Facebook-owned WhatsApp is rolling out a new shopping cart feature that works in conjunction with its Catalogs tool, making it easier for users to shop in-app directly from the chat window.
“Carts are great for messaging businesses that typically sell multiple items at once, like a local restaurant or clothing store,” WhatsApp said in a company blog post on Tuesday (Dec. 8).
WhatsApp users can browse a catalog, choose products and submit orders in a single message to the merchant. The streamlined process also helps businesses track inquiries, facilitate customers’ requests and finalize sales.
“WhatsApp is fast becoming a store counter to discuss products and coordinate sales. With more and more shopping happening through chats, we want to make buying and selling even easier,” according to the blog.
The Catalog tool has enabled users to see at a glance what kind of merchandise is available while also helping merchants tailor chats around certain goods.
By way of example, the blog points to the sustainable herbs and spice business Agradaya in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The company leveraged early access to the new feature and told WhatsApp that the carts streamline the ordering process and make it easier to understand exactly what the customer wants.
Over 175 million people have used the service daily to message a WhatsApp Business as of the end of October, the Silicon Valley firm said.
Businesses were invited last month to start selling merchandise directly within WhatsApp chat windows, and were also offered hosting services and other tools to facilitate the process.
Founded in 2009, WhatsApp was purchased by Facebook in 2014 for $16 billion and is used in 180 countries for texts, photos, videos, documents and calls.
Facebook Shop was recently introduced to make it easier for users to locate merchandise from their favorite retailers and discover new products. Facebook launched the free platform for the U.S. in May and tested it across the summer months, while also rolling out Instagram Shop.
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