Social Commerce

How WhatsApp Business API will be beneficial for Retail & fashion industry?

How WhatsApp Business API will be beneficial for Retail & fashion industry?

India has a vibrant culture and rich traditions, which are vividly expressed through its cuisine and clothing. Within this diverse cultural tapestry, both men and women exhibit unique styles of dressing. Whether it's a festival, wedding, or a regular day at work, India offers a wide array of clothing options for individuals of all ages. As a result, the fashion and apparel industry is experiencing significant growth, driven by people's affection for fashion and its ever-evolving trends. Fashion serves as a means of making a style statement for everyone.

People in India tend to shop extensively for various occasions, contributing to the increased demand for clothing. One primary factor behind this is surge in purchasing behavior and accessibility of online shopping platforms

WhatsApp commerce making buying easier for everyone

Businesses are also shifting their marketing strategies, aiming to boost sales through online channels. Small businesses are keen on expanding their customer base and retaining their regular customers, which drives their interest in easy and more accessible online features. With a growing number of people active on social media, businesses find it increasingly convenient to target their audience through social commerce.

WhatsApp already boasts an extensive user base, and the WhatsApp Business API emerges as a highly convenient tool for businesses to showcase their products in a more appealing manner to their customers. This innovative approach allows customers to gain a better visual understanding of products and make purchase decisions that align with their preferences. Consequently, this fosters customer confidence, and repeat purchases.

Customer satisfaction remains paramount for any business, and WhatsApp commerce undeniably contributes to achieving this goal.

Many concerns arise when people engage in online shopping. Here are a few of these along with solutions that WhatsApp Business API can provide:

1. Conversations increasing conversions:

Problem: People often have numerous questions about their orders or even before making a purchase, such as concerns about quality and fitting. Getting answers through customer care calls can be a lengthy and frustrating process. Sometimes, calls go unanswered, leaving customers with unresolved issues. This can lead to brands losing valuable customers.

Solution: Customers can now directly chat and share their concerns, whether it's related to size, fitting, early delivery, or the availability of a specific size or color in stock. With quick and personalized responses, brands can also request for prepayment or if any additional charges applies. These details are not always readily available on websites or apps but can be easily discussed in a conversation. Moreover, customers have a record of their chats, which adds transparency and trust to the interaction. Building such relationships with customers through conversation can significantly increase the conversion rate.

2. Deliver Personalized Shopping Recommendations:

Problem: Customers often face challenges when trying to repurchase a previous order, searching for similar styles, or waiting for an out-of-stock item to become available. This process can be time-consuming and frustrating.

Solution: WhatsApp can step in to streamline this experience by sending tailored recommendations. By analyzing a customer's past purchases and current fashion trends, WhatsApp can suggest products that align with their preferences. Additionally, WhatsApp campaigns can target customers based on their age group, ensuring that the recommendations resonate with their demographic. This approach not only generates a more positive response but also fulfills customers' specific needs more effectively.

3. Secure Payment Options:

Problems: Payment failures can be frustrating, often caused by network issues or problems with payment gateways. Customers then face the choice of contacting customer support, which can be time-consuming due to which either they abandon their cart, or opt for Cash on Delivery (COD) orders.

Solution: With WhatsApp API, making payments is both easy and quick. It doesn't redirect you to other pages; instead, payments are seamlessly completed within the chat. Additionally, when making online payments on websites or apps, another payment link can also be sent to WhatsApp. This eliminates transaction delays and allows customers to conveniently process their payments via WhatsApp API.

4. Simplified Payment, Return, Refund, and Cancelation Options:

Problem: When customers want to initiate an exchange or return, they often have to raise a query. Sometimes, customer care doesn't respond promptly, leading to frustration as the return or exchange process can exceed the defined turnaround time (TAT). These issues can discourage people from making future purchases.

Solution: WhatsApp API offers convenient quick buttons or replies for all types of queries. Customers can also share images or videos of the product, such as unboxing, directly in the chat. Moreover, WhatsApp enables the sharing of direct links to address their concerns swiftly, making the entire process more user-friendly and efficient.

