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D2C brands (India)

Run your D2C brand’s WhatsApp from one inbox, as a team

Connect the WhatsApp number your customers already message by scanning a QR code, let your support and order teams reply from one shared inbox at the same time, and set up keyword auto-replies today. AI replies are coming soon, and you can add the official WhatsApp Business Platform when you need templates.

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In short

Indian direct-to-consumer brands use whatsappx.si to handle “where is my order”, cash-on-delivery confirmations and Instagram enquiries from one shared WhatsApp inbox. Every teammate signs in with their own account, chats are assigned to an owner, keyword auto-replies handle repeat questions, and brands that need Meta-approved templates can also connect a number through the official WhatsApp Business Platform.

Why do D2C brands in India need a shared WhatsApp inbox?

For most Indian D2C brands, WhatsApp is the customer service desk. Shoppers see a reel on Instagram and message the brand: Is this available in size M? Do you deliver to my pin code? Can I pay by UPI instead of cash on delivery? After the order, the same thread carries the dispatch question, the courier complaint and the return request.

When that number sits on one phone, one person answers everything. whatsappx.si connects the number to a shared inbox in the browser. Scan a QR code and whatsappx.si becomes one of the account’s linked devices, the same way WhatsApp Web works (WhatsApp Help Center); recent chat history syncs in. Numbers on Meta’s official WhatsApp Business Platform connect with Embedded Signup inside the app, and both kinds can live in one workspace.

What does a typical day look like?

The scenario below is an illustrative example of how a brand could work, not a description of any real company.

Morning. A Bengaluru skincare brand with three people on support has connected its WhatsApp Business number by QR code. The first teammate signs in and sees the overnight messages in one list: several “order status” questions, two Instagram enquiries about a new serum, and a customer who wants to switch a COD order to prepaid. She assigns the COD change to the colleague who runs the order panel and takes the rest.

Midday. Dispatch is done. The team opens the chats of customers who opted in to WhatsApp updates at checkout and whose COD orders are packed, and confirms each one by hand, five to ten at a time, with a short personal message rather than a blast. A keyword auto-reply answers any message containing “track” with where to find the courier link. For an ingredient question, a teammate searches the knowledge base, finds the right article and replies.

Afternoon. A customer sends a photo of a leaking bottle. The teammate opens the image inline and assigns the chat to the person who handles replacements. A webhook forwards every incoming message to the brand’s order system, so ops sees complaints next to the order.

Evening. The founder, an admin, checks that nothing is unread and every open chat has an owner. The brand’s official Platform number sent its approved shipping-update template to customers who opted in at checkout, and replies landed in the same inbox.

Which whatsappx.si features matter for a D2C brand?

Everything below exists in the product today. Nothing here is a roadmap item.

  • One inbox for support and order teams

    All customer conversations in one list with search, unread counts, images and documents inline, and live updates as messages arrive.

  • Assign every chat to an owner

    Hand a COD confirmation to ops and a product question to support. Agents see only their assigned chats so nobody double-replies.

  • Keyword auto-replies

    Reply automatically when a message contains “track”, “return” or “COD”, switch rules on or off, and see how often each one ran.

  • A knowledge base for your team

    Write articles on sizes, ingredients, shipping and returns. Teammates search them by keyword to find the right answer quickly, so every reply stays consistent.

  • Official API and templates

    Connect a number through Meta’s WhatsApp Business Platform, create templates with a name, category and language, and sync them with Meta for order updates.

  • REST API and webhooks

    Forward incoming messages to your own URLs and send from your own tools with an API key. There is no built-in store or CRM integration; this is how you connect yours.

Illustration of a shared WhatsApp inbox with chat assignment, using sample data.

How do I set up WhatsApp for my D2C brand?

  1. Create a workspace and connect your number

    Sign up with email or Google, create a workspace and scan the QR code with the phone that holds your number. If the number is brand new, use it normally for 15 to 20 days before connecting it.

  2. Invite your support and ops teammates

    Send email invites, make the support lead an admin. Agents see only their assigned chats a strict queue.

  3. Add auto-replies and knowledge base articles

    Create keyword auto-replies for tracking, returns and COD questions, and write knowledge base articles your teammates can search while they reply.

  4. Add an official number when you need templates

    For shipping updates outside the 24-hour window, connect a number through the WhatsApp Business Platform, then create and sync templates with Meta.

  5. Connect your order system

    Point an outbound webhook at your order tool so ops sees incoming messages next to orders. Use an official number for automated order updates, and message only customers who opted in.

QR-linked number or official API: which should a D2C brand use?

QR-linked number or official API: which should a D2C brand use?
FeatureQR-linked numberWhatsApp Business Platform
SetupScan a QR code with the phoneMeta Embedded Signup and phone-number verification
Keeps the number customers already knowYesUsually a separate number in whatsappx.si today
Recent chat history syncs inYesNo
Replying to inbound order and product questionsYesYes
Meta-approved templates for order updatesNoYes
Messages outside the 24-hour windowNot recommendedApproved templates only
Meta per-message feesNoYes, per delivered message; INR billing in India
Phone must be activeOpen WhatsApp on the phone at least every 14 daysNo
Best forSmall teams replying to inbound chatsOrder updates at volume, templates and automation at scale

Meta’s coexistence feature can put a Business app number on the API as well, but whatsappx.si does not support coexistence yet. Facts from the WhatsApp Help Center and Meta for Developers (https://faq.whatsapp.com/378279804439436, https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/embedded-signup/onboarding-business-app-users/, https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/pricing), as of October 2026.

