How to notify new merchandise arrivals by WhatsApp
Has it happened to you? You post a photo of a new item of clothing to your story and you get flooded with 'Do you have it in M?', 'Do you deliver to my neighborhood?' and 'Do you have this dress in black?'. They are the same messages repeated fifty times a day, and meanwhile, the customer you don't reply to within five minutes goes to buy somewhere else. The problem isn't that you don't have customers: it's that you don't have an organized way to notify them when new merchandise arrives.
The problem: notifying about new merchandise is chaos
When new stock arrives, most stores do the same thing: they post on Instagram and wait. But organic reach is getting smaller, and WhatsApp messages pile up while you're serving customers at the counter. At night, on Sundays, or during sales peaks, orders go cold. And the worst part: the customer who asked you about a size or color two weeks ago never finds out that what they were looking for has arrived.
The solution: a WhatsApp notification that sells on its own
The key is to use WhatsApp, which is already the channel where your customers talk to you, to proactively and personally notify them. It's not about spamming everyone, but about segmenting and putting together a message that invites a response. We'll show you how to do it step by step, even if you don't use any special tool.
- 1Build a list of interested customers: every time someone asks you for a size, color, or model you don't have, write down their name and number in an Excel sheet or your notebook. That's your future notification list.
- 2Define the base message: something like 'Hello [Name]! I'm writing to let you know that the [item/model] you asked for has arrived. Should I reserve it for you?' Short, direct, and with a single call to action.
- 3Personalize the message: use the customer's name and mention the specific product they asked for. No generic 'new clothes have arrived', because that doesn't create urgency.
- 4Choose the right time: send notifications during low-traffic hours, like Tuesday morning or Wednesday at noon. Avoid early Monday and Friday afternoon.
- 5Send it manually or with a tool: if you have 10 customers, you can copy and paste. If you have 100, you need a tool that lets you send mass messages and track them.
How Wando makes it easier for you
If you want to take it a step further, a tool like Wando organizes the whole process for you. Wando uses Meta's official WhatsApp API, so your messages are delivered with a verified account and no risk of being blocked. Plus, its AI learns from your real responses and suggests replies so you can approve and send them with a click. This helps you with new merchandise notifications and with all the rest of the conversation: a message inbox with suggestions, templates so you don't have to write everything from scratch, campaigns to send the notification to all interested customers, and statistics to know how many opened and replied.
The idea is not for the AI to respond on its own without control: you have the final say. Wando suggests, you approve. That way you don't lose the personal touch, but you gain time. And since it learns from how you respond, the suggestions become more and more like your way of selling.
Note: Wando is not a flow chatbot that you have to program. It's a tool that adapts to how you work, designed for SMEs in Latin America and with support in Spanish. If you're interested, you can check the current plans at wando.online/pricing.
Common mistakes when announcing new merchandise
- Sending the same message to everyone without segmenting: the customer looking for a black dress doesn't want to know about the new jacket. Segment by interest.
- Not making it clear what to do: a message without a call to action doesn't generate sales. Always close with a question or a concrete proposal.
- Sending at any time: if you send it on a Sunday night, the message gets lost. Choose times when your customer can respond to you.
- Not following up: the one who didn't respond the first time might be interested but busy. A second message after 3 days can close the sale.
In summary
Announcing new merchandise via WhatsApp is one of the most effective ways to sell without investing in advertising. Do it in an organized, segmented way with a clear message. If you want to automate the process and have the AI help you respond faster, Wando is a great ally. But the important thing is to start using WhatsApp as a proactive channel, not just reactive. Your next sale could be one message away.
The three cases that deviate from the happy path
It's not all about announcing and getting responses. Three situations will break the plan: the customer doesn't answer, the customer answers but doesn't buy, and the stock runs out before you respond.
When the customer doesn't answer, don't insist with the same message. Wait two or three days and send a different one, with another angle: 'Hey, are you still looking for the black dress? I have it reserved until Friday.' That gives them a second chance without seeming pushy.
If the customer replies but doesn't buy, offer an alternative: 'The size doesn't fit you, but size S arrives on Tuesday. Should I let you know?' That way you don't lose the conversation and you have a reason to write to them again.
And if stock runs out, let them know as soon as you can: 'I sold out the two units, but I can order one for you. Should I reserve it?' Honesty earns points and leaves the door open.
How to measure if your management improved
If you don't measure, you won't know if the new merchandise alert works or is just noise. The basic metrics are: how many messages you sent, how many replied, and how many sales you closed.
