Let’s be honest, retailers are drowning in channels. Email is cluttered, paid social is a money pit, and SMS feels cold. So when you find a tool that feels both personal and high-performing, it stands out.
That’s exactly what happened when I had a call with Abhishek, the CRO of GoKwik. His WhatsApp commerce pitch didn’t just sound good, it’s already working for thousands of brands, driving billions in conversations and real revenue. Most UK brands still haven’t caught on.
Here’s why WhatsApp might be retail’s most exciting and underused growth channel right now.
1. Conversion first conversations
WhatsApp lets brands have high-intent, real-time chats with their customers. One GoKwik partner, Explosive Wave, is seeing 20 to 25x ROI on WhatsApp campaigns for abandoned carts, back-in-stock nudges, and product drops.
Abhishek explained it simply.
If a brand does 100 orders a day, they likely have 250 to 300 abandoned carts. With WhatsApp recovery flows, 20 to 30 percent of those are converting. Same traffic, same spend, 25 percent more revenue. Just by starting the right conversation.
2. Visual, interactive and fast
WhatsApp lets you send product carousels, videos, shoppable images, CTA buttons like “Shop Now” or “See More”, and auto-fetched content from Shopify. It’s a full experience inside the message thread. Customers can browse and buy without ever leaving the conversation.
3. Massive engagement, no friction
WhatsApp has over 90 percent open rates, usually within five minutes. That’s not just volume, it’s intent. When someone sees a message here, they’re ready to act. Compare that to email at 10 to 12 percent or SMS at 30 to 40 percent, and neither offer the same interactivity or timing.
4. Strong post-purchase impact
Order confirmations through WhatsApp give customers immediate reassurance. “Thanks for your purchase, here’s your tracking link” builds trust on day one. It also gives brands the chance to follow up with review requests or re-engagement offers. If someone leaves a poor review, you can open a dialogue before anything goes public.
5. Simple setup, high performance
Brands don’t need a tech team to get started. It’s a Shopify app, paired with a short onboarding call. GoKwik handles the setup and assigns a WhatsApp expert to coach the brand for the first few months. Their goal is clear. Help each brand hit 20x ROI through abandoned cart recovery, product campaigns and customer service.
6. The UK market is wide open
The UK is still early in WhatsApp adoption. That means lower costs and a real opportunity to stand out. 100+ merchants have signed up so far and the early results are strong.
Why GoKwik are bullish in the UK
GoKwik are not testing the waters here. They’ve already achieved scale across Asia with thousands of brands using their checkout and WhatsApp commerce products, and they’re now investing heavily in the UK. Abhishek (GoKwik CRO) has relocated to London, they’re sponsoring every major ecom event, hiring from top platforms, and building a local team focused entirely on WhatsApp growth.
They see the UK as a market that’s still behind the curve on conversational commerce, and they’re betting big that the brands who adopt early will win. Their ambition is clear. Own the WhatsApp space before everyone else catches on.
Final thought: this is strategy, not just software
This caught my attention because it solves a core retail problem. More conversions without more ad spend. Better post-purchase experience. Higher trust and loyalty. It’s a channel that feels like a conversation, not a campaign.
If you’re a Shopify brand doing over £5M and you haven’t tested WhatsApp, now’s the time. I’ll be talking more about it soon, but the takeaway is simple.
WhatsApp is not the future. It’s already working.
