season questions into better help center articles and safer automation rules.

Built for the ecommerce support reality

Ecommerce support is repetitive until it suddenly is not. Customers ask about shipping, returns, sizing, stock, and payment status all day, then a delayed order or refund dispute needs careful human handling. Protodesk separates the repeatable questions from the sensitive ones.

Native WhatsApp supportOfficial Business API or QR scan. WhatsApp sits in the same inbox as email and live chat.
AI prepares repeat answersShipping, returns, sizing, stock, and policy questions can be drafted or resolved from the knowledge base.
Customer profiles with historySee prior context before replying to VIPs and at-risk buyers.
Spikes stay visibleLabels, priorities, and SLA signals show which conversations need attention during promos and seasonal peaks.

What AI can answer safely

The line is simple: AI should answer policy questions when the source is clear, and prepare context for humans when the answer depends on a specific order, customer value, or exception.

  • Safe to automate: return windows, shipping regions, size-guide links, warranty basics, and payment method FAQs.
  • Better as drafts: order status, address changes, stock substitution, gift notes, and delivery follow-up.
  • Escalate to humans: refunds, damaged items, chargebacks, VIP customers, angry messages, and unclear policy exceptions.

A calmer peak-season workflow

  • Create labels for shipping delay, return request, size question, damaged item, and stock alert.
  • Keep policy answers in the knowledge base so AI drafts cite the same source every time.
  • Use SLA warnings for high-value customers, unresolved returns, and time-sensitive delivery issues.
  • Review auto-resolve misses after each campaign and improve the source article before the next spike.

Knowledge base articles ecommerce teams need first

Shipping and deliveryRegions, expected delivery windows, tracking guidance, courier limits, and holiday cutoffs.
Returns and exchangesEligibility, timelines, packaging requirements, refund timing, and what happens after approval.
Sizing and product careFit notes, measurement guidance, care instructions, and links to product-specific help.
Payment and order changesPayment methods, failed payments, address corrections, cancellations, and when support can intervene.

Separate policy questions from order judgment

Ecommerce queues get noisy because two very different types of work arrive together. Policy questions ask what the store allows: return windows, delivery regions, warranty rules, payment methods, and sizing guidance. Order-judgment questions ask what should happen for this customer right now.

AI can help with both, but in different ways. Policy questions are often safe to draft or resolve when the answer is grounded in a current help article. Order-judgment questions should usually stay human-owned because they depend on customer value, delivery history, stock availability, or an exception to the normal policy.

That split keeps automation useful without letting it make decisions that can affect margin, loyalty, or brand reputation.

A better workflow for campaigns and peak periods

Promotions, launches, and seasonal peaks do not just increase ticket volume. They change the shape of the queue. A shipping delay can create hundreds of similar messages in a few hours. A product drop can create stock, sizing, and delivery questions at the same time.

Before a campaign, prepare the articles AI will need: promo terms, shipping cutoffs, return exceptions, product sizing notes, and delivery expectations. During the campaign, watch labels and SLA warnings so the team sees the spike by topic rather than as one undifferentiated backlog.

After the campaign, review what customers asked but could not self-serve. Those questions are the next help center update and the next safe automation candidate.

Examples of safe ecommerce automation

Shipping-policy answersCustomers asking where you ship, how long delivery usually takes, or where to find tracking can receive grounded answers from the help center.
Return-window explanationsAI can explain the published policy and link to the return article, while exceptions and refund disputes route to humans.
Sizing guidanceThe sidekick can draft a helpful answer from sizing articles and product notes, then agents can adjust based on the customer’s specific concern.
Stock and launch questionsGeneral availability language can be templated, but account-specific reservations, substitutions, or priority handling should be reviewed.

Frequently asked questions

See all FAQs
Yes. Business includes 2,500 AI credits per month, and you can top up when seasonal volume spikes.
Yes. Use Meta's official Cloud API for production or QR scan for testing and smaller workflows.
AI answers general policy questions from your knowledge base. For order-specific questions, it prepares context and drafts a reply for a human.
Start with shipping, returns, exchanges, sizing, warranty, payment, and promo policy articles. Those create the safest base for sidekick drafts and auto-resolve.

Keep exploring

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