Facebook updated WhatsApp e-commerce functions with a feature enabling businesses to create new product catalogue pages, in an effort to help them better engage with customers on the platform.
The new feature for WhatsApp Business removes what the company said in a statement was a “tedious” approach involving sending multiple messages containing details of individual products by enabling all the information to be viewed at once.
It added the new in-app catalogues make “business owners look more professional and keeps customers engaged in the chat”. Listings include descriptions of the goods, price and relevant product codes.
WhatsApp said it hosts the catalogues, “to save valuable storage space on the phones of both businesses and customers”.
It is available on Android and iOS devices in Brazil, Germany, India, Indonesia, Mexico, the UK and US, with other global markets to be added “soon”.
The move advances a push by Facebook to diversify its revenue streams beyond its core advertising business. Earlier this year, it added a shopping feature to its Instagram service as part of the move.
Facebook’s revenue remains heavily reliant on advertising: in Q3, ads generated $17.4 billion of its total revenue of $17.7 billion.
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