How to Create a Product Catalog in WhatsApp
A customer who asks what the store sells shouldn't have to leave WhatsApp to find out. The catalog can be part of the conversation itself.
When a customer messages asking, “What do you sell?” or “Do you have anything similar to this?”, the most effective response isn’t to send a link to your website and hope they’ll visit it—it’s to show them the relevant products directly within the conversation.
This guide shows you how to set up this catalog within the conversation, using the E-Commerce Hub from WhatSMS.
Step 1 — Connect the online store to WhatsApp
Set up the integration with WooCommerce or Shopify in the E-Commerce Hub module. This connection is the foundation of the catalog: without it, the agent cannot access the names, prices, availability, or descriptions of the actual products in the store.
Step 2 — Activate the AI agent on the synchronized catalog
Connect the AI agent to the catalog so it can present products with up-to-date information—without relying on a static list that becomes outdated as soon as inventory changes.
Step 3 — Set up recommendations based on the customer’s description
If the customer describes what they’re looking for instead of naming a specific product—such as “I want something to give to someone who likes to cook”—configure the agent to search the catalog and suggest relevant products based on that description.
Step 4 — Link the catalog directly to the purchase
Set it up so that a purchase link with the product already selected is sent as soon as the customer shows clear interest. This shortens the gap between the inquiry and the purchase decision, without requiring the customer to manually browse the site until they find the same item.
Keep the catalog up to date without extra effort
Since the information comes directly from the online store, any changes made in WooCommerce or Shopify—a new product, a price change, or a sold-out item—are automatically reflected in WhatsApp’s responses, eliminating the need to duplicate this management on a second platform. For stores with larger catalogs, the agent can also organize the presentation by category, making the experience more like browsing a website right within the conversation itself.
Over time, this process turns the WhatsApp conversation into a true storefront, accessible at any time. You can Create a free account and set up your store to test how customers react to making purchases directly within the chat.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to manually upload each product to WhatsApp?
No. The catalog displayed in the chat comes directly from the integration with the WooCommerce or Shopify store—there’s no need to duplicate that management on a second platform.
What happens when I change a price or a product goes out of stock in the store?
This change is automatically reflected in the responses from WhatsApp, because the information comes directly from the online store in real time.
Can the agent recommend products, or does he or she only answer questions that are asked directly?
Can make a recommendation. If the customer describes what they're looking for instead of naming a specific product, the agent can check the catalog and suggest relevant options.
Is it possible to upload product images, not just text?
Yes, the agent can send actual photos of the products directly in the chat, giving the customer a more complete picture before deciding to proceed.
Does it work well for stores with large catalogs?
Yes. The agent can organize the presentation by category, showing the products from the line that the customer mentioned first, rather than listing everything at once.