WhatsApp Business catalogue lets you list up to 500 products or services directly in your business profile. Customers browse your catalogue without leaving WhatsApp, tap individual items, and message you about them in one step. For small and medium businesses in Africa that sell through WhatsApp, the catalogue eliminates the need to manually share product images and prices in every conversation.
What the WhatsApp Business Catalogue Does
The catalogue is a built-in feature of the WhatsApp Business App and is also available through the WhatsApp Business API. It creates a browsable storefront inside your WhatsApp profile.
When a customer opens a conversation with your business, they can tap the catalogue icon (a small shopping bag) to browse all your products. Each product page shows the name, price, description, and images. From any product page, they can tap "Message" to start a conversation or tap "Add to Cart" to build an order.
The catalogue works in both directions: customers can browse proactively, and you can share individual items or the full catalogue link inside conversations at any time.
Setting Up Your Catalogue: Step by Step
Open the WhatsApp Business App and go to Business Tools, then tap Catalogue.
To add your first product:
Tap the "+" button in the top right corner
Tap "Add New Item"
Add up to 10 images (minimum: 1). Use clean product photography. Square images (1:1 ratio) display best.
Enter the product name (required, maximum 100 characters)
Enter the price (optional but strongly recommended — customers who cannot see prices typically do not enquire)
Write a product description (optional, maximum 1,000 characters — include key features, sizes, colours, and any conditions)
Add a product link if the item exists on your website (optional)
Add a product code for your internal reference (optional)
Tap "Save"
Repeat for each product. You can have up to 500 items across your catalogue.
What to Include in Your Catalogue
Include everything you actively sell. Customers browsing a partial catalogue assume the missing items are unavailable. If you have 50 products but only list 10, you are losing sales.
Include service packages, not just physical products. Service businesses often overlook the catalogue. If you provide consulting, digital marketing, or training services, list each service package as a "product" with a clear description and price. This makes it easy for prospects to understand what you offer without needing a lengthy back-and-forth conversation.
Set prices. Customers who cannot see prices tend not to enquire. The most common reason for not setting prices is that prices vary (custom orders, bulk pricing, etc.). In this case, list a "Starting from" price in the product description. Any specific anchor is better than blank.
Write descriptions for customers, not for yourself. Instead of "Blue cotton fabric, 5 yards" write "Premium blue cotton fabric. 100% cotton, medium weight. Suitable for clothing, curtains, and upholstery. Available in 2-yard, 5-yard, and 10-yard cuts." The second version answers the questions a customer would ask.
Use high-quality images. Blurry phone photos reduce trust. Natural daylight, a clean background (plain white works best), and showing the product from multiple angles make a significant difference. You do not need professional photography equipment; a modern smartphone camera with good light is sufficient.
Sharing Catalogue Items in Conversations
Once your catalogue is set up, you can share items directly in any conversation.
To share the full catalogue: Tap the attachment icon in any conversation, select "Catalogue," and send your catalogue link. Customers receive a preview they can tap to browse all items.
To share a specific item: In any conversation, tap the attachment icon, select "Catalogue," find the item, and tap to share. The customer receives a product card with the image, name, price, and a link to the full product page.
This replaces the common practice of manually sending product images one by one in response to enquiries. With the catalogue, one tap shares the complete product information.
The Catalogue on WhatsApp Business API
On the WhatsApp Business API, the catalogue integrates with your Intelli platform and enables more sophisticated selling flows.
Automated catalogue sharing. When a customer types a keyword like "catalogue", "prices", or "products", Intelli's AI assistant can automatically send the catalogue link without any human involvement.
Integration with order management. Orders placed through WhatsApp (using the "Add to Cart" feature) can be routed to your order management system through Intelli's integrations. This creates a connected flow from WhatsApp browse to confirmed order without manual data entry.
Broadcast campaigns featuring catalogue items. With the API, you can send broadcast messages that include links to specific catalogue items. A new product launch broadcast that goes to your full opted-in customer list, with a direct tap-to-view link for the new item, is a high-conversion campaign format.
For a full picture of what is possible with WhatsApp broadcast campaigns for product-based businesses, see our guide on How to Send WhatsApp Broadcast Messages to 10,000+ Contacts.
WhatsApp Catalogue vs WhatsApp Shops
WhatsApp Shops is a separate feature from the catalogue. A Shop is a more advanced storefront connected to a Facebook Commerce account and supports in-app checkout in markets where WhatsApp Pay is available. The catalogue is the simpler, universally available option that works in all markets including Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria.
For most African businesses, the catalogue is the right starting point. WhatsApp Shops is relevant if and when in-app payment is available in your market.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many products can I have in the WhatsApp Business catalogue? Up to 500 items per catalogue.
Can I organize catalogue items into categories? Yes. You can create collections to group items by type, range, or any category that makes sense for your business. Go to Catalogue, tap "Collections," and create a collection name, then assign items to it.
Can customers buy directly through WhatsApp? Customers can add items to a cart and send the cart to you as a message. This starts a conversation about the order. Actual payment happens through your normal payment process (mobile money, bank transfer, card). In-app payment through WhatsApp Pay is not yet available in most African markets.
Can I link my Shopify or WooCommerce store to my WhatsApp catalogue? Manual syncing is required; there is no automatic sync between most e-commerce platforms and the WhatsApp catalogue. For businesses with large product catalogues that change frequently, managing the catalogue manually is impractical. The WhatsApp Business API with Intelli's e-commerce integrations handles this more efficiently.
Does the catalogue work on WhatsApp Web and desktop? Customers can view catalogues shared in conversations on WhatsApp Web. The catalogue management (adding and editing items) is currently best done through the mobile app.
Intelli's WhatsApp API platform integrates your product catalogue with AI-powered conversations so customers can browse, enquire, and order without your team being online.
