Last updated 27 Aug 2026
WhatsApp Checkout lets customers place an order on your store and complete the payment conversation with you directly on WhatsApp. Here's how to set it up, step by step.
Step 1: Find the WhatsApp Checkout setting
Open your SalesCenta dashboard and go to Settings, then Payment Methods (under the Billing section). You'll see WhatsApp Checkout listed alongside your other payment options. Tap it to open the setup screen.
Step 2: Enter your WhatsApp business number
Enter the WhatsApp number you use for your business in international format — that means starting with your country code and dropping the leading zero. For a Nigerian number like 0803 123 4567, you'd enter +2348031234567. No spaces, no dashes.
Before you go live, use the "Test number" link just below the field. It opens a WhatsApp chat with the number you entered — check that it opens your business chat, not a personal line or a wrong number. This one-minute check saves you from customers messaging into the void. Once you've confirmed it's correct, toggle WhatsApp Checkout on and save.
Step 3: What your customer sees
Once enabled, customers will see "Pay via WhatsApp" as an option at checkout. When they choose it, their order is recorded on your store, and they're taken straight into a WhatsApp chat with you — with their order details pre-filled in the message. All they have to do is hit send.
From the customer's side, it feels natural: browse, order, and finish the conversation in the app they already use every day.
Step 4: Handling the order on your side
When a WhatsApp order comes in, it appears in your Orders page under Pending WhatsApp. Two things to know:
The 48-hour stock hold. The moment the order is placed, the items are held in your inventory for 48 hours. That means you won't accidentally sell the same stock to someone else while you're confirming payment. If the customer doesn't complete payment within 48 hours, the hold is released and the stock goes back on sale automatically.
Recording payment. Once the customer pays — usually by bank transfer confirmed in your WhatsApp chat — go back to the order under Pending WhatsApp and tap "Mark as Paid." The order then moves into your normal fulfilment flow, your inventory updates permanently, and it's counted in your sales records like any other order.
Don't skip the Mark as Paid step. If an order stays pending past 48 hours, the system assumes the sale fell through and releases the stock — even if the customer actually paid.
Step 5: Reply fast — the hold window is your friend, not a guarantee
The 48-hour hold protects your stock, but it doesn't protect the sale. A customer who sends their order and waits hours for a reply may lose interest or buy elsewhere. A few habits that help:
Save quick replies in WhatsApp Business for your most common responses — account details for transfer, delivery fees by area, and a friendly confirmation message.
Send your account details immediately when the order message arrives, so the customer can pay while their interest is highest.
Confirm receipt of payment promptly and tell them what happens next ("Payment received! Your order will be delivered tomorrow before 4pm.").
Fast, clear replies turn pending orders into paid ones. That's the whole game.
That's it — you're set up. Place a test order on your own store to see the full flow once, and you'll be ready for the real thing.
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