WhatsApp is set to elevate its shopping experience with the introduction of a groundbreaking feature known as WhatsApp Flows. This innovative addition allows users to seamlessly perform various tasks, from selecting a flight seat to booking appointments, all without leaving the app. Merchants, on the other hand, will have a range of building blocks at their disposal, including text boxes, calendars, and seat pickers, to create these immersive experiences.
In this article, we’ll delve into the details of this exciting development and its potential impact on the e-commerce landscape.
WhatsApp Flows will aim to enhance business interactions
WhatsApp has been conducting extensive tests with several businesses, including prominent names like Banco Pan, MagaLu, Lenovo, redBus, SBI, and Spinny. These trials have demonstrated the versatility and effectiveness of WhatsApp Flows in enabling businesses to offer a more comprehensive service within the chat thread itself.
Nikila Srinivasan, VP of business messaging at Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, emphasized the company’s ambition to expand the application of Flows beyond e-commerce, aiming to provide rich experiences for various types of businesses.
It will integrate seamlessly with the current payment model
Meta has decided not to levy separate charges for WhatsApp Flows on merchants. Instead, conversations facilitated through Flows will seamlessly align with the existing payment model.
WhatsApp presently charges businesses for different types of interactions within a 24-hour window, categorized under marketing, utility, authentication, and service. For example, a customer’s request to book an appointment is likely to fall under the utility category.
Empowering Indian users
With over 500 million users in India, WhatsApp is introducing new payment partners to enhance the checkout experience for its Indian customer base. In a strategic move, WhatsApp has collaborated with payment gateway providers Razorpay and PayU, enabling users to make payments through various UPI apps, as well as credit and debit cards, without leaving the app.
This move builds on last year’s partnership with Reliance Jio, which brought about an end-to-end shopping experience exclusively through WhatsApp Pay.
Boosting business revenue
WhatsApp’s revenue from its business platform is intricately linked to the volume of conversations and completed transactions. With the introduction of WhatsApp Flows and expanded payment support in India, the company is poised to stimulate end-to-end shopping experiences, potentially leading to a surge in business transactions.
Earlier this year, WhatsApp celebrated surpassing 200 million monthly active users on its Business app, underscoring the platform’s increasing significance in the e-commerce realm.
Personalized messages for merchants
In addition to Flows, WhatsApp is also testing a personalized messages feature for merchants. This feature empowers businesses to send tailored messages, such as discounts or special offers, to select customers. This development, announced in June, further underscores WhatsApp’s commitment to enhancing the business-customer relationship.
WhatsApp’s introduction of ‘Flows’ marks a significant milestone in the evolution of in-app shopping experiences. By seamlessly integrating essential functionalities, WhatsApp aims to empower both merchants and users, promising a more immersive and convenient shopping journey. With its strategic partnerships and innovative features, WhatsApp is poised to reshape the e-commerce landscape, offering businesses a powerful platform to engage with customers in new and exciting ways.
Meanwhile, if you are interested in the new features that are added to the popular messaging platform, make sure to check out the introduction of WhatsApp HD photos.
Featured image credit: Meta
