White Friday WhatsApp messages for Saudi online stores

When is White Friday 2026 in Saudi Arabia?

In 2026 the last Friday of November is 27 November, the day after US Thanksgiving, and White Friday offers are built around it. Some shops start days earlier and keep going until Cyber Monday on 30 November. Each retailer sets its own dates, so announce only the dates you will honour.

What do Saudi Ministry of Commerce rules require for White Friday discounts?

The Ministry of Commerce publishes rules for sales discounts that cover shops and online stores. They say a business or online retailer must apply for a permit before announcing price reductions, show the discount percentage clearly, tag discounted products with the original and discounted price, communicate return and exchange policies while the discount runs, and not mislead customers or manipulate prices. Breaches can bring fines under the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law.

The Ministry's licence service asks for a list of the discounted products with prices before and after, and for National Day 2025 it took seasonal licence applications online at sales.mc.gov.sa. Fees and conditions change, so read the Ministry's current guidance. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

• State the discount you are actually licensed for and the end date in every announcement.
• Keep the before price real: the Ministry's rules prohibit manipulating prices.
• Link to the product page that shows both prices, and make your return policy easy to find.

• Ministry of Commerce: nine rules for sales discounts
• Ministry of Commerce: discount licence service (Arabic)
• Ministry of Commerce: seasonal discount licences, September 2025

Who can you message about White Friday offers on WhatsApp?

Only customers who agreed to receive offers from you. WhatsApp's Business Messaging Policy lets a business contact people only if they gave you their number and opted in, and it requires you to respect requests to stop. Saudi data protection law also asks for consent and an easy opt-out for direct marketing (see /blog/saudi-pdpl-whatsapp-marketing). A past purchase is not marketing consent.

• Message customers whose Shopify profile shows Accepts WhatsApp marketing. See /blog/whatsapp-marketing-consent-shopify.
• Put your store name in the first line and Reply STOP to opt out in the last.
• Send announcements yourself from the WhatsApp Business app. A broadcast list reaches only contacts who saved your number, up to 256 per list (/blog/whatsapp-broadcast-messages-for-business). WhatsApp Pilot does not send broadcasts or bulk campaigns.

• WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy
• Shopify Help Center: Managing customers (marketing preferences)

What announcement messages should you send before White Friday?

Each announcement carries one offer, one date and one link, and ends with an opt-out line. Replace the words in braces and promise only stock, prices and delivery times that are true.

• Early access: Hi {name}, {store} here. White Friday starts on {date}. As a subscriber you get early access from {time}: up to {discount}% off selected items. {link} Reply STOP to opt out.
• Countdown: {store}: White Friday starts tomorrow at {time}. {discount}% off {collection} while stock lasts. {link} Reply STOP to opt out.
• Launch day: White Friday is live at {store}. {discount}% off until {date and time}. Free shipping over {amount}. {link} Reply STOP to opt out.
• Last chance: Last hours of White Friday at {store}. The offer ends tonight at {time}. {link} Reply STOP to opt out.
• Early-access request: Want the White Friday links first? Reply YES and we will message you when the sale opens. Reply STOP to opt out.

Which automatic WhatsApp messages should be ready before the sale?

These go out from your own number when a customer acts in your store, so they keep working while you answer questions. In WhatsApp Pilot, a Shopify app by E-SAFQA, they are Pro automations: paste each text into the template and keep the double-brace variables, which the app fills in.

Abandoned Cart Recovery sends up to three timed reminders per abandoned checkout, each with no offer, a percentage discount or free shipping, and skips customers without WhatsApp marketing consent, opt-outs and STOP replies. Repeat Purchase sends one personal single-use code after the first order is delivered, and also needs that consent. Order Confirmation, Order Fulfillment and Repeat Purchase can be delayed by 6 hours, 1 day, 2 days or a custom time.

• Order confirmation: Hi {{customer_first_name}}, thank you for your White Friday order from {{store_name}}. Order {{order_name}}, total {{order_total}}. Sale orders are packed in the order received, and we will message you when yours ships.
• Shipping: Hi {{customer_first_name}}, order {{order_name}} has shipped with {{carrier}}. Tracking number: {{tracking_number}}. Track it here: {{tracking_url}}
• Abandoned checkout, first reminder (no offer): Hi {{customer_first_name}}, your White Friday items at {{store_name}} are still waiting. Complete your order here: {{checkout_url}} Reply STOP to opt out.
• Abandoned checkout, last reminder (with offer): Hi {{customer_first_name}}, use code {{discount_code}} for {{discount_value}} off your {{store_name}} order, valid until {{discount_expiry}}: {{checkout_url}} Reply STOP to opt out.
• Back in stock: Good news: {{product_name}} ({{variant_name}}) is back in stock. Order it here: {{product_url}}
• Thank-you with a repeat code: Hi {{customer_first_name}}, thank you for your order from {{store_name}}. Here is a code for your next one: {{discount_code}}, {{discount_value}} off, valid until {{discount_expiry}}. Reply STOP to opt out.

How do you keep up with the extra messages during White Friday?

• Set an away message for the sale days in the WhatsApp Business app: Thanks for your message. White Friday is keeping us busy, so replies can take up to {24 hours}. For order questions, include your order number.
• Save quick replies for the three questions you will get most: delivery time, order status and returns.
• Use labels such as New order and Needs reply so nothing is missed.
• Check Message History in the app before telling a customer nothing arrived: it lists every send, skip and failure with the reason. Delivered and read receipts are not available with a linked device.

• WhatsApp Help Center: How to use away messages
• WhatsApp Help Center: How to use quick replies

What should you do when White Friday ends?

• End your Shopify discount codes on the last day by setting an end date in the discount's Active dates.
• Switch the abandoned-checkout reminders and Repeat Purchase back to no offer, so no message promises a price you no longer honour.
• Ask for feedback a few days after delivery (/blog/customer-feedback-request-messages).
• Open the Abandoned Cart report to see recovered orders and sales, and note what to repeat next year.

• Shopify Help Center: Create a discount code (active dates)