How to send WhatsApp order confirmations from Shopify
To send WhatsApp order confirmations from Shopify you need an app that listens for new orders and a connected WhatsApp number. With WhatsApp Pilot the setup is four steps: install, scan a QR code, edit the template, activate. The first confirmation goes out with your next order.
By Mousa Alhelo, founder, E-SAFQA · Updated · 5 min read · How we write and test these guides
What you need before you start
- A Shopify store with the Online Store channel.
- A WhatsApp number on a phone you control. It can be WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business.
- The WhatsApp Pilot Pro plan, which unlocks connected automations.
- Customers who enter a phone number at checkout. Make the phone field required if most orders arrive without one.
Setup
- Install WhatsApp Pilot from the Shopify App Store and upgrade to Pro from the Plan page.
- Open the WhatsApp page and scan the QR code from WhatsApp → Linked devices on your phone. The page shows your number, masked, once connected.
- Open Automations → Order Confirmation. Pick the message language, edit the text, and check the preview rendered with a sample order.
- Switch on order messages for your connected number and activate the automation.
- Place a test order with your own phone number. The message should arrive within seconds, with a short link to the order status page.
What the customer receives
A single message from your own number with the customer's first name, the order name, the total in your store's currency and one branded short link that opens the Shopify order status page. Replies land in your WhatsApp like any other chat.
If a confirmation does not arrive
| Reason shown in Message History | What to do |
|---|---|
| No phone number on the order | Make the phone field required at checkout |
| WhatsApp not connected | Open the WhatsApp page and scan the QR code again |
| Automation is a draft | Activate it on the Order Confirmation page |
| Order messages switched off | Turn on order messages for your number |
| Number is not on WhatsApp | Nothing to send: the customer has no WhatsApp account on that number |
Frequently asked questions
Does this replace Shopify's email confirmation?
No. Shopify still sends its email. The WhatsApp message is an additional confirmation on the channel your customer checks first.
Are there per-message fees?
Not from WhatsApp Pilot. The Pro plan is a flat price and the message is sent from your own number.
Ready to put WhatsApp to work on your store?
Start with the free widget. Upgrade to Pro for order messages, cart recovery, the smart product button, back-in-stock alerts and Product Demand.