Shopify and WhatsApp: How to Grow Your Subscriber List and Send Campaigns Directly from Your Store

WhatsApp has long outgrown its role as a personal messaging app. Email open rates hover around 20%, while WhatsApp messages are opened over 90% of the time. Businesses know this - and Shopify has finally provided the tools to make WhatsApp a fully integrated marketing channel, right from the store admin.

Across three updates - from June through August - Shopify built a complete WhatsApp marketing system. Here's how it works and what to do right now.

Three Updates That Form One System

Step 1: Consent management in admin (June)

The first step was laying the foundation. Shopify admin now lets you view and update customers' WhatsApp marketing preferences - alongside email and SMS consents. All channels are managed in one place, not across separate systems.

Step 2: Campaign creation and sending (July)

In late July, Shopify added campaign functionality: you can now create and send WhatsApp campaigns alongside email and SMS sends. The same editor, the same audience segmentation, the same results tracking - just an additional channel.

Step 3: Subscriber capture via Forms (August)

The latest update completes the system. Shopify Forms now lets you collect WhatsApp marketing consent directly from your store - during checkout, on a standalone form, or on any page. Consent is captured automatically and in a GDPR-compliant way.

Why This Matters

WhatsApp usage is growing steadily across Europe - especially in the 25-45 age group, which makes up the largest share of online shoppers. Many businesses already use WhatsApp for customer support, but not yet for marketing. This integration means no additional tools or separate subscription plans are needed: everything runs through Shopify.

Compare it with email: when you launch a new WhatsApp campaign your audience will likely be smaller, but response rates are incomparably higher. That means even a modest WhatsApp list can deliver real, measurable results.

How to Get Started

• Check that you have a WhatsApp Business account - without it, the integration won't work. It's free to create.
• Enable consent capture in Forms - go to Shopify Forms settings and add a WhatsApp opt-in field.
• Send your first campaign - start simple: your existing customer base who have previously purchased, and a straightforward message about a new collection or offer.
• Track results - Shopify analytics shows WhatsApp campaign response rates in the same place as email and SMS stats.

Not Everyone Is Using This Yet - That's an Advantage

WhatsApp as a marketing channel is still forming in most markets. That means shoppers are receiving fewer messages from merchants, and each message stands out more. Waiting until the channel fills up means losing that advantage.

If you need help setting up Shopify marketing channels or building your first WhatsApp campaigns, get in touch: BBOLD contacts.