Summary in 3 points:
- Connecting your Salla, Zid, Shopify or WooCommerce store to official WhatsApp sends order confirmations, cash-on-delivery confirmations and shipping updates automatically, and a utility message costs about SAR 0.04, approximately, under Meta’s current tariff.
- An abandoned cart reminder is a marketing message that costs about SAR 0.22, approximately, so send it only to people who agreed to receive your messages, with two reminders at most: after one hour, then after 24 hours.
- Salla, Zid, Shopify and WooCommerce integrations are available from the Starter plan at SAR 199 per month before VAT, and we help you set them up over WhatsApp.
“Customers order, then call to ask where their order is, and half the carts get abandoned and we have no way to win them back.” This is one of the most common complaints we hear from online store owners in Saudi Arabia. Customers read WhatsApp faster than email and SMS, but sending manually from a phone can’t keep up with the number of orders, and it puts your number at risk of a ban.
The solution is to have your store talk directly to Meta’s official WhatsApp: every new order or status change becomes an automatic message, and every abandoned cart gets a well-timed reminder. In this guide we explain the messages you need, when to send them, and what they really cost, with a worked example.
Which messages does your store send automatically on WhatsApp?
The customer journey after purchase has several stops, and each stop has a message with a Meta category that determines its cost. The table below sums up the key messages:
| Message | When is it sent? | Meta category | Approx. cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order confirmation | As soon as the order is created in the store | Utility | SAR 0.04 |
| Cash-on-delivery confirmation | Right after the order, with “Confirm” and “Cancel” buttons | Utility | SAR 0.04 |
| Shipping update | When the status changes to “Shipped”, with the tracking link if available | Utility | SAR 0.04 |
| Abandoned cart reminder | After one hour, then after 24 hours | Marketing | SAR 0.22 |
| Review request | A few days after delivery | Set by Meta when it reviews the template | SAR 0.04 or 0.22 |
| Repurchase reminder | Based on the product’s usage cycle | Marketing | SAR 0.22 |
Prices are approximate under Meta’s current tariff in Saudi Arabia and change roughly every quarter. Meta usually classifies any template that contains an offer or a discount as marketing, so keep order and shipping messages purely informational. For details, see our guide to WhatsApp API pricing in Saudi Arabia.
How does cash-on-delivery confirmation reduce canceled orders?
Cash-on-delivery orders carry a well-known risk: the order ships, then the customer refuses it at the door, and you pay for shipping twice. The confirmation message arrives right after the order, with a summary of the items, the amount and two clear buttons.
If the customer taps “Confirm”, the order is updated and prepared for shipping. If they tap “Cancel”, you save the shipment from the start. Orders whose customers didn’t reply show up for your team in the inbox so they can follow up before shipping.
WhatsApp abandoned cart: when to send the reminder and how often?
The abandoned cart reminder is one of a store’s most powerful messages, but also the most sensitive. It’s a marketing message, so it’s only sent to a customer who agreed to receive your messages, for example through a clear consent checkbox on the checkout page. This is a WhatsApp policy requirement, and it’s in line with the Personal Data Protection Law for WhatsApp marketing.
The plan we recommend is simple:
- Check consent: only customers who agreed to store messages enter the flow, and everyone else is excluded automatically.
- First reminder after one hour: a friendly message with the product name, its image and a link that takes the customer straight back to their cart.
- Second reminder after 24 hours: it can include an optional discount coupon with a short expiry, or an answer to a common question such as delivery time.
- Stop after that: two reminders at most. The flow stops immediately if the customer completes the purchase or asks to stop messages.
Too many reminders push customers to block and report you, which lowers your number’s quality with Meta. Read more in How to send bulk messages without risking a ban.
Can the AI assistant answer “Where’s my order?”
Yes. Once your store is connected, the AI assistant reads the order status from your store data and replies to the customer in Saudi dialect: whether the order is being prepared or has shipped, and with which tracking link. The assistant also understands voice notes, so the customer doesn’t have to type.
