In the digital age, our shopping habits have transformed. We no longer just visit physical stores or browse traditional e-commerce sites. Today, conversation has become the new point of sale. Welcome to the era of conversational commerce, an approach that blends dialogue and shopping into a unique, personalized experience. WhatsApp, the most popular messaging app in Italy, is at the heart of this revolution. It’s no longer just a tool for staying in touch with friends and family but has evolved into a powerful platform for businesses.
Imagine being able to browse the products of a local artisan, order a specialty from your trusted deli, or book a service—all without ever leaving the chat. This is possible thanks to the WhatsApp Business Catalog, a true digital storefront integrated into the application. This guide will explore how to view and use this feature directly from WhatsApp Web, turning your computer into a portal for a more human, direct, and surprisingly innovative shopping experience, perfectly balancing Mediterranean tradition and modern technology.
What is the WhatsApp Business Catalog and Why is it Important
The WhatsApp Business Catalog is a feature that allows businesses to display and share their products and services directly within their business profile. It works like a mini e-commerce storefront, where each item can include images, a description, the price, a product code, and even a link to the website for the final purchase. This feature transforms the app from a simple communication channel into a dynamic sales tool, particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses looking to go digital with minimal investment.
The importance of this tool has grown in parallel with the rise of online shopping in Italy, which exceeded €58.8 billion in 2024. In a market where 24% of social media preferences for e-commerce go to WhatsApp, surpassed only by Instagram and Facebook, offering a direct shopping experience is crucial. The catalog meets this need by simplifying interaction: customers can browse offers on their own and send questions or orders with a simple message, replicating the assisted selling typical of a neighborhood store.
How to View a Product Catalog on WhatsApp Web
Accessing a business’s digital storefront via WhatsApp Web is a quick and intuitive process. The procedure is designed to be accessible to everyone, even those less familiar with technology. Follow these simple steps to start shopping right from your computer desk, combining convenience and immediacy.
First, open a conversation with the Business account you’re interested in. Once in the chat, click on the business name at the top left to open the contact information screen. Here, in addition to details like the description and hours, you’ll notice a section dedicated to the catalog. Alternatively, some businesses have a “storefront” or “shop” icon right next to their name in the top chat bar. By clicking on this icon or the “CATALOG” section, you will immediately access the list of products and services offered, ready to be explored.
Once inside the catalog, you can scroll through the various items as if you were flipping through a magazine. Each product is presented with an image and a name. Clicking on a specific item will open a detailed page with the price, a full description, and, in some cases, a link to view the item on the company’s e-commerce site or a product code. If you are interested in multiple items, you can add them to a virtual cart and, once you’ve finished your selection, send the entire cart to the business in a single message, simplifying the ordering process.
The Benefits for Customers: A Mediterranean Shopping Experience
Shopping via the WhatsApp catalog is not just a matter of convenience; it redefines the shopping experience, bringing it back to a more human and personal dimension, typical of Mediterranean culture. It moves beyond the coldness of large marketplaces to rediscover the value of a direct relationship. It’s like walking into your trusted local shop, where the owner knows you and can offer advice. This interaction, based on trust and dialogue, transforms a simple purchase into a personal exchange, even if mediated by a screen.
The main advantage is simplicity. You no longer have to switch between apps or navigate complex websites. Everything happens within a conversation you already use daily. You can ask for additional information, receive personalized advice, and complete the purchase, all with the same ease as chatting with a friend. This approach, known as “conversational commerce,” is becoming a key trend because it meets consumers’ need for more fluid and integrated experiences. The purchase becomes part of a dialogue, not an impersonal action.
The WhatsApp Catalog for Businesses: A Bridge Between Tradition and Innovation
For the countless small and medium-sized Italian businesses, which represent the beating heart of the economy, the WhatsApp catalog is an extraordinary opportunity. It is a zero-cost tool that acts as a bridge between traditional craftsmanship and digital innovation. A small olive oil producer, a tailor creating custom-made clothes, or a family-run restaurant can now have a professional online storefront without incurring the costs and complexity of a full e-commerce site. They can showcase the quality of their work, tell the story of each product, and reach customers far beyond their neighborhood boundaries.
