Meta Turns Whatsapp x Messenger Into Sales Funnel 💬

Who would've thought chat apps would double as storefronts? Yet here we are, thanks to Meta.

Welcome to a fresh new issue of The Ecom Press 🗞️!

This week, we’re diving into Meta’s major updates for WhatsApp and Messenger, now doubling as marketing machines for brands. Then there’s Prime Day, and Adobe says GenAI is quietly fueling it behind the scenes. Finally, we dive deep into Disney turning streams into shopping sprees 🤑.

Lots to unpack, so let’s dive in 🚀

In a rush? Here's the juice🤭:

💬 Meta turns Whatsapp x Messenger into sales funnel.

🧠 GenAI set to power the biggest Prime Day yet.

🛒 Disney lets users shop while streaming.

🛠️ Workshop: How to Sell Digital Products - Free Guide for Beginners

⚡️Worthy Mentions

💬 Meta turns Whatsapp x Messenger into sales funnel.

Meta just dropped major updates across WhatsApp and Messenger in a bid to harness that chat as a central pillar of ecommerce. From AI-powered product advice to marketing messages that re-engage past buyers, the updates are designed to help brands convert faster and build deeper customer relationships, without relying solely on email or ads.

Here’s the lowdown ⬇️:

📱 WhatsApp: Smarter Campaigns, AI Help & Calling Support

🧩 Centralized Campaigns: Ads Manager now lets businesses manage campaigns across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram with shared creatives, budgets, and workflows. Subscriber uploads and Advantage+ optimization are built in. Ads in WhatsApp Status are coming soon.

🤖 AI for Product Support: Meta is rolling out AI product advisors trained to make personalized recommendations and assist in purchase decisions, all within WhatsApp. The rollout starts in Mexico, with more countries likely to follow.

📞 Voice & Calling Option: Soon, larger businesses will be able to take customer calls directly in WhatsApp or call customers who’ve requested it. Voice messaging will also be supported. Video calling was previewed but is not yet available—Meta is positioning this for future use cases like virtual consultations.

💬 Messenger: Relaunching Marketing Messages for Retention

📢 Re-engagement via Messenger: Businesses can now re-engage customers with offers, updates, and personalized content via Messenger. Ideal for post-sale reactivation or loyalty-building.

📥 Subscriber Integration: Brands can use existing CRM lists, ad-based opt-ins, or Messenger conversations to build audiences for marketing messages.

✏️ Custom Messaging & Measurement: Create freeform messages for individuals or scale with a broader broadcast. Messaging impact is measurable with down-funnel metrics to inform future campaigns.

🌍 Availability: Developers globally can access the feature via the API, but business usage is limited to countries like the U.S., India, Brazil, Singapore, Mexico, and others.

Why it matters 🤷‍♂️

Combined, these updates give merchants more control, better targeting, and a direct line to shoppers who are increasingly skipping email. WhatsApp’s AI support and call features add real-time depth to customer service, while Messenger’s marketing messages offer a second chance to turn interest into revenue. Considering how ad costs are up and attention spans are short, being able to personalize outreach inside apps people already use daily is a strategic edge.

🧠 GenAI set to power the biggest Prime Day yet.

Beyond discounts, this year’s Prime Day is about AI. Adobe forecasts that U.S. ecommerce will hit $23.8 billion in online spend during the four-day event, with mobile making up more than half of that. But what’s quietly driving new behaviors behind the scenes is generative AI, which Adobe says is exploding as a tool for deal-hunting, product discovery, and decision-making.

Here’s the scoop 🍨:

📈 Record Sales Expected: Adobe predicts $23.8B in U.S. ecommerce revenue from July 8–11, up 28.4% YoY. That’s nearly $10B more than last year’s Prime Day period. The growth is fueled by both Amazon and competing retailer promotions.

📱 Mobile Dominates: Mobile devices will account for over 52.5% of all sales, reinforcing the shift toward on-the-go, app-based shopping behavior.

🧠 GenAI Traffic Is Booming: Traffic from GenAI tools, like ChatGPT, Gemini, and browser-integrated AI assistants, is expected to grow 3,200% YoY. These tools help shoppers find deals, make decisions faster, and discover hard-to-find products. While still trailing behind email and paid search, their growth rate signals a major shift.

🛍️ How Shoppers Are Using AI:

In a survey of 5,000 consumers:

• 55% use GenAI to research products

• 47% for recommendations

• 43% for deal discovery

• 35% for gifts and unique items

• 33% for building shopping lists

• 92% of GenAI users said it made their experience better

🔮 Retailers and Platforms Are Leaning In: Google has integrated Gemini into product search. ChatGPT now includes shopping recommendations. The ecosystem is building fast, and increasingly seamless.

Why it matters 🤨

For ecommerce operators, AI-driven shopping is becoming part of the mainstream funnel. From finding deals faster to uncovering better product matches, shoppers are leaning on AI to cut through the noise. With Prime Day in full swing, now’s the time to test it for yourself. Whether you're browsing with ChatGPT, using Gemini in Google Search, or relying on smart assistants, AI might just be the edge you need to spot the best deals before they’re gone.

