WhatsApp Catalog
WhatsApp Catalog lets you showcase your Zoho Commerce store items directly on WhatsApp, so customers can browse your products, add items to a cart, and place orders. Once you set up a catalog and sync your items, customers receive catalog links and promotional messages through WhatsApp, and their orders flow directly into Zoho Commerce for fulfillment.
Using WhatsApp Catalog with Zoho Commerce gives your store the following advantages:
- In-app purchasing - Customers browse products and place orders without leaving WhatsApp, reducing drop-off.
- Real-time stock sync - Your catalog reflects live inventory levels, preventing customers from ordering out-of-stock items.
- Direct order capture - Cart orders placed through WhatsApp flow instantly into Zoho Commerce for fulfilment, with no manual entry required.
- Targeted catalog sharing - Send approved catalog templates to specific customers directly from the Customers list, enabling personalised outreach.
- Performance visibility - The WhatsApp Orders report tracks all catalog-driven orders in one place, so you can measure channel performance over time.
Scenario: Zylker Apparel, an online fashion store, connects their Zoho Commerce store to WhatsApp Business and sets up a WhatsApp Catalog. When a returning customer messages them about new arrivals, they can send an approved catalog template directly from the Customers list. The customer browses the catalog inside WhatsApp, adds two items to their cart. Once the items are added to the cart, then the customer receives a checkout link to place the order. The order is instantly reflected under Sales > Orders. At the end of the month, the store uses the WhatsApp Orders report to measure how many sales came through the WhatsApp channel.
Prerequisite: You must have an active WhatsApp integration set up in Zoho Commerce before you can create a WhatsApp Catalog. Learn how to integrate WhatsApp with Zoho Commerce.
Set Up WhatsApp Catalog
To create and link a WhatsApp Catalog to your Zoho Commerce store:
- Go to Settings.
- Select WhatsApp under Integrations.
- In the Overview tab, click Setup Now in the catalog banner. The Connect to Meta Business Profile to Create a Catalog pop-up will appear.
- Click Connect to Meta Business Profile. You will be redirected to the Facebook login page. Connect your Meta Business Profile to Zoho Commerce by logging in with your Meta credentials.
- Once connected, click Create Catalog in the popup. The Create & Link WhatsApp Catalog dialog will appear. You can either create a new catalog or link an existing catalog from your Meta Business Profile.
- Fill in the following details:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Business Profile Name | Enter the name of your WhatsApp Business profile. This is used to identify your business on WhatsApp. |
| Business Type | Enter your business category or type (for example, Clothing, Electronics, or Food & Beverage). |
| Catalog Name | Enter a name for your catalog. This name helps you identify the catalog in Zoho Commerce (for example, Zylker Catalog). |
- Click Link Catalog.
A success message will confirm that your WhatsApp Catalog has been set up. The Sync Items to Catalog dialog box appears — add the required items to the catalog. You will be directed to the Manage Catalog Preferences page, where you can configure catalog settings and sync your items.
Note: After setup, your catalog appears on the WhatsApp settings page with an Active status alongside your Default WhatsApp Business Account.
Manage Catalog Preferences
The Manage Catalog Preferences page lets you control how your catalog behaves, which templates handle cart orders, and which phone numbers display the catalog.
To access catalog preferences at any time:
- Go to Settings.
- Select WhatsApp under Integrations.
- Click Manage Catalog Preferences next to your catalog name.
Catalog Preferences
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Push stock levels to WhatsApp catalog | Enable this to allow customers to place orders only for items that are currently in stock. When enabled, real-time stock levels are sent to your WhatsApp catalog so out-of-stock items cannot be added to a customer’s cart. |
| Cart Order | Enable this to automatically send a confirmation message to customers when they place a cart order through your WhatsApp catalog. Click the arrow to manage the templates used for this. |
| Cart Order Failure | Enable this to automatically notify customers when a cart order fails. Click the arrow to manage the templates used for this. |
Insight: If you have enabled Prevent stock levels from going below zero in your store settings and have not pushed stock levels to WhatsApp, cart processing errors may occur. Enable Push stock levels to WhatsApp catalog to avoid this.
Synced Items
The Synced Items field shows the number of store items currently synced to your WhatsApp catalog. Use the following options to manage synced items:
- Click Sync History to view a log of previous sync actions, including timestamps and item counts.
- The Sync in Progress indicator appears when a sync is actively running.
- The Synced Items field displays the items added to the catalog. You can resync or remove items from the catalog.
- Use the Sync Items option to sync new items to the catalog.
WhatsApp Phone Number Preferences
The WhatsApp Phone Number Preferences section lets you control catalog visibility and order collection per phone number registered in your WhatsApp Business account.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Display catalog on profile | Enable this for a phone number to show your product catalog on that number’s WhatsApp Business profile. Customers visiting your WhatsApp profile will see a View catalog button. |
| Fetch orders through catalog | Enable this for a phone number to receive cart orders placed by customers through the WhatsApp catalog on that number. Orders placed through the catalog will appear in Zoho Commerce under Sales > Carts. |
Note: If you have multiple WhatsApp Business phone numbers, you can configure Display catalog on profile and Fetch orders through catalog independently for each number.
