Search Marketing Communications

A “fake chat bounce box”?

I don’t know what else to call it but today I was visiting a site and as I began to navigate away from the page the following chat box appeared:

Faux Live Chat

Each of the “agent’s” five chat lines loaded and scrolled slowly before the next one appeared.

The problem with this chat box was that it wasn’t actually a chat box at all – but a animated gif image.

The chat box didn’t allow me to input text or interact with the chat “agent” Alexa.

It simply held me and my attention hostage for about thirty seconds before I decided to close my browser.

If the chat box had been accompanied by a real agent I would have entered my question and more than likely got it answered.

I didn’t get my question answered but instead I left the site feeling short changed.

Although the website may increase its average visitor session length with this animated chat trick, I can only imagine it would also erode if not eliminate its visitors trust in the site’s offer let alone the people who are standing behind the site.

OK – Confirmed, navigate me away from this web page.

Browser Navigation Message

Tags: Attention Hostage, Bounce Box, Fake Chat

This entry was posted on March 26, 2009 at 3:55 pm and is filed under Attention Hostage, Bounce Box, Fake Chat. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.