Many Indian businesses have adopted the strategy of sending promotional messages through WhatsApp, leading to a flood of messages in users’ inboxes. At the same time, the government is working on implementing stricter regulations to tackle spamming by companies.
Businesses are turning to WhatsApp as a versatile communication platform, using it for activities like ticket confirmations, transaction updates, and promotional campaigns, moving away from relying solely on SMS. Additionally, WhatsApp has introduced tools that give users more control over their interactions on the platform.
Consequently, businesses are unable to engage in ongoing conversations with users unless they have provided explicit consent by opting in to chat with them. This measure ensures that users maintain autonomy over effectively regulating their communication channels.
Upon receiving the initial message from a business, users encounter three interaction choices:
Block: This action adds the business to the Blocked contacts list. Once blocked, the business cannot directly message the user, although they retain access to their business profile and catalogue.
Report: Users have the option to report a business if they believe it is violating WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy.
Continue: Users may select this option to maintain ongoing communication with the business. Additionally, users can opt in by initiating a message to the business.
Some businesses may provide users with the option to stop receiving marketing messages by selecting the “Opt out of marketing messages” button within the chat interface with the business. Choosing this option notifies the business of your preference to remove your WhatsApp number from their marketing distribution lists.
If this feature is not available or does not work effectively, users can still block the business. However, it’s essential to remember that blocking a business from messaging you also prevents you from sending messages to that business.