WhatsApp to Offer In-App Purchases.

WhatsApp shopping tool would start rolling out this year, while message hosting would become available in 2021. Facebook on Thursday said its WhatsApp messaging app would offer in-app purchases and hosting services, as it is a move to boost revenue from the app while knitting together ecommerce infrastructure across the company.

Firstly, WhatsApp is expanding ways for people to make purchases right from a chat. Secondly, it is launching Facebook hosting services to host businesses’ online assets and activity. Thirdly, it will start charging companies using WhatsApp for business. The company will also enter the cloud computing sector, offering firms who use its customer service messaging tools the ability to store those messages on Facebook servers.

“The shopping tool would start rolling out this year, while message hosting would become available in 2021,” said Matt Idema, WhatsApp’s Chief Operating Officer. Idema said, WhatsApp would offer the hosting services for free to draw new paying customers to its enterprise tools, which change 0.5 cents (roughly Rs 0.5) to 9 cents (roughly Rs 7) per message delivered.

WhatsApp said more than 175 million people everyday message a WhatsApp business account. “Our research shows that people prefer to message a business to get help and they are more likely to make purchase when they can do so.”

Keeping this in mind, WhatsApp is expanding ways for people to check out available products and make purchases right from a chat. “We also want to make it easier for business to integrate these features into their existing commerce and customer solutions. This will help many small businesses who have been most impacted in this time.”

The company feels this option will make it easier for small and medium businesses to get started, sell products, keep their inventory up to date, and quickly respond to messages they receive, wherever their employees are.

WhatsApp said it will gradually roll out these services in the months to come.