WhatsApp catalogue vs website: the free WhatsApp Business catalogue lets customers browse products inside a chat, which suits small ranges and repeat buyers. A website store adds search visibility, a cart, checkout, stock control and order records. Many sellers start with the catalogue and add a store from Rs 157,500 as orders grow.
Key Takeaways
- The WhatsApp Business catalogue is free and lets you show products with photos and prices inside the app.
- Ordering still happens in chat, which works for small volumes but takes time as orders grow.
- Catalogue items are mostly seen by people already chatting with you, not new customers searching Google.
- A website store adds a cart, checkout, stock tracking, policies and search visibility.
- The two work well together: link the store from WhatsApp and add WhatsApp buttons to the store.
What Does the WhatsApp Business Catalogue Do Well?
The WhatsApp Business app lets you add a catalogue of products or services with photos, prices, descriptions and links. Customers can browse it from your profile or from a chat, and send you an item to ask about it. For many Pakistani sellers of clothes, food, cosmetics and handmade goods, this is a huge step up from sending photos one by one. It is free, works on the phone you already use, and customers do not need to learn anything new. WhatsApp's own help pages explain how to set it up.
Where Does a WhatsApp Catalogue Fall Short?
- Discovery. The catalogue is mostly seen by people already in contact with you; it does not bring new customers from Google.
- Checkout. Customers still confirm size, address and payment in chat, which takes time for every order.
- Stock. There is no automatic stock count across sizes and colours.
- Records. Orders live in chats, which makes tracking, returns and reporting difficult.
- Policies. There is little space for delivery, return and refund policies.
- Dependence. Features are set by WhatsApp and the account is tied to one phone number.
WhatsApp Catalogue vs Website Store at a Glance
| Point | WhatsApp catalogue | Website store |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | One-time build plus yearly running costs |
| Setup | Hours | Weeks |
| New customers from search | Rarely | Yes, with good product pages |
| Ordering | In chat, one by one | Cart and checkout, any time of day |
| Payment | COD or transfer arranged in chat | COD and online payment at checkout |
| Stock and orders | Manual | Tracked automatically |
When Should You Move From a Catalogue to a Store?
| Stay with the catalogue if | Add a store if |
|---|---|
| You have a small range and a handful of orders a day | You spend hours each day confirming orders in chat |
| Most buyers are repeat customers who already have your number | You want new customers from Google or ads |
| Products are custom and need discussion | Products have fixed prices, sizes and stock |
| You have no budget yet | Mistakes in orders or stock are costing you sales |
How Do the Catalogue and Store Work Together?
Moving to a store does not mean leaving WhatsApp. Add a WhatsApp button with a pre-filled message to each product page, so customers who prefer to chat still can. Share product links from the store in WhatsApp chats and status updates. Keep the catalogue for your best sellers, linking each item to its store page. Our guide on WhatsApp se order lene wali website explains a middle step: a catalogue website where every product has a WhatsApp order button.
How Much Time Does Chat Ordering Really Take?
Try a simple test for one week: note how many minutes you spend on each order, from the first message to confirmed delivery details. Multiply by your daily orders. Many sellers find that confirming sizes, prices, addresses and payment in chat takes a large part of the day. A store with checkout handles those details automatically, leaving chat for questions that really need a person.
What Do Customers Prefer?
Customers differ. Some like the personal touch of chatting before they buy, especially for clothes, gifts and custom items. Others, particularly younger buyers and people shopping late at night, prefer to choose, add to cart and check out without waiting for a reply. A store with a visible WhatsApp button serves both groups. Watch where your orders come from for a few months after launch, and put more effort into whichever route your own customers actually use.
What Does an Online Store Cost?
Our online store packages start from Rs 157,500, including cash on delivery, courier options and training. If you are not ready for a full store, a catalogue website with WhatsApp order buttons starts from Rs 40,500. Our guide on starting an online store in Pakistan walks through the setup, and our online store packages page lists what is included.
Frequently Asked Questions
How We Researched This Guide
We compared the WhatsApp Business catalogue and website stores using WhatsApp's official help and Google's ecommerce guidance, without quoting feature limits that change, and added what we see with Pakistani social sellers. Our own prices come from our published packages. Sources checked on 4 November 2026.
Sources
- WhatsApp Help Center: How to create a catalog
- WhatsApp Business: Official site
- Google Search Central: Ecommerce site guidance
- WhatsApp Help Center: How to use click to chat
Disclosure: Kamboh Associates sells the web development services discussed here. Other providers' prices are quoted from their own public pages on the dates shown and may have changed. We correct errors as soon as they are reported. First published ; last reviewed .
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