Meta announced the launch of new features for its instant messaging service, WhatsApp, enabling users to find businesses, correspond with them, and buy from them through conversations only.
The new step comes from the American technology giant in an effort to enhance its presence in the field of e-commerce, and to take advantage of the huge popularity of WhatsApp, which has more than two billion monthly active users, since the beginning of 2020.
We’re sharing with you an update on what we’re working on to help users find a business, message them, and buy something from them through WhatsApp,” Meta said in a blog post.
The company added that users need a way to enable them to find the businesses they are looking for among the millions of small businesses, and tens of thousands of brands available through WhatsApp.
Meta has begun enabling users to browse businesses by category, such as travel or exchange, or search for them by name. The goal is to rid users of the need to find phone numbers on websites or search for a business in their contact lists.
The company confirmed that it had developed the feature of searching for commercial establishments in a way that protects the privacy of users, as what users are searching for is handled in a way that does not allow linking their accounts to any commercial establishment.
Meta said it will begin rolling out the new feature in Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia, and the United Kingdom, where users can find businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform.
The company indicated that some of the businesses that have recently joined WhatsApp help users open a bank account, buy a train ticket, or order food.
Because it wants users to be able to complete secure payments within WhatsApp conversations using their credit cards, Meta indicated that it had recently launched this feature in India. And now the company has started testing it in Brazil.
Meta believes this seamless payment experience will be a game-changer for businesses and people looking to buy and sell within WhatsApp without having to go to a website, open another app, or pay in person.