How do COD, UPI and order updates fit in?

whatsappx.si does not confirm orders for you and has no payment feature. It lets your team confirm a cash-on-delivery order by hand, in the customer’s own thread, with the chat assigned to one person and visible to everyone. If a customer prefers UPI, the teammate shares your usual payment instructions in the same conversation and marks the chat as read once the order panel is updated.

For proactive shipping updates at volume, use a number on the official WhatsApp Business Platform. Template messages are the only way to reach a customer outside the 24-hour customer service window (Meta for Developers). Meta charges per delivered message by category and market; eligible Indian accounts can be billed in INR since 1 January 2026 and must move all their WABAs to INR by 31 December 2026 (Meta for Developers).

What about the DPDP Act and customer chats?

Customer chats contain personal data: names, phone numbers, addresses and order details. India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 is coming into force in phases under the DPDP Rules, 2025; the rules on notice, security safeguards, breach intimation and retention are scheduled for May 2027, (Gazette of India, PIB). In January 2026 MeitY asked industry for views on shortening that window, so check the dates again (Storyboard18).

For customer chats, your brand is usually the Data Fiduciary and whatsappx.si a Data Processor engaged under a contract (India Code). whatsappx.si keeps each workspace’s data separate, applies role-based access, encrypts Meta credentials at rest and uses HTTPS everywhere. Publish a plain-language privacy notice, limit what the team stores in chat, and take legal advice; this page is not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

Can multiple people use the same WhatsApp Business number for my brand?
Yes. Connect the number to whatsappx.si by scanning a QR code and every teammate signs in with their own account to the same shared inbox. Chats are assigned to one owner so two people do not answer the same customer, and agents see only their assigned chats. Nobody has to pass the brand phone around the office.
Can I use the WhatsApp Business app and the API on the same number?
Meta’s coexistence feature lets a business keep the WhatsApp Business app while the Cloud API runs on the same number (Meta for Developers). whatsappx.si does not support coexistence yet. Instead, link your Business app number by QR code and connect a separate number through the official platform, and both can sit in one workspace.
How much does the WhatsApp Business API cost in India?
Meta charges per delivered message, with rates that depend on the category (marketing, utility, authentication or service) and the recipient’s market. Eligible Indian accounts are billed in INR since January 2026. Meta may update rates up to quarterly, so check its rate card rather than a fixed number (Meta for Developers). Our own plan pricing is on the India pricing page.
Can my WhatsApp Business account be banned for using third-party tools?
WhatsApp can restrict or ban accounts that break its terms, especially for bulk or automated messaging and unofficial apps (WhatsApp Help Center, unofficial apps). Reduce the risk by messaging only customers who opted in, sending 5 to 10 messages at a time, and using a new number normally for 15 to 20 days before connecting it. Restrictions are between you and Meta; whatsappx.si cannot restore an account.
Do I need customer opt-in before sending WhatsApp messages?
Yes. WhatsApp’s Business Messaging Policy says you may only contact people who gave you their number and opted in, and you must honour opt-outs (WhatsApp Business). Replies to customers who messaged you are fine. For order updates and anything proactive, collect consent at checkout, keep a record of it, and send in small batches. whatsappx.si does not offer bulk broadcasts.
Does the DPDP Act apply to WhatsApp chats my brand stores?
Customer chats contain personal data, so the DPDP Act, 2023 is relevant once its rules apply; most obligations are scheduled for May 2027 under the DPDP Rules, 2025 (PIB). Your brand is usually the Data Fiduciary and whatsappx.si the Processor. Publish a clear notice, limit what the team stores in chat, and take legal advice for your situation.

  • Feature

    Shared inbox

    Answer customer WhatsApp chats as a team: one shared inbox with search, assignment, unread counts and live updates. Connect by QR code or the official API.

  • Feature

    Connect by QR code

    Link the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business number you already use by scanning a QR code, like WhatsApp Web. Recent chats sync and your team replies from one inbox.

  • Feature

    Team collaboration

    Let several people reply from one WhatsApp number at the same time. Assign chats, set owner, admin and agent roles, invite by email and run multiple workspaces.

  • Feature

    Keyword auto-replies

    Keyword auto-replies for WhatsApp: answer common questions instantly on the number you already use, with an on/off switch and a run count for every rule.

  • Feature

    Knowledge base

    Write your policies, prices and how-tos once as articles, then let every teammate find the right answer by keyword search while replying on WhatsApp.

  • Feature

    Official WhatsApp Business Platform

    Connect Meta’s official WhatsApp Business Platform inside whatsappx.si: Embedded Signup, number verification, several numbers and templates synced with Meta.

  • Feature

    API and webhooks

    Send WhatsApp messages, list conversations and contacts, and receive incoming messages by webhook from your shared inbox. Bearer keys, signed webhooks, SSE.

  • Use case

    E-commerce

    Answer order, delivery and product questions on WhatsApp as a team. Shared inbox, chat assignment, keyword auto-replies and webhooks for online stores.

  • Blog

    WhatsApp Business API Pricing in India (October 2026)

    What Meta charges Indian businesses per delivered WhatsApp message, what changed on 1 October 2026, INR billing, what BSPs add and what an inbox costs on top.

  • Blog

    QR Linking vs the Official WhatsApp Business Platform

    Two ways to bring a WhatsApp number into a team inbox: link it by QR code or connect it through Meta’s Cloud API. What each means and how to choose.

Bring your team into one WhatsApp inbox

Create a workspace, connect a number by QR code or the official API, and invite your teammates.

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