Guides
Collect WhatsApp opt-in
Every promotional message you send depends on consent. It is not a checkbox to add later; it decides how large your sendable audience is a year from now.
Short answer
Create a popup, spin wheel or WhatsApp widget in Opt-in tools, with consent wording that names WhatsApp marketing. Publish it, then enable the TopEdge opt-in app embed on your live Shopify theme. Each submission lands in Audience with its consent source recorded.
Before you start
- Shopify connected.
- WhatsApp connected, for the widget and for messaging those contacts later.
- Theme editor access in Shopify admin.
- A test phone number you can submit.
Pick the right tool#
| Tool | Best for |
|---|---|
| Popup | The default. Email or phone capture with an optional discount, in a standard, side-image or full-background layout. |
| Spin wheel | Higher capture rate on consumer brands — the discount is revealed after consent. |
| Mystery discount | Scratch or tap to reveal. Similar to the spin wheel, lighter visually. |
| WhatsApp widget | A launcher that opens a chat with your number. The customer messages you first, which both captures them and opens the 24-hour window. |
Build and publish#
About 20 minutes
Create the tool
Opt-in tools → pick the type → give it a name you will recognise, like "Homepage popup".
Design it and write the consent line
Set brand colours, headline and the fields you collect. The consent text must say the customer agrees to receive WhatsApp marketing from your store.
Vague wording is what fails when Meta asks you to evidence consent.
Set the display rules
Set the delay, which pages it shows on, and mobile or desktop. Over-strict rules are the usual reason a tool "never shows" on your test page.
Preview both widths
The editor previews mobile and desktop. Most Indian D2C traffic is mobile, so check that one properly.
Publish
Status must read Published. A draft never appears on the storefront.
Enable the app embed on the live theme
Shopify admin → Online Store → Themes → Customize on the live theme → App embeds → enable TopEdge Opt-In → Save.
No theme file editing is needed, and nothing is left behind if you disable it.
Test in incognito with blockers off
Open your store in a private window, wait out the delay, and submit your real phone number. Hard-refresh if you just published.
Confirm the contact landed
Open Audience → Customers. The contact should appear within a minute or two with marketing consent recorded.
Where consent can come from#
- Single opt-in
- One clear action — ticking a box or submitting a form with consent wording beside it. The practical default for Indian D2C.
- Double opt-in
- A confirmation message the customer has to answer before they count as subscribed. Smaller list, stronger evidence. Use it if your legal team asks for it.
- Checkout consent
- Marketing consent captured during checkout. Highest intent of all, because they are already buying.
- CSV import
- You attest that every row opted in, and that attestation is recorded against the import. Never import a list you did not collect.
Opt-out is automatic#
A customer who replies STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE is opted out of WhatsApp marketing immediately. Hindi and Hinglish replies such as BAND, BAND KARO, MAT BHEJO and बंद करो work too.
The reply must be the keyword on its own, and you do not need to do anything. No promotional message reaches them again unless they reply START or SUBSCRIBE; order updates still send.
Check it worked
- The tool shows Published, not Draft.
- It appears on your storefront in an incognito window after the delay.
- A test submission creates a contact in Audience with consent recorded.
- The WhatsApp widget opens a chat with your business number and the right prefilled message.
- Replying STOP to a marketing message removes the contact from future sends.
If the tool is not appearing#
Popup or widget never shows on the storefront
- Status must be Published, not Draft.
- Enable the TopEdge Opt-In app embed on the live theme and Save.
- Test in incognito with ad blockers disabled — blockers hide popups.
- Loosen the display rules: a strict URL or mobile-only rule may exclude your test page.
- Hard-refresh after publishing (Cmd+Shift+R or Ctrl+Shift+R).
Submission succeeds but the contact is not in Audience
- Search by the exact number, trying with and without the country code.
- Wait two minutes and refresh — writes are not instant on busy stores.
- Confirm the tool is Published; a draft can preview without recording anything.
The widget opens the wrong number
- Reconnect WhatsApp and confirm the connection names your live business number.
- Republish the widget after changing its default message.
- Test from a personal phone — a business number cannot message itself.
Frequently asked questions
- What counts as valid WhatsApp marketing opt-in?
- A clear, affirmative action by the customer, with wording beside it that names WhatsApp marketing from your store specifically. A pre-ticked box, a buried line in your terms, or a list you bought do not count, and relying on them puts your business number at risk.
- Why is my opt-in popup not showing on my Shopify store?
- In order of likelihood: the tool is still a draft, the TopEdge app embed is not enabled on your live theme, an ad blocker is hiding it, or your display rules exclude the page you are testing on. Test in an incognito window with blockers off.
- Do customers have to opt in again to receive order updates?
- No. Order, shipping and delivery updates are transactional and send as Utility templates, which do not require marketing consent. Opt-in governs promotional broadcasts only, and opting out of marketing does not stop order updates.