WhatsApp for customer service: everything ecommerce brands need to know

The worst thing you can do after a customer places an order is go dark. With WhatsApp, you can keep customers in the loop with real-time updates like:

• “Your order has shipped 🚚 Here’s your tracking info.”
• “Out for delivery! Expect it today between 2–4 p.m.”
• “Your package has been delivered. Check your doorstep!”

WhatsApp is faster and more visible than email, and it can save your support team from answering hundreds of “where is my order?” tickets.

Customers often have many small but important questions before they buy. WhatsApp makes it easy to quickly handle questions like:

• “Is this moisturiser safe for sensitive skin?”
• “Will the sofa fit through a standard doorway?”
• “How does the sizing run on this dress?”

With WhatsApp, support teams can respond in real time, often before a customer clicks away or abandons their cart. It’s faster and more natural than email or a web form.

Plus, with elements like quick replies, rich media (like product images or sizing chart photos), and saved responses, your team can handle high volumes without sacrificing that personal touch.

No one wants to return something, but if they do, they want it to be as hassle-free as possible.

The reality is that even the tiniest bit of friction during the returns process can make a customer think twice about ordering from you again. But handled well, returns and exchanges can actually build trust, not break it.

With WhatsApp, you can turn a potentially frustrating moment into something that cements loyalty with:

• Return policy links
• Pre-filled return labels or self-serve links
• Real-time size or color swaps

When customers are spending more, they expect more in return. Whether it’s a custom piece of jewellery, high-end skincare, or a made-to-order sofa, big-ticket purchases often come with big questions.

WhatsApp makes it easy to offer concierge-style support that feels personal, fast, and tailored to each customer. Through WhatsApp, you can:

• Walk customers through product options or sizing advice in real time.
• Send comparison photos or short video demos straight from the showroom or warehouse.
• Answer detailed questions in a two-way chat.

If someone has messaged asking when a popular product will be back, take that as a strong buying signal and follow up directly with messages like:

• “Hey! The black ankle boots you asked about are back in stock, just in time for the weekend.”
• “The serum you loved is finally restocked. Let us know if you need help ordering!”

Zero- and first-party data isn’t just valuable for marketing. According to Klaviyo’s 2025 state of B2C marketing report, brands that align their marketing and customer service teams are 156% more likely to significantly exceed their marketing goals.

Use interactive WhatsApp quizzes to collect zero-party data you can use to personalise future customer service interactions, such as referencing size or fit preferences when someone needs to make a return.

• Just getting started or running a solo or small business? Go with the WhatsApp Business App. It’s free, simple to set up, and perfect for handling support messages directly from your phone. You can add basic automation like quick replies and away messages, and it gives your brand a more professional presence.
• Scaling fast or already working with CRMs and help desks? You’ll want the WhatsApp Business API. This version is made for bigger teams and connects WhatsApp to your broader tech stack, like help desk software, CRMs with built-in customer data platforms like Klaviyo, and AI support tools. The API also unlocks advanced features like automation, reporting, and multi-agent support.

Here’s a quick decision flow: 

Whichever path you take, you’ll need to take some basic first next steps:

1. Verify your business number.
2. Add your logo, business description, and hours so customers know they’re talking to a real brand.
3. Set up quick replies to handle FAQs faster and free up time for more complex support issues.

To send messages through WhatsApp, you need to get clear, documented consent. Note that Klaviyo supports both marketing and transactional consent, depending on the type of message that you send. You can collect consent multiple ways:

• When you share a form on your website and/or in emails, such as a post-purchase email
• When a customer texts keywords
• When you set up consent collection via API
• When you create a QR code with a WhatsApp messaging link (you can include QR codes on packaging, receipts, or physical inserts)
• When a customer opts in at check-out

Note, too, that if a customer messages you directly, this is considered consent for service-related conversations.

Rather than treating WhatsApp like a separate tool, you should integrate it into how you communicate, support, and build relationships with your customers. That means integrating WhatsApp automations with your other marketing automations.

Once you’ve set up WhatsApp using the API, you can start using Klaviyo flows to create smarter, more personalised customer journeys with WhatsApp. Here’s what that can look like:

If you’re already sending order confirmation and shipping update emails, you can add WhatsApp messages into that same flow, which is perfect for:

• Shipping updates with tracking links
• Delivery confirmations
• Follow-up review requests a few days after delivery

Rather than sending more of the same through a different channel, WhatsApp makes these interactions more actionable. Customers can reply to messages, ask follow-up questions, or even get redirected to support, all within the same chat.

And if a customer doesn’t open your post-purchase email, for example, you can set a condition in Klaviyo to follow up with a WhatsApp message instead.

Use WhatsApp to automatically answer frequently asked questions like:

Q: “How do I return something?”

A: “Hi! Returning something is easy 😊Just head to our returns portal here: [return link]”

Q: “When will my order arrive?”

A: “Hey! Let me check that for you 👀 Looks like your order is out for delivery and should arrive by Tuesday. You can track it here: [tracking link]”

Q: “Is this back in stock?”

A: “Hi! That item isn’t available right now, but it’s coming back soon 🙌 Would you like me to send you a message as soon as it’s back? I can also suggest a similar style that’s in stock now, if you’re interested!”

You can also offer customers a quick reply menu so they can tap to ask about things like shipping, returns, or restocks without having to type out a message.

