E-commerce customer support costs keep climbing while margins shrink.
You need 24/7 coverage across phone, email, chat, and social, but building an in-house team for that gets expensive fast.
Outsourcing makes sense on paper.
The up to 88% cost savings that some providers claim sounds appealing. But finding a BPO that actually integrates with your Shopify store and Zendesk helpdesk is harder than you might expect.
This guide compares seven call center outsourcing companies for e-commerce. We focused on omnichannel support, real-time dashboards, and confirmed Shopify and Zendesk integration to help you narrow down your options.
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Most e-commerce brands juggle 4-6 support channels before realizing they need unified management
Why e-commerce brands outsource customer support
Fixed customer service costs become a problem when your order volume fluctuates.
You hire for peak season and overpay during slow months. Or you understaff and watch your CSAT scores drop when things get busy.
The economics of outsourcing tilt in your favor when you factor in hiring, training, benefits, office space, and software licenses.
A call center outsourcing company spreads those costs across multiple clients and handles the operational complexity.
What makes e-commerce outsourcing different from general customer service?
Your BPO needs to pull order data from Shopify, manage tickets in Zendesk, and handle returns without creating more work for your internal team.
That integration requirement eliminates a lot of vendors from consideration.
What to look for in a call center outsourcing partner
Before diving into the comparison, here's a framework for evaluating BPO providers.
These four criteria matter most for e-commerce operations.
Omnichannel support capabilities
Your customers switch channels mid-conversation.
They start on Instagram, move to email, and then call when they don't get a fast enough response.
A proper omnichannel setup maintains context across those touchpoints.
Look for phone, email, live chat, social media, and self-service portal coverage.
The key is unified customer history so agents don't start from scratch with each interaction.
Real-time dashboards and reporting
You can't manage what you can't see. Real-time dashboards show call wait times, agent performance, service levels, and customer satisfaction scores as they happen.
According to an Actowiz case study, customizable dashboards enabled 40% faster response to market changes.
That visibility matters when you're paying per minute or per agent.
Integration requirements
Here's where most BPOs fall short. Shopify integration means agents can look up orders, process returns, and check inventory without switching between systems.
Zendesk integration keeps your ticket management, customer history, and knowledge base in sync.
The reality: Zendesk integration is less common than Shopify among BPOs.
Our research found only two providers with confirmed native support for both platforms.
Pricing models and contract flexibility
BPO pricing typically falls into three models: per-agent (monthly fee per dedicated agent), per-minute (pay for talk time used), and per-ticket (fee per support interaction resolved).
Watch for hidden costs like setup fees, minimum monthly commitments, training charges, and overage rates.
Contract length matters too, since some providers lock you in for 12-24 months.
7 best call center outsourcing companies for e-commerce
1. Peak Support
Peak Support is an award-winning BPO that combines AI-driven insights with a boutique approach to client service.
They operate across five global locations and maintain a 4.4 Glassdoor rating, the highest in the BPO industry according to their website.
Their CX Accelerator program includes AI sentiment analysis, real-time data visualization, and automated chatbot capabilities.
The platform analyzes voice transcriptions, support tickets, and customer chats to identify friction points and trends.
Peak Support explicitly lists both Zendesk and Shopify in their tech stack, which puts them in rare company.
They also integrate with Gorgias, Freshdesk, HubSpot, Intercom, Salesforce, and over a dozen other platforms.
Best for: Mid-market e-commerce brands wanting AI-powered insights and confirmed Shopify/Zendesk integration.
Pros: 95% average QA score, 1-in-30 agent acceptance rate (8 years average experience), live client dashboards, AI sentiment analysis.
Cons: No public pricing, custom quotes required for all engagements.
2. SupportYourApp
SupportYourApp has spent 15+ years building specialized support for tech startups and e-commerce.
They have a dedicated Shopify Customer Support service page with agents pre-trained on e-commerce operations.
Their proprietary tools stand out. QUIDGET is an AI agent builder that automates up to 80% of routine queries.
QCRM provides multi-level support management with a unified inbox for emails, messengers, and calls.
Best for: Shopify stores needing multilingual support and high security standards.
Pros: 1-month launch timeline, 60+ languages, proprietary AI tools (QUIDGET and QCRM), fast response times documented in client testimonials.
Cons: Custom pricing required, specific agent counts and costs not disclosed.
3. Helpware
Helpware operates across seven countries on four continents (USA, Mexico, Uganda, Philippines, Ukraine, Georgia).
Their structure includes separate CX, AI, and Technology divisions, which allows specialized expertise across customer service and machine learning.
The company lists e-commerce and retail as a primary vertical. Their service portfolio covers customer support, technical support, back office services, and AI data annotation.
Helpware's AI division handles LLM training and data preparation, which could benefit e-commerce brands looking to build custom AI solutions. Their CX Operational Transformation service focuses on process optimization.
