WhatsApp is now the default commerce surface in India. Not "an additional channel" — for a growing share of D2C, fintech, and education brands, it's where the first ₹1 Cr happens. Here's how to build for it.
Step 1: Get the Business API right
The official WhatsApp Business API (via a BSP like Gupshup, Karix, or 360dialog) is non-negotiable for anything serious. The "Business App" you download from the Play Store doesn't scale past one device. Get the green tick early — Meta's verification queue is unpredictable.
Step 2: Templates, not blasts
Every outbound message needs a Meta-approved template. Plan for a library of 30–50 templates across order confirmations, abandoned cart, post-purchase, and reactivation. Treat them like landing pages — write copy, A/B test, version them.
Step 3: The closing loop
The magic happens when WhatsApp closes the loop end-to-end: catalog → cart → Razorpay payment → tracking → review request — all inside chat. Don't bounce the user out to a website unless you have to.
Step 4: AI fallback, human handoff
An LLM agent on top of your product catalog handles 70% of pre-purchase questions. Route anything ambiguous, emotional, or refund-related to a human inbox with full conversation context.
The numbers we typically see
For brands that ship this stack properly: 8–14% chat-to-order conversion, 35%+ repeat-order rate, and a 25–40% AOV lift over the website-only baseline.