Cloverfield Visitor Chat

Cloverfield Visitor Chat is self-hosted: everything runs on your own PrestaShop server and in your own database. There's no external account, no monthly subscription, and no visitor data ever leaves your server.

How Cloverfield Visitor Chat differs from paid chat tools (Intercom, Tidio, Crisp, etc.)

CloverChat is self-hosted: everything runs on your own PrestaShop server and in your own database. No external account, no monthly subscription, and no visitor data leaving your server.

This means the system works a little differently from the SaaS chat widgets you may be used to:

No separate login system for operators. There are no operator accounts with passwords. Instead, you get a single secret dashboard URL on the configuration page. Anyone who opens this URL and enters a name gets access. Treat this URL like a password.

No real-time push (WebSockets). The widget and the dashboard check for new messages every few seconds (long polling, with an adjustable interval) instead of keeping a permanent connection open. This allows Cloverfield Visitor Chat to work on virtually any standard hosting plan, with the trade-off of a slight delay before a new message appears.

No separate app. The operator dashboard is a web page. Open the URL on your phone and you can get started right away. There's nothing to install.

File uploads go through your own server, not through a third-party CDN.

Multistore-compatible. Each shop can have its own widget colors, position, opening hours, and operators, or use the shared default settings.

Pay once, use it for life.

Features

1. Add as many operators as you like.
2. Get an email notification whenever a visitor starts a chat.
3. Set opening and closing times for each day.
4. Let customers upload files and view them in the dashboard.
5. No subscription needed - the system runs entirely on your own server.
6. Long polling instead of WebSockets (every 3 seconds by default).
7. Files are stored in the module's uploads/ folder and given random file names.
8. Multistore: widget settings per shop or one global default; operators and opening hours are always tied to a single shop.
9. Clear built-in help for configuring the module.
10. Pay once, use it for life.
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Installation

1. After purchasing Cloverfield Visitor Chat, download the module's ZIP file from your PrestaShop Addons account under My purchases.
2. In the PrestaShop back office, go to Modules > Module Manager, click Upload a module, and select the downloaded file cloverchat.zip.
3. After installation, open the module's configuration page: Modules > Module Manager, search for Cloverfield Visitor Chat, and click Configure. You can also go directly to Marketing > Cloverfield Visitor Chat in the menu.
4. Add at least one operator (name and email address) so that someone can receive and answer chats.
5. If you like, set your opening hours for each day. Outside these hours the widget is shown as offline and visitors can leave a message.
6. Adjust the position and colors of the widget so it matches the design of your webshop.
7. At the bottom of the settings page you'll find the Operator Dashboard URL. This is a secret link, not a login screen. Anyone with this URL can open the page, enter their name, and answer chats. Keep this URL safe and share it only with your team.
8. Click Save.
9. Visit your webshop and check that the chat widget appears in the corner of the page.
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For the visitor (storefront widget)

A chat button appears in the corner of your webshop. Its position and color can be adjusted. Clicking the button opens the chat window:

1. New visitors enter their name (required) and email address (optional) and click Start chat.
2. During opening hours the visitor is connected and can chat right away. Outside opening hours (or when offline mode is disabled and no operator is available), the visitor sees an offline message and can leave a message that operators will see as soon as they're back online.
3. Sending a file: using the paperclip/upload icon next to the message field, the visitor can attach a file. This can be an image (JPG, PNG, GIF, WEBP) or a document (PDF, Word, Excel) up to 5 MB. The file appears in the conversation and can be opened or downloaded by the operator.
4. The conversation stays open as long as the browser tab is open or until the operator closes the chat. A new visit after the session has expired starts a new conversation.
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For the operator

Logging in to the dashboard:

Open the dashboard URL in a browser tab. You'll have received this URL from the administrator.

Enter your name and email address and click Start.

You're now logged in and shown as online.

Receiving chats

When a visitor starts a chat during opening hours, all operators who have notifications enabled receive an email with a link to the dashboard.

The first operator to click the link and accept the chat is assigned the conversation.

In the sidebar you can see all active, waiting, and closed conversations.

Handling a chat

Click a conversation in the sidebar to open it.

If the status is Waiting, click Accept to claim the chat. The visitor then receives a notification that an operator has joined the conversation.

Type your reply in the text field and press Enter or click the send button.

If the visitor has sent a file (image or document, up to 5 MB), it's displayed directly in the conversation. Click it to download it.

When the conversation is finished, click Close.

Going offline

Click Go offline at the bottom of the sidebar. You'll no longer be shown as available. Close the browser tab to log out completely.