MARKETING FOCUS W
ith over 2 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp has become the go-to channel for everyday conversations.
Increasingly, consumers — and particularly tradespeople — expect to be able to engage with suppliers on WhatsApp, rather than being forced onto traditional, slower channels like phone and email.
Meta’s WhatsApp Business Platform is at the centre of this global shift. Designed specifically for business use and available only via API, the platform allows companies to handle WhatsApp conversations at scale, with full compliance, control, and integration into existing systems like CRMs and order management platforms.
WhatsApp Business Platform While many businesses have experimented with using the free WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app, these consumer-grade tools fall short for businesses looking to operate professionally and compliantly. Meta’s free apps are designed for individuals or micro-businesses, not for multi- branch operations or sales teams working collaboratively. They lack core business-critical features such as: • Shared access and collaboration tools across teams • Integration with CRMs, ERPs, and other core systems • Centralised data control, audit trails, and GDPR-compliant storage • Visibility and reporting on customer interactions and response times • The ability to initiate WhatsApp chats from websites, ads, or catalogues, giving customers instant access just like a phone number
Without the WhatsApp Business Platform, customer conversations remain stuck in silos on individual devices, with all the associated risks of data loss, GDPR non-compliance, and fragmented customer experience.
The trade sector opportunity This shift presents a significant opportunity for builders merchants and trade counters to differentiate themselves by offering a more modern, convenient, and customer-friendly communication experience — exactly at the point where many tradespeople want to engage. “The average tradesperson already uses WhatsApp dozens of times a day,” says Paul Gandar, a Meta Tech Provider and Founder of Stitch AI. “They expect their suppliers to meet them there — not force them to send an email or wait on hold. Meta’s opening of the WhatsApp Business Platform is a huge
WHAT’S UP WITH MERCHANTS’ MARKETING
COMMUNICATIONS?
Businesses in the merchant sector are being urged to modernise their customer communication as Meta accelerates the global rollout of the Official WhatsApp Business Platform, making it easier than ever for businesses to engage with customers on the world’s most popular messaging app.
Builders merchants now have the same opportunity to: •
Enable tradespeople to message directly from their website or digital catalogues •
Reduce response times while increasing customer satisfaction •
Offer faster quotes, stock updates, and order confirmations •
Move away from fragmented, unmanaged phone calls and emails •
Improve sales team efficiency by collaborating on conversations, automating routine queries, and tracking interactions
opportunity for trade counters to finally make that happen, but it has to be done properly.”
Businesses on WhatsApp Meta’s long-term vision is clear: WhatsApp is not just for personal use. Through the WhatsApp Business Platform, Meta is enabling businesses of all sizes, across all sectors, to bring conversations onto WhatsApp in a compliant, structured, and scalable way.
Around the world, banks, airlines, retailers, and logistics companies are already transforming how they engage customers through the platform — offering everything from proactive order updates to instant customer service, all within the app people already trust and use daily.
July 2025
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net Time to act
With Meta driving forward its vision for business messaging, the question is no longer whether merchants should embrace WhatsApp — but how quickly they can implement it to gain a competitive advantage. To leverage the WhatsApp Business Platform, businesses can either develop their own integration via the API or work with an official Meta Tech Provider to simplify and accelerate the process.
“At Stitch AI, we are helping builders merchants and wholesalers integrate the WhatsApp Business Platform into their operations, ensuring compliance, visibility, and seamless customer experience,” Gander says. BMJ
www.stitch-ai.com. 29
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