Ask any shop owner in Lebanon where their orders come from and the answer is usually the same: WhatsApp. Customers see a post on Instagram, then they message to ask the price, the size, the delivery fee. The shops that sell more are not always the ones with the best products — they are the ones that answer quickly and clearly. WhatsApp Business, the free app from WhatsApp, is built for exactly that.
1. Use the WhatsApp Business app, not your personal WhatsApp
Install WhatsApp Business on a number dedicated to the shop. It is free and gives you the tools below. Your customers see a business name and a verified-looking profile instead of a personal account.
2. Fill in the business profile
- Business name and category, exactly as on your shop sign.
- Address with a Google Maps pin, and opening hours.
- A short description: what you sell, the areas you deliver to, how people can pay (cash on delivery, Whish, card).
- Links to your Instagram and website.
3. Build a catalogue
The catalogue lets customers browse products and prices inside WhatsApp. Add your best sellers first with a clear photo, the price in dollars and one line of description. Phone photos are often 5 MB or more; shrink them first with our free image compressor so the catalogue loads quickly on mobile data.
4. Set up quick replies, greetings and labels
- Greeting message for the first contact: “Hi! Thanks for messaging [shop]. What are you looking for today?”
- Away message outside working hours, so nobody feels ignored.
- Quick replies for the questions you answer twenty times a day — delivery fees by area (type “/delivery”), payment methods (“/pay”), opening hours (“/hours”).
- Labels to track each chat: New order, Paid, Out for delivery, Done.
5. Make it one tap to reach you
A wa.me link opens a chat with your shop without the customer saving your number. Put it in your Instagram bio, on Google Maps, in ads and on your website. Make one with a ready message (for example “Hi, I saw your post about…”) using our free WhatsApp link generator, and print its QR code on bags, receipts and the shop window.
6. Close the sale clearly
Most lost orders are lost at the end. When a customer is ready, send one clear message with everything: the items and prices, the delivery fee for their area, the total, how to pay and when it will arrive. Ask them to confirm with a simple “OK”.
Broadcast lists only reach people who saved your number — and messaging people who did not ask can get your account blocked. Grow the list by asking customers after a purchase, not by importing contacts.
When to move to an online store
WhatsApp works well up to a point. When you are answering the same questions all day, losing track of orders, or want customers to buy at night without waiting for a reply, it is time for an online store with delivery zones and payments — that still sends every order to your WhatsApp. Read how that works in our guide to online stores in Lebanon.