Connect a Zid Store to WhatsApp Business: Step-by-Step Guide 2026

Connect a Zid store to WhatsApp Business from the Zid App Market: subscribe to the Watily app, approve its permissions, open it inside your dashboard with no new account, and link your number through an official Meta WhatsApp account or a QR code. Customers then get order confirmations, cart reminders, cancellation notices and review requests automatically, plus loyalty points on every order.

Key takeaways

• Install from the Zid App Market in two steps: subscribe to the app, then approve permissions; subscription and billing run through Zid.
• The Watily dashboard runs inside Zid with automatic sign-in and a fully Arabic interface.
• The official Meta connection suits stores sending regular alerts and campaigns; QR is a quick start for limited volume.
• Ready messages in 6 editable templates: order confirmation, abandoned cart, cancellation and review request.
• Loyalty and coupons: automatic points, an Apple and Google Wallet card, and occasion coupons created as real Zid coupons.

Requirements for connecting Zid to WhatsApp Business

• A Zid store and owner or manager rights to install apps. Zid offers several plans including a free starter plan; check which apps your plan allows.
• A dedicated business number that receives a verification code by SMS or call. If it is currently active in the WhatsApp app on your phone, ask support about migration before the official connection.
• A Meta Business account and a payment method in Meta's billing if you choose the official connection.
• Documented customer consent for offers: order messages relate to a purchase the customer made, while offers and campaigns need prior consent and a clear opt-out. Details are in our guide to data protection and WhatsApp marketing.

Official connection or QR?

The official connection uses a Meta Business account and Meta-reviewed templates, and works even if your phone is off, suiting stores that rely on alerts and seasonal campaigns. QR uses your number from the WhatsApp app directly; it is quicker to start but stops if the phone disconnects or linked devices log out, so it suits limited volume.

What do messages cost?

On the official connection, Meta charges each delivered template message by category, set when the template is reviewed. Prices below are from Meta's rate card for Saudi Arabia, effective 1 July 2026:

From 1 October 2026, free-form replies inside the customer-service window are charged after the first 1,000 free messages per number per month, while incoming customer messages stay free. We explain this with examples in our WhatsApp API pricing guide for Saudi Arabia.

How to connect a Zid store to WhatsApp Business

1. Open the App Market: in your Zid dashboard click the App Market icon, or open the Zid App Market, and search for "Watily".
2. Subscribe to the app: press subscribe and choose a plan; a list of the permissions it needs appears (orders, customers and coupons). Review them, then press install to complete activation, as described in Zid's help center.
3. Open Watily from My Apps: the app appears among your active apps, and its dashboard opens embedded in Zid with no password.
4. Connect a WhatsApp number: choose the official Meta account, sign in with the Facebook account linked to your business, pick or create the business account, then enter the display name, number and verification code. Or scan the QR code for the quick option.
5. Customize templates: edit the six templates in your store's tone, keeping variables such as customer name and order number.
6. Turn on messages: order confirmation, abandoned-cart reminder, cancellation notice and review request.
7. Set up loyalty: earn rate, redemption rate, customer tiers and the wallet card design.
8. Place a small real order from your own number before announcing the service to customers.

Setting up order messages in a Zid store

Order confirmation

It arrives right after purchase with the customer's name and order number. Keep it short: order received, here is the number, we will update you when it ships. It alone removes many "where is my order?" chats.

Cash-on-delivery orders

If you accept cash on delivery, have the confirmation state the final amount including VAT and shipping, and ask the customer to reply to confirm before you prepare the order. A customer who confirmed in writing is less likely to refuse at the door; for those who do not reply, call them or hold the shipment.

Cancellations and shipping updates

On cancellation the customer gets a clear message and the order's loyalty points are reversed automatically. Shipping and tracking notifications are sent by Zid and carriers based on your settings; review them so the same message does not arrive on two channels.

Answering customer questions

The AI smart reply is an optional add-on on any Zid plan: it answers from your products, loyalty points, coupons, hours and branches, and hands the chat to a staff member when needed, remembering the context.

