Buttons, lists and product messages

Buttons, Lists and Product Messages

WhatsApp supports richer message formats than plain text, giving customers simple ways to respond without typing a full message. Vaanexa supports these message types for customer conversations and automation workflows, helping businesses create clearer and more interactive customer journeys.

What are Buttons, Lists and Product Messages?

These are interactive WhatsApp message formats that let customers select options, browse menus, or view products directly within the conversation.

Instead of asking customers to type a response, businesses can present structured choices that customers can tap.

Why use Buttons, Lists and Product Messages?

These message types help you:

• Give customers simple response options.
• Make conversations easier to navigate.
• Reduce the amount of typing required.
• Present products with relevant information.
• Create clearer customer journeys.
• Use customer selections to continue automated workflows.

Real-Life Use Case

The situation

Imagine UrbanNest Realty wants to help customers quickly choose what they need when they start a WhatsApp conversation.

The problem

Customers may not know what information to request or may send unclear messages such as "need details" without explaining what they are looking for.

What happens without the feature?

The team or AI agent may need to ask several questions before understanding the customer's intent.

How Vaanexa helps

Vaanexa can use interactive WhatsApp messages to present customers with clear choices.

For example:

Book a visit | View prices | Talk to us

The customer can simply tap the appropriate option.

The new workflow

Customer starts conversation → Interactive options → Customer selects an option → Vaanexa continues the workflow

Case Study

Business

UrbanNest Realty

Challenge

UrbanNest wants customers to quickly choose between common enquiries without requiring them to type detailed messages.

Objective

Make WhatsApp conversations easier to navigate while giving the team structured information about customer intent.

Vaanexa Solution

UrbanNest uses reply buttons for common choices, list messages for larger menus, and product messages when presenting catalogue items.

Customer selections can then be used to continue the appropriate conversation or automation workflow.

Outcome

Customers get clearer choices and can respond with fewer steps, while the business receives more structured interaction data.

How Buttons, Lists and Product Messages work

Vaanexa supports three main interactive WhatsApp message types:

1. Reply buttons provide a small number of quick choices.
2. List messages provide larger menus organized into sections.
3. Product and multi-product messages display items from your catalogue with product information.

These message types can be used during conversations and are also available as steps in Automations.

Before you begin

Before sending an interactive WhatsApp message:

• Make sure WhatsApp is connected to your Vaanexa workspace.
• Decide what action you want the customer to take.
• Choose the message type that best matches the number of available choices.
• For product messages, make sure the relevant items are available in your catalogue.
• For automation workflows, make sure the next step after the customer's selection is defined.

How to use Buttons, Lists and Product Messages

Send a reply button

1. Open the relevant WhatsApp conversation.
2. In the reply box, select the + menu.
3. Choose the reply button message type.
4. Add the available choices.
5. Review the message.
6. Send it to the customer.

Reply buttons support up to 3 quick choices.

For example:

• Book now
• Price
• Talk to us

Send a list message

1. Open the relevant WhatsApp conversation.
2. Select the + menu in the reply box.
3. Choose the list message type.
4. Add the available options.
5. Organize options into sections where appropriate.
6. Review the list.
7. Send the message.

List messages can contain up to 10 options across sections.

Send a product or multi-product message

1. Open the relevant WhatsApp conversation.
2. Select the + menu.
3. Choose the product or multi-product message type.
4. Select the relevant catalogue item or items.
5. Review the product information.
6. Send the message.

Product messages can display catalogue items with information such as the product name, price, and image.

Use interactive messages in Automations

The same message types are available as steps in Automations.

You can use interactive messages when designing an automated customer journey and continue the workflow based on the customer's interaction.

Understanding the feature

Best practices

1. Keep button labels short
   Use clear action-oriented labels that customers can understand immediately.

2. Use buttons for common choices
   Reply buttons work best when customers only need a few options.

3. Use lists for larger menus
   When there are more choices, organize them into a list rather than creating an overwhelming sequence of buttons.

4. Keep options distinct
   Avoid choices that sound similar or could confuse customers.

5. Use product messages for catalogue items
   Product messages are useful when customers need to compare or browse available items.

6. Design the next step
   When using interactive messages in automations, make sure each customer selection leads to an appropriate next action.

Common scenarios

Quick customer routing

Use reply buttons to let customers choose between common requests such as pricing, booking, or speaking with a team member.

Service menus

Use list messages to present several services or enquiry categories.

Product browsing

Use product or multi-product messages to show catalogue items with relevant product information.

Automated qualification

Use interactive messages in an automation to ask customers what they are interested in and branch the workflow based on their selection.

Appointment enquiries

Use buttons or lists to guide customers toward booking-related options.

Common mistakes

Providing too many choices

A long list of options can make the conversation harder to navigate.

Using unclear button labels

Customers should understand what will happen when they tap an option.

Using buttons when a list is more appropriate

Reply buttons are intended for a small number of choices. Use a list when more options are required.

Forgetting the next automation step

If an interactive message is part of an automation, make sure the workflow knows what to do after the customer makes a selection.

Sending outdated product information

When using product messages, keep catalogue information such as prices and product details current.

Frequently asked questions

How many reply buttons can I use?

WhatsApp reply messages support up to 3 quick choices.

How many options can a list message contain?

A list message can contain up to 10 options across sections.

Can I send products through WhatsApp?

Yes. Product and multi-product messages can be used to present items from your Vaanexa catalogue.

Can these message types be used in Automations?

Yes. The same interactive message types are available as steps in Automations.

Can Vaanexa use a customer's button selection?

Yes. Button taps are recorded on the conversation and can be used by automation workflows to branch based on the customer's selection.

Which message type should I use?

Use reply buttons for a few common choices, list messages for larger menus, and product messages when you want customers to view catalogue items.

Related concepts

• WhatsApp Templates and the 24-Hour Window
• Connect WhatsApp
• Using the Unified Inbox
• Automations
• Build an Automation
• Catalogue
• Leads
• Customers
• AI agents