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How can I manage customer support during peak flash sale times?

Chatref Team3 min read / Updated June 17, 2026

During a flash sale, support volume can spike tenfold. Chatref’s AI agents automatically answer common questions about shipping, codes, and policies, so your team doesn’t get swamped. Custom actions let customers check orders in-chat. Urgent cases appear in the shared inbox where humans take over with full context. Pay-as-you-go means you pay only for what you use during the peak, no monthly commit.

Automate the Flood of Common Questions

Your store’s help docs, return policies, and shipping FAQ are all the AI chatbot for e-commerce needs. Chatref’s AI agents resolve repeat questions instantly - no line, no hold time. During peak traffic support hours, that means thousands of conversations happen in parallel while your team stays focused on complex issues. The assistant answers from your own content, so shoppers get accurate policy info every time. High traffic support doesn’t have to mean high-stress support.

Let Shoppers Help Themselves with In-Chat Actions

Custom actions turn the chat into a self-service kiosk. Shoppers can check order status, find a tracking number, or confirm a promo code without leaving the conversation. You set these workflows up once, and the AI agent runs them automatically during any flash sale. Automate customer service for the repetitive tasks that slow your team down - like collecting an email for a waitlist or verifying a loyalty discount - so your people can spend time on high-touch interactions.

Reserve Your Team for Urgent, High-Value Conversations

Not every chat can be automated, and that’s why the shared inbox exists. When a shopper types something the AI agent can’t handle or explicitly asks for a person, the conversation appears in your team’s real-time feed. All previous messages and context are there, so the handoff is seamless. You can prioritize chats by watching for keywords, or use custom actions to route sensitive topics (payment issues, bulk orders) straight to a human. Your team becomes an escalation desk, not the first line of defense.

Scale Your Support Costs Only When Demand Spikes

Flash sales are unpredictable, so why pay for a seat you only need three weekends a year? Chatref’s pay-as-you-go model charges per resolved interaction, not per agent. When traffic is high, you use more credit; when the sale ends, your cost drops to zero. There’s no monthly subscription, and every new account starts with $50 in free credit. You can test your AI chatbot for e-commerce during a real peak without any commitment, and scale back instantly afterwards. High traffic support becomes a variable cost that aligns perfectly with your revenue spikes.

FAQ

How does Chatref handle high traffic volumes?

Chatref’s AI agents respond to every incoming message instantly, with no queue. The system is designed to handle concurrent conversations at scale, so even during flash sale rushes, every customer gets an answer in seconds. Because it’s pay-as-you-go, you aren’t paying for idle capacity.

Can I set up automated responses for peak times?

Yes. You can build custom actions that automate common workflows - like checking an order, providing a coupon code, or collecting contact details. These run automatically through the AI agent, so you can map out entire sequences for your sale ahead of time. Once set, they work 24/7 without manual intervention.

How can I prioritize urgent chats?

Your team monitors the shared inbox and can jump into any conversation with a single click. The inbox shows the full history, so you can quickly spot issues that need human attention. For even more control, use custom actions to flag high-priority topics (e.g., “payment failed”) and route them to the top of the queue or escalate directly to a specific team member.

Put this into practice

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