How to Set Up WhatsApp Business API on Shopify (Step-by-Step)

Shopify tells you when someone buys from your store. WhatsApp delivers that message in a way that actually gets read. The average WhatsApp message has a 98% open rate. Email is around 20%. For order confirmations, shipping updates, and cart recovery, this difference in attention is everything.

This guide walks you through setting up WhatsApp Business API on Shopify from start to finish — verification, connection, templates, and automation.

What You Need Before You Start

Before connecting WhatsApp to Shopify, make sure you have:

• A Shopify store (any plan)
• A Facebook Business Manager account (free to create at business.facebook.com)
• A mobile number that is not registered on any WhatsApp account — personal or Business App
• An email address associated with your business

The number you use for the API cannot be used on WhatsApp simultaneously. If you want to keep your current WhatsApp Business App active, use a different number for the API.

Step 1: Create and Verify Your Facebook Business Manager

Your WhatsApp Business API access runs through Meta's Business Manager. If you do not have one:

1. Go to business.facebook.com and click Create Account
2. Enter your business name, your name, and your business email
3. Follow the verification steps — you will need to add a payment method and verify your business details

Meta requires business verification before you can use the WhatsApp API. This involves submitting your business documents (GST registration, incorporation certificate, or similar). Verification typically takes 1–3 business days.

Step 2: Connect to a WhatsApp API Platform

The WhatsApp API does not have a built-in dashboard. You need a platform to manage conversations, send campaigns, and build automations.

Platforms like Mindlytics provide:

• A guided setup flow that connects your Business Manager to WhatsApp
• A shared team inbox for handling customer conversations
• Shopify integration to trigger automated messages
• A template builder for creating Meta-approved templates

To connect Mindlytics to your Business Manager:

1. Create a Mindlytics account at mindlytics.in
2. In Settings, click WhatsApp API Setup
3. Click Connect to Meta and log in with your Business Manager account
4. Select the phone number you want to use (or add a new one)
5. Follow the prompts to register the number with Meta

Meta will send a verification code to the phone number. Enter it to complete registration.

Step 3: Submit and Get Your Templates Approved

To send messages to customers outside the 24-hour service window, you need Meta-approved templates.

For a Shopify store, the essential templates to create first:

Order Confirmation (Utility)

Hi {{1}}, your order #{{2}} for ₹{{3}} has been confirmed! We'll dispatch it within {{4}} business days. Track your order at: {{5}}

Order Dispatched (Utility)

Hi {{1}}, great news — your order #{{2}} has been dispatched. Carrier: {{3}} | Tracking: {{4}} Estimated delivery: {{5}}.

Abandoned Cart Recovery (Marketing)

Hi {{1}}, you left {{2}} in your cart at {{3}}. Complete your order before it sells out: {{4}}

Submit these in your Mindlytics template manager. Approval takes 24–48 hours.

Step 4: Install the Shopify Integration

Once your templates are approved, connect Shopify to your Mindlytics account:

1. In Mindlytics, go to Integrations and select Shopify
2. Click Connect Store and enter your Shopify store URL
3. Authorise the connection in Shopify
4. Map the events you want to trigger WhatsApp messages

Shopify events you can connect:

• Order created (triggers order confirmation)
• Order fulfilled (triggers dispatch notification)
• Shipment out for delivery (triggers delivery alert)
• Order delivered (triggers delivery confirmation + review request)
• Checkout abandoned (triggers cart recovery — with configurable delay)

Step 5: Set Up Automations

With the integration active, set up your first automations:

Automation 1: Order Confirmation

• Trigger: Order Created in Shopify
• Delay: Immediate
• Template: Order Confirmation
• Variables: Customer first name, order number, order total, dispatch SLA, store URL

Automation 2: Dispatch Notification

• Trigger: Order Fulfilled in Shopify
• Delay: Immediate
• Template: Order Dispatched
• Variables: Customer name, order number, carrier, tracking number, delivery date

Automation 3: Cart Recovery

• Trigger: Checkout Abandoned in Shopify
• Delay: 2 hours after abandonment
• Template: Cart Recovery
• Variables: Customer name, product name, store URL, cart link

Test each automation by placing a test order in Shopify and checking that the correct WhatsApp message fires.

Step 6: Collect Opt-Ins

WhatsApp Business Policy requires opt-in consent before you can message customers via the API. For a Shopify store, the most effective opt-in methods are:

At checkout: Add a checkbox during the checkout process: "Send me order updates on WhatsApp." Pre-tick it if your legal team approves, but ensure customers can uncheck it.

Via a landing page link: Create a dedicated opt-in page and include the link in post-purchase emails.

Via Click-to-WhatsApp ads: Run ads that open a WhatsApp conversation. When a customer messages you first, they are opting in.

Mindlytics handles opt-in tracking automatically. Contacts who have not opted in are excluded from campaign sends.

What This Setup Costs

The WhatsApp Business API itself involves two cost components:

Meta conversation charges: Charged per 24-hour conversation window. Utility conversations (order updates) are cheaper than Marketing conversations (cart recovery, promotions). Rates for India are approximately ₹0.27 per utility conversation and ₹0.82 per marketing conversation.

Platform fee: Most platforms charge a monthly subscription plus a per-message or per-conversation markup. Mindlytics charges a platform subscription with zero markup on Meta's conversation rates — you pay Meta's rate directly.

For a store sending 1,000 order confirmation messages per month, the conversation cost at Meta's utility rate is approximately ₹270. On platforms with a 20% markup, that becomes ₹324. The savings compound as your volume grows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same phone number for WhatsApp API and the WhatsApp Business App?

No. Once a number is registered with the API, it cannot be used on the app simultaneously. Use a separate number.

Do I need a green tick to use the API?

No. The green tick is optional and requires separate verification. You can use the API without it.

How long does the full setup take?

With Business Manager already verified: 1–2 hours. If you need to verify your Business Manager first: 1–4 days for verification, then 1–2 hours for setup.

Can I personalise messages with customer names and order details?

Yes. That is one of the main advantages of the API. Template variables pull in customer name, order number, amount, and any other data field from Shopify.

What happens if a customer replies to an automated message?

Replies go to your team inbox in Mindlytics. You can assign them to agents or create chatbot responses for common replies.

Is the Shopify WhatsApp API integration available on all Shopify plans?

Yes. The Mindlytics Shopify integration works with all Shopify plans including Basic.

Next Step

If your Shopify store is sending more than a few hundred orders per month, setting up WhatsApp automation pays for itself in recovered carts alone. A 5% cart recovery rate on 1,000 abandoned carts at an average order value of ₹1,000 is ₹50,000 in recovered revenue.

Get started with Mindlytics — free plan available, no markup on messaging charges.

Related reads:

• WhatsApp Business API vs WhatsApp Business App: Which Do You Actually Need?
• 30 WhatsApp Template Examples for E-commerce
• How to Get WhatsApp Business API Access