How to Send Shopify Order Notifications to WhatsApp (Staff & Team Alerts)

Your fulfillment team shouldn't have to refresh the Shopify admin every few minutes to check for new orders. When a high-value order comes in at 2 PM and nobody notices until 5 PM, that's three hours of delayed fulfillment—and potentially a frustrated customer.

The solution? Automated WhatsApp notifications that ping your team the moment an order needs attention.

This guide covers everything you need to know about sending Shopify order notifications to WhatsApp, from basic requirements to implementation methods.

Why WhatsApp for Shopify Order Notifications?

Before diving into the how, let's address the why. You have options—email, SMS, Slack—so why WhatsApp?

Instant visibility. WhatsApp messages get read within minutes. Email notifications often sit unread for hours, buried under promotional noise and newsletters.

Universal adoption. With 2 billion+ users worldwide, WhatsApp is the default communication channel for teams globally. Your warehouse staff already have it installed and check it constantly.

Rich formatting. Unlike SMS with its character limits, WhatsApp supports formatted text, links, and structured message templates. An order notification can include the order number, total, shipping address, and a direct link to Shopify admin—all in a clean, scannable format.

No app installation required. Your team doesn't need to download yet another work app. They receive notifications in the same app they use for everything else.

What You Need Before Getting Started

Setting up Shopify to WhatsApp notifications requires a few foundational pieces:

1. An Active Shopify Store

You'll need admin access to your Shopify store to configure webhooks or install apps that handle the notification logic.

2. WhatsApp Business API Access

This is important: you cannot use a personal WhatsApp account for automated business messaging. WhatsApp's policies require using the official WhatsApp Business Platform (API) for all automated notifications.

Options for API access include:

Direct setup through Meta Business Manager
Third-party providers like Twilio, MessageBird, or specialized WhatsApp platforms
All-in-one Shopify apps that handle the API integration for you

3. Verified Message Templates

WhatsApp requires pre-approved message templates for business-initiated messages. You'll need to create and submit templates for approval before sending order notifications.

A typical order notification template might look like:

New Order Alert!

Order #{{order_number}} needs attention.
Total: {{order_total}}
Destination: {{shipping_city}}
Payment: {{payment_method}}

View in Shopify Admin: {{order_url}}

Method 1: No-Code Automation Platforms

For teams without dedicated developers, no-code platforms offer the fastest path to WhatsApp notifications.

Using Zapier or Make.com

These automation platforms connect Shopify to WhatsApp through visual workflows:

Step 1: Create a trigger

In your automation platform, select Shopify as the trigger app. Choose "New Paid Order" as the triggering event—this ensures you're only notifying staff about confirmed sales, not pending or abandoned orders.

Step 2: Connect to WhatsApp

Add a WhatsApp action step. You'll need to connect through a WhatsApp Business API provider (like Twilio or a dedicated WhatsApp platform) since Zapier and Make don't connect directly to personal WhatsApp.

Step 3: Map order data to your message

Configure the message template using data from the Shopify trigger: order number, customer name, total, shipping address, etc.

Pros:

No coding required
Visual workflow builder
Quick to set up (minutes, not hours)

Cons:

Monthly subscription costs
Requires separate WhatsApp API provider
Can become expensive at high order volumes
Limited customization for complex routing rules

Using Dedicated WhatsApp Platforms

Platforms like Zoko, Rasayel, and similar services specialize in WhatsApp business messaging and often have native Shopify integrations:

Connect your Shopify store through OAuth
Configure notification triggers (new order, order paid, order fulfilled)
Select recipients and customize message templates
Activate the workflow

These platforms typically bundle the WhatsApp API access with their service, eliminating the need for separate Twilio or Meta Business Manager setup.

Method 2: Direct Webhook Integration

For more control or to avoid recurring platform fees, you can build a direct integration using Shopify webhooks.

How Webhooks Work

When an order event occurs in Shopify, the platform sends a POST request containing order data to a URL you specify. Your server receives this data and triggers the WhatsApp message.

Step 1: Set up your webhook endpoint

You'll need a server or serverless function to receive the webhook. This could be:

A simple Node.js/Python server on your own hosting
A serverless function (AWS Lambda, Vercel, Cloudflare Workers)
A backend service you already maintain

Step 2: Register the webhook in Shopify

Navigate to Settings → Notifications → Webhooks in your Shopify admin. Add a new webhook for the "Order creation" event (or "Order payment" if you only want paid orders) and point it to your endpoint URL.

Step 3: Process the webhook and send to WhatsApp

Your endpoint receives the order JSON, extracts the relevant data, and calls the WhatsApp Business API to send the notification.

Pros:

Full control over logic and routing
No per-message platform fees (beyond API costs)
Can implement complex conditional rules
One-time setup, no recurring subscriptions

Cons:

Requires development resources
You maintain the infrastructure
Need to handle errors, retries, and monitoring

Routing Notifications to the Right Team Members

Basic notifications send every order to the same recipient. But most teams need smarter routing:

By order value: High-value orders ($500+) might go to a senior manager, while standard orders go to the fulfillment team.

By payment method: COD orders require different handling than prepaid orders—maybe they need immediate verification calls.

By shipping destination: International orders might go to a different fulfillment center or require customs documentation.

By product type: Orders containing specific products might need to go to specialized team members.

This is where dedicated Shopify notification apps become valuable. Instead of building complex routing logic yourself, you configure rules through a visual interface: "If order total > 50000 AND payment method = COD, send to Manager Ahmed. Otherwise, send to Warehouse Team."

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using Personal WhatsApp Numbers

WhatsApp actively monitors for automated messaging from personal accounts. Using scripts or hacks to send from a personal number will likely result in your number being banned. Always use the official Business API.

Sending to Groups Instead of Individuals

While it seems convenient to notify a WhatsApp group, the Business API primarily supports one-to-one messaging. Group messaging is limited and often not available through standard API providers. Plan for individual notifications with proper recipient management.

Not Verifying Recipients

Sending business messages to random phone numbers without consent violates WhatsApp policies. Implement a verification step (like OTP confirmation) before adding team members to your notification list.

Overloading with Notifications

Not every order needs a WhatsApp ping. If your store processes 500 orders daily, your team will start ignoring notifications entirely. Be selective—notify only when human attention is actually required.

What an Effective Order Notification Looks Like

The best notifications are scannable and actionable:

High Value COD Order

Order #4521 from Your Store needs attention.

Total: $485.00
Destination: Brooklyn, NY
Payment: Cash on Delivery
Items: 3

Action required: Verify customer before shipping.

[View Order in Shopify]

Notice what's included:

Clear subject line indicating why this matters (High Value, COD)
Key details at a glance without overwhelming information
Specific action the recipient should take
Direct link to handle the order immediately

Getting Started

If you're running a Shopify store and want WhatsApp alerts for your team without the complexity of setting up webhooks, API access, and message templates yourself, that's exactly what we're building with Staff Ping.

You install the app, add your team members' phone numbers (they verify via OTP), and configure which orders trigger notifications. No WhatsApp Business setup required—we handle the messaging infrastructure.

Currently in early access. Join the waitlist to be notified when we launch.

Key Takeaways

WhatsApp notifications beat email for speed and visibility, especially in markets where WhatsApp dominates
You need WhatsApp Business API access—personal accounts don't work for automated messaging
No-code platforms offer quick setup but come with ongoing costs
Webhook integrations give you control but require development resources
Smart routing (by order value, payment method, etc.) prevents notification fatigue
Always verify recipients and use approved message templates

The goal isn't just to send notifications—it's to get the right information to the right person at the right time so orders get processed faster and customers stay happy.