Change is becoming a constant for WhatsApp, the popular Facebook-owned messaging app that’s rolled out a number of new features in recent weeks, from introducing a way to mute conversations indefinitely to multi-device support and offering video calls.
WhatsApp has now made its latest move, adding a shopping button aimed at making it even simpler to snag the goodies you want when browsing your favorite store's catalog.
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The new shopping button in WhatsApp is meant to take you straight to a business's list of products on sale as well as services offered by a retailer. It'll be rolled out to WhatsApp users across the globe, and it will behave similarly to a WhatsApp storefront icon.
For any business that has a complete product catalog, you'll be able to use the button to view products simply by tapping. You'll be taken to a chat with the business about those products or anything you're interested in buying. The button will replace voice calls, which will still be a feature in WhatsApp, but melded into the new shopping button, which replaces the singular functioning voice call option.
When you've chosen an item you want to purchase purchase, WhatsApp doesn’t include a traditional cart system where your item will just sit on display. From there, you need to coordinate whether you're going to buy or not by messaging the business. In previous videos showing off how WhatsApp believes how simple online shopping can be, though, we've seen the addition of an "add to cart" button. This could very well be coming in the future, but for now it feels as though it's relegated to especially stable builds.
WhatsApp is used by mored than 2 billion people each month, and you have to think that the addition of all these features is a way to keep that user base engaged. The shopping button should be particularly welcome by businesses with a presence on the Facebook-owned app, as they look to attract new customers.
