WhatsApp is adding a new Shopping button to the app, which will make it easier for customers to discover a business’ catalog. This button will let them see which goods or services are being offered by the particular business.
WhatsApp says that the new button will make it easier for businesses to have their products discovered and this can in turn help increase sales.
According to WhatsApp, more than 175 million people message a WhatsApp Business account every day and more than 40 million people view a business’ catalog each month, which includes more than 3 million in India.
In India, WhatsApp has over 400 million users, and the company just rolled out the Payments featured powered by Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
With the new WhatsApp feature users will now see a shopping button next to the business account’s profile. The button looks like a storefront icon. This marks a change from the earlier setting, where a user had to tap into the business’ profile to see the catalog.
Tapping on the shopping button will open up the catalog and users will be able to browse through the items.
WhatsApp says this new shopping button is available now across the world and will replace the voice call button on business accounts. In order to find the voice call button, a user can simply tap on the call button to select either a voice or video call for the business account.
For WhatsApp integration of shopping on the platform is the next big step. As the video below shows WhatsApp eventually hopes to be the one stop destination for shopping where a user can check out the product, message the seller, eventually buy the product and make payment for the same.
The user would get all order details on WhatsApp itself without ever having to leave the platform at all. However, this functionality is still some time away.
In India, WhatsApp has launched its Payments service, though it will be limited to 20 million users for now. The payments service is based on UPI and will allow for direct bank transfer payments from WhatsApp itself.
How to use the shopping button on WhatsApp next to a business account
Go to any business account on WhatsApp. This could be a business account with which you are chatting regularly say a local bakery or a local seller.
If the seller has uploaded a catalog to their business account, users will see the a store shop symbol right next to the account name.
Tap on the symbol and the catalog will open, which will show products which are available by the business. You can browse on the catalog and see pictures of each product.
If you like a product, just tap on the Message Business button below each picture and you can raise query about that particular product.
The store front symbol will only show if the business has a live catalog added to their WhatsApp business account.
Originally published at The Indian express