Learn how the FMCG industry is using the WhatsApp Business API.
The FMCG online market is expected to double by 2025 from what it was in 2021.
eCommerce FMCG brands are increasing day by day. Customers, too, are more open to purchasing consumable items online than they were before.
However, customers still prefer the traditional way of reading details about the food and beverage products they buy. They want to know what they’re buying. They want to interact with the brand before they make purchases.
And that’s where instant chat and communication platforms such as WhatsApp chatbot come into play.
WhatsApp is one of the most preferred channels of communication that has garnered significant growth. Take a look at this graph:
In this blog, we align WhatsApp use cases specifically for FMCG brands and provide practical strategies and templates that you could use for your FMCG eCommerce store WhatsApp plan.
WhatsApp has the highest open rates among the different communication platforms. Its open rate is 98%. People of all age groups, segments, and socioeconomic statuses use WhatsApp. It is available in more than 100 countries in 53 languages. All these factors contribute to its high open rate.
People have short attention spans. They prefer quick, short messages to find the information they’re looking for or to grasp the message brands send them. On WhatsApp chatbot, you can send quick and instant updates. This boosts the clickthrough rate.
WhatsApp is a two-way conversational channel. In the FMCG industry, customers like to ask questions and reach out to brands in case of queries. For example, to know the shelf life of food items, ingredients, etc. WhatsApp provides the ease of two-way conversations.
Most people use WhatsApp on their mobile phones, which are always on them. With the high open rate of WhatsApp, it’s one of the fastest and the most instant ways to communicate with customers. This ensures customers don’t miss timely alerts.
WhatsApp is a secure communication channel. It provides end-to-end encryption, which means your customers' information remains safe. 75% of customers prefer to work with brands that ensure transparency about their personal data protection.
WhatsApp Business API apps offer features that facilitate a smooth customer experience. For example, you can share real-time updates on purchases, payments, delivery status, etc. Since it’s a two-way channel, customers can respond back with queries, doubts, etc. FMCG brands can benefit from this due to the short shelf life of some products.
FMCG is one of the most vibrant industries — new product launches, seasonal specials based on seasonal ingredients, periodic discounts during festivals, etc. There’s a lot going on. Not just that, but something as simple as the availability of fresh vegetables and fruits can help boost sales for businesses. That is provided brands keep customers posted about these things.
Unless you send promotional messages to your customers, they won’t come to know about it. Moreover, food and beverages are fast-running items and get sold out fast. Hence, it’s important to send your subscribers and loyal customers timely updates.
That’s where WhatsApp broadcast comes in. You can send promotional and marketing messages to inform customers about what’s new in your eCommerce store. Here’s a template you could use:
Hi Max,
We just got a fresh stock of your favorite vegetables and fruits.
Pick them up soon. Stocks running out. Hurry
Shop here: www.shop.com
When customers place orders online, they usually feel anxious and wait for a confirmation of their transaction. Most brands use channels such as email, SMS, WhatsApp chatbot, or all three to send transactional notifications to clients.
Customers may not open emails instantly to read updates from brands. But WhatsApp is a fast and easy way to get quick updates. Customers can quickly get confirmation about their order and know when they can expect the delivery. Here’s a template you could use:
Hi Felix,
This is a confirmation of your order no. xxx for the amount of $47.
Your order will be dispatched soon. You can track your order here: (link)
For any queries please respond to this message.
Food and beverages are essential items. Also, there’s some level of urgency associated with these items. And so, when customers order items from your site, they are eager to receive order alerts about it.
For example, order confirmation, order dispatched, delivery date, etc. One of the best ways to send these transactional alerts to customers is via WhatsApp chatbot.
Since people always have their mobile devices, they can get quick updates and assurance. This helps reduce customer anxiety. This also helps reduce the probability of customers reaching out to you to enquire about their order status.
Use this template to send order status alerts:
Hi Jolly,
This is to confirm we have received your order for 5 packs of fresh tomato juice.
You can track your order number XXXX via this link: (add link)
Food and beverages are perishable items. Customers prefer to know the delivery date before they place the order. Moreover, once ordered, they expect timely shipping updates to be sure that the items would remain fresh by the time they get delivered.
That is why it's important for brands to send shipping alerts as soon as there’s an update. For example, order shipped, tracking number, order picked by shipper, delivery date and time, order out for delivery, etc.
By sending timely shipping alerts, you can reduce cancellations, RTO (Return To Origin), and Non-Delivery Rate (NDR), which tend to be high for FMCG products, considering their short shelf life.
Here’s a template you could use:
Hi (customer name),
Your order no. xxx is shipped and will reach you in 3 to 5 working days.
You can track the shipment here: (link)
For any queries, reply to us here.
Customers are always looking for new food and beverage products to try out. And with so many products introduced in the market, it’s practically difficult for customers to keep track.
