A WhatsApp shop is a set of products that buyers can browse, choose and order from inside a WhatsApp chat. For most small Indian D2C brands, the first version costs nothing: the WhatsApp Business app, a catalog, a UPI ID and a courier account. This guide walks through that setup in order, then covers the point where the free app stops being enough and what your options are after that.
The demand is there. Meta says 91% of online adults in India chat with a business every week, citing a 2025 Kantar study. The work is in making that chat end in a paid, shipped order.
What you need before you start
Keep these ready so the setup takes one sitting instead of three:
- A phone number that is not on personal WhatsApp. The Business app needs its own number. A new SIM or a landline that can receive an OTP call works.
- Product photos on a plain background, at least two per product, plus the price, sizes or variants, and a two-line description for each.
- A business UPI ID or payment gateway account in your business name.
- A courier account with a pickup address and a decided COD policy.
- GST status checked. If you ship goods to other states, GST registration is generally compulsory regardless of turnover. Confirm your case with a CA before you start taking orders from outside your state.
Step 1: Install the WhatsApp Business app and register your number
Download WhatsApp Business (not regular WhatsApp) from the Play Store or App Store and verify the number by OTP. Use the brand name exactly as it appears on Instagram and your packaging.
The app is free. You can link more than one device to the account, for example a laptop for the person packing orders. The number of linked devices depends on your account and on whether you pay for Meta Verified, so check the current limit under Linked devices in the app.
Step 2: Fill in the business profile completely
Buyers check the profile to decide whether you are real. Add:
- Logo and a one-line description of what you sell
- Category, business hours and email
- Instagram handle and website link, if you have one
- Address, or at least your city
An empty profile with a stock logo is a common reason buyers ask "is this original?" before paying.
Step 3: Build your catalog
Open the app, go to Tools, then Catalog, then Add new item. For each product:
- Photos: You can add several images per item. Use the first image for a clean front shot and the rest for close-ups, scale and the label.
- Name and price: Put the variant in the name if price differs by size or weight ("Kumkumadi oil, 30 ml").
- Description: Material, size chart or ingredients, and delivery time. Answer the question buyers ask most, so they do not have to ask it.
- Item code: Use your SKU. It saves time later when you reconcile orders.
Two things catch new sellers out. First, WhatsApp reviews catalog items against its commerce policy, so check in the app that each item shows as approved before you announce a launch. Second, group items into collections (for example "Kurtas under ₹999" or "Gift sets") so buyers are not scrolling a flat list.
Buyers can add catalog items to a cart and send it to you as one message. Note what that cart is: an order request, not a payment. You still have to confirm stock, share the total with shipping, and collect payment. Our WhatsApp catalog vs store comparison goes into what the native catalog does and does not handle.
Step 4: Set up quick replies, greeting, away messages and labels
- Greeting message: Sent automatically to new chats. Include the catalog link and your delivery time.
- Away message: Sent outside business hours. Tell buyers when you will reply, so a 1 am message does not feel ignored.
- Quick replies: Save your size chart, payment details, COD policy and return policy as shortcuts (for example
/sizeor/cod). - Labels: Create labels such as New enquiry, Payment pending, Paid, Shipped and Delivered. Move each chat along as the order moves. Without this, orders get buried under new messages. We wrote about that problem in why WhatsApp orders get lost in DMs.
Step 5: Decide how you will take payment
UPI is the default for Indian buyers. NPCI data shows UPI processed 24.07 billion transactions in September 2026, as reported by Outlook Money. Your realistic options:
- Share a business UPI ID or QR code. Free to set up. The catch is manual matching: you have to check each screenshot against your bank statement, and fake screenshots do happen.
- Send a payment link from a gateway. The buyer taps the link and pays by UPI or card. The payment gets an order reference, so reconciliation is cleaner. Gateways charge a fee per transaction.
- Pay inside WhatsApp. Meta's developer documentation describes UPI checkout and gateway integrations inside the chat, but these run on the WhatsApp Business Platform (API), not the free app.
One change to note: from 15 October 2026, NPCI's new framework applies a merchant discount rate of 0.4% on person-to-merchant UPI payments above ₹2,000, capped at ₹300, as reported by Business Today. Payments of ₹2,000 or less are not charged, and some small-merchant categories are exempt. Check with your bank or gateway how your account is classified.
Step 6: Set a cash on delivery policy before the first COD request
Many buyers will still ask for COD, especially outside metros. COD costs you more than it looks. Shipway's FY25 ShipNotes analysis, cited by Amazon Shipping, puts return-to-origin (RTO) at about 26% for COD orders against under 2% for prepaid. Every RTO means you pay shipping twice and get the product back weeks later.
A simple policy that works for a small shop:
- Offer COD, but confirm every COD order on WhatsApp before you ship. No reply within a set time means no dispatch.
- Consider a small prepaid incentive, such as free shipping on UPI.
- Block COD for pin codes that have returned orders before.
Our COD RTO playbook has the full confirmation flow and message scripts.
Step 7: Set up shipping and tracking
Sign up with a courier aggregator to compare rates and book pickups from one dashboard. Weigh a packed sample of each product, since couriers bill on the higher of actual and volumetric weight. Send the tracking link on the day of dispatch; it removes most "where is my order" messages.
