WhatsApp has been adding a ton of new features to its platform lately. We recently saw the company roll out a new payment shortcut and announce encrypted backups to enhance privacy. Now, the Facebook-owned messaging giant has started testing a new feature that lets users search for businesses and shops within WhatsApp. It is to boost the platform’s e-commerce capabilities.
“There’s definitely a route on ads, which is Facebook’s core business model, that over the long term I think in some form or another will be part of the business model for WhatsApp,” Idema further added.
Now, WhatsApp says that the new test feature will include thousands of businesses in various categories such as food, retail, and local services. So, users will be able to use the platform’s search functionality to easily find relevant products and services and interact with businesses via the messaging app. Moreover, as Cathcart mentioned in one of his tweets, the feature has been designed to be private for users (but will need you to accept its controversial privacy policy if you want to use it). WhatsApp says it will not collect data relating to your location or with which businesses you interact on the platform.
