If you’re running an ecommerce store and still relying solely on email marketing, you’re leaving money on the table. Here’s why.
The Open Rate Problem
Let’s start with the elephant in the room: nobody reads marketing emails anymore.
The average email marketing campaign gets a 20% open rate if you’re lucky. Most end up in spam or the promotions folder, where they’re ignored forever. Even if someone does open your email, there’s no guarantee they’ll actually read it or take action.
Compare that to WhatsApp: 98% open rate, with most messages read within 3 minutes of delivery.
That’s not a typo. 98%.
Why WhatsApp Works (And Email Doesn’t)
1. WhatsApp Lives on the Home Screen
Email is something people check when they have time (or never). WhatsApp is where people actually communicate—with friends, family, and increasingly, with businesses.
When you send a WhatsApp message, it shows up as a notification on someone’s lock screen. It’s immediate, personal, and impossible to ignore.
2. No Spam Folders, No Promotions Tabs
Gmail’s promotions tab killed email marketing for many businesses. Even if you craft the perfect email, it’s getting buried under dozens of other promotional emails.
WhatsApp doesn’t have this problem. Your message goes directly to the customer’s main conversation list, right alongside messages from their friends and family.
3. Two-Way Conversations Build Trust
Email is one-way communication. You send, they (maybe) read, and that’s it.
WhatsApp enables real conversations. Customers can reply with questions, you can provide instant support, and you build an actual relationship—not just blast marketing messages into the void.
Real Numbers: WhatsApp vs Email
Let’s look at what this means for actual ecommerce metrics:
| Metric | Email Marketing | WhatsApp Marketing |
|---|---|---|
| Open Rate | 20% | 98% |
| Click Rate | 2-3% | 15-25% |
| Conversion Rate | 1-2% | 10-20% |
| Average Response Time | 24-48 hours | 3-5 minutes |
| Customer Engagement | Low | High |
These aren’t hypothetical numbers. These are real results from ecommerce stores using WhatsApp marketing.
Use Cases Where WhatsApp Crushes Email
Cart Abandonment Recovery
You’ve probably sent cart abandonment emails. Maybe you recovered 5-10% of abandoned carts if you’re doing well.
With WhatsApp:
- 1-hour reminder: “Hey! You left something in your cart. Need help checking out?”
- 24-hour reminder: “Your cart is still waiting. Here’s a 10% discount to complete your order.”
Average recovery rate: 15-25% of abandoned carts. That’s 2-3x better than email.
Order Updates
Nobody wants to dig through their email to find an order confirmation or tracking number.
WhatsApp order updates are:
- Instant
- Easy to find (search your conversation history)
- Two-way (customers can ask questions immediately)
Result: Fewer “where is my order?” support tickets and happier customers.
Replenishment Reminders
Selling consumables (coffee, supplements, beauty products)?
Email reminder: “You ordered this 30 days ago, want to reorder?” → Gets ignored.
WhatsApp reminder: “Hey Sarah! Your coffee supply is probably running low. Reorder in one tap?” → 23% reorder rate on average.
The difference? Timing, personalization, and convenience.
The GDPR Advantage
Here’s something most people don’t realize: WhatsApp marketing can be more GDPR-compliant than email marketing.
Why? Because WhatsApp requires explicit opt-in. You can’t buy WhatsApp contact lists or scrape numbers from the web (well, you shouldn’t, and you’d get banned if you tried).
This means:
- Higher quality contacts (people who actually want to hear from you)
- Better engagement (they opted in for a reason)
- Less risk of spam complaints or regulatory issues
Email lists, on the other hand, are often filled with old contacts, purchased lists, or people who forgot they signed up 3 years ago.
Common Objections (Debunked)
“But I don’t want to spam my customers!”
Good. Don’t. WhatsApp marketing isn’t about blasting messages 24/7. It’s about sending timely, relevant messages that actually help your customers:
- Cart abandonment recovery
- Order confirmations and shipping updates
- Replenishment reminders for consumables
- Personalized product recommendations
These aren’t spam. They’re value-add communications.
”Isn’t WhatsApp just for personal messages?”
Not anymore. WhatsApp Business API is specifically designed for businesses to communicate with customers at scale. Over 50 million businesses use WhatsApp globally.
”What about costs?”
WhatsApp message costs: €0.04-€0.11 per message (depending on country), paid directly to Meta.
Email marketing costs: “Free” if you ignore the fact that 80% of your emails never get opened and you’re burning your sender reputation.
ROI comparison:
- Email campaign to 1,000 people: 200 opens, 20 clicks, 10 conversions
- WhatsApp campaign to 1,000 people: 980 opens, 200 clicks, 150 conversions
WhatsApp costs more per message, but delivers 10-15x better results.
How to Get Started with WhatsApp Marketing
You don’t need to abandon email marketing entirely (though you might want to after trying WhatsApp). Here’s how to start:
- Get WhatsApp Business API access (requires Meta Business verification)
- Collect opt-ins (add a checkbox at checkout: “Send me order updates via WhatsApp”)
- Start with order confirmations (low-hanging fruit, customers love these)
- Add cart abandonment (this is where you’ll see immediate ROI)
- Expand to replenishment and post-purchase nurture
If you’re using Shopify, Medusa, or WooCommerce, platforms like Nudge make this setup take 5 minutes instead of 5 days.
The Bottom Line
Email marketing isn’t dead, but it’s severely injured.
WhatsApp marketing gets:
- 98% open rates (vs 20% for email)
- 15-25% click rates (vs 2-3% for email)
- 10-20% conversion rates (vs 1-2% for email)
If you’re serious about ecommerce growth, you need to be where your customers actually pay attention.
And that place is WhatsApp.
Want to see these results for your own store? Try Nudge - automated WhatsApp marketing for Shopify, Medusa, and WooCommerce. Setup takes 5 minutes, and your first 1,000 messages per month are included.