60% of customers prefer messaging over email for support. WhatsApp alone has 2 billion active users — and for e-commerce stores targeting international customers, it's often the primary support channel. Here's how to deploy your ConnectXeo agent on WhatsApp Cloud API.
Prerequisites
- A ConnectXeo agent already configured with Shopify integration
- A Meta Business account
- A WhatsApp Business phone number (can be a new number — you don't need a physical SIM)
Step 1: Set Up WhatsApp Cloud API
Go to developers.facebook.com → My Apps → Create App → Business. Add the WhatsApp product to your app. Under WhatsApp → Getting Started, you'll find a temporary test number and a permanent phone number option.
For production, add a permanent phone number and complete the business verification. This takes 1–3 business days.
Step 2: Get Your Credentials
From the WhatsApp app dashboard, collect:
- Phone Number ID — identifies your WhatsApp number in API calls
- WhatsApp Business Account ID
- Permanent access token — generate a system user token with
whatsapp_business_messagingpermission - Webhook verify token — a secret string you define
Step 3: Create the Deployment in ConnectXeo
Go to your agent → Deployments → New Deployment → WhatsApp. Enter your Phone Number ID, access token, and webhook verify token. ConnectXeo will display a webhook URL — copy it.
Step 4: Configure the Webhook in Meta
Back in Meta's developer console, go to WhatsApp → Configuration → Webhook. Enter the ConnectXeo webhook URL and your verify token. Subscribe to the messages webhook field. Meta will send a verification request to ConnectXeo — this happens automatically.
Step 5: Test
Send a WhatsApp message to your business number from a personal account. Your ConnectXeo agent should respond within seconds with the same quality and Shopify data access as your web widget.
What the Agent Can Do on WhatsApp
The same agent that runs on your website — including all Shopify tools — is active on WhatsApp. Customers can ask for order status, product availability, return instructions, and more. All responses are text-based (WhatsApp Cloud API supports rich media but ConnectXeo currently uses text responses).