Best for: Global e-commerce brands needing multi-continent coverage and potential AI development support.
Pros: Operations in 7 countries, integrated AI division, 24/7 availability, CX strategy consulting.
Cons: Zendesk and Shopify integration not publicly confirmed, security certifications not documented, requires sales consultation for all pricing.
4. SupportNinja
SupportNinja positions itself as an agile BPO for startups and e-commerce brands.
They serve companies like Happy Socks and emphasize "brand-safe" operations with a "Scale Smarter" approach.
Their e-commerce customer service outsourcing page targets online retailers specifically.
The company offers multi-channel support across phone, email, chat, and social channels.
Documentation on specific integrations is limited. While they emphasize customer satisfaction and operational efficiency, their website doesn't confirm Zendesk or Shopify capabilities explicitly.
Best for: E-commerce brands prioritizing brand-safe operations and startup-friendly engagement.
Pros: Dedicated e-commerce vertical, emphasis on customer satisfaction, flexible service approach.
Cons: Limited public documentation on integrations, pricing, and security certifications.
5. KDCI Outsourcing
KDCI Outsourcing is a Philippines-based BPO serving e-commerce, AI/ML, healthcare, and finance sectors.
They publish thought leadership content including guides on outsourcing e-commerce customer service.
The company targets US, Australia, and European brands wanting to scale offshore.
Their service model focuses on custom teams for high-volume e-commerce operations.
KDCI's online documentation doesn't detail specific platform integrations. If Zendesk and Shopify integration are requirements, you'll need to verify capabilities directly with their team.
Best for: E-commerce brands researching offshore options with flexible scaling.
Pros: Philippines-based for cost efficiency, thought leadership content, marketplace support (Amazon, eBay).
Cons: Integration specifics unclear, timezone considerations for US brands, limited public technical documentation.
6. OnBrand24
OnBrand24 is a US-based call center emphasizing "brand-safe, data-driven customer interactions."
They have a dedicated e-commerce division and offer flexible deployment options including overflow support and contingency coverage.
Their service model works well for brands needing supplemental capacity during peak periods.
The company publishes content on omnichannel support strategies that shows industry expertise.
Like several providers on this list, OnBrand24 doesn't publicly document specific platform integrations.
US-based operations may cost more than offshore alternatives but provide timezone alignment.
Best for: US-based brands wanting domestic support with flexible capacity options.
Pros: US-based operations, overflow and contingency models, omnichannel thought leadership.
Cons: Integration specifics not documented, likely higher cost than offshore alternatives, security certifications not public.
7. Ringly.io (AI-first alternative)
Ringly.io takes a different approach. Instead of human agents, their AI phone agent Seth handles inbound calls automatically.
The platform resolves around 70-73% of calls without human intervention, focusing on order tracking, returns, exchanges, and FAQ handling.
The native Shopify integration pulls order data directly so Seth can answer "where's my order" questions in real-time.
When calls get complex, the AI escalates to your team rather than trying to handle something it can't.
Pricing is transparent, which stands out in this market. The Start plan runs $99/month for 250 minutes, Grow is $349/month for 1,000 minutes, and Scale starts at $1,099/month for 3,000+ minutes. There's also a trial guarantee: you pay $0 until Seth resolves at least 60% of calls over your first 100 calls.
Best for: Shopify stores wanting to automate phone support before committing to full BPO.
Pros: Transparent pricing, 3-minute setup, 40+ languages, native Shopify integration, pay-after-results trial.
Cons: Phone-focused (not full omnichannel), no native Zendesk integration, requires human backup for complex issues.
Feature comparison: how these call center outsourcing companies stack up
This comparison focuses on the criteria that matter most for e-commerce operations running Shopify and Zendesk.
Key takeaways from this comparison
Zendesk integration is the weakest link. Only Peak Support and SupportYourApp have confirmed native Zendesk integration in their public documentation. Four of the seven providers don't document this at all.
Shopify integration is more common. Peak Support, SupportYourApp, and Ringly.io all confirm Shopify capabilities. Ringly.io's integration is particularly deep since it pulls order data directly for AI-powered responses.
Pricing transparency varies dramatically. Six of the seven providers require custom quotes. Only Ringly.io publishes actual pricing, which makes budget planning and comparison easier.
How to evaluate Shopify and Zendesk integration capabilities
Integration depth varies. Some providers claim "Shopify support" but only mean their agents can open a browser tab to your admin panel. True integration means automated data flow.
Shopify integration checklist
Ask vendors these questions during your evaluation:
- Can agents pull order status without logging into Shopify?
- Can they process returns and exchanges directly from their interface?
- Do they have real-time inventory visibility?
- Does customer history sync automatically?
- What data flows back to Shopify after interactions?
