WhatsApp Automation
Do I need customer opt-in to send WhatsApp messages?
Direct answer
Yes. Meta's policy requires customers to have agreed to be contacted on WhatsApp. For stores, the clean way is a checkout notice saying order updates arrive via WhatsApp. Transactional messages about an order the customer just placed are well within what customers expect; cold marketing to purchased lists is what gets numbers banned.
What counts as valid opt-in
- A notice at checkout: "We will send your order confirmation and delivery updates on WhatsApp." Placing the order with that notice visible is the industry-standard opt-in for transactional messages.
- A checkbox for marketing messages, kept separate. Order updates and promotional blasts are different consents.
- The customer messaging you first, which is the strongest opt-in there is.
Why this protects you, not just customers
Meta enforces quality through block and report rates. A number that messages people who did not expect it accumulates reports and gets rate-limited or banned, taking your whole channel down. Order-related messages to people who just bought from you have near-zero report rates; purchased lists and cold blasts are how stores lose their number.
Practical rules
- Add the WhatsApp notice to your checkout page and post-purchase email.
- Send transactional content (confirmation, tracking, delivery day) freely to customers who ordered.
- Ask separately before marketing. An easy moment: after a successful delivery, "want us to message you about offers?"
- Honor "stop" instantly and automatically.
ReplAi keeps transactional and marketing consents separate and handles opt-out automatically, which keeps your number's quality rating healthy.
Last updated 2026-07-09