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One vendor executive's views. The article gives no survey data beyond a $25 billion returns estimate.
In 60 seconds
- Kim Johal, Retail Specialist at Infobip, says too many brand messages on WhatsApp become "a bombardment of spam".
- She says generic outreach is losing impact and recommends one-to-one messages, such as an alert when stock returns with a waitlist option.
- Consent matters: personalisation a customer agreed to is more likely to feel expected.
- She does not recommend a WhatsApp-only strategy; Apple Business Messenger, RCS, email, SMS and live chat all have roles.
Impact Layer
- What changed
- Retailers are adding WhatsApp to their engagement mix, and a vendor warns that volume can backfire.
- Why it matters
- Opt-outs and blocks on a personal messaging app are costly to reverse.
- Who is affected
- Retail CX and CRM teams using or planning WhatsApp.
- Martech stack area
- Commerce, Customer Experience
- Stack impact
- Limit proactive messages to consented, relevant triggers and always offer a route to a human.
- Business impact
- Low An interview with a vendor spokesperson. The $25 billion returns figure is her estimate and no source is given.
- Related technologies
- What to watch
- Platform rules on business messaging and opt-out rates.
CX Today’s October 9, 2026 interview with Kim Johal, Retail Specialist at Infobip, covers retailers adding WhatsApp to their customer engagement tools alongside email promotions, SMS delivery updates and app notifications.
Her points
- WhatsApp supports text, images, video, product cards and two-way conversation, but receiving too many brand messages becomes “a bombardment of spam”.
- Generic outreach, such as a first name plus an offer, is losing impact. Her example: a customer browsing a category gets a message when relevant stock arrives, with an option to join a waitlist.
- Consent is central. If a consumer agreed to personalisation, the message is more likely to feel expected; without it, proactive messages cause friction and opt-outs.
- She calls returns a $25 billion problem for retail and says rich messaging could answer pre-purchase questions: true-to-size fit, stock nearby, comparisons and trying before paying.
- Do not build a WhatsApp-only strategy. Apple Business Messenger, RCS, email, SMS and live chat have roles, and the customer’s preferred channel should guide the choice.
Our read
The advice is common sense from a vendor with an interest in messaging. The test for your own programme: would the customer be surprised to receive this message, and can they reach a person if it does not help?
Sources
- CX Today: Retailers cannot allow WhatsApp to become a spam channel (opens in a new tab)
Source of all views and quotes in this article.