When looking to personalise online shopping, skilled live chat operators can play a major part. It is widely accepted that the more personal a shopping experience becomes, the more likely you are to convert a visitor into a customer, and then convert a customer into a loyal fan.

Having survived the widely anticipated Mayan apocalypse  and, I assume, any holiday excesses, we can now safely turn our minds to the dawn of 2013. Let’s be grateful we’re still here and instead of wallowing in guilt-driven detox diets why not focus on four steps a successful ecommerce businesses can take to drive growth into the New Year and beyond.

It's not that customers have suddenly become impatient, but our instant social media and other communication channels are creating a sense of expectation. If companies fail to engage quickly, openly and honestly they are leaving themselves open to, at best, criticism, and at worst, unhappy customers who swiftly head off to the competition.

At Yomdel we're constantly on the lookout for great infographics that succinctly gather key ecommerce intelligence and then present it in a simple yet engaging graphical style. As part of our end of year round up (yes, another one!), we thought it may be useful to share those infographics that best illustrate ecommerce trends and tips for best online customer service practice, with a particular reference to how live chat is increasingly emerging as a preferred online communication channel.