In just a few short years, WhatsApp has become a hugely mainstream part of how we communicate. The app, which is owned by Facebook, allows us to chat either one to one or within groups, and send photos, voice memos and even locations at the touch of a button, for free. And now the app has taken a step towards maximising its ecommerce potential by adding a new WhatsApp shopping button into business chats too. Of course, team 24fingers are all for shopping (all the shoes), and definitely all for maximising what we can do at the touch of a button with one of our 24 fingers.
Browse while you chat
Similar to the shop options already available on Instagram and Facebook, the new WhatsApp shopping button – which will look like a shop front icon – will take you through to an in-app catalogue of a brand’s product listings.
This feature will be available to businesses which use the WhatsApp Business app, and who have a catalogue listed. Without this, the WhatsApp shopping button won’t appear. However, if you’re a business making use of both of these options, it will allow the user to tap through and make a purchase within the app.
And shop while you chat
The idea of shopping while you chat is that you’ll be able to transfer money within WhatsApp itself. This will make it easier for people to make subsequent purchases, and it could see WhatsApp becoming a key ecommerce app. In turn, this will allow Facebook, who are WhatsApp’s parent company, to monetise the app.
Although ads were trialled in WhatsApp previously and found not to bring sufficient return, if Facebook are able to make WhatsApp an essential business tool for brands, it may be able to charge to use it, or take a percentage of any transactions made through the app. Don’t forget you can link Facebook and Instagram promotions to WhatsApp including having customers send you messages via the platform.
WhatsApp could therefore present great opportunities for many businesses as it looks to streamline both shopping and connection between brands and their audiences. If you’d like us to apply our 24 fingers to your brand’s business messaging, get in touch. On WhatsApp or otherwise, we can help you if you’re all fingers and thumbs with your social media.
We’re 24 fingers, a digital marketing agency and a proud member of the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, Excel Business Networking Group, the Trusted Business Community and the Organisation for Responsible Businesses. If you’re feeling all fingers and thumbs with your online marketing, use our hands (and hearts and minds) to get extra digits on your bottom line. Book your free strategy call here.