And that’s why eCommerce stores use the product recommendation strategy. Recommended products can work particularly well for FMCG products.
For example, when there’s a new product in your inventory, when you have seasonal specials, when there’s a fresh stock of products that your customers might like, etc.
But the trick is to make your product recommendation personalized. 49% of customers purchase products they didn’t intend to buy, following a personalized recommendation by brands.
That’s where data comes in. Collect data about your customer demographics, their likes, the type of products they browse, the amount they spend, etc. Send recommendations based on these insights to personalize them.
Here’s an example of such a customer win back message on WhatsApp:
Hey Julia,
We’re thrilled to share new items we’ve added to our bakery section.
We’ve specially picked out a few that we think you will love. (add product name and image)
Order now: Add link to product
One of the best practices to get to know your customers better is to ask for their feedback. It’s also a way to let your customers know you care and are around to help them.
Besides, it’s an effective way to boost post-sales engagement rates. So, once customers make a purchase, request them to share feedback.
You could ask them to rate their overall purchase experience, the product they bought, or something specific such as how they would rate the product selection, product quality, freshness of food items, etc.
Data collected from the feedback can give you insights into what customers (dis)like on your site and how you could better their experience.
Here’s a template:
Hi Mili,
How likely are you to recommend our blueberry tart to your friends?
Rate: 1 (not at all) 2(maybe) 3 (definitely)
Gathering product reviews can help your FMCG brand in multiple ways. Not only can the reviews help other customers make purchase decisions, but they can also give you insights into what your customers like. These insights can help you make product and inventory decisions.
Collecting product reviews for FMCG brands can also be combined with giveaways, reward points, etc. For example, request a review in return for a discount. That way, you can ensure more purchases from these customers.
Here’s a template:
Hey George,
We’d love to know your thoughts on (product name)
Please spare a few minutes to write a short review, and unlock a discount on your next purchase.
To write review, reply to this message
Say your customer ordered a cheesecake from your online cake shop. They’d expect to know the delivery details — date and exact time, etc. Because edible items are perishable, customers want to ensure they don’t miss the delivery.
If they’re not going to be at home to receive the delivery, they'd make arrangements to change the delivery time, etc.
WhatsApp Business API solutions make delivery notifications super easy and fast. You could send alerts about the delivery time, delivery partner contact number, tracking number, etc. If customers realize they won’t be home at that time, they can quickly respond to your WhatsApp message to change the delivery time. Here’s a template:
Hi Mona,
Your order for 10 chocolate pastries will be delivered today by 4pm.
If you’d like to change the delivery time, please reply to this message within an hour.
Thank you
Many customers prefer the COD mode of payment. But for eCommerce brands, this could turn into an expense.
For example, say a customer isn’t at home during the delivery, or they change their mind and decide they don’t want the order. They can easily choose not to pay or accept the delivery. This can be an added expense for the store. Imagine if hundreds of customers do the same thing; your expenses could go through the roof.
To avoid this, you can encourage customers to prepay online. WhatsApp can help you convert COD to prepaid, so you don’t incur extra expenses. Here’s an example:
Hi Sophia,
Thank you for purchasing the HealthyMe Kiwi Juice.
You can pay for it online and avail a 10% discount.
Pay online now! (link)
Typically, 69% of customers abandon their shopping carts. This number rises during the festive and holiday season because the internet is full of attractive deals. That’s where WhatsApp automated messages come in.
Send messages to remind them of the products they left behind, offer discounts, and drive them to complete the purchase. Learn more about abandoned cart recovery messages on WhatsApp here.
Hi (customer name),
You’ve forgotten something in your shopping cart.
Guess what? The price of the product has dropped. Buy it now before it’s gone forever.
Shop here: (add link)
An effective way to engage customers after they’ve made a purchase on your site is to send them material to read, such as your newsletter.
Your newsletter could include recipes, what’s new in the FMCG market, information about new products, etc. This is one way to enhance customer experience.
WhatsApp Broadcast can also serve as a newsletter. You could set it up as a recurring campaign based on your newsletter frequency.
Hi Misha,
Would you like us to send you exciting updates about what’s new and happening on our website? If yes, sign up to our
WhatsApp newsletter: (add link)
In summary, you could use WhatsApp for your FMCG business in many ways. You could choose any of the strategies we’ve listed. But to set the ball rolling and manage your tasks, you need a smart partner.
That’s where QuickReply.ai comes in. The comprehensive platform has expertise to manage all your WhatsApp strategies for FMCG businesses.
Want to know more? Book a Free Demo!
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Actually, it's much simpler than it seems. Companies may not have the knowledge and insight necessary to create the ideal chatbot for themselves, despite having their own objectives and viewpoints. They can collaborate with other businesses that focus on chatbot creation to avoid this.
7 features of FMCG chatbots that will boost your business:
