Building and Maintaining a Useful Catalog

Present products or services clearly and keep catalog information aligned with what you can supply.

Part 5 of 10 | WhatsApp Business for Beginners

Learning goals Prepare three complete catalog entries, explain the difference between a cart and a paid order and plan routine catalog updates. Your output is a small catalog draft with accurate scope and availability notes.

Before you begin Allow 90 minutes. Use your own product images or harmless practice photographs. Draft on paper if the account is not ready for public listings. Adding an item can expose it to customers and may trigger review. Do not list another person's product or a restricted activity as a learning experiment.

Start with what a customer needs to compare A catalog entry should make the item understandable without requiring several basic messages. Use a specific name, clear image and description of size, quantity, condition or service scope. Where price is shown, state the unit it covers. A price for one notebook is different from a price for a pack, and a service starting price needs an explanation.

Use photographs that represent the actual product. Show damage or limitations on used goods rather than hiding them with filters. If colour or dimensions are approximate, explain that honestly. A catalog should help customers choose, not create an expectation the delivered item cannot meet. Do not copy photographs simply because they are publicly visible online.

Prepare the fields before adding an item For the fictional shop, a paper entry might read: A5 ruled notebook, one book, 80 pages, D120 example price, collection after stock confirmation. Record an internal item reference such as NOTE A5 if it helps distinguish similar products. The amount is an invented teaching figure, not a verified current Gambian price.

In Business tools or the available Tools area, open Catalog and look for an add-item control. Supply the fields your version offers and review the preview before saving. Image counts, optional fields, collections and editing controls can vary. If a field is unavailable, include essential information clearly in the description instead of guessing a hidden setting.

Check commerce eligibility before publication WhatsApp's policies restrict some goods and activities, and local permission to operate does not automatically make an item eligible on WhatsApp. Read the current Business Messaging Policy and the commerce rules it links before listing a potentially regulated item. This course's stationery examples avoid testing those boundaries and do not constitute approval for any other product.

If an item is rejected or hidden, read the stated reason and available official review options. Correct genuine errors and use the platform's review process when appropriate. Do not rename a prohibited product, hide its real nature or create replacement accounts to evade a restriction. Keep public descriptions and images consistent with what is actually offered.

Understand catalogs carts and order confirmation The official app features page describes catalogs and carts that let customers collect items and send them as a message. A cart message expresses what the customer wants. It does not by itself establish current stock, final delivery charges, payment receipt or your acceptance. Inspect the request and send a clear confirmation of the agreed details.

Do not assume in-app payment or checkout is available for every account or country. This course makes no claim that a particular WhatsApp payment feature works in The Gambia. Use an agreed legitimate payment process, verify money through your own provider records and keep the order stages separate. The next lesson develops that workflow.

Keep the catalog trustworthy over time Review items when stock, price, condition or service availability changes. Decide who is responsible and how quickly corrections must happen. Use hide, remove or another supported control according to what the app offers and what the customer should see. Do not leave a sold unique item looking available while hoping a chat reply will explain it later.

Collections can make related items easier to browse where available. Keep names meaningful, such as Notebooks and Pens, rather than grouping unrelated items together merely to look busy. After an update, inspect the customer view and test a link to the specific entry. A previously shared image or message may still contain old information, so reconfirm the current offer before accepting an order.

Guided exercise 1. Prepare three paper catalog entries with specific names, units, descriptions, authorised images and clearly labelled practice prices or quotation conditions.

2. Check the entries against current policy signposts. Record any uncertain eligibility issue and pause publication until it is resolved.

3. Add approved entries only if authorised to publish, or identify the corresponding controls without saving. Review how the descriptions read on a small phone screen.

4. Simulate a cart request for two items. Write a reply checking availability, the total and collection or delivery before confirming an order.

5. Create a catalog maintenance checklist for a price change, sold-out item and rejected listing. Assign a responsible person and review time.

Knowledge check 1. Why must a price specify its unit?

2. Is a cart message proof of payment?

3. Should a rejected restricted item be disguised and relisted?

Answer guide 1. Customers need to know whether the amount covers one item, a pack or a defined service.

2. No. Treat it as a request and verify agreement and payment separately.

3. No. Follow the policy and official review process rather than evading restrictions.

Completion standard Complete three accurate entries and demonstrate how a cart becomes a checked order request. Answer every question and prepare a maintenance plan. Paper entries qualify when the account or product is not ready for publication; no real order or payment is required.

Sources and verification notes

WhatsApp Business app features. Checked 15 September 2026. Confirms profiles, greetings, away messages, quick replies, labels, catalogs, carts and entry points. New Business Broadcasts are limited to eligible users in selected countries. No availability or price in The Gambia is assumed.

WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy. Checked 15 September 2026. Current policy checked for contact permission, opt-outs, truthful profiles, privacy, restricted activities and commerce requirements. Platform-specific template rules are not presented as universal Business app rules. Check the live policy again before publishing or messaging.