How to sell on WhatsApp in the UAE, and link it to your online store
Use WhatsApp Business to sell in the UAE: catalogues, quick replies, payment links, order updates, and how to connect WhatsApp to your online store.
By the Samay.ae teamUpdated 10 min read
Many UAE shoppers like to ask before they buy. They see a product on Instagram or Google, then send a WhatsApp message about the size, the delivery day or cash on delivery. A quick, friendly answer turns that question into an order.
To sell on WhatsApp in the UAE, set up the free WhatsApp Business app with a full profile, a catalogue and saved replies. Answer each question with a product link. WhatsApp does not take payments for you in the UAE, so send a payment link from your store or payment provider, or offer cash on delivery. Then keep the customer updated in the same chat until the parcel arrives.
WhatsApp works best with an online store behind it. The chat builds trust, and the store keeps prices, stock, payments and orders in one place.
How to set up WhatsApp Business, step by step
The WhatsApp Business app is free and separate from normal WhatsApp. Menus change, so if a step looks different, check the app's business tools.
- Use a separate number. Business and personal chats stay apart, and the number stays with the business if staff change.
- Fill in your business profile. Add your logo, description, category, opening hours, email and your store's web address. Say which emirates you deliver to.
- Build your catalogue. Add each product with a clear photo, the price, a short description and a link to its page on your store. Group products into collections such as "New in" or "Gifts under AED 200".
- Write a greeting message. It goes to people who message you for the first time. For example: "Hi, thank you for messaging [Store name]. See all our products and prices here: [store link]. Tell us what you need and we will help."
- Set an away message. For example: "Thank you for your message. We reply from 10am to 10pm every day. You can order any time on our store: [store link]."
- Save quick replies. These are ready answers you send by typing a shortcut, such as /delivery. Write one for each question you get every day.
- Use labels. Tag chats as New order, Waiting for payment, Paid, Shipped or Follow up.
- Share your short link. A wa.me link opens a chat with you in one tap. Write your number in international format with no plus sign, such as wa.me/971XXXXXXXXX. Put it in your Instagram bio, on your store and in every parcel.
Quick replies worth saving
- /delivery: "We deliver across the UAE. Dubai: [time], AED [amount]. Other emirates: [time], AED [amount]. Free delivery on orders over AED [amount]."
- /pay: "You can pay on our store by card, Apple Pay, Tabby or Tamara, or choose cash on delivery. For chat orders, we send a secure payment link."
- /returns: "You can exchange or return unused items within [number] days. Full policy: [link]."
How to sell on WhatsApp in the UAE, one order at a time
Use the same flow for every order, so nothing gets missed.
- Answer and send the product link. One clear message beats a long chat.
- Confirm the details. Product, size or colour, quantity, full address and a phone number for the courier. Ask for a location pin too, because UAE addresses can be hard for drivers to find.
- Send the total. Product, delivery fee and the amount to pay.
- Take payment. Send a payment link, or confirm cash on delivery.
- Confirm and update. Give an order number and delivery day, then send the tracking link when the parcel leaves.
- Follow up. A few days after delivery, check they are happy and ask for a review.
| Step | Example message |
|---|---|
| Order summary | "Your order: 1 black abaya, length 56, AED 320. Delivery to Al Barsha: AED [amount]. Total: AED [total]. Shall I send the payment link?" |
| Payment link | "Here is your secure payment link: [link]. You can pay by card or Apple Pay." |
| Confirmed | "Thank you, Fatima. Your order number is [number], and it should reach you on [day]." |
| On its way | "Your order has left our store. Track it here: [link]." |
| After delivery | "We hope you love it. A short review helps a small business like ours: [link]." |
Tip: Put every WhatsApp order into your store system, then send the customer a payment link from your store. Your stock, customer list and sales reports then stay correct.
How to get paid for WhatsApp orders in the UAE
WhatsApp does not take payments for you in the UAE, so you collect the money outside the chat.
| Method | How it works | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Payment link from your store | You create the order in your store and send a payment link. The customer pays on your normal checkout. | Needs an online store. The order is recorded for you. |
| Payment link from a provider | Providers such as Mamo, Ziina, Telr and Tap let you create a payment link for an amount. | You record the order and match the payment yourself. |
| Cash on delivery | The courier collects the money at the door. | A refused parcel costs you two trips. Confirm first. |
| Bank transfer | The customer sends money to your account. | Slow to check, easy to mix up, and harder for new customers to trust. |
For card payments you need a payment gateway (the service that takes card payments for you). Compare the options in our guide to payment gateways in the UAE. Never ask customers to type card details into a chat.
Every store we build includes payment links for WhatsApp orders, set up with your payments. See what every store includes.
How to connect WhatsApp to your online store
Once you have a store, WhatsApp becomes your help desk and your update channel.
