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Instant messaging app WhatsApp on Tuesday said it is rolling out a new shopping button to make it easier for people to discover a business’ catalogue so they know what goods or services it offers.
Previously, people had to click into the business’ profile to see if the business had a catalogue. Now, when a person sees the shopping button, which looks like a storefront icon, they will immediately know the business has a catalogue so they can browse products and start a conversation about an item they see with just one tap, the company said in a statement.
“This will make it easier for businesses to have their products discovered which can help increase sales. The new shopping button is available now across the world and will replace the voice call button. To find the voice call button, simply tap on the call button to select either a voice or video call,” the Facebook-owned app said.
Business account
Today, more than 175 million people message a WhatsApp Business account every day, and more than 40 million people view a business’ catalogue each month – including more than three-million in India, it said.
According to a recent survey, 76 per cent of adults in India said “I am more likely to do business with/purchase from a company that I can contact via messaging than one that I cannot.”
“And we want to make the shopping experience even better — especially as we get ready for a holiday shopping season unlike any other when people will need helpful ways to make purchases remotely and businesses want digital tools to close sales,” it added.
The development comes after the company announced recently how it was working for the last two years to help businesses of all sizes manage their chats and increasing investments on expanding the reach.
And, therefore, it is also planning to expand its partnerships over the coming months with business solution providers.
Helping small businesses
Providing this option will make it easier for small and medium size businesses to get started, sell products, keep their inventory up to date, and quickly respond to messages they receive — wherever their employees are.
In return, WhatsApp had said that it will charge business customers for some of the services it offers, which will help ‘WhatsApp continue building a business of our own while we provide and expand free end-to-end encrypted text, video and voice calling for more than two billion people’.
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