WhatsApp has long ceased to be the application that only served to communicate with friends, family and other people. Over the years became a commercial tool. First with common messages between customers and businesses, and then with a dedicated proposal thanks to whatsapp business.
One of the most interesting features of the aforementioned platform is that allowed businesses to create a product catalogbut was not able to offer a shopping experience from start to finishie view the products, add them to the cart, place the order and pay, but that has just changed.
Now you can also pay from WhatsApp
The missing element in this equation was the one that customers could pay directly from the application. We knew that Meta was working on this feature and we are finally seeing results. The company has announced the first complete shopping experience in its most important market: India.
Meta has partnered with Indian e-commerce giant JioMart to offer via WhatsApp the possibility for customers to browse the supermarket catalog and complete the order from the app. Payments are handled by the local Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system.
The deployment of this tool in India is an important commitment by Meta. According to TechCrunch, WhatsApp is used by 500 million Indians every month, which translates to the country in which the service is used the most. But everything seems to indicate that sooner or later the function will cross those borders.
According to Bloombergget WhatsApp to achieve a “complete shopping experience” is one of Mark Zuckerberg’s goals for income. It currently makes money by charging some companies to use WhatsApp Business, but a broader proposal would allow it to increase them.
But not everything is as easy as it seems. In order to offer in-app payments and achieve that desired end-to-end shopping experience, Meta must submit to each country’s regulations and obtain permission. In the case of India, it has succeeded after two years of testing.
It remains to be seen how Zuckerberg’s commercial ambitions for WhatsApp will evolve over time. Today’s “superapp” par excellence is WeChat, which within China allows you to buy in stores, buy concert tickets and even ask for a divorce. Will we get to that level? In time we will know.
Of course, it is not the only news for WhatsApp. The app was recently updated with more time to delete messages and screenshot lock. Work to roll out all the features of Communities Y seeks to give greater prominence to the States.
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