Facebook, Inc. is pushing its family of apps to eCommerce. It adds a new shop button in WhatsApp today. Such a button has a similar function to Facebook and Instagram Shops. Beforehand, WhatsApp launched catalog links and QR codes. All these tools make the platform an ideal marketing option. It’s also important to note that Facebook Pay has been added to the platform. This was followed by the grant of the National Payments Corporation of India to use WhatsApp payment in their network.
WhatsApp, Inc. tweets the addition of a shopping button on the top part of the chat. The icon looks like a brick-and-mortar store image. When a user clicks the icon, an in-app product listing appears. The user can then browse the products. He/she just needs to tap an item to checkout and pay.
The new shop button in WhatsApp rolls out on 10 November 2020.
Implications for Marketers:
The new shop button in WhatsApp is Facebook’s way of monetizing the platform. For marketers, this is something to consider. With 2 billion monthly active users, it’s a great option for marketing campaigns. Just like Facebook and Instagram Shops, WhatsApp Shop Button can significantly increase brand awareness and conversion.
