All inbound messages are displayed in Dotdigital Chat. You can reply to these messages within 24 hours. When a contact replies or initiates a chat, a 24-hour service window opens, during which you can respond free of charge. After this 24-hour window, you can only send templated messages.
This is in Private Preview
This means:
Sent campaigns are not displayed in the thread. Only inbound and free-text messages sent by you are shown.
Contacts are not identified in the Chat, even if they exist in your contacts list (e.g., messages are displayed as sent from +44123456789 instead of John Doe)
Add a user to Chat
Learn how to add the correct permissions for a user to use Chat in Roles and permissions of Chat.
WhatsApp pricing for replying to inbound messages
Understanding WhatsApp's pricing strategy is crucial for managing costs effectively, especially when replying to inbound messages.
Here's how the pricing works in different scenarios:
Message Type | Cost | Details |
Customer-initiated messages | Free of charge | When a customer sends a message to your business, there is no cost associated with receiving this message. |
Salesperson replies | Free of charge | Replies sent by your sales team within a 24-hour window from the customer's initial message are free. This encourages timely responses and efficient customer service. |
Broadcast marketing messages | Incur a marketing cost | Sending broadcast marketing messages to a large audience incurs a cost. These messages are typically used for promotions, offers, and other marketing activities. |