Conversational AI and Chatbot Implementation in E-Commerce Customer Experience: A Semi-Systematic Literature Review

The rapid development of Conversational AI and chatbots has transformed the landscape of business interactions within the e-commerce ecosystem. Although the adoption of this technology has grown significantly, the relationship between specific chatbot features, dimensions of customer experience (CX), and implementation challenges has not been adequately synthesized in the literature. This study aims to identify key chatbot features, synthesize their impact on CX and customer satisfaction, and classify implementation challenges for the period 2021–2026. The method used is a semi-systematic literature review (semi-SLR) that combines the transparency of systematic selection with the flexibility of thematic analysis. Through a screening process based on inclusion and exclusion criteria in the Google Scholar database, 30 Scopus-indexed international scientific articles were successfully selected and analyzed as the final corpus. Research findings based on RQ1 reveal eight key chatbot features, with Natural Language Processing (NLP) as the most fundamental foundation, followed by personalization and 24/7 service availability, as well as emerging trends based on Large Language Models (LLM). Regarding RQ2, the use of chatbots was found to have a positive impact on all dimensions of CX (cognitive, emotional, relational, behavioral) and customer satisfaction, where the aspect of trust acts as a key mediator in driving repurchase intent and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). Meanwhile, the findings of RQ3 classify nine main challenges into technical categories (NLP limitations and LLM hallucinations), privacy (data concerns and trust deficits), and customer experience (expectation-performance gaps). In conclusion, the success of chatbots in enhancing e-commerce satisfaction requires a balance between strengthening NLP quality, ensuring privacy transparency, and managing user expectations. Future research is recommended to focus on longitudinal studies and cross-cultural analyses in Southeast Asia.

Conversational AI, AI Chatbot, Customer Experience, Customer Satisfaction, E-Commerce

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