WhatsApp e-commerce: how to run a store, connect it to your systems, and decide whether you need a chatbot
This guide is for small online shops deciding how much of their business should run through WhatsApp. It sets out the three ways to do it, what WhatsApp and Meta now offer sellers, which integrations exist and which do not, when a chatbot is worth it, and what to set up at 30, 300 and 3,000 orders a month.
Quick answer
WhatsApp e-commerce means selling and supporting customers through WhatsApp chats. Small shops start with the free Business app's catalog and cart, add a website store with a WhatsApp button as orders grow, and move to the official WhatsApp Business Platform through a provider for order notifications, campaigns and in-chat payments where available. An AI agent helps once pre-sale questions outgrow one person.
What is WhatsApp e-commerce?
WhatsApp e-commerce is selling online with WhatsApp as the place where customers ask, order, or get updates. Some shops take the whole order in WhatsApp; others keep checkout on a website and use WhatsApp for the conversation before and after the sale.
It is a form of conversational commerce, and it works best where customers already message businesses instead of filling in forms. The question for a small shop is not whether to use WhatsApp but which jobs to give it.
What are the three ways to run a WhatsApp store?
App-only, website plus WhatsApp, or the official platform. Most small shops should start with the first or second and only move to the third when they need automated notifications or campaigns at volume.
| 1. WhatsApp Business app only | 2. Website store plus WhatsApp | 3. Official WhatsApp Business Platform | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where checkout happens | In chat, with a payment link or QR | On your website | Website, or in chat in India and Brazil |
| Product display | Business app catalog | Your store, linked from chat | Catalog and product messages via API |
| Order updates | Typed or quick replies | Email, plus WhatsApp by hand | Automatic template messages |
| Campaigns | Status, broadcast lists to opted-in contacts | Same as app | Marketing templates to opted-in lists |
| Monthly cost | Free, plus payment fees | Store plan, plus payment fees | Provider fee plus Meta's per-message charges |
| Good fit | Up to a few orders a day | Growing shops with standard products | Shops with thousands of orders or a developer |
Meta's pricing for the platform charges per delivered template message, by category and country, and since 1 October 2026 also charges for service replies beyond 1,000 free per business number each month. Our API pricing explainer walks through it.
What does WhatsApp give online sellers?
In the free app: a catalog, catalog links, a cart, quick replies, labels, broadcasts and Status. On the platform: product and catalog messages, marketing templates, and in-chat payments in a few countries. Meta has also launched its own AI agent for businesses.
- Catalog, catalog links and cart. WhatsApp's Business app features page describes a mobile storefront with collections, links to share the catalog or single items on WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, and a cart customers send as one message.
- Business Broadcasts. The same page lists Business Broadcasts, which can reach people who have not saved your number and can be scheduled (opt-in rules still apply), as available to eligible users in select countries.
- Product messages on the API. Meta's marketing template documentation covers catalog templates, product card carousels of up to 10 cards, and multi-product templates of up to 30 products. Meta may limit how many marketing messages one person receives, and customers can stop yours.
- In-chat payments. Meta documents Payments API flows for India and Brazil. Elsewhere you send a link; see accepting payments on WhatsApp.
- Meta Business Agent. Announced in a Meta newsroom post on 3 June 2026, it answers questions, recommends products from a business catalog, books appointments and qualifies leads. Meta says getting started is free and paid subscriptions are planned. It is a serious option for shops already deep in Meta's tools; we compare it in ReplyKit vs Meta Business Agent.
Whatever you sell must follow Meta's Commerce Policy, which bans categories such as alcohol, supplements and digital subscriptions in commerce features. Check before you build a catalog; our guide on how to sell on WhatsApp summarizes the list.
WhatsApp e-commerce integrations: what connects to what
Store platforms connect to WhatsApp in three ways: a chat button on the store, an app that sends order notifications through the official API, or an AI agent that reads your product data. Only the second needs the API.
| You want | What does it | Needs the official API? |
|---|---|---|
| A WhatsApp button on your store | A chat button app or a wa.me link in your theme | No |
| Automatic order confirmations and shipping updates | A store app or provider sending utility templates | Yes |
| Abandoned cart messages | A store app sending marketing templates to opted-in shoppers | Yes |
| Product catalog synced from your store | Meta's commerce tools or a provider's catalog sync | Depends on the tool |
| AI answers about products, sizes and delivery | An AI agent trained on your catalog and policies | Depends on the agent |
| Orders and actions inside your store system | Meta Business Agent Platform, which Meta says connects to systems such as Shopify, Zendesk and Shopee, or a developer integration | Yes |
For Shopify specifically, including what the apps cost, see our WhatsApp Shopify integration guide.
