A customer places an order. You send an email. Maybe it gets opened, maybe it does not. Meanwhile, the customer is already on WhatsApp, checking if the order is confirmed, when it will ship, and how to change the address. This is why WhatsApp + WooCommerce works so well. You meet the customer where they already are, and you reduce the "Where is my order?" load on your team at the same time.

Below is a practical, step-by-step guide to connect WooCommerce events (new order, payment, delivery, refund) to WhatsApp messages using the official WhatsApp Business Platform via Heltar.

Key Takeaways

  • WooCommerce Webhooks are the fastest way to trigger WhatsApp alerts in real time.

  • You should use WhatsApp approved templates for proactive messages like order updates and reminders.

  • You can keep logic simple at first: order placed, payment confirmed, shipped, delivered, review request.

  • Heltar helps you handle templates, automation, inbox, tracking, and compliance without building a full system.

What You Will Set Up

  1. WooCommerce triggers (webhooks) for key order events

  2. WhatsApp message templates for those events

  3. A connection that sends the right WhatsApp message when the event happens

  4. A fallback path for customer support via a shared team inbox (so nothing gets stuck)

What You Need

On the WooCommerce side

  • WordPress admin access

  • WooCommerce installed and running

  • HTTPS on your store (important for API and webhook reliability)

  • A clear view of your order statuses (processing, completed, cancelled, refunded, etc.)

On the WhatsApp side (via Heltar)

  • A WhatsApp Business Account set up with Heltar

  • A phone number connected to WhatsApp Business Platform

  • Approved message templates (Heltar helps you create and get them approved)

  • Customer opt-in (you must only message users who have consented)

Why Webhooks Are The Best Starting Point

There are a few ways to connect systems:

  • Polling the WooCommerce API every few minutes (works, but slow and wasteful)

  • Plugins that add a WhatsApp chat button (useful for support, but not for automated order alerts)

  • Webhooks (best for order updates because they trigger instantly)

Webhooks let WooCommerce notify your system the moment an event happens. That is exactly what you want for confirmations and updates.

Step 1: Decide Your WhatsApp Alerts (Start With 5)

If you try to automate everything on day one, it gets messy. Start with these:

  1. Order Confirmation (order placed)

  2. Payment Confirmation (paid, processing)

  3. Shipping Update (shipped, out for delivery)

  4. Delivery Confirmation (completed)

  5. Review Request (sent 1 day after delivery)

As you expand your setup, you can try these triggers are well:

  • COD confirmation

  • Abandoned cart reminder

  • Back-in-stock

  • Refund update

  • Support handoff

Step 2: Create Your WhatsApp Templates In Heltar

Proactive WhatsApp messages must use approved templates. So your order updates should be templates.

Create templates like:

Order Confirmed

“Hi {name}, your order #{order_id} is confirmed. Total: {amount}. Track here: {tracking_link}”

Payment Received

“Payment received for order #{order_id}. We are preparing your items.”

Shipped

“Good news, order #{order_id} is shipped. Tracking: {tracking_link}”

Delivered

“Delivered. Need help or want to exchange? Reply here.”

Review Request

“How was your order? Rate us here: {review_link}”

Keep templates short, clear, and specific. Heltar can help format variables correctly, submit templates and get them Meta-Approved instantly.

Step 3: Create WooCommerce Webhooks For The Events You Chose

Go to your WordPress admin:

WooCommerce -> Settings -> Advanced -> Webhooks -> Add Webhook

For each webhook, set:

  • Status: Active

  • Topic: Choose the closest event (example: Order Created, Order Updated)

  • Delivery URL: This will be the URL that receives the webhook (Heltar provides a webhook endpoint or an integration endpoint depending on your setup)

  • Secret: Set a secret key so you can verify webhook authenticity

Create at least these webhooks:

  • Order Created (for order confirmation)

  • Order Updated (for payment and delivery status changes)

Important note: Order Updated can fire multiple times. That is normal. Your automation should check the order status and only send the WhatsApp message when it matches the exact status you care about.

Step 4: Map WooCommerce Status Changes To The Right WhatsApp Template

This is the logic layer. Example mapping:

  • If order status becomes “processing” -> send Payment Received template

  • If order status becomes “completed” -> send Delivered template

  • If order status becomes “cancelled” -> send Cancelled template

  • If order status becomes “refunded” -> send Refund template

Shipping can be tricky because WooCommerce core does not always have a “shipped” status by default. Many stores use a shipping plugin that adds custom statuses like “shipped” or “out-for-delivery”.

Two simple approaches:

  • If you have a shipping plugin that adds statuses, map them directly.

  • If not, send a “Shipped” message when you generate a tracking link in your fulfillment system, or when tracking gets added to the order note.

Heltar’s integration layer can apply these conditions, so you do not send duplicate messages when WooCommerce updates the same order multiple times.

Step 5: Connect Customer Phone Numbers Correctly

This is where many setups break.

You need the buyer’s WhatsApp number in the correct format (country code + number). Make sure:

  • Your checkout form collects phone numbers cleanly

  • You do not store spaces or extra symbols

  • You use the same phone field consistently

If you already have customers, you can also run an opt-in capture message flow on WhatsApp (for example, “Reply YES to get order updates on WhatsApp”) and then link that consent to the customer profile.

Step 6: Test End To End With A Real Order

Do not try to test everything at once. Test in this order:

  1. Place a test order -> confirm webhook fires

  2. Confirm your system receives the payload

  3. Confirm the right status is detected

  4. Confirm the correct WhatsApp template is sent

  5. Confirm the customer sees it on WhatsApp

Then repeat for:

  • payment status change

  • delivery completion

  • refund flow

How Heltar enables you to do this?

WooCommerce gives you the order engine. WhatsApp gives you the fastest customer channel. When you connect them properly, you get fewer support tickets, higher repeat purchases, and better customer trust because updates are instant.WooCommerce gives you the order engine. WhatsApp gives you the fastest customer channel. When you connect them properly, you get fewer support tickets, higher repeat purchases, and better customer trust because updates are instant.

Heltar is a WhatsApp Business API provider built for these needs.

  • Shared inbox, roles, and assignments so sales can work from one place.

  • Automation inside the inbox, plus quick setup for keywords, menus, and forms. You can create a WhatsApp chatbot using a drag-and-drop, no-code chatbot builder. Just one AI prompt, and you have your automation ready to be deployed. You can't get this luxury on n8n.

  • Template workflows for approval, variables, and safe bulk sends. You create templates and get them approved within seconds, ready to be launched as part of bulk messaging campaigns.

  • Campaigns and segments with schedules and rate control. Schedule and Fire any campaign in less than a minute, marketing made simple!

  • Live reports for delivery, reads, failures, leads, and outcomes.

If this is what your business needs, get a demo with Heltar today!