Step 8: Bring buyers into the shop
A WhatsApp shop gets no traffic on its own. The entry points that work for small brands:
- Click-to-chat link and QR code on Instagram bio, packaging inserts and visiting cards. You can make both free with our WhatsApp link generator and QR code generator.
- Instagram: Put the WhatsApp button on your profile and move serious DMs to WhatsApp. See our Instagram to WhatsApp playbook.
- Click-to-WhatsApp ads on Facebook and Instagram. Meta lists these as an entry point that opens a chat directly with your business.
- Status updates and broadcasts to people who have saved your number, for new arrivals and restocks.
When the free app stops being enough
The usual signs you have outgrown the free app:
- More than one person needs to reply, and the linked devices on your account are not enough.
- You are spending hours a day matching UPI screenshots and copying addresses into the courier dashboard.
- Chats arrive at night and in the morning there is a backlog of unanswered size and price questions.
- You want to message past buyers at scale without being blocked.
You then have three routes.
| WhatsApp Business app | WhatsApp Business Platform (API) via a provider | WhatsApp storefront platform | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | Free, same day | Meta business verification, provider onboarding | Upload products; live once the platform's setup is done |
| Messaging cost | Free | Meta charges per delivered template message by category; from 1 Oct 2026 service messages are also charged | Depends on the platform |
| Payments | Manual UPI or links | In-chat UPI or gateway via integration | Built in, depends on platform |
| Orders, shipping | Manual | Needs integrations | Usually built in |
| Best for | Up to a few dozen orders a day | Brands with a developer or agency | Brands that want a ready checkout without building one |
On API costs: Meta moved to per-message pricing on 1 July 2025, raised India marketing rates from 1 January 2026, and from 1 October 2026 charges for service messages, which had been free since November 2024 (Meta pricing, service message pricing). Messages within the 72-hour window after a buyer clicks a Click-to-WhatsApp ad remain free. Our WhatsApp Business API India guide and API cost calculator cover the numbers.
Also worth knowing: in May 2026 Meta started rolling out Business AI inside the WhatsApp Business app for eligible Indian small businesses. It can answer questions from your catalog and profile. Check the Tools tab to see if your account has it.
Common mistakes
- Announcing before catalog approval. Buyers click the link and see nothing.
- Hiding the total. Baymard Institute's research finds extra costs (shipping, tax, fees) are the top reason shoppers abandon a checkout, cited by 40% of those who abandoned. State shipping charges in the catalog description or greeting message.
- Asking for too much. Baymard lists a long or complicated checkout (17%) and forced account creation (18%) among the leading reasons too. Ask only for name, address with pin code and phone.
- No written return policy. Save it as a quick reply and send it before payment, not after a complaint.
- Shipping COD without confirmation. See Step 6.
If you want the storefront route
Behaf, which is our product, is one option for brands that want a WhatsApp store without applying for the API. You upload products (or import them from Shopify or a CSV) and the store goes live inside WhatsApp on our verified number. An AI sales agent answers buyers in English, Hindi, Hinglish and Tamil, payments run through PayU (UPI and cards), COD orders are confirmed with the buyer before dispatch, and Shiprocket pickup is booked automatically. There is no setup or monthly fee; the cost is 5% + ₹5 + GST per shipped order for the first 100 brands (see pricing). If you are under a few orders a day, the free app setup above is enough.
FAQ
Is a WhatsApp shop free in India?
The WhatsApp Business app and its catalog are free. You will pay your payment gateway or bank fees, courier charges, and Meta's per-message charges only if you move to the WhatsApp Business Platform (API).
Can I accept payments inside WhatsApp?
In the free app, you share a UPI ID, QR code or payment link. In-chat UPI checkout is available on the WhatsApp Business Platform through Meta's payment integrations.
Do I need a website to run a WhatsApp shop?
No. The catalog, a payment link and a courier account are enough to take and ship orders. A website helps with search traffic later, but it is not required to start. More in selling on WhatsApp without a website.
Do I need GST registration to sell on WhatsApp?
It depends on your turnover and where you ship. Shipping goods to other states generally requires GST registration regardless of turnover. Ask a CA for your specific case.
How many products can I add to the WhatsApp catalog?
Third-party guides commonly cite 500 items for the Business app catalog, but WhatsApp's Help Center does not state a number on its catalog page. Check the limit in your app.
How do I stop fake COD orders?
Confirm every COD order on WhatsApp before dispatch and cancel the ones that do not reply. Our COD RTO guide has the full process. For the same setup guide in Hindi, see WhatsApp par dukaan kaise banaye.
Sources
- Meta Newsroom, Introducing Business AI on WhatsApp for Small Businesses in India (14 May 2026; Kantar 2025 stat)
- WhatsApp Business, Business app features (cart, catalog links, labels, entry points)
- WhatsApp Help Center, How to create and maintain a catalog
- WhatsApp Help Center, About multi-agent
- Outlook Money citing NPCI, UPI September 2026 volume
- Business Today, UPI MDR of 0.4% above ₹2,000 from 15 October (15 Sep 2026)
- Amazon Shipping blog citing Shipway ShipNotes FY25, What is RTO and how to reduce it
- Meta for Developers, WhatsApp Business Platform pricing
- Meta for Developers, Pricing for service and utility messages
- Meta for Developers, Receive UPI payments through WhatsApp
- Baymard Institute, Cart abandonment statistics
- GST Council, Registration under GST Law (flyer)