Chat-in Shop Widget

Settings2 min readLast updated August 4, 2026

How does the Chat-in widget work?

The widget appears as a pop-up on your store, showing your logo, a QR code and a Start WhatsApp Chat button. A visitor either scans the code (handy on mobile) or clicks the button; both open a WhatsApp chat with a pre-filled message. That triggers a Chat-in — the contact lands in your Keaz inbox and is created as a new contact if they don't exist yet.

How do I activate it?

  1. Go to Settings → Integrations → Shopify.
  2. Under "Activate your shop widget", click Activate.
  3. The widget goes live on your storefront — no technical knowledge, one click.

Can I connect it to a flow?

Yes. Every Start WhatsApp Chat click or QR scan fires a Chat-in, which you can link to a flow — for example opt-in, lead qualification or support. Point the Chat-in at a short opt-in or welcome flow so every new contact gets an instant, consistent first reply. The setup on the flow side is described in Flow trigger: Chat-in.

A Chat-in is also the moment a contact gives you permission to message them, so it is worth being clear about what that consent has to look like. Our guide to collecting WhatsApp opt-ins the GDPR-compliant way sets out the requirements and how the widget fits them.

The Chat-in isn't limited to your storefront. You get a link in the flow's Starting point: create a flow, open the Starting point and select Chat-in as the trigger event (WhatsApp event) — the link belonging to that flow is available there. Each flow you create gets its own, so the flow you take the link from decides what happens after the chat starts.

Use it anywhere you can place a link: paid ads, social posts, your Instagram or TikTok bio, an email footer, a QR code on packaging or in-store. Someone taps it, WhatsApp opens with the pre-filled message, the flow starts, and the contact is captured in Keaz — exactly as if they had used the shop widget.

Practical tip: build one flow per channel or campaign and use each flow's own link. Then the entry point tells you where the contact came from, and you can greet an ad click differently from a packaging scan.

Chat-in or the Shopify widget — what's the difference?

They're not two competing features. The Chat-in is the event — a contact starting a WhatsApp chat with you. The shop widget is one way to produce that event, and the link from the Starting point is another. Both end up in the same place: a Chat-in that starts your flow and creates the contact.

Frequently asked questions

Does it work on desktop and mobile?
Yes — button click on desktop, QR scan or button on mobile.
Is a contact created automatically?
Yes, if they don't already exist in Keaz.

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