This tool allows them to manage customer relationships in a centralized and efficient way. Instead of manually sending photos and price lists, everything is organized in the catalog, accessible at any time. The business can easily share a single product or the entire catalog via chat, email, or social media, expanding its visibility. It’s a way to offer efficient and personalized customer service, strengthening customer loyalty and demonstrating an attention to detail that large retailers cannot match. The use of other tools for businesses, such as labels, further enhances organization.
Security and Privacy While Shopping on WhatsApp
When it comes to online shopping, security is a top priority. It’s natural to wonder how secure it is to use WhatsApp for commercial transactions. It’s important to clarify that while the platform facilitates product discovery and communication, the payment phase almost always happens externally. Businesses usually provide a link to a secure payment system (like PayPal, Stripe, or their own e-commerce site) to finalize the purchase. The WhatsApp catalog, therefore, does not handle money directly but acts as an informational intermediary.
From a privacy standpoint, conversations on WhatsApp, including those with Business accounts, are protected by end-to-end encryption. This means that only you and the business can read the messages exchanged. However, it’s always a good practice to be cautious. Interact only with verified business accounts and be careful about sharing sensitive personal data. For greater peace of mind, it’s helpful to know all the practices for protecting your chats and your data, ensuring a shopping experience that is not only convenient but also secure.
In Brief (TL;DR)
Discover how the WhatsApp Web catalog feature lets you explore products and services from businesses directly in the chat, turning the platform into a truly easy and immediate online shopping tool.
Learn how to browse offers, view product details, and proceed with your purchase quickly and easily, directly from the desktop version of the app.
By following our steps, you can easily explore the offers and services of your favorite businesses, turning a simple conversation into a shopping opportunity.
Conclusions
The WhatsApp Web catalog represents much more than just a technical feature. It is a symbol of a cultural shift in how we conceive of commerce. In an increasingly digital world, this tool manages to recover the essence of the human relationship and trust that has always characterized the Italian and Mediterranean market. It offers consumers a simple, direct, and personal shopping experience, removing the barriers between seller and buyer.
For businesses, especially small and medium-sized ones, it proves to be a strategic ally for embracing innovation without betraying their identity. It allows them to create an effective digital storefront, manage sales conversationally, and build lasting relationships with customers. Ultimately, viewing a catalog on WhatsApp Web is not just a way to shop from your computer; it’s an experience that combines the convenience of technology with the warmth of tradition, opening up new and exciting prospects for the future of retail.
Frequently Asked Questions
To view a business’s catalog on WhatsApp Web, open the chat with the Business account. Click on the business name at the top to access its profile. If the business has uploaded a catalog, you will see a storefront icon or a button that says ‘Catalog’ or ‘View All’. Clicking on it will allow you to browse all the products and services offered directly from your computer.
If you can’t see the catalog, there could be several reasons. The business may not have created a catalog on WhatsApp Business yet, as it is an optional feature. In other cases, it might be a temporary issue with the application, or your browser may need an update. Always make sure you are using the latest version of WhatsApp Web and that the business you are contacting actively uses this feature.
Currently, in Italy and most of Europe, the catalog on WhatsApp Web functions primarily as a storefront. You can select products, add them to a cart, and send the order to the business via a message. The actual payment, however, is handled externally through methods agreed upon with the seller (e.g., payment link, bank transfer). Although Meta is introducing direct payment features in some countries, this option is not yet universally available.
Yes, viewing the catalog is as secure as using WhatsApp itself. The platform does not require sensitive data for simply browsing products. The security of the purchase transaction depends on the payment method you agree upon with the business. Always rely on verified businesses and use traceable and secure payment methods to finalize your purchases.
No, not all businesses on WhatsApp have a catalog. The catalog feature is a specific tool for WhatsApp Business that companies can choose to activate to showcase their products and services. It’s a kind of free digital storefront that makes browsing easier, but its adoption depends on the sales and communication strategy of each individual business.
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