Preview
The Preview panel on the right side of the Manage Catalog Preferences page shows how your catalog will appear to customers on WhatsApp. Use the Greetings, Catalog, and Cart tabs to preview each part of the customer experience.
Configure Catalog Templates
Catalog templates are WhatsApp message templates used to send catalog links and promotional messages to your customers. You can create templates to share your full catalog, promote new collections, or confirm cart orders.
Note: All catalog templates must be submitted to and approved by the WhatsApp Business team before they can be sent. Approval can take up to 24 hours.
To manage catalog templates:
- Go to Settings and select WhatsApp under Integrations.
- In the Overview tab, select the required template listed under Message Templates.
The existing templates will be listed. You can edit the templates if required. The available catalog template types are:
| Template Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Cart Order | Sent to customers when they successfully place an order through your WhatsApp catalog. Configure the template that handles cart order confirmations. |
| Cart Order Error | Sent to customers when their cart order encounters an error during processing. Configure the template that notifies customers of order failures. |
Create a Catalog Template
- Click + New Template.
- In the Create WhatsApp Template page, enter the Template Name and select the Template Type.
- Select the Template Category.
Insight: The Template Category can be Utility or Marketing. Learn more about Template Categorization.
- Select the required Message Type.
- Enter the Header Content.
- Select the preferred Language from the dropdown.
- Edit the message content in the Message field. Click the dropdown next to Insert Placeholders to add dynamic fields such as customer name or company name.
- Click Save.
The template will be submitted to the WhatsApp Business team for approval. Once approved, it will be used automatically for the corresponding catalog event.
Set a Template as Default
If you have multiple approved templates for the same catalog template type, you can set one as the default:
- Click the More icon next to the template you want to set as default.
- Select Set As Default.
The default template will be used for automated catalog notifications.
Clone a Template
- Click the More icon next to the template you want to clone and select Clone.
- Edit the cloned template details in the Clone WhatsApp Template pop-up and click Save.
Delete a Template
Warning: Deleting a template is permanent and cannot be undone. You can create a new template and resubmit it for approval.
- Click the More icon next to the template you want to delete and select Delete.
A deletion request will be sent to the WhatsApp Business team, and the template will be removed once processed.
Send WhatsApp Catalog to Customers
You can send a catalog message directly to one or more customers from the Customers list in Zoho Commerce. This lets you share your WhatsApp catalog with specific customers using an approved catalog template.
To send a WhatsApp catalog to customers:
- Click Sales in the left sidebar.
- Select Customers.
- Select the checkbox next to the customer(s) you want to send the catalog to.
- Click the WhatsApp icon in the action bar at the top. The Send WhatsApp Message pop-up will appear.
- Fill in the following details:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Template Type | Select Catalog Template from the dropdown to use a catalog-specific message template. |
| Send To | Displays the selected customer(s). You can remove a customer by clicking the × next to their name. |
| Message Template | Select the approved catalog template to send (for example, Catalog). A preview of the message appears on the right. |
- Review the message in the Preview panel on the right to confirm it looks correct.
- Click Send.
Note: The preview is an approximation. The final message length may vary based on the placeholder values resolved for each customer.
View WhatsApp Catalog Orders
When a customer places an order through your WhatsApp catalog, it appears in the Carts section of Zoho Commerce.
- Click Sales in the left sidebar.
- Select Carts.
Catalog orders are listed under the following tabs:
| Tab | Description |
|---|---|
| Live | Cart orders that are currently active and awaiting fulfillment. |
| Abandoned | Cart orders that were started by customers but not completed. |
| Failed Payments | Cart orders where payment processing failed. |
| Recovered | Abandoned cart orders that were successfully recovered and converted into completed orders. |
View WhatsApp Orders Report
You can track all orders placed through your WhatsApp catalog using the WhatsApp Orders report.
- Click Reports in the left sidebar.
- Select Reports Center.
- Choose Activity under Report Category in the left panel.
- Click WhatsApp Orders from the report list.
The report shows all catalog-driven orders along with relevant order details, helping you monitor and analyze the performance of your WhatsApp catalog channel.
Delete WhatsApp Catalog
Warning: Deleting a WhatsApp Catalog removes it from your WhatsApp Business account and stops catalog sharing with customers. This action cannot be undone. You will need to set up a new catalog if you want to use this feature again.
To delete your WhatsApp Catalog:
- Go to Settings.
- Click WhatsApp under Integrations.
- Click the Delete icon next to your catalog name in the Default WhatsApp Business Number section.
- Confirm the deletion in the pop-up that appears.
Your WhatsApp Catalog will be removed and will no longer be visible to customers on WhatsApp.