- A chat button on every page. Your store can have a WhatsApp chat button, so shoppers can ask before they buy.
- Order and delivery updates. Once connected to WhatsApp, your store can send the order confirmation and tracking link by WhatsApp to customers who agreed at checkout.
- Reminders for unfinished orders. A connected store can also send a WhatsApp reminder when someone leaves at checkout. Send these only to people who agreed. Reminder emails do the same job by email.
WhatsApp Business app or the Business Platform (API)?
Automated messages from your store usually run on the WhatsApp Business Platform, often called the WhatsApp Business API (an API is a link that lets two systems pass information to each other). You reach it through an app or partner, or your developer connects it to your store. It charges per message for some types of message. Check current prices with your provider.
| Feature | WhatsApp Business app | WhatsApp Business Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Charges for some messages, plus any partner fees |
| Best for | Small teams answering by hand | Busy stores with several staff |
| Automation | Greeting, away messages and quick replies | Order updates and reminders sent by your store |
| Setup | Minutes, on your phone | Through an app, a partner or your developer |
We usually advise starting with the free app. Move to the Platform when one phone can no longer keep up.
Use WhatsApp to cut cash on delivery failures
Cash on delivery has fallen sharply but is still widely offered. Checkout.com's 2024 MENA report found the share of shoppers in the region who prefer it halved, from 41% to 20%, over four years. Every refused parcel still costs you a trip there and back. WhatsApp is a cheap way to prevent that:
- Confirm every cash order before dispatch. For example: "Hi Ahmed, this is [Store name]. You ordered [product] for AED 180, cash on delivery, to [area]. Please reply YES to confirm." Call if there is no reply within a day.
- Remind them the day before delivery, with the amount to pay.
- Give a reason to prepay, such as free delivery when they pay by link.
- Mention card on delivery. Emirates Post (EMX), Quiqup and Shipa say they accept cash or card on delivery. Check with your courier.
- Label people who refused before, and ask them to pay upfront next time.
More fixes are in our guide to cash on delivery in the UAE. For courier options, see delivery for UAE online stores.
WhatsApp marketing: broadcasts, Status and permission
WhatsApp feels personal, so unwanted offers annoy people fast.
- Ask first. Get clear permission before any marketing message. At checkout or in the chat, ask: "Would you like new arrivals and offers on WhatsApp? Reply YES to join." Label everyone who says yes.
- Make leaving easy. End each offer with "Reply STOP to stop these messages", and respect it at once.
- Send less, and make it useful. We usually advise no more than one offer a week. Restocks, new collections, Eid delivery cut-offs and early access to sales all work well.
- Never add people to groups without asking.
- Use your Status. Status updates (photos and short videos that disappear after a day) are free space for new arrivals. Only people who choose to look see them.
- Know the broadcast limits. A broadcast list sends one message to many contacts, each as a private chat. Rules on who receives broadcasts change, so check what your app allows.
A good offer looks like this: "Hi [name], our Eid collection is live. As a past customer, you can shop it a day before everyone else: [link]. Order by [date] for delivery before Eid. Reply STOP to stop offers."
This is general information, not legal advice. Before you send marketing messages, check the current rules, including the UAE's personal data law, Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021.
Mistakes to avoid, and when WhatsApp alone is not enough
- Hiding prices. "Price in DM" slows every sale. Send links that show the price.
- Orders in voice notes. Voice notes are fine for chatting, but confirm sizes, addresses and totals in writing.
- Selling without a license. You generally need a license that covers selling online, whichever app you use. See which e-commerce license fits you.
WhatsApp alone breaks at some point. You spend hours answering the same questions, orders get mixed up, and shoppers ask to pay by card or Tabby. That is the time to add an online store, and let WhatsApp do what it does best: talk to people.
Our guide on how to start an online store in the UAE covers every step. If you also sell on Instagram, see why Instagram sellers need their own store. Once the store is live, use WhatsApp to win your first customers.
Frequently asked questions
Is WhatsApp Business free in the UAE?
Yes. The WhatsApp Business app is free to download and use. The WhatsApp Business Platform, used through apps and partners for automated messages, charges per message for some types of message.
Can customers pay through WhatsApp in the UAE?
WhatsApp does not take payments for you in the UAE. Send a secure payment link from your store or payment provider instead, or offer cash on delivery. Many stores can create payment links, and so can providers such as Mamo, Ziina, Telr and Tap.
How do I add a catalogue to WhatsApp Business?
Open the business tools in the WhatsApp Business app and find the catalogue. Add each product with a photo, name, price, short description and a link to its page on your store. Keep prices the same as your store, and remove items when they sell out.
Can I connect WhatsApp to my online store?
Yes. Your store can have a WhatsApp chat button, and once it is connected to the WhatsApp Business Platform it can send order and delivery updates to customers who agreed. For orders that start in a chat, put the order into your store and send the customer a payment link from it.