WhatsApp Gets A New Shopping Button For Browsing Product Catalogs

WhatsApp is launching a new shopping button that enables users to find businesses and browse their offerings directly in the app. The move expands WhatsApp for Business, an e-commerce platform similar to what we've already seen on Instagram. The existing voice call button is being replaced by the shopping button.

The WhatsApp shopping button is arriving on both Android and iOS; when tapped, users can find businesses, browse their listings to see what they offer and the items' prices, plus there's the option to directly message the companies for more information.

It doesn't appear that there's any way to actually purchase items through WhatsApp right now, however. This marks an expansion of the WhatsApp for Business e-commerce platform; the company released a couple of videos targeted at businesses today, revealing that sellers can connect their existing Facebook Shops with WhatsApp.

WhatsApp is rolling out the shopping button to users around the world, though it's unclear how long it will take to roll out to everyone. With the voice call button now replaced with the shopping button, you'll have to use a single call button to choose between video and voice calls.

The shopping button, meanwhile, looks like a storefront – -there's no mistaking it for something else. You'll find the button within a chat with the business you want to browse, according to WhatsApp. It remains to be seen when/if users get access to a checkout process in the app, enabling them to order products without visiting a website or calling the business.