Skip to main content

Better Messages for Dokan: Live Chat for Marketplace Vendors

The Dokan integration for Better Messages adds a Live Chat button to every Dokan product page, vendor shop page, and vendor dashboard tab — so customers can ask a question before checkout and vendors can reply from inside their own dashboard. The integration is enabled with a single toggle, works on both the free and WebSocket versions of Better Messages, and uses Dokan's own vendor avatars and shop-profile links inside the messenger.

REQUIREMENTS

To install the plugin ensure that your website running:

  • WordPress 5.9 or newer
  • PHP 7.4 or newer

Installation#

How to install Dokan#

Download Dokan from the official website and install it through the standard WordPress plugin installation process.

How to install Better Messages with Dokan#

  1. Install the Better Messages plugin through the WordPress plugins screen, or upload the plugin files to /wp-content/plugins/bp-better-messages.
  2. Activate the plugin through the Plugins screen in WordPress.
  3. Use the Better Messages → Settings menu to configure the plugin.
  4. Go to Integrations → WooCommerce and Enable Live Chat for Vendors in the Dokan Marketplace Integration section. When Dokan is the active marketplace plugin, this section is sorted to the top of the WooCommerce sub-tab.
Better Messages Dokan integration settings: Enable Live Chat for Vendors toggle

Supported features#

When you install Dokan plugin with Better Messages:

  • Vendors get a new setting in Shop Configuration to enable Live Chat for their shop
  • When Live Chat is enabled in Shop Configuration, a Live Chat tab appears on the vendor dashboard
  • All vendor avatars in the Better Messages interface are automatically displayed from Dokan vendor shop profiles
  • All links to vendors in the Better Messages interface automatically point to the Dokan vendor shop profile

Live Chat tab on the vendor dashboard#

The integration adds a Live Chat tab to the Dokan vendor dashboard, embedding the full Better Messages interface so vendors never leave their dashboard to reply to customers.

Live Chat tab on the Dokan vendor dashboard

Live Chat button on product pages#

A Live Chat button is added to every product sold by a vendor. If you use a custom page builder or the button does not auto-render due to template differences, use this shortcode to place it manually:

[better_messages_dokan_product_button]
Live Chat button on a Dokan product page, below the Add to Cart form

Live Chat button on the vendor shop page#

A Live Chat button is added to every vendor shop page so customers browsing a vendor's full catalog can start a conversation without first picking a product.

Live Chat button on a Dokan vendor shop page next to the vendor info

Video walkthrough#

Free vs WebSocket version for Dokan stores#

FeatureFree versionWebSocket version
Live Chat on product / shop / dashboardyesyes
Per-vendor enable / disableyesyes
Vendor avatars and profile links from Dokanyesyes
Product context card in threadsyesyes
Support for Dokan 4.x and 5.0+yesyes
Real-time deliverypollinginstant
Mini-widget popup chat—yes
One-on-one voice and video calls inside the thread—yes
Group voice and video calls (vendor team)—yes
Web push notifications for new messages—yes
Read receipts—yes
End-to-end encryption (optional)—yes
info

For Dokan marketplaces where vendors compete on responsiveness, the WebSocket version's instant delivery plus web push pulls vendors in even when their dashboard is closed — and the mini-widget popup keeps the customer on the product page while they wait for a reply.

Frequently asked questions#

Can customers message a vendor without registering?#

Yes — enable Guest access in Better Messages → Settings → Guest Chat. A first-time customer enters a name and email, then chats with the vendor. The thread is preserved if they later register.

Can vendors message each other?#

Yes. The vendor dashboard chat is a full messenger, not a vendor-to-customer-only widget. Vendors can also be added to group conversations.

Does it work with WooCommerce subscriptions and bookings?#

Yes — Dokan's WooCommerce extensions do not change the product page template hook that Better Messages uses. If you have heavily customized the product template, place the shortcode above manually.

Does the Live Chat button work with the new Dokan Vendor Dashboard UI?#

Yes — Better Messages added support for the new Dokan Vendor Dashboard UI in v2.11.0.

Is the WebSocket cloud server hosted by you?#

Yes — the WebSocket license includes hosted relay servers, no extra Node.js server to run. A self-hosted option is also available if your data residency rules require it.

See also#