Peak Support and SupportYourApp both show Shopify in their tech stacks.
SupportYourApp's dedicated Shopify support page suggests deeper specialization with pre-trained agents on e-commerce operations.
Zendesk integration checklist
Zendesk integration should cover:
- Ticket creation and management from the agent interface
- Customer history visibility across all channels
- Knowledge base access for agent reference
- Reporting and analytics that sync between platforms
- Escalation workflows that maintain ticket context
The challenge: Zendesk integration is harder to find than Shopify. Only Peak Support and SupportYourApp document this capability publicly. Other providers may support it, but you'll need to verify during sales conversations.
Alternative approach: AI automation before BPO
Before committing to a full BPO contract, consider how much of your phone volume could be automated. Routine calls like "where's my order" and "how do I return this" are repetitive and predictable.
Ringly.io handles around 70% of these calls automatically through their AI phone agent Seth.
At $349/month for 1,000 minutes, the math often works out better than per-minute BPO pricing for phone-heavy stores.
This hybrid approach lets you automate routine phone traffic while routing complex issues to human agents (in-house or outsourced). It reduces the volume that hits your BPO, which reduces costs.
How to choose the right call center outsourcing partner
Your choice depends on your tech stack, volume, budget, and operational priorities. Here's a decision framework based on company profile.
Choose Peak Support or SupportYourApp if:
- You're a mid-market or enterprise brand ($10M+ ARR)
- You need confirmed Zendesk AND Shopify integration
- AI-powered insights and sentiment analysis matter to you
- You can commit to custom contracts and sales cycles
- Security certifications (SOC 2, PCI DSS) are requirements
Choose Helpware, SupportNinja, or KDCI if:
- You need flexible scaling or offshore options
- Zendesk integration isn't mandatory (or you'll verify separately)
- You want to explore custom team structures
- Global coverage across multiple time zones is a priority
Choose OnBrand24 if:
- US-based support is a requirement
- You need overflow or contingency capacity
- Domestic timezone alignment matters more than cost savings
Choose Ringly.io if:
- You run a Shopify store with high phone support volume
- You want to automate routine calls before committing to full BPO
- Transparent pricing and fast setup are priorities
- You prefer paying for results (60% resolution guarantee)
For Shopify stores looking to reduce phone support costs before committing to a full BPO contract, try Ringly.io's AI phone agent free for 14 days.
Seth starts handling calls in about 3 minutes with no technical setup required.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best call center outsourcing companies for e-commerce with Shopify integration?
Peak Support, SupportYourApp, and Ringly.io all have confirmed Shopify integration. Peak Support and SupportYourApp offer full BPO services with human agents. Ringly.io provides AI phone automation that pulls order data directly from Shopify to answer customer questions automatically.
Which call center outsourcing companies for e-commerce support Zendesk integration?
Based on our research, only Peak Support and SupportYourApp publicly document Zendesk integration in their tech stacks. Other providers like Helpware, SupportNinja, KDCI, and OnBrand24 may support Zendesk but don't confirm it in their public documentation.
How much do call center outsourcing companies for e-commerce typically cost?
Most BPOs require custom quotes and don't publish pricing. The exception is Ringly.io, which offers transparent tiers: $99/month for 250 minutes, $349/month for 1,000 minutes, and $1,099+/month for 3,000+ minutes. Traditional BPOs often charge per agent (typically $1,500-2,500/month per dedicated agent) or per minute ($0.50-1.00+ per talk minute).
Do call center outsourcing companies for e-commerce provide real-time dashboards?
Peak Support explicitly offers AI-powered real-time dashboards with live queue monitoring, sentiment analysis, and data visualization. SupportYourApp provides performance metrics tracking. Ringly.io includes call analytics, transcripts, and knowledge gap detection. Other providers mention reporting capabilities but don't detail real-time dashboard features.
What security certifications should call center outsourcing companies for e-commerce have?
For e-commerce, PCI DSS certification is essential if agents handle payment information. SupportYourApp holds PCI DSS Level 1 (the highest level). Peak Support has SOC 2, PCI DSS, and HIPAA certifications. Look for ISO 27001 for information security management and GDPR compliance if you serve EU customers.
How long does it take to launch with a call center outsourcing company for e-commerce?
SupportYourApp documents a 1-month timeline from signup to launch, including integration and FAQ/template preparation. Ringly.io claims 3-minute setup for their AI phone agent. Traditional BPOs typically require 2-8 weeks for onboarding, training, and integration depending on complexity.
Can call center outsourcing companies for e-commerce handle multiple languages?
SupportYourApp supports 60+ languages. Ringly.io covers 40+ languages. Other providers offer multilingual support but don't specify language counts publicly. If you serve international customers, ask for specific language availability and native speaker options during your evaluation.
