WhatsApp's new Flows feature lets you shop, book appointments and more from a chat with a business

Continuing its expansions in to shopping and eCommerce, Meta has announced WhatsApp Flows. The new feature allows businesses to give customers the chance to do things like book tickets and order items from within a chat.

Flows can be customized by merchants to meet the specific needs of a business, creating workflow-like purchasing experiences for customers. Launching globally over the coming weeks, WhatsApp has been testing Flows with partners in Brazil and India.

See also:

• Microsoft releases Windows Subsystem for Linux 2.0.0 with fixes and experimental new features
• Leaked: Microsoft's upcoming Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Surface Laptop Go 3 specs and images
• Microsoft updates Paint in Windows 11 with support for layers and transparency, and is working on generative AI

Meta says of the Flows: "We're launching Flows so businesses can offer more experiences like quickly choosing your train seat, ordering a meal or booking an appointment -- all without leaving your chat. With Flows, businesses will be able to provide rich menus and customizable forms that support different needs. We'll make Flows available to businesses around the world using the WhatsApp Business Platform in the coming weeks".

A support article about Flows describes the feature:

WhatsApp Flows is a feature that allows businesses to provide services seamlessly while interacting with their customers. This means that customers using these services can perform several actions without having to leave WhatsApp.

Going on to list some examples of what customers can achieve through Flows, WhatsApp reveals some of its potential:

• Book appointments
• Log in to their accounts
• Customize a product that they're interested in
• Fill out and submit forms
• Sign up for events and promotions

Meta's aim with WhatsApp Flows is to create rich shopping experiences for users that allow purchases to be completed and orders to be placed from within a chat, helping to increase value in the platform.