> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.soneka.africa/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Catalog & Storefront: Sell Products in WhatsApp Chat

> Sync your product catalog, create a branded storefront, and let customers browse and buy directly inside WhatsApp conversations with Soneka.

WhatsApp is no longer just a messaging channel — it's a full commerce surface. With Soneka's Catalog & Storefront features, your customers can browse products, add items to a cart, and complete a purchase without ever leaving the WhatsApp app. Whether you're running a boutique with 20 SKUs or a multi-category store with thousands of products, Soneka connects your existing catalogue to WhatsApp and adds a branded storefront so your business looks professional at every touchpoint.

## How In-Chat Shopping Works

When a customer receives or requests a product message, WhatsApp renders an interactive card or carousel they can tap to view details, choose variants, and add to a cart. The cart lives inside the chat, and when the customer taps **Send Order**, you receive a structured order message in your Soneka Inbox — complete with product names, quantities, and the customer's contact details. You can then send a payment link or process the order directly from the Inbox.

## Syncing Your Meta Product Catalog

Soneka connects directly to your **Meta Business catalog** — the same catalogue used for Facebook and Instagram Shopping.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Connect Your Meta Business Account">
    Go to **Catalog → Settings → Connect Meta** and authorise Soneka via Facebook Login. Soneka will list all catalogs associated with your Meta Business Manager.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select a Catalog">
    Choose the catalog you want to use for WhatsApp. If you manage multiple brands or stores, you can connect separate catalogs to separate Soneka workspaces.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Sync Products">
    Click **Sync Now**. Soneka imports all approved products — including names, descriptions, prices, images, and availability. Subsequent syncs run automatically every 6 hours, or you can trigger a manual sync at any time.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review and Organise">
    Once synced, your products appear in the **Catalog** tab. Use collections to group related items (e.g. "Summer Collection", "Best Sellers") for easier use in messages.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Only products with an **approved** status in Meta Business Manager are importable. If a product is missing, check its approval status in the Meta catalog first.
</Note>

## Sending Product Messages

Soneka supports all three WhatsApp product message formats. Choose the one that fits the context.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Single Product (SPM)">
    A **Single Product Message** (SPM) highlights one item with its image, name, price, and a **View** button. Use SPMs for personalised recommendations, abandoned-cart nudges, or when a customer asks about a specific product.

    To send an SPM: in the **Inbox** compose bar, click the **Catalog** icon, select **Single Product**, and search for the item by name or SKU. The message renders a live preview before you send.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Multi-Product (MPM)">
    A **Multi-Product Message** (MPM) presents a scrollable list of up to 30 products in a single message, grouped into sections. Use MPMs for category showcases, new arrivals, or sale announcements.

    To build an MPM: go to **Catalog → Send Message**, select **Multi-Product**, and add up to 10 sections. Each section can have a label (e.g. "Tops", "Bottoms") and up to 30 products across all sections combined.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Carousel">
    A **Carousel** product message shows 2–10 cards that the customer swipes through horizontally. Each card has its own image, title, price, and up to two buttons. Carousels are ideal for promoting a curated selection or telling a product story.

    Carousel product messages can also be saved as **Templates** for use in broadcast campaigns. They go through the standard Meta approval process before sending.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Setting Up a Branded Storefront

Beyond in-chat product messages, Soneka generates a **Storefront** — a mobile-optimised web page that showcases your full catalogue and lets customers browse at their own pace. The storefront link can be shared in any WhatsApp message, placed in your WA Chat Link, or embedded in your website.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Enable the Storefront">
    Go to **Catalog → Storefront → Settings** and toggle **Storefront On**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Customise Branding">
    Upload your logo, set your brand colours, write a short business description, and add a banner image. Changes are reflected in the live preview immediately.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect a Custom Domain">
    In **Storefront → Domain**, enter your custom domain (e.g. `shop.yourbrand.com`) and add the CNAME record shown to your DNS provider. Soneka provisions an SSL certificate automatically within a few minutes.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Organise Collections">
    Create collections to structure your storefront navigation. Customers can browse by category rather than scrolling through your entire catalogue.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Pin your **Best Sellers** collection to the top of the storefront. Data consistently shows customers who enter via a curated "most popular" view have higher conversion rates than those landing on an unfiltered all-products page.
</Tip>

## Shopify and WooCommerce Integration

If you're already selling on Shopify or WooCommerce, you don't need to manage your catalogue manually. Soneka integrates directly with both platforms to keep products, prices, and inventory in sync in real time.

