WhatsApp might have started off as a messaging platform, but as is the case with every Facebook (or whatever it might rebrand itself into) owned company, it has become so much more over the past years. Today, you can make payments right in your WhatsApp chat, as well as shop for products. The company has been betting heavy on its Shops feature, and now, it is introducing a better way for owners to organize their offerings.
WhatsApp will be launching a ‘Collections’ feature, allowing WhatsApp Shops to set up categories for items in their catalogue. Thus, a restaurant can now create separate ‘collections’ for entrees, main course, desserts, etc., while an electric appliances store can create categories like TVs, ACs, Refrigerators and more.
“We want to make WhatsApp the best way for people to shop for goods and services and for businesses to connect with their customers, which is why we are making it easier to see what a business offers on WhatsApp,” the company said in a statement.
WhatsApp has managed to carve out a respectable presence in this sphere thanks to its Shops feature. Moreover, additions like Carts, Catalogs and many more have led to many businesses open up their Shops on the platform. This, paired with the ability to pay directly from your account with WhatsApp Payments, has allowed the app to provide a shopping mall like experience to its users.
This is not limited to just WhatsApp. Facebook has been testing similar things on Instagram as well. The company has been looking to break the barrier of a social media organization and enter the fintech market for quite some time. Now, with the metaverse vision finally leading some drastic changes in the company, we might see a totally new Facebook in a few years.