5. Real-time Order Updates:

Problem: Customers who struggle with using apps and links to track their orders often hesitate to make prepayments for their orders. Sometimes, the status updates provided are inaccurate, leading to the need to contact customer care, which can be a frustrating experience. All of this chaos results in dissatisfied customers.

Solution: Brands can provide instant notifications to their customers on WhatsApp as soon as the product is shipped, when the order reaches a nearby hub, and when it is out for delivery – all in one place. This information keeps customers well-informed about the status of their orders. Whether there's an early or delayed delivery, customers will be notified in a timely manner, allowing them to be prepared to receive their orders promptly. This proactive approach can help prevent Return to Origin (RTO) situations and avoid any inconvenience for both customers and brands.

6- Conducting Marketing Campaigns:

Problems: Customers have a strong inclination towards receiving offers and discounts from their favorite brands. However, irrelevant advertisements that do not align with their preferences can be disappointing. Such experiences often discourage customers from further engagement and shopping with those particular brands.

Solutions: Brands can harness the power of WhatsApp Business API to send personalized promotions and offers based on a customer's purchase history and preferences. Additionally, sharing more visual content of products has a lasting impact, especially in the context of clothing and fashionable apparel. Customers also appreciate personalized recommendations, which encourage them to make more purchases from the same brand.

7-Accurate Location Tracking Information:

Problem: Delivery personnel frequently encounter difficulties when attempting to locate the correct address or pinpoint the customer's location during the delivery process. Sometimes, they face network issues that prevent them from contacting customers, resulting in delayed deliveries.

Solution: Once an order is out for delivery, an automated message is sent to the customer via WhatsApp, along with an option for immediate live location sharing. This feature can be activated for any desired interval of time. This solution simplifies the delivery process for the courier personnel, enabling them to easily track the customer's location and make timely deliveries, ultimately saving a significant amount of time.

8. Online Opportunities to Local Businesses:

Problem: Local businesses often face challenges when trying to utilize online platforms for selling their products. They predominantly rely on physical stores and may not possess a strong understanding of technology. Consequently, it is not a convenient option for them to run their businesses online.

Solution: Small and medium-sized businesses can fully leverage the potential of WhatsApp Business API by effortlessly sharing their product catalogs with both their regular and potential customers. What makes this solution even more appealing is that it doesn't require any coding skills or the setup of domain names. The integration process is handled by us, leaving them ready to sell, accept orders, conduct online transactions, track deliveries, share high-quality images and videos with customers, and keep them informed about seasonal sales and offers - all through a single, user-friendly platform.

9. Requesting Feedback & Reviews via WhatsApp:

Problem: Brands often request feedback and reviews immediately after a product is delivered, even before the customer has had a chance to use it. This can lead to customers ignoring such notifications. Furthermore, after several days or months of using a product, customers may be less inclined to seek out the review section on apps or websites unless they've had a particularly negative experience.

Solution: WhatsApp Business API offers a straightforward solution with its quick reply button for reviews and feedback. This option is easily accessible, and since people frequently use WhatsApp on a daily basis, leaving a review there is more convenient than doing so on apps or websites. Customers can provide honest feedback in the form of text, images, or videos, which they often prefer to do after using the products. This approach benefits both brands and other customers by providing genuine and valuable feedback.

10. Delivering Updates through WhatsApp Broadcast:

Problem: During festivals or wedding seasons, many customers engage in last-minute shopping, making it challenging for them to find the right place to shop for dresses that match their desired color and fitting. Additionally, they often remain unaware of any offers or discounts available for specific dress categories, leading to missed opportunities.

Solution: WhatsApp Business API provides an ideal solution by enabling the broadcast of messages to an unlimited number of customers, a feature not available in WhatsApp Business. These broadcasts can be tailored to individual preferences, allowing brands to target the right audience for specific product categories. Brands can use this platform to inform customers about their ongoing offers, validity periods, new product launches, share lookbooks showcasing their collections, and even schedule appointments for bulk orders for boutiques. This approach empowers customers to take advantage of offers, plan appointments, or place bulk orders in advance. Such personalized engagement helps strengthen customer relationships and contributes to increased sales.

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