Note, however, that for quick replies to work, brands need to anticipate phrasing variations for common questions.

Not every customer query needs a live agent, but your VIPs expect (and deserve) white-glove treatment. With customer data, you can identify high-value customers based on lifetime value, number of purchases, or loyalty status. Use tags to mark those customers and automatically escalate their messages to a live support agent on WhatsApp.

You don’t need to overhaul your entire support set-up overnight. The best way to roll out WhatsApp is to start small, test what works, and build from there.

Start by adding a WhatsApp call to action (CTA) in places where customers are most likely to need a connection to customer support. For example:

• Order confirmation emails: Add a line like, “Need help with your order? Message us on WhatsApp” to give customers a direct line to support.
• Your help centre or FAQ pages: Rather than leaving customers to their own devices, offer a WhatsApp button for real-time support on trickier topics.
• Product pages for high-consideration items: For products with customisation options, size concerns, or higher price points, add a “Chat with us on WhatsApp” button to help close the confidence gap before purchase.

Once these touchpoints are live, keep a close eye on how customers engage. Are they using the WhatsApp link? What kinds of questions are coming through? Is WhatsApp reducing the number of tickets submitted through other channels?

Answers to these questions can give you valuable insight into where WhatsApp adds the most value and where it might make sense to expand next. You can then start adding automation or rolling out access across more pages and post-purchase journeys.

The trick with WhatsApp is to strike the right balance between speed and empathy. To succeed, you’ll need automation and human agents—and understand which one makes sense for which customer support queries.

One way to automate this is to set up a response flow for quick reply buttons, which automatically send your brand the customer’s question when they click on the button. Setting up flow responses triggered by these quick replies can save your team time and help customers get faster answers to simple, repetitive queries like:

• “Where’s my order?”
• “What’s your return policy?”
• “Is this back in stock?”

But customer support queries don’t necessarily start with a robot and end with a human. If a query is complex, sensitive, or coming from a high-value customer, automatically escalate it to a real support agent. That way, you’re not forcing someone with a damaged parcel or payment issue to talk to a bot for 15 messages straight.

The last thing you want is your team switching between a dozen tabs or going in with zero information about a customer.

If you’re using the WhatsApp Business API, you can plug WhatsApp directly into your existing CRM or help desk.

This gives your team full context at a glance, including:

• Past orders
• Previous conversations
• Loyalty or VIP status
• Marketing engagement (e.g., if they’ve clicked on an email or recently abandoned a cart)

With all that information in one place, your support agents can give faster, more helpful answers without needing to ask customers to repeat themselves.

Once WhatsApp is up and running, make sure it’s actually helping your team (and your customers). Use your B2C CRM or support dashboard to track key metrics like:

• Response time: Are customers getting help quickly?
• Resolution rate: How many issues are resolved on the first interaction?
• Customer satisfaction (CSAT): Are people happy with the support experience?

Set benchmarks, review trends regularly, and look for friction points. Maybe your auto-responses need tweaking, or your team needs better tools to handle peak periods. Either way, the data will show you where to optimise.

Let’s say a customer’s order is running late due to a warehouse issue. Rather than relying solely on email (which might not get opened until tomorrow), you can set up a Klaviyo flow to send a friendly WhatsApp message letting them know about the delay.

💡Example: “Hey Sophie! Just a quick heads up, your order #25347 is now due Friday. We’re so sorry about the delay, but please do let us know if you need help.”

Email is a great way to notify customers when popular items are back, but pairing it with WhatsApp makes the alert even more timely and engaging.

With Klaviyo, you can automatically trigger a WhatsApp message if a recipient hasn’t engaged with your back-in-stock email after a certain period of time. Use elements like product images, direct links, and quick-reply buttons to make it easy for customers to act fast.

💡Example: “They’re back! 🎉 The organic cotton joggers (size M) you asked about are finally restocked. Grab them before they go!”

Sometimes, a customer just wants a quick answer without digging through your help centre. In your Klaviyo email flows, consider adding a “Need help? Message us on WhatsApp” button. This is perfect for:

• Browse abandonment emails
• Order confirmation emails
• How-to guides or product set-up instructions

This gives customers a low-effort way to reach you and shows you’re available when your customers need support most.

One of the biggest advantages of connecting WhatsApp to Klaviyo is that you don’t have to guess where or how to reach your customers. You can use real behavior to guide your messaging.

Let’s say you’ve got a post-purchase flow set up. A customer places an order, and Klaviyo automatically sends them a shipping confirmation email. That’s standard, but what happens if they don’t open it?

Rather than hoping they check their inbox later, you can build logic into your flow that checks engagement and then sends a follow-up via WhatsApp only if it’s needed.

This kind of flow not only improves visibility for time-sensitive messages (like shipping updates or product issues). It also respects the customer because you’re not bombarding them on every platform at once—and it saves your support team time by proactively answering common questions.

You can apply the same logic across your lifecycle flows:

• Back-in-stock alerts: email first → WhatsApp if the subscriber doesn’t open the email after a certain amount of time
• Abandoned check-out: WhatsApp follow-up with a time-sensitive offer → email with deeper objection handling if they don’t purchase
• Post-purchase education: email first → WhatsApp follow-up with a quick video if there’s no engagement

But it’s important to remember that the most effective flow starts with your customer’s preferred channel. If a customer’s channel affinity leans toward WhatsApp, start there. If they prefer email, that’s the way to go.