WhatsApp Business Policy & Anti-Spam Compliance
Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)
Last Updated: October 2026 · Ensuring ethical communication, platform safety, and merchant trust
1. Strict Anti-Spam & Opt-In Rules
Zero Tolerance for Cold Spam: WhatsApp is a personal channel. You must NEVER send unsolicited messages to individuals who have not explicitly opted in to hear from your business.
- No Purchased Lists: You must never buy, rent, scrape, or harvest phone numbers.
- Mandatory Opt-Out: Promotional messages must inform customers how to opt out (e.g., "Reply STOP to unsubscribe").
- 24-Hour Opt-Out Rule: When a recipient requests to unsubscribe, you must remove them within 24 hours.
2. Prohibited Goods & Services
You must NOT use Whatshop or web storefronts to sell or market weapons, counterfeit products, illicit drugs, adult content, fraudulent pyramid schemes, or unregulated gambling.
3. Web Storefront Commerce Standards
Merchants operating external web storefronts at https://{slug}.whatshop.site or custom domains must display honest pricing in ZAR, use authentic photography, and maintain reliable fulfillment and customer service.