WhatsApp’s head of service, Will Cathcart, stated that the company is testing a new business directory in So Paulo, Brazil, that will allow users to find local stores and services that have a presence on the app. Furthermore, WhatsApp would display businesses organized by categories such as “grocery store” and “restaurant” before allowing users to communicate directly with them, making it more convenient for them, as shown in screenshots.
Although the Facebook-owned messaging service is most known for its person-to-person conversation, eCommerce has become a more prominent component of its offering in recent years also because of the growth in e-commerce over time. According to WhatsApp, more than 135 million users utilized the service every day to contact a WhatsApp business account as of late October.
According to Cathcart, WhatsApp does not track users’ location or which companies they search when they use the new directory feature. In addition, WhatsApp offers a WhatsApp Business API to connect larger enterprises with clients and its app for small businesses.