With Wando, the statistics show you the response rate of each campaign. But even without a tool, you can keep a simple Excel: date of the alert, number sent, replies, and sales. After two weeks you already have a clear number.
A useful metric is response time: if you used to take hours to reply and now minutes, that shows in the sale. And another one is the number of customers who return to buy: if the alert works, the one who bought once comes back to ask about new items.
The important thing is to compare against your own past, not against a magic number. If last month you sold 10 items through alerts and this month 15, your management improved.
What to do when the customer doesn't reply
A customer who doesn't reply is not a definite no. Often they're busy, they forgot, or they didn't receive the message. That's why follow-up is part of the job.
The rule is simple: a first notice, a 48-hour wait, and a second, different message. Don't repeat the same text; change your approach: 'Are you still interested in the wallet? I can hold it for you until Monday.'
If there's no response after the second message, let it go. Don't insist three times because you'll annoy them and burn the relationship. Note it in your list of interested contacts and let them know when something new arrives in a few months.
With Wando, you can schedule reminders and have the history of each contact, so you know who you wrote to and when. But the logic is the same: patience, a second attempt, and then move on.
How it was done before and why that failed
Before, the notice of new merchandise was purely word of mouth: the customer came to the store, asked about the product, and you said, 'It hasn't arrived yet, come back next week.' And if they didn't come back, that was a lost sale.
With the arrival of Instagram, many started posting on stories. But organic reach is getting smaller and smaller, and the message gets lost among a thousand posts. Those who don't see you, don't find out.
The underlying problem is that these methods are reactive: you wait for the customer to come to you, and if they don't come, you don't sell. Proactive WhatsApp notifications change that: you go out to find the customer, with a personalized message at just the right moment.
What also used to fail was the lack of follow-up. A customer who asked but didn't buy was forgotten. Now, with a list of interested leads, that customer becomes a future sale.
What NOT to automate in this process
Automating new stock notifications is one thing, but there are parts best left to humans. The first contact with a new customer, for example, is not something you automate: you need to understand what they're looking for and how you talk to them.
Nor should you automate closing the sale. The part about 'should I hold it for you?' and 'shall we arrange the payment?' requires tact and negotiation. A robot can suggest, but the final decision and tone are yours.
And be careful with automatic replies outside business hours: if a customer writes at 2 AM and you reply 'thanks for your message, we'll get back to you during business hours,' that might work, but if the response is generic and unhelpful, it frustrates. Better to limit automation to proactive notifications and keep the live conversation for yourself.
The rule is simple: automate what's repetitive and doesn't require judgment. The notification, the reminder, and the segmentation. Leave the human touch for what builds relationships.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I notify about new merchandise arrivals?+
There's no fixed rule, but ideally you should notify each time a batch of products arrives that you ordered or that you know your customers are looking for. If you notify too often, you might overwhelm them. If you don't notify, you lose sales. Segment by interest and only notify those who might be interested.
What message should I use to notify about new merchandise?+
A short, personalized message: 'Hi [Name]! The [product] you asked about has arrived. Should I reserve it for you?' Include a clear call to action and a deadline, for example, 'I'll hold it until Friday.' That creates urgency and makes it easy to reply.
Can I use WhatsApp Business to send mass notifications?+
WhatsApp Business has a broadcast list feature, but it has limits and doesn't allow easy segmentation. If you have few customers, it might be enough. If you have many, you need a tool like Wando that uses the official WhatsApp API and lets you run campaigns with tracking.
Does Wando reply to my customers' messages automatically?+
Not by default. Wando suggests replies based on your previous responses, and you approve them with one click. That way you have full control and the AI learns your style. It's human-in-the-loop, not a robot that talks on its own.
How can I segment my contacts by interest without tools?+
You can use an Excel spreadsheet with columns: name, product they asked about, date. When someone asks about something you don't have, write it down. Then filter by product and build your notification list. It's manual, but it works until you reach 100 contacts.
What if a customer asks for a product and I don't know when it will arrive?+
Tell them the truth: 'I don't have a date yet, but I'll let you know as soon as it arrives.' Add them to your list and notify them when you have news. Don't promise dates you can't keep.
How long should I wait before sending a second notification?+
Between 48 and 72 hours. If they didn't reply to the first one, a second message with a different angle might work. If they don't reply to the second, don't insist again for a while.
Does Wando help me measure how many customers opened my notification?+
Yes, Wando shows you statistics for your campaigns, including how many messages were sent and how many replies you received. That gives you a clear idea of how effective your notification was.