Abandoned-cart recovery on Zid

The app sends an abandoned-cart reminder with a link back to checkout. The rule of thumb: remind first, address hesitation second, and keep any discount for last, with limits.

• Timing: the first reminder within roughly the first hour while intent is fresh, and a second, if any, after about a day.
• Content: product name and cart link, then in the second message what removes doubt: delivery time, return policy, payment and installment options.
• Coupon: if you offer a discount, create it in Zid for one use per customer, with a minimum cart and a near expiry, then add its code to the message.
• Margin: on low-margin products, try free shipping or a small gift instead of a percentage off.
• Compliance: cart reminders are usually treated as marketing, so send them to customers who opted in and let them stop.

After two weeks, check how many carts returned after the first message and how many needed a coupon. If most return without one, drop the coupon; if customers stop at shipping, fix cost or delivery time, not the message.

E-invoices and sending them on WhatsApp

A VAT-registered store must issue e-invoices that meet the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority's requirements, with a QR code, and integrate with the Fatoora platform in Phase 2 once its wave applies. First identify which system issues your official invoice on Zid.

The Watily app on Zid covers order messages, loyalty and coupons. If you want Phase 2 invoices sent to customers as PDFs on WhatsApp, that is available in Watily's ZATCA-compliant e-invoicing within Watily platform plans, usually activated within about 24 hours of submitting your CR and VAT number.

Reviews and loyalty after purchase

After delivery, the customer receives a message asking for a review. Allow time to try the product, and ask one question with a direct link. Handle negative feedback quickly in the same chat. Then loyalty takes over:

• Points on every order at earn and redemption rates you set.
• A branded digital loyalty card in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet that updates with each purchase.
• Up to 12 tiers each with its own discount, and a one-click broadcast to all members.
• Birthday and occasion coupons created as real Zid coupons that customers use at checkout.
• Customer sync: every customer who registers in your store syncs to Watily with name, mobile, email and date of birth, ready for campaigns.

If you are building a full app stack for your store, see the best Zid apps to grow sales.

Testing and troubleshooting

Quick test checklist

1. Online-paid order: did the confirmation arrive with the correct name and order number?
2. Cash-on-delivery order: is the final amount clear, and did your reply reach the chats?
3. Abandoned cart: did the reminder arrive, and does the link open the same cart?
4. Cancelled order: did the notice arrive, and were points reversed?
5. Loyalty card: was it added to the wallet and did its balance update?
6. Usage counter: how many messages does one order use, and is your plan's limit enough for seasons?

Common issues and fixes

For clearer templates that pass review first time, use the WhatsApp message template library.

How Watily helps

The Watily app for Zid stores makes WhatsApp a channel that sells and brings customers back, from inside your store dashboard:

• Automatic WhatsApp messages with every order, using six templates you edit in your own words and language.
• Number connection via an official Meta account or QR, with a monthly usage counter.
• An optional AI smart reply with a friendly or professional persona, in Arabic, English or both automatically.
• A loyalty program with points, tiers and a wallet card, real occasion coupons inside Zid, and automatic customer sync.
• Subscription and billing through Zid, with your data kept if you uninstall and reinstall.

Your Zid store deserves WhatsApp that sells and brings customers back: add Watily to your Zid store and switch on messages and loyalty straight from your dashboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I connect my Zid store to WhatsApp Business?

Go to the Zid App Market, subscribe to the Watily app and approve its permissions, then open it from your active apps and link your number through an official Meta WhatsApp account or a QR code. Order messages then go out automatically with every new order.

Do I need a new account or password for Watily?

No. The Watily dashboard opens automatically inside your Zid dashboard with no login, and the subscription is paid through Zid with no separate invoices or cards.

Do order confirmations need marketing consent?

Order messages relate to the customer's own purchase and are service in nature. Offers, cart reminders and campaigns count as marketing, so send them only with consent and an easy opt-out.

Is the AI smart reply included in Watily plans on Zid?

The AI smart reply is an optional add-on on any Zid plan. It answers from your store data around the clock and hands over to staff when needed.

What happens to my data if I uninstall the app?

Your data stays saved, and if you reinstall the app it comes back as it was, with no need to set it up again.