WhatsApp Commerce

WhatsApp Commerce allows businesses to showcase products, manage shopping carts, and complete purchases directly within WhatsApp conversations. This guide covers how to set up and use WhatsApp Commerce features through Exotel.

What Is WhatsApp Commerce?

WhatsApp Commerce transforms WhatsApp from a messaging channel into a sales channel. Customers can browse products, add items to a cart, and check out without leaving the app.

Commerce Features

Feature	Description	Availability
Product Catalog	Showcase your products within WhatsApp	All markets
Product Messages	Share single or multiple products in chat	All markets
Shopping Cart	Customers add items and manage quantities	All markets
Checkout	Complete the purchase in-chat	Select markets
Order Notifications	Send order updates via templates	All markets
Payments	Collect payments via UPI (India only)	India

Prerequisites

Requirement	Details
Verified Meta Business Manager	Business verification completed
WhatsApp Business Account	Connected to Exotel
Product Catalog	Created in Meta Commerce Manager
Compliance review	Commerce policies accepted

Setting Up Commerce

Step 1: Create a Product Catalog

1. Go to Meta Commerce Manager.
2. Click Add Catalog > E-commerce.
3. Select Upload product info.
4. Name your catalog and create it.

Step 2: Add Products

Add products individually or via bulk upload:

Field	Required	Description
Product name	Yes	Name displayed to customers (max 200 characters)
Product image	Yes	High-quality image (min 500x500 pixels)
Description	Yes	Product details (max 5,000 characters)
Price	Yes	Price in local currency
Currency	Yes	Currency code (e.g., INR)
Content ID	Yes	Unique product identifier
URL	Yes	Product page URL
Availability	Yes	in stock or out of stock
Condition	No	new, refurbished, used
Category	No	Product category

Step 3: Connect Catalog to WhatsApp

1. In Meta Business Manager, go to WhatsApp Account > Settings.
2. Navigate to Catalog.
3. Select your catalog from the dropdown.
4. Save.

Step 4: Enable Commerce in Exotel

1. Log in to the Exotel Dashboard.
2. Navigate to WhatsApp > Commerce Settings.
3. Enable product catalog integration.
4. Verify the catalog connection.

See WhatsApp Catalog for detailed catalog management.

Sending Product Messages

Single Product Message

Share a specific product from your catalog:

curl -X POST "https://<api_key>:<api_token>@api.in.exotel.com/v2/accounts/<account_sid>/messages" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "from": "+919876500001",
    "to": "+919876543210",
    "content": {
      "type": "interactive",
      "interactive": {
        "type": "product",
        "body": {
          "text": "Check out this popular item from our store!"
        },
        "action": {
          "catalog_id": "your_catalog_id",
          "product_retailer_id": "SKU-12345"
        }
      }
    }
  }'

Multi-Product Message

Share multiple products organized by sections:

curl -X POST "https://<api_key>:<api_token>@api.in.exotel.com/v2/accounts/<account_sid>/messages" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "from": "+919876500001",
    "to": "+919876543210",
    "content": {
      "type": "interactive",
      "interactive": {
        "type": "product_list",
        "header": {
          "type": "text",
          "text": "Our Top Picks"
        },
        "body": {
          "text": "Browse our best sellers and new arrivals!"
        },
        "action": {
          "catalog_id": "your_catalog_id",
          "sections": [
            {
              "title": "Best Sellers",
              "product_items": [
                { "product_retailer_id": "SKU-001" },
                { "product_retailer_id": "SKU-002" },
                { "product_retailer_id": "SKU-003" }
              ]
            },
            {
              "title": "New Arrivals",
              "product_items": [
                { "product_retailer_id": "SKU-101" },
                { "product_retailer_id": "SKU-102" }
              ]
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  }'

Product Message Limits

Type	Products	Sections
Single product	1	N/A
Multi-product	Max 30	Max 10 sections

Shopping Cart

When customers browse your products, they can add items to a cart directly within WhatsApp.

Cart Flow

Customer browses products → Adds to cart → Reviews cart → Sends cart to business

Cart Webhook

When a customer submits their cart, you receive a webhook with the order details:

{
  "type": "inbound_message",
  "data": {
    "from": "+919876543210",
    "message": {
      "type": "order",
      "order": {
        "catalog_id": "your_catalog_id",
        "product_items": [
          {
            "product_retailer_id": "SKU-001",
            "quantity": 2,
            "item_price": 499.00,
            "currency": "INR"
          },
          {
            "product_retailer_id": "SKU-003",
            "quantity": 1,
            "item_price": 899.00,
            "currency": "INR"
          }
        ],
        "text": "Please deliver by tomorrow"
      }
    }
  }
}

Processing Cart Orders

function processOrder(orderData) {
  const { product_items, text } = orderData.order;

  let totalAmount = 0;
  const orderItems = product_items.map(item => {
    const subtotal = item.quantity * item.item_price;
    totalAmount += subtotal;
    return {
      sku: item.product_retailer_id,
      quantity: item.quantity,
      price: item.item_price,
      subtotal: subtotal
    };
  });

  // Create order in your system
  const order = createOrder({
    customer: orderData.from,
    items: orderItems,
    total: totalAmount,
    note: text
  });

  // Send confirmation
  sendTemplateMessage(orderData.from, 'order_confirmation', {
    orderId: order.id,
    total: totalAmount,
    itemCount: orderItems.length
  });
}

Commerce Conversation Flow

A typical WhatsApp Commerce conversation:

Business: "Welcome! Here are our top products." [Multi-product message]
Customer: [browses products, adds 2 items to cart]
Customer: [sends cart order]
Business: "Thank you! Your order #ORD-789 for Rs. 1,897 is confirmed."
Business: [sends order confirmation template with payment link]
Customer: [makes payment]
Business: "Payment received! Your order will be delivered by tomorrow." [Template]

tip

Use interactive messages and product catalogs together to create a smooth shopping experience. Send product recommendations based on customer preferences and purchase history.

Commerce Analytics

Track commerce performance in the Exotel Dashboard:

Metric	Description
Product views	Number of times products were viewed
Cart additions	Items added to carts
Orders received	Cart orders submitted by customers
Conversion rate	Percentage of product views that convert to orders
Average order value	Average total amount per order

Best Practices

1. Keep catalogs updated -- Remove out-of-stock items promptly; update prices regularly.
2. Use high-quality images -- Product images should be clear, well-lit, and at least 500x500 pixels.
3. Write compelling descriptions -- Include key details like size, color, material, and benefits.
4. Organize with sections -- Group products logically (by category, price range, or popularity).
5. Respond to cart orders quickly -- Confirm orders within minutes to maintain customer confidence.
6. Follow up on abandoned carts -- Send a template message reminding customers about their cart.
7. Provide order tracking -- Use template messages to keep customers updated on order status.

Next Steps

• WhatsApp Catalog -- Detailed catalog management
• WhatsApp Payments -- Collect payments in-chat
• Interactive Messages -- Buttons and menus
• WhatsApp API Reference -- API documentation