60% Conversion Rate: Customers Who Almost Gave Up

Not every pre-purchase call is about products or insurance. Some customers call because they're stuck — and these calls convert at the highest rate of any category.

When we analyzed pre-purchase calls to our AI voice agent, technical and UX issues represented 10% of conversations. Their conversion rate? 60%.

That's nearly double the conversion rate of product questions, and significantly higher than insurance calls. The reason is simple: these customers have already decided to buy. They just need someone to help them finish.

The Pre-Purchase Breakdown

Pre-purchase calls make up about half of all inbound calls. Here's how they break down:

• Product questions: 61% → 40% conversion (covered here)
• Insurance questions: 29% → 36% conversion (covered here)
• Technical/UX issues: 10% → 60% conversion ← today's focus

The pattern is clear: the closer a customer is to checkout, the higher their conversion rate. Stuck customers aren't browsing. They aren't comparing. They've made their decision and hit a wall.

Remove the friction, and they convert immediately.

What "Stuck" Looks Like

These aren't product questions disguised as technical issues. They're genuine blockers:

• Can't find the Add to Cart button
• Page shows "Call to Purchase" instead of checkout
• Cart appears empty after adding items
• Payment method questions at checkout
• Confused by lens customization flow

The customer knows what they want. They're ready to pay. Something on the website stopped them — and they called for help instead of abandoning.

Real Example: Payment Friction

Here's a simple stuck moment — customer ready to pay, blocked by a payment question:

Customer: "I need help paying the order."

AI Agent: "Happy to help. Are you trying to pay at checkout right now, or pay an existing order balance?"

Customer: "Checkout."

AI Agent: "Got it — checkout payment. Would you like to pay with a card or PayPal, or split into 4 interest-free payments with Sezzle?"

Customer: "A card."

AI Agent: "Perfect. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. Be sure the billing address matches your card statement. Ready to place it now, or do you want me to stay while you enter details?"

Customer: "I need to do it, but I would need to do two partial cards."

AI Agent: "We don't support split payments across two cards on the same order. One card or PayPal must cover the full amount. Two good alternatives: Use Sezzle to split the entire order into 4 interest-free payments over 6 weeks, or pay the full amount with your FSA/HSA card. Would you like to use Sezzle, or proceed with a single card?"

The customer had a specific payment constraint. The AI didn't just say "no" — it immediately offered alternatives. That's the difference between losing a sale and saving one.

Real Example: Four Calls, One Customer

Here's what a stuck customer journey actually looks like. Same customer, same Cartier frame, four separate calls over the same evening:

Call 1: Product questions — confirming model and color
Call 2: Lens options — single-vision vs progressive
Call 3: Insurance process — how reimbursement works
Call 4: Stuck at checkout

By the fourth call, this customer had invested significant time. They knew exactly what they wanted. Here's what happened:

Customer: "I want to add item to the cart. I can't find it."

AI Agent: "Let's locate it. Do you see the price near the model name?"

Customer: "Yeah."

AI Agent: "The Add to Cart button is directly below it. Click it, then check the cart icon at top right."

Customer: "My cart is empty."

AI Agent: "For some frames, it shows 'Call to Purchase' instead. If you see that, tap the heart icon to save it, then order by phone when the team reopens."

Customer: "Wait. Yeah. I see the price."

AI Agent: "Add to Cart is right below. Click it."

Customer added to cart. Converted.

Why This Conversation Worked

The AI didn't start from scratch. It recognized this was the fourth interaction and didn't ask "What product are you looking for?" or "What size do you need?"

Instead, it met the customer where they were: stuck on a specific page, trying to complete a specific action.

The AI:

• Guided step by step without overcomplicating
• Anticipated the "Call to Purchase" scenario
• Kept the customer moving forward
• Confirmed when the button was found

That's the difference between answering a question and rescuing a sale.

The Timing Factor

Here's the challenge: 75% of orders happen outside standard business hours.

A customer stuck at checkout at 9 PM on a Tuesday has two options: figure it out themselves, or give up. Most give up. The purchase intent doesn't disappear — but the momentum does. By the next morning, they've moved on.

An AI voice agent extends availability to the hours when these friction moments happen. The customer calls, gets immediate guidance, and completes their purchase — or at least saves their progress with a clear path to finish.

The Revenue Opportunity

Let's scale this:

• 100 pre-purchase calls per month
• 10% are stuck/technical issues = 10 calls
• 60% conversion rate = 6 orders
• $350 average order value = $2,100/month

Annual impact: $25,200 — from customers who almost abandoned.

This is recovered revenue. These customers had already decided to buy. Without help at the moment they needed it, that revenue disappears.

The Insight

Conversion rate correlates with purchase intent:

• Insurance calls: 36% — Complex, requires education and calculation
• Product calls: 40% — Needs guidance and recommendations
• Stuck calls: 60% — Already decided, just needs help finishing

The closer to checkout, the higher the stakes. A customer stuck on the final step isn't going to browse competitors or "think about it." They're going to complete the purchase — if someone helps them.

That's the opportunity. These customers are one click away. AI gets them across the line.