Set up Clienteling via WhatsApp

WhatsApp is available as an official Clienteling channel in NewStore. This feature integrates WhatsApp messaging capabilities with the Associate App and Omnichannel Manager so associates can message customers on WhatsApp within existing Clienteling workflows. The feature can be enabled for selected stores.

Important

Clienteling via WhatsApp is available as an Early Access feature on Associate App v1.68.0 for retailers participating in the early access rollout.

Prerequisites

• Clienteling enabled in NewStore

  Your business must have Clienteling functionality activated. If Clienteling is not enabled, follow the steps here to enable it for your business

• SMS enabled for the store

  WhatsApp depends on SMS enablement. Each store must have a configured SMS phone number before WhatsApp can be enabled.  The same number is used for both SMS and WhatsApp channels

• Meta business account and templates

  • Valid and verified Meta business account

  • Early access template limitation: NewStore manages all template submissions to Meta during early access. Retailers cannot create, edit, or delete templates themselves. Each tenant is limited to two Meta‑approved templates:

    • Opt-in template -  to initiate customer conversations

    • Reconnect template - to reopen a 24-hour customer service window

Meta configuration

If you are new to Meta and WhatsApp, check the Meta Documentation on creating a Meta Business Suite. To help you get started, let us consider Meta’s account system as a hierarchy:

1. Meta Business Suite: This is the highest level of your accounts with Meta and represents your organization in their system.

2. Meta Business Profile: This is a unit within your organization and generally represents a brand or product. It allows you to create separate Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp accounts per division of your organization.

3. WhatsApp Account: This is an account within WhatsApp specifically, tied to your Meta Business Profile. It holds individual store profiles information.

4. WhatsApp Profile: This is the unit that represents a single store. Each store is created as a profile and has their own profile details and phone number.

Before enabling WhatsApp in NewStore, create your Meta Business Suite and Meta Business Profile that NewStore can integrate with. The integration will allow NewStore to create a WhatsApp Account and WhatsApp profiles on your behalf for stores to be managed through Omnichannel Manager. You do not need to create a WhatsApp Account in advance. If one does not exist, the integration creates it automatically. Use the same account for all store WhatsApp Profiles.

Note

• To remove certain restrictions from your WhatsApp account, complete Meta business verification (free). Refer to Meta documentation for details.

• Do not create or edit WhatsApp Profiles directly in the Meta dashboard. Profiles must be created through Omnichannel Manager to integrate NewStore & Meta.

Once Meta verifies your Business Portfolio, set up WhatsApp for Clienteling in NewStore.

Enabling a store for WhatsApp Clienteling

After completing the Meta configuration and verifying your Meta Business Portfolio, the next step is to enable WhatsApp for Clienteling in Omnichannel Manager.

To enable a store to use WhatsApp for clienteling,

1. Navigate to Omnichannel Manager > Settings > Clienteling > Stores.

2. Confirm the store has SMS configured for Clienteling.

3. Select the store and click Enable WhatsApp.

   

4. Enter the store profile details and click Enable WhatsApp and enter your Meta account credentials to login.
   During early access, profile details cannot be edited after they are saved. To change them, contact your Omnichannel Success Manager.
   

   Note

   Ensure you follow Meta’s guidelines for the Display Name to get your account verified. This name is shown as your business name for Clienteling.

   

5. In the Meta permissions screen:

   1. Select the Meta Business Profile you created and verified.

   2. Select Create a WhatsApp Business account to create a new account. To use an existing account, select it from the list, and continue.

Your store is now connected to a WhatsApp profile within your Meta account. However, the store will not appear as a Clienteling channel in the Associate App until at least two messaging templates are configured and approved. Contact your Omnichannel Success Manager to create and manage templates. After approval, the store appears as a WhatsApp clienteling channel in Associate App.

Example: Verified store’s WhatsApp Profile showing display name, description, and phone number:

Current limitations:

• Only stores with SMS configured can be enabled for WhatsApp.

• WhatsApp uses the same phone number that is assigned to the store for SMS.

• Switching a customer’s Clienteling channel between SMS and WhatsApp is not supported when a conversation already exists.

• Associates cannot send images through WhatsApp, but can receive them.

• WhatsApp cannot be used to contact customers with U.S. phone numbers due to current Meta policy. NewStore blocks associates from using WhatsApp to message customers who have U.S. numbers. Stores can continue to use SMS for clienteling in these cases.

• Only customers that have previously consented to Clienteling communications may initiate conversations with store associates. Unrecognized phone numbers will not be permitted for inbound use cases at this time.