New Delhi: WhatsApp has announced a new feature to its subscribers that will allow users to search for businesses on its platform.
In addition to searching for businesses, this new feature will also allow users to chat with businesses and purchase products from them.
The Meta-owned messaging app suggests that this new feature will allow WhatsApp users to browse.
The Meta-owned messaging app said the new feature will allow WhatsApp users to browse businesses by category – such as travel or banking – or search by business name. “This way, people won’t have to search for phone numbers on websites or enter a number in their contacts,” the company added.
The company also said it is working with various payment partners to allow WhatsApp users to purchase products without leaving the company’s interface.
The feature is similar to the one the company introduced in India with the launch of JioMart shopping on WhatsApp earlier this year. Now the company is expanding the reach of this feature to more countries.
Additionally, WhatsApp says that this feature is built to protect people’s privacy. “What you are looking for is processed in a way that cannot be linked back to your account,” the company wrote in a blog post.
In terms of availability, WhatsApp said the feature will be available in Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Mexico and the UK.
How to search for businesses on WhatsApp
Step 1: Open WhatsApp on your smartphone.
Step 2: Tap on the Chat icon and tap on “Businesses” under “Discover”.
Step 3: Now select your location sharing preferences.
Step 4: To use your location to find businesses in your area, tap “Continue” and then tap “Allow once” to limit WhatsApp’s access to your location data.
Step 5: Enter a query about the company you are looking for.
Step 6: You can further refine your search by clicking the filter chip at the top of the list. You can filter businesses by category, distance, open status or catalog.
Step 7: In the displayed list, click on a company to view its company profile.
Step 8: Now tap on the Chat button to start a new chat with the business.
