Pricing & How-To
RapBooster Growth Team
A WhatsApp catalogue is a product showcase inside WhatsApp where customers can browse, view details and add items to a cart without leaving the chat. With the WhatsApp Business API, it connects to Meta Commerce Manager, can sync from Shopify or WooCommerce, and works with payments and order updates, so the whole sale happens in chat.
Why sell inside WhatsApp at all?
Because that's where your customers already are, especially in India. A chat-based store:
- Removes the "go to website, find product, sign up" friction
- Lets customers ask questions mid-purchase
- Keeps the order history and updates in one thread
- Works well for repeat buys (groceries, cosmetics, bakery, pharmacy)
Business App catalogue vs API catalogue
| Feature | Business App | API (RapBooster) |
|---|---|---|
| Add products manually | Yes | Yes |
| Sync from Shopify/WooCommerce | No | Yes (via Commerce Manager) |
| Send catalogue in broadcasts | Limited | Yes, in templates |
| Multi-product messages | No | Yes |
| Chatbot-driven shopping | No | Yes |
| Team handles orders | One phone | Shared inbox |
How do you set it up?
- Create a catalogue in Meta Commerce Manager (or connect your Shopify/WooCommerce feed).
- Link it to your WhatsApp Business account in RapBooster.
- Organise collections: "Best sellers", "New arrivals", "Under ₹999".
- Add catalogue buttons to your chatbot welcome menu and templates.
- Enable order handling: when a cart comes in, route it to the order team or auto-confirm.
- Connect payments so the customer can pay without leaving the chat.
What makes a catalogue sell?
- Photos: clean, square, well-lit and consistent, with the product filling the frame.
- Titles: what it is, plus the key variant ("Cotton Kurta, Indigo, M").
- Price: always visible. Hidden prices kill chat commerce.
- Short descriptions: fabric, size, what's in the box, delivery time.
- Curation: 20 best sellers beat 2,000 random products.
What does a shop-in-chat journey look like?
- Customer taps a click-to-WhatsApp ad or scans a QR code on your packaging
- The bot says hi and shows the "Best sellers" collection
- Customer adds two items to the cart and sends it
- Bot confirms the total, collects the address with a WhatsApp Flow and sends a payment link
- Payment done, then an order-confirmed utility template
- Shipping update, then a delivered message, then a review request a week later
Steps 5 and 6 are utility messages: cheap (about ₹0.12 each in India from 1 Oct 2026).
Which businesses win with WhatsApp catalogues?
- D2C brands with repeat purchases
- Local stores: kirana, bakeries, pharmacies, fashion boutiques
- Restaurants doing direct orders (no aggregator commission)
- B2B distributors sharing price lists with retailers
- GCC sellers serving expat communities who prefer chat
Common mistakes
- Uploading products without prices
- Letting stock go out of sync, which annoys customers
- No human backup when the cart has questions
- Never re-engaging past buyers (a "back in stock" template works wonders)
Campaigns that make your catalogue sell
A catalogue sitting in your profile is a shop with no signboard. Promote it:
- New arrivals broadcast: a multi-product message with 4–6 fresh items, sent to buyers of that category
- Back in stock: notify people who asked about a sold-out item
- Bundles: "Complete the look" or "Festive gift box" collections with a combined price
- Price drops: a short list of reduced items for past browsers
- Personal picks: your team shares hand-picked products in a live chat
Each of these is a marketing template, so segment carefully and measure revenue per campaign.
Operational tips
- Sync stock: connect Shopify or WooCommerce so sold-out items disappear automatically
- Set delivery expectations: mention delivery timelines in the product description or auto-reply
- Handle COD smartly: confirm COD orders on WhatsApp before shipping to reduce returns
- Use order labels: tag chats as "New order", "Awaiting payment", "Shipped" in the team inbox
- Train the team: a quick script for size questions, returns and payment help
Metrics to track
| Metric | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Catalogue views | Is the catalogue being discovered? |
| Carts sent | Are people interested enough to build an order? |
| Cart-to-payment rate | Where do buyers drop off? |
| Average order value | Are bundles and upsells working? |
| Repeat purchase rate | Is chat commerce building loyalty? |
GCC tip
For UAE and Saudi customers, show prices in AED or SAR in a separate catalogue, and send campaigns in Arabic and English. Remember that Meta's marketing rates for those countries are higher, so target tightly.
The bottom line
A WhatsApp catalogue turns chats into checkouts. Sync your products, curate your best sellers, connect payments and automate order updates. The Catalogue app is free on RapBooster, and you can try WhatsApp Marketing free.
Questions first? Chat with us on WhatsApp