I really hate those live chat bubbles, and many people feel the same way. When I see one of those I instantly go looking for alternatives to your site. Sure, you might win more clicks or whatever, but it's also worth considering the goodwill lost.
It's kind of like hiring a used car salesman to do your sales. Sure, perhaps he'll sell more in the short run, but if that's what you're after there are plenty of unsavory tactics out there you can use. Wouldn't you rather customers just had a good, clean experience they're happy to share with others?
> When I see one of those I instantly go looking for alternatives to your site. Sure, you might win more clicks or whatever, but it's also worth considering the goodwill lost.
I think we should keep in mind that HN readers are far from the typical internet user.
It's kind of like hiring a used car salesman to do your sales. Sure, perhaps he'll sell more in the short run, but if that's what you're after there are plenty of unsavory tactics out there you can use. Wouldn't you rather customers just had a good, clean experience they're happy to share with others?