See the full setup guide: [Shopify & WooCommerce Integration](/integrations/shopify-woocommerce).

Key benefits of the ecommerce integration:

* **Automatic product sync** — new products and price changes in Shopify/WooCommerce appear in WhatsApp within minutes
* **Inventory gating** — out-of-stock products are automatically hidden from product messages and the storefront
* **Order write-back** — orders placed via WhatsApp are created directly in your Shopify/WooCommerce dashboard
* **Abandoned cart recovery** — trigger a WhatsApp message when a customer abandons a cart in your online store

## Payment Links and Checkout in Chat

Once a customer sends an order, you can close the sale without asking them to visit an external site.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Generate a Payment Link">
    Open the order in your **Inbox**, review the items, and click **Send Payment Link**. Soneka generates a secure, branded checkout link pre-loaded with the order details.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send to Customer">
    The payment link is sent as a WhatsApp message. The customer taps it, reviews their order, enters payment details, and completes checkout — all in a mobile browser without leaving their phone.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Receive Confirmation">
    When payment is confirmed, Soneka updates the order status in your Inbox and, if you're using the Shopify/WooCommerce integration, marks the order as paid in your store.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Order Management

All orders originating from WhatsApp — whether from a product message, a storefront link, or a catalog carousel — appear in **Catalog → Orders**. From here you can:

* View order details, customer contact, and selected products
* Update order status (Processing, Shipped, Delivered, Cancelled)
* Send automated status-update messages using Utility templates
* Export orders to CSV for accounting or fulfilment

## Best Practices for Catalog Product Descriptions

WhatsApp renders product descriptions in a compact format. Customers make quick decisions — your descriptions need to be scannable and persuasive.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Lead with the Benefit" icon="star">
    Start with what the product does for the customer, not what it is. "Stays cold for 24 hours" beats "Stainless steel insulated bottle."
  </Card>

  <Card title="Keep It Under 500 Characters" icon="text-size">
    Descriptions are truncated in the WhatsApp product card. The first 150 characters are visible without expanding — make them count.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Include Key Specs Inline" icon="list-check">
    Size, colour, material, and compatibility should appear in the description itself, not only as variants — customers don't always expand the variant picker.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Use High-Resolution Square Images" icon="image">
    WhatsApp crops product images to a square. Use 1:1 images at 1000×1000px or larger for crisp rendering on high-DPI screens.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Frequently Asked Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Do I need a Meta Business catalog to use WhatsApp commerce?">
    Yes. WhatsApp product messages are powered by Meta's catalog infrastructure. If you don't already have a Meta Business catalog, you can create one in Meta Business Manager for free. Soneka guides you through the connection process.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can customers pay directly inside WhatsApp?">
    Customers complete payment through a secure link that opens in their mobile browser. Native in-app payments are available in some countries via WhatsApp Pay — Soneka will support this as Meta expands availability.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How many products can I sync?">
    There is no limit imposed by Soneka. Meta allows up to 100,000 items per catalog. Performance of product messages (especially MPMs) is best when you organise items into focused collections rather than presenting very large lists.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I use the storefront without a custom domain?">
    Yes. Soneka provides a default storefront URL under `storefront.soneka.app/your-business-name` that works out of the box. Custom domains are available on the **Growth** plan and above.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Which plan includes the Shopify/WooCommerce integration?">
    The ecommerce integration is available on the **Growth** plan and above. Starter plan users can sync a Meta catalog manually but cannot connect a Shopify or WooCommerce store.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are carousel product messages the same as carousel templates?">
    They're related but different. A **carousel product message** uses your catalog items and is sent ad-hoc in the Inbox or via flows. A **carousel template** must be approved by Meta first and is used for broadcast campaigns to customers outside the 24-hour window. You can convert a catalog carousel into a template from the Template Builder.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>