🤑 Sponsored Tip of the Week

Launch Your AI-Powered Store in Minutes with Shopify

Shopify’s new AI Store Builder lets you create a complete, branded storefront from just a text prompt. Whether you're selling tennis gear or digital planners, simply describe your brand and let Shopify do the heavy lifting.

👉 Get Shopify for $1

🛒 Disney lets users shop while streaming.

At Cannes Lions, Disney announced new features that bridge entertainment and ecommerce, giving brands the tools to turn on-screen moments into purchases. Whether it’s activewear spotted on Project Runway or snacks during a live sports game, viewers on Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN can now shop directly from their couches.

Here are the deets ⬇️:

📺 Shop the Stream Goes Live: In partnership with Shopsense, Disney is launching digital storefronts linked to streaming content. These shoppable hubs allow viewers to buy merchandise, outfits, or products inspired by their favorite shows and sports. Calia by Dick’s Sporting Goods will kick things off with a Project Runway tie-in.

🍿 Snacks, Delivered On Demand: With Gopuff, Disney has created a virtual concession stand. Ads for snacks and drinks during streaming sessions will link users to Gopuff for fast delivery, ideal for sports events and binge sessions. Disney’s clean room tech ensures smarter targeting by matching viewer profiles with snack preferences.

📲 CTV Ads Made for Streaming: Disney’s ad formats now include one-click send-to-phone prompts, QR codes, and interactive CTV features. These tools are built to drive real action, not just awareness, turning viewers into shoppers in seconds.

📊 Retail Media Meets Measurement: Advertisers can now leverage Disney Select, plus retail media data from partners like Walmart Connect and Kroger, to track user intent from viewing to conversion. This brings closed-loop attribution to streaming, which is a big leap for performance-focused brands.

Why it matters 🤔

As more brands optimize streaming for shopping,  it’s no longer just about views but about conversions. Disney’s move shows how media giants are turning entertainment into real-time shopping moments with trackable results. For ecommerce brands, it’s a signal to start thinking beyond clicks and ads, and look at content itself as a sales channel.

🛎️ The Ecom Press Insider

Ecom Fact: The global live commerce market was valued at $128.4 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to $2.47 trillion by 2033, with an average annual growth rate of 39.9% starting from 2025 (Source: Grand View Research).

💡 Takeaway: This kind of explosive growth signals that live shopping is becoming a serious sales channel, and it’s worth considering if you haven’t already.

🛠️ Workshop: How to Sell Digital Products - Free Guide for Beginners

No inventory, no shipping, and low overhead — selling digital products is one of the best ways to start an online business in 2025. If you’ve got a skill, a hobby, or even just good taste in design, this guide walks you through how to turn that into income.

🎥 Watch the full beginner-friendly tutorial for a step-by-step walkthrough.

1. Start With What You Know 💡: Think about your skills, passions, or even simple life systems you use daily. Are you great at budgeting, designing, or organizing? That’s your starting point. Match your idea to formats like checklists, templates, guides, or planners.

2. Check If People Want It 🔍: Before you create anything, search Etsy, Reddit, and even TikTok to see if similar digital products are selling. Look for ideas with demand but weak competition, that’s your opening to stand out.

3. Build the Product 🛠️: Use Canva, Notion, Google Docs, or design tools to create something valuable but simple. Start small — a 3-page guide is better than a 30-page ebook that never gets done.

4. Pick a Platform to Sell On 🛒

• Shopify – Great for building your own store and running future ads. Launch your store for just $1.

• Etsy – Perfect for tapping into organic traffic and search-based buyers

• WordPress + WooCommerce – More control, lower fees, and ideal for running ads later.

You can always start with one and expand later.

5. Publish and Promote 🚀

Upload at least 5–10 products to get going. Use relevant tags, clean visuals, and compelling titles. Promote via social media, niche communities, or even small ads once you spot a best-seller.

💬 Want more help? Watch the full free tutorial on YouTube to see exactly how to find your niche, build your product, and start selling fast. It’s beginner-friendly and packed with examples you can follow.

⚡️Worthy Mentions

• Startup OneText lands $4.5 million to simplify online purchases through text messages.

• France hits Shein with a €40 million fine for misleading consumers with false discounts.

• Wayfair launches Discover and Image Search, bringing AI-powered inspiration and visual shopping to its app.

• Reports say TikTok is preparing new version of app for U.S. users in anticipation of a forced divestiture.

• Google and Microsoft introduce updates to make ad bidding more transparent and user-friendly.

Wrapping up…

Just a few years ago, WhatsApp was for chatting. Now, it’s edging into full-blown commerce territory. Meanwhile, Disney’s making couch-to-checkout shopping feel like magic ✨.

And let’s not forget: Prime Day is in full swing. With discounts topping 60%, it’s a solid time to grab that wishlist item or test drive a GenAI shopping assistant 🤖🛍️.

Catch those deals while they’re hot 🔥— and if you haven’t yet, hit that subscribe button so you never miss a drop 😉.