The two kinds of "WhatsApp catalog" (pick the right one)
Type 1 — the in-app catalog. Built into the free WhatsApp Business app: up to 500 items, each with photo, price, description and a link. Customers browse it inside your chat. Good for a small, stable menu of products.
Type 2 — your website AS the catalog. A link to your own store: unlimited products, live stock, sizes/variants, UPI checkout, GST invoice — and the conversation still happens on WhatsApp. This is what sellers graduate to around 20–30 products or 10 orders/day.
Setting up the in-app catalog (Type 1)
- WhatsApp Business app → Settings → Business tools → Catalog.
- Add item: photo (square, bright, one product), name, price, description, item code.
- Share: any item → share icon → send into a chat; or share the whole catalog link from Catalog settings.
- Maintain it: remove out-of-stock items the moment they sell out — a stale catalog costs trust.
Limits to know: no stock counts, no variants (each size/colour is a separate item), no payments attached to items, manual updates only. That's fine at 15 products; painful at 50.
Upgrading to the website-as-catalog (Type 2)
With Manva the upgrade is one afternoon: the AI designs your store, then your product photos, sent on WhatsApp, become the catalog — the assistant writes each listing (name, description, SEO), you reply yes, it's live. From then on:
- Stock stays true automatically; sold-out items show as unavailable.
- Buyers pay by UPI (your own Razorpay) or choose COD; you get the order with the address — no twenty-message back-and-forth.
- Price changes and restocks are one WhatsApp message: "restock mango pickle 50" → confirmed → live.
- Abandoned carts get a recovery email with a tap-to-apply coupon.
Taking orders: the flow that scales
| Stage | In-app catalog only | Catalog + your store |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer asks price/size | You answer each chat | The product page answers |
| Payment | UPI ID + screenshot trust | Real checkout, tied to the order |
| Address | Typed in chat, re-asked | Captured at checkout |
| Shipping update | You message manually | "ship 2 AWB123" → buyer auto-notified |
| 10+ orders/day | Breaks | Routine |
Build your catalog by sending photos
Store ₹999 one-time. Send a product photo on WhatsApp — it's live in a minute.
Start free — build your site in minutesFrequently asked questions
How many products can a WhatsApp catalog hold?
The in-app WhatsApp Business catalog supports up to 500 items, but without stock counts or variants. Past ~20–30 products most sellers link a real store and keep WhatsApp for conversation.
Can customers pay inside the WhatsApp catalog?
Not attached to catalog items in India for most sellers — payment happens by UPI transfer or, better, on a checkout page linked from the chat so the payment and order stay connected.
How do I add sizes and colours?
The in-app catalog needs a separate item per variant. A real store handles variants properly — one product, size/colour options, per-variant stock.
Can AI build my catalog from photos?
Yes — send each product photo to the Manva assistant on WhatsApp; it writes the title, description and SEO and publishes on your yes. Forty products is an afternoon.