For years, small businesses were told the only way to sell online was to build a proper web shop with Shopify or WooCommerce.
For a local florist, bakery or deli, that's often more than you need, and it can cost you orders.
The trouble with online checkouts
Most online baskets never get paid for. The Baymard Institute, which tracks dozens of studies on this, puts the average at around 7 in 10 baskets abandoned (Baymard Institute, cart abandonment rate). Being made to create an account and a checkout that feels too long are two of the most common reasons shoppers give.
On a phone it's even harder. Make up a password, confirm your email, fill in a billing form, wait for a security code from your bank. By then, the urge to order a cake for Saturday has gone.
The other option is a delivery app like Deliveroo, Just Eat or Uber Eats. They're easy for the customer, but you pay commission on every order, you usually don't get the customer's details, and your menu sits right next to the big chains.
How a WhatsApp store works
People don't want to fill in long forms. But they're on WhatsApp all day. It's how they already message friends and book things.
A Crocadilo WhatsApp store gives your customers a simple catalogue with photos, then sends the finished order to your WhatsApp:
- They tap your link. It might be in your Instagram bio, on your Google listing or on a QR code by the till. It opens straight away in their phone's browser. No app, no account.
- They pick what they want. They look through your photos, choose options such as size or collection time, and add things to their bag.
- They send it on WhatsApp. At checkout, the order is written out as a tidy WhatsApp message to you, ready to send.
- You confirm and get paid. You see the items, address and notes in your chat. You confirm, send a payment link (Monzo, Revolut or Stripe) or your bank details or take payment on collection, and keep the whole amount.
What each option costs you
Here's a rough comparison. Check the current prices and your own contract, because fees change and vary by business.
| Option | What you pay | Who has the customer's details? |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery apps | A commission on every order, plus any extra fees in your contract | Mostly the app |
| Your own online shop | A monthly fee, card processing fees, and the orders lost at a long checkout | You, if they get to the end |
| Crocadilo WhatsApp store | £10 a month on the Basic plan, 0% commission | You. Every order comes from their own WhatsApp number |
A quick way to see the difference: take what you sold through a delivery app last month and multiply it by your commission rate. If you sold £6,000 at 20%, that's £1,200 in a single month. Even if only some of those customers start ordering direct, the saving adds up fast.
5 steps to start taking WhatsApp orders this week
- Start with your top 20 items. Keep it short. Put your best sellers, daily specials and bundles at the top so nobody has to scroll for ages.
- Say how people get their order. List your collection times and how far you deliver, so customers know what to expect.
- Have a payment link ready. Save a Monzo, Revolut or Stripe payment link somewhere handy so you can reply to orders in seconds.
- Put QR codes where people will see them. On takeaway bags, the counter and the shop window, with a plain message like "Order direct on WhatsApp and skip the queue."
- Turn one-off customers into regulars. If you use WhatsApp Business, add labels like "Friday regulars" so you can message the right people when you have specials on, as long as they're happy to hear from you.
The WhatsApp store setup guide walks you through every screen, or read more about the WhatsApp store.