How to implement the integration of an online store with whatsapp?

Question

whatsapp

The task is this: after placing an order in IM, a certain message should be sent to the client in whatsapp. The initiator of the message must be IM. I re-read a lot of things, but in the end it's a mess in my head, please help me figure it out to the end. I read about the wathsapp business api, it seems like what you need, but I don’t understand how to implement it completely. Let's say I registered in waba through some wa-provider, what's next? should this provider provide me with some kind of api to work with IM? and some kind of application to communicate with customers (I can’t use the usual whatsapp application)?

Answer 1

Yes, the vendor will provide their own API that can be used. You can also use ready-made integrations of various solutions (CRM, chatbots, etc.) with this provider. Now WABA API providers are all interested in connecting through them, so they usually readily answer questions: what, how, how much it costs, with whom there are ready-made integrations, and so on.
To send messages not in response to a user's message, you must first register templates (they have such a fight against spam). If the user writes first, then a 24-hour window opens when any messages can be sent.
The alternative is illegal APIs based on WhatsApp Web imitation. It's much cheaper. But you need to understand that this is the risk of a ban. If you just reply to incoming messages, and the store is small, then the risk of a ban is small, but if you send messages on your own initiative, then it increases significantly.