Do you need a WhatsApp e-commerce chatbot?
You need one when pre-sale questions take more of your day than packing orders, or when chats arrive while nobody can answer. A button-menu bot suits shops with a handful of repeated questions; an AI agent suits shops whose customers ask in their own words.
| Your situation | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Fewer than 20 chats a day, you answer within the hour | Quick replies in the free app; no bot yet |
| Same five questions all day (delivery fee, sizes, stock, returns, hours) | An AI agent that answers from your policies and catalog |
| Customers send voice notes, photos and mixed languages | An AI agent that understands voice notes and images |
| You need order status lookups from your store | An API-based tool integrated with your store system |
| You want cart recovery and campaigns | An official API provider with marketing templates |
The difference between a menu bot and an AI agent is explained in chatbot vs AI agent.
A WhatsApp e-commerce plan by monthly order volume
Around 30 orders a month
WhatsApp Business app, catalog with your bestsellers, payment link or bank QR, labels for order status, quick replies for the top ten questions. Total software cost: close to zero.
Around 300 orders a month
A simple website store for checkout, a WhatsApp button on every product page, chat used for questions and problems. Add an AI agent if questions arrive faster than you can answer.
Around 3,000 orders a month
Official WhatsApp Business Platform through a provider for automatic order and delivery messages, opted-in campaigns, and a team inbox. Budget for per-message fees and setup time.
At every size
A dedicated number, written confirmations, opt-in before any promotion, and someone responsible for replies every hour the shop is open.
Where does ReplyKit help an online shop?
ReplyKit answers the questions before the sale. It learns from your website, your product catalogue CSV, price lists and policy PDFs, then replies on WhatsApp and on a website assistant you add with one line of code, in the customer's language, including to voice notes and photos. When it does not know an answer it says so and hands the chat to you rather than guessing, and unanswered questions are listed so you can teach the answer once.
Be clear about what it does not do for a shop: no Shopify app or store integration, no order status lookups, no cart recovery, no broadcasts or campaigns, no payments in chat. Leads export as CSV. It connects to WhatsApp through Quick Connect, an unofficial QR pairing rather than the official API; Meta does not sanction it and a number can be restricted, which you accept by pressing Connect after one plain notice (section 3 of our terms). If you need automated order notifications and campaigns, choose an official API provider. If your problem is unanswered pre-sale questions, start a 7-day free trial; plans are $29, $49 or $99 a month with AI replies included.
Frequently asked questions
What is WhatsApp e-commerce?
Selling online with WhatsApp as the channel where customers ask questions, order, pay by link or get updates. Some shops take whole orders in chat; others keep checkout on a website and use WhatsApp before and after the sale.
Can I create an online store on WhatsApp?
Yes, in a basic form. The free WhatsApp Business app has a catalog with collections, shareable catalog links and a cart customers send to you. Payment and delivery happen outside the app in most countries.
How do I integrate WhatsApp with my e-commerce website?
Add a WhatsApp chat button or wa.me link to your store for questions. For automatic order confirmations, shipping updates and cart recovery, use a store app or provider connected to the official WhatsApp Business Platform.
Do I need a chatbot for WhatsApp e-commerce?
Not at first. Quick replies are enough below about 20 chats a day. When pre-sale questions eat your day or arrive out of hours, an AI agent trained on your catalog and policies pays for itself quickly.
Is WhatsApp good for e-commerce?
It is strong for pre-sale questions, high-touch products and markets where people prefer messaging. It is weaker as a full checkout outside India and Brazil, so most shops pair it with a website store.
What does WhatsApp e-commerce cost?
The Business app is free. The official platform adds a provider fee and Meta's per-message charges for templates and, since October 2026, service replies beyond the free monthly allowance. Payment fees apply either way.
Answer every product question before the customer leaves
ReplyKit replies on WhatsApp and your store website from your own catalogue. 7-day free trial, no credit card needed.
Sources and further reading
- WhatsApp Business app features · catalog, catalog links, cart, Business Broadcasts in select countries
- Meta for Developers, Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform · per-message pricing on the official platform
- Meta for Developers, Marketing templates · catalog, carousel and multi-product templates; per-user marketing limits
- Meta Newsroom, Be There for Every Customer With Meta Business Agent (3 June 2026) · Business Agent capabilities, free start, planned paid subscriptions, platform integrations
- Meta Commerce Policy · prohibited product categories for commerce features
ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp. Prices for other vendors and payment providers are taken from their public pages as checked in October 2026 and may change. This article is general guidance, not legal advice.