Managed Agents at Previously $0.06 $0.03/minManaged Agents are Previously $0.06 $0.03/min.

ServiceNow#1 on EVA-Bench

Artificial Analysis#1 on Speech Agent Arena

Ecommerce answering service that takes return requests by phone.

Customers can hear your returns policy, log a return, and leave order questions, while wholesale buyers reach the owner.

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Trusted by leading teams

ServiceNowArtificial Analysis

Ranked #1

on EVA-Bench and Speech Agent Arena

ServiceNow
Indeed
SpeakX
Supernova
1Point1
ELSA

Answer customers and keep the owner on the calls that matter

Customers log a return or leave an order question, and wholesale buyers reach the owner.

The agent reads the return window and conditions from your policy, and quotes nothing that isn't in it.

An ecommerce answering service for shops that still get phone calls

What is an ecommerce answering service?

An ecommerce answering service picks up the phone for an online shop, where the team is usually packing orders or clearing email. This AI answering service for ecommerce explains returns from your policy text, logs requests with a reference and saves order questions for the team.

  • Read the returns policy
  • Log a return request
  • Save an order question
  • Request a wholesale callback
  • Transfer to the shop owner

Why do an online shop's customers call at all?

Often because email didn't settle it. A candle arrived cracked, or a parcel is ten days late, and they want to hear that someone has it. Wholesale buyers call too, and the owner doesn't want those lost in a general inbox.

I want to return a candle that arrived cracked.

I'm sorry it arrived damaged. What's the order number?

Order 48213. The amber candle, and the jar cracked in the box.

What happens to a damaged-item return by phone?

The agent takes the order number, the item and what went wrong, logs the request with a reference, and says the team will email a photo link. It quotes only what your returns text says. Returns land in Shopify, BigCommerce or Zendesk through tools you configure.

  • Damaged candle return, order 482132:41
  • Return window question0:39
  • Wholesale inquiry, owner rang1:34

Can it track a parcel or issue a refund?

No. This agent can't see where a parcel is, so it saves the question with the order number for an email reply. No tool issues a refund, and it never promises one. Wholesale, press and refund disputes ring the owner, or leave a callback with the caller's name, shop and number.

Return request complete

Did the agent record the order number and the reason for the return before the call ended?

Less phone time for a small team

A customer answering service ecommerce teams can live with has to fit people who ship their own orders. Here is what it lifts off them.

Returns arrive as requests with a reference

Order number, item and reason are all there when the team opens the request.

Policy answers match your terms

Return windows come from your text, so a caller hears the same conditions your returns page shows.

Order questions stop interrupting packing

A where-is-my-order call gets saved with the order number, and the customer hears that the team will email.

Wholesale buyers skip the inbox

A gift shop owner asking about terms gets rung through to you, or leaves a callback request with the shop name.

Damaged items start with a photo

Customers hear that a photo link is coming by email, so your review starts with what you need.

No refunds promised, no parcels tracked

This agent can't issue a refund or see shipping status, and it tells callers so. Decisions stay with your team.

Ready for a customer holding the broken item

An after hours answering service ecommerce shops rely on gets people calling with the box open. Cartesia's speech models handle that stop-start talk.

  • $0.03per minute
  • #1on Speech Agent Arena and EVA-Bench
  • 24/7answers every call, at any hour

Waits while they find the order number

Customers dig through email for five digits. The agent holds on and catches the number when it comes.

Policy text in, the right tool out

Select the LLM and give it tools to read the returns policy, log a return, save an order question and request a wholesale callback.

Matches your brand

Customers already know you from the site and the packaging. Get a library voice that belongs with them.

The automated answering service ecommerce shops weigh against email

Before adding an AI answering service, ecommerce teams tend to weigh these three. Email-only costs the least and often works until a customer needs to talk.

Cartesia agentEmail-only supportOutsourced call center
A customer wants to talkAnswers the callNumber goes unanswered or unlistedYes, during contracted hours
Reads your returns policyWord for word from your textYes, as a saved replyUsually from a script you supply
Logs a returnSaved with order number and reasonYes, once you read the emailOften a ticket or an emailed note
Tracks a parcelNo, saves the question for the teamYes, if someone looks it upSometimes, with system access
Wholesale callRings the owner, then requests a callbackWaits in the inboxUsually takes a message
How you pay$0.03 per minute, LLM usage separateYour team's timeUsually a monthly minimum or per-call fees

See which calls ended with a complete return request

Every call is recorded and transcribed. See which calls logged a return with an order number and reason, and which ended without one.

Launch an AI e-commerce answering service in three steps

Start building

  1. Clone the Shop line

    Copy the agent, then paste in your returns policy and set who hears about wholesale, press and refund disputes.

  2. Connect your store and helpdesk

    Link Shopify, BigCommerce or Zendesk through tools you configure, then forward your shop number to the agent.

  3. Log a damaged return

    Call with a test order number and a broken item, then call as a wholesale buyer. Check the return record and the callback.

Enterprise-grade security

  • HIPAA compliant badge

    HIPAA compliant

  • SOC 2 Type 2 badge

    SOC 2 Type 2

  • GDPR badge

    GDPR

Ecommerce answering service FAQs

What is an ecommerce answering service?

An ecommerce answering service answers an online shop's phone. This one is a voice agent. It explains returns, logs return requests, saves order questions and sends wholesale and press calls to the owner.

How much does an ecommerce answering service cost?

An ecommerce answering service costs $0.03 per minute of call time for the agent, so a three-minute call is $0.09 in agent time. LLM usage is billed separately, and a Cartesia phone number adds $0.014 per minute, or nothing if you bring your own Twilio account or SIP trunk. The free plan includes $1 of agent calls a month, so you can test the agent before you pay. See pricing.

Can an ecommerce answering service issue a refund or say where an order is?

No. The agent can't issue refunds or track shipments, so it saves the question with the order number and says the team will reply by email.

Can it log a return for a damaged item?

Yes. The agent asks for the order number, the item and what went wrong, logs the return with a reference, and says the team emails a link to send a photo. It never promises a refund or a replacement.

What does it do with wholesale, press or a refund dispute?

The agent rings the shop owner, and requests a callback with the caller's name, shop and number if nobody picks up. It quotes no terms and takes no side in a dispute, and you control exactly when else the agent transfers.

Does it connect to Shopify, BigCommerce or Zendesk?

Yes. The agent logs returns and tickets in those systems through tools you configure. It doesn't read shipping status.

Is it the same as an AI receptionist for ecommerce?

Close. A receptionist books and routes calls during the day. This AI receptionist for ecommerce works a shop line with returns, order questions and owner calls, as what an AI receptionist does explains.

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