In this guide · 8 sections
Short answer
Use a WhatsApp utility template for each order event, triggered by a Shopify app or a webhook, and keep promotions out of it. For Singapore numbers Meta charges about S$0.021 per utility message as of October 2026. Collect WhatsApp opt-in at checkout and keep Shopify's email notifications on as a fallback.
What Shopify sends by default, and what WhatsApp adds
Shopify's store notifications cover customer emails for orders, shipping and accounts, staff alerts, and SMS order confirmations for customers who give a phone number at checkout, in supported countries. Shopify says its SMS notifications cannot be edited; customising them needs an app.
WhatsApp is not one of the built-in channels. To send order updates there you need the WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API), connected either through a Shopify app from a Meta provider or through your own integration using Shopify webhooks.
| Order event | Suggested WhatsApp message | Template category |
|---|---|---|
| Order placed | Order number, items, total, link to order status | Utility |
| Payment received (PayNow, bank transfer) | Payment confirmed, expected dispatch date | Utility |
| Shipped | Courier, tracking link, delivery window | Utility |
| Out for delivery or ready for pickup | Time window or pickup address and hours | Utility |
| Refund processed | Amount and how long it takes to appear | Utility |
| Review request or discount for next order | Not an order update | Marketing |
Utility vs marketing templates and Singapore costs
Outside a 24-hour window after the customer messages you, WhatsApp only allows pre-approved templates. Meta classifies each template, and the category sets the price. Rates below are Meta's list rates for Singapore numbers from its pricing page, approximate, as of October 2026.
- Order confirmation (utility)Per delivered messageAbout S$0.021
- Shipping update (utility)Per delivered messageAbout S$0.021
- Promotion or review-with-discount (marketing)Per delivered messageAbout S$0.094
- Customer replies to youMeta does not charge for user-to-business messagesFree
Example: 300 orders a month, 2 utility updates eachAbout S$12.60 a month in Meta fees
Provider or app fees are extra. Our WhatsApp Business API cost guide works through other volumes.
Keep utility templates strictly about the order. A "thanks for your order, here's 10% off next time" line can get the template classified as marketing, which costs over four times as much. Our WhatsApp Business API cost guide covers free service replies, volume tiers and other charges.
Opt-in at checkout
Meta's opt-in rules say you must have permission before messaging someone, the request must clearly name your business, and it must comply with local law. Opt-in can be collected on your website.
- Add a WhatsApp checkbox at checkout through your WhatsApp app, worded like "Send my order and delivery updates from [Store name] on WhatsApp".
- Do not reuse Shopify's SMS marketing box. Shopify's "text me with news and offers" consent is for marketing by SMS. It is not consent for WhatsApp order updates, and it should not be used for WhatsApp promotions either.
- Separate marketing consent. If you want to send WhatsApp promotions, ask for that separately. Singapore's PDPA Do Not Call rules also apply to marketing messages to Singapore numbers.
- Record it. Make sure the app stores when and how each customer opted in, and lets them opt out by replying STOP.
Shopify app or direct API?
Shopify app from a WhatsApp provider
Fastest- Installs from the Shopify App Store and reads order events for you
- Ready-made templates and opt-in widgets
- Shared inbox for customer replies
- Monthly plan on top of Meta's message fees
Best for: Most stores up to a few thousand orders a month.
Direct Cloud API with webhooks
Most control- Shopify webhooks send order events to your own endpoint
- Your code calls the WhatsApp Cloud API
- No per-seat app plan; you pay hosting and maintenance
- You handle templates, retries and opt-outs
Best for: Stores with a developer or custom fulfilment logic.
Shopify documents how to create webhooks under Settings, then Notifications, for events such as order creation and fulfilment. Our comparison of WATI, respond.io and Interakt covers three common providers, and our overview of WhatsApp chatbot options explains the Business app vs API choice.
Step by step: set up WhatsApp order notifications
Pick the number
Use a number that will become your store's WhatsApp sender. Ask the provider whether it can keep your existing Business app number working alongside the API.
Verify your business with Meta
Business verification raises Meta's messaging limits and adds trust. Have your ACRA details ready.
Install the app or connect the API
Connect your Shopify store and choose which order events trigger messages.
Write and submit templates
One utility template per event, with placeholders for name, order number and tracking link. No discounts or promotions.
Add opt-in and test
Turn on the checkout opt-in, place test orders, and check messages, links and timing on a real phone.
Keep email on and monitor
Leave Shopify email notifications on. Check delivery rates, template quality and Meta charges after the first month.
If you also want to recover abandoned carts, that is a marketing message with its own rules; see our guide to abandoned cart messages on WhatsApp for Shopify.
Fallbacks and edge cases
- No WhatsApp or no opt-in: the customer still gets Shopify's email confirmation. Do not switch email off.
- Overseas numbers: Meta charges by the recipient's country, so rates differ for Malaysian or Indonesian customers.
- Failed messages: most apps log failures. Check them weekly; a spike usually means a template was paused or a number format is wrong.
- Customer replies: questions like "can I change my address?" arrive in WhatsApp. Decide who answers and in what hours.
- Data: order details now sit with the WhatsApp provider too. Check its data processing terms and mention WhatsApp in your privacy policy.
Do it yourself or get help?
Installing a Shopify WhatsApp app and submitting three templates is manageable for a confident store owner, allowing a few days for Meta's approval.
Before you go live
If you want it done for you, our WhatsApp Notifications package (S$590) sets up the API number through an official provider, submits up to three templates, connects them to your Shopify store and handles opt-in. Message and provider fees are billed to you. For a new store, see Shopify Store (S$1,890).
Frequently asked questions
No. Shopify's built-in notifications are email and SMS. To send WhatsApp order updates you need a Shopify app from a WhatsApp provider, or your own integration that receives Shopify webhooks and calls Meta's WhatsApp Cloud API. Either way you need a WhatsApp Business Platform number and approved templates.
Order and shipping updates are utility messages. As of October 2026, Meta's list rate for Singapore numbers is about S$0.021 per delivered utility message. A store sending two updates for 300 orders a month pays roughly S$12.60 in Meta fees, plus any app or provider plan.
Yes. Meta's policy requires opt-in before a business messages someone on WhatsApp, and the request must name your business. Add a clear WhatsApp checkbox at checkout. Shopify's SMS marketing checkbox is not a substitute, and promotional messages need separate marketing consent.
You can, but Meta may then classify the template as marketing, which costs about S$0.094 per message for Singapore numbers instead of about S$0.021, and needs marketing consent. Keep order confirmations purely transactional and send offers separately to customers who agreed to marketing.