When the request is a complaint, a return or a case that needs a decision, the assistant hands the chat over to a member of your team with the full context. Learn more about AI auto-reply on WhatsApp.
Can the customer pay inside the chat?
Yes, through integrations with the Tap, PayTabs and Paymob payment gateways. Your team or the assistant sends a payment link in the chat, and the customer pays with mada, Apple Pay or STC Pay without leaving WhatsApp.
This is useful for orders that are handled entirely in the chat, or when payment fails on the store page and the customer needs a quick second try.
How much do store messages cost per month? A worked example
Let’s take a store that sends 1,500 order notifications a month (confirmation, cash on delivery and shipping), and has 300 abandoned carts from customers who opted in, each getting two reminders at most, so 600 reminders:
| Item | Quantity | Approx. unit price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order and shipping notifications (utility) | 1,500 | SAR 0.04 | SAR 60 |
| Abandoned cart reminders (marketing) | 600 | SAR 0.22 | SAR 132 |
| Messages customers send you | Any number | No fee | SAR 0 |
| Watsio Starter subscription | One month | SAR 199 before VAT | SAR 199 |
| Approximate total | SAR 391 |
Of this, about SAR 192 is Meta fees that you pay to Meta directly, and we add no margin on top (not a single halala goes to us). The real figure is usually lower, because a customer who buys after the first reminder doesn’t get the second one. Your team’s replies within the 24-hour window: the first 1,000 replies per month per number carry no Meta fee, and after that they’re paid. Calculate your own case precisely with the WhatsApp message cost calculator.
Connecting Salla to WhatsApp: where do I start?
Salla, Zid, Shopify and WooCommerce integrations are available from the Starter plan, and we help you set them up over WhatsApp. The steps in short:
- Sign up for Watsio and start the 14-day trial with all features and no card.
- Connect your official WhatsApp number, along with verifying your business with Meta. Note that the number moves from the WhatsApp app to the platform.
- Connect your store from the integrations page.
- Prepare your order, shipping and cart templates. They go through Meta review and we help you write them. See our WhatsApp message templates guide.
- Turn on automation, then place a test order to make sure every message arrives on time.
How does Watsio help?
Watsio is a platform for Meta’s official WhatsApp, designed for Saudi stores. From the Starter plan at SAR 199 per month before VAT, you get Salla, Zid, Shopify and WooCommerce integrations, order and cash-on-delivery confirmations, shipping updates, abandoned cart recovery, an AI assistant that answers order questions, and a shared inbox for your team in the Watsio web dashboard. The plan includes 10,000 contacts, 6 team members and 3,000 AI messages per month. See the details on the Watsio for stores page, or try our assistant “Fahd” on WhatsApp: +966594005858.
Related articles: Bulk sending without risking a ban and WhatsApp API pricing in Saudi Arabia. You can also check Watsio plan prices and try it free for 14 days, no card needed.
Frequently asked questions
Are order confirmation and shipping messages considered marketing?
No. If they only contain information about the order, they are usually utility messages costing about SAR 0.04, approximately, under Meta’s current tariff. If you add an offer or a discount, Meta may classify them as marketing.
How many abandoned cart reminders should I send?
Two at most: the first after one hour and the second after 24 hours with an optional coupon, and only to customers who agreed to receive your messages.
Can I use the same store number I have on the WhatsApp app?
Yes, but the number moves from the app to the platform, and your old chats stay on the phone. If you want to keep the app on your current number, use a second number for the store.
Which plan includes store integration and cart recovery?
The Starter plan at SAR 199 per month before VAT, and you can try all features free for 14 days with no card.
Read next
- WhatsApp Order Confirmation and Shipping Updates: Costs
- Ramadan 2027 WhatsApp Campaigns: A Plan from Now to Eid
- WhatsApp Link and QR Code for Your Business: wa.me Guide
Sources
Last updated: November 2026 · Watsio team.
