WhatsApp agents for D2C brands: orders, returns and COD

The shape of a D2C support queue

A Jaipur brand selling block printed kurtas online gets most of its customer messages on WhatsApp. Read a week of them and a pattern appears:

• Where is my order?
• Can I exchange for a different size?
• My parcel says delivered but I have not received it.
• Is cash on delivery available for my pincode?
• When will my refund come?
• Do you have this print in a larger size?

Most are routine and answerable from the order system, the courier's tracking and the returns policy. A few are not: a damaged parcel, an angry customer after a festival delay, a refund that has gone wrong. The aim of a WhatsApp agent is to answer the first kind quickly, in the customer's language, and pass the second kind to a person with the context attached.

For language handling, see WhatsApp support agents for Hindi, Gujarati and Hinglish.

Conversations an agent handles well

Order status

With read access to your store (Shopify, WooCommerce, Unicommerce or your own system) and the courier's tracking, the agent can tell the customer where the parcel is, when it is expected and give the tracking link. This is usually the largest share of messages.

Size exchanges and returns within policy

The agent can explain the policy, check whether the order is within the return window, book a pickup through your logistics partner where that is connected, and confirm the next steps. If the request is outside the policy, it hands over to a person and keeps to the rule.

Cash on delivery confirmation

Many brands confirm COD orders before dispatch to reduce returns. An agent can send a confirmation message using an approved template, read the customer's reply and update the order. Customers who do not reply, or who want changes, go to a person or a follow up rule you set.

Product and size questions

From your catalogue and size charts, the agent can answer "is this available in XL" or "what is the fabric", and link to the product page. It should say plainly when something is out of stock, and give a restock date only when your data has one.

Where a person must step in

• Refunds and compensation. The agent can start a request and explain the timeline. A person approves money leaving the business.
• Damaged or missing parcels. These need judgement, photos, and often a call to the courier.
• Complaints and threats. Messages mentioning a consumer forum, social media or a lawyer go straight to a senior person.
• Anything unusual. Bulk orders, gifting requests, influencer enquiries.

The handover matters as much as the answer. The person receiving the conversation should see a summary, the order details and what the agent already said, so the customer does not repeat anything.

The rules of the channel

WhatsApp for business runs on the WhatsApp Business Platform from Meta, usually through a business solution provider or Meta's Cloud API. A few rules shape any agent design. Check the current terms, since Meta updates them:

• Customer service window. When a customer messages you, you can reply freely for a limited period. Outside that window, you can only send pre approved message templates.
• Approved templates. Messages you start, such as COD confirmations or delivery updates, need templates approved by Meta, in set categories.
• Opt in. You need the customer's permission to message them on WhatsApp. Order and delivery updates and marketing messages are treated differently.
• Charges. Meta charges for certain message types, and providers add their own fees. Factor these into the running cost.

An agent built on AksharAI works within these rules: replies in the window, templates for messages it starts, and opt in records checked before sending.

Personal data and DPDP

Every WhatsApp conversation contains personal data: name, phone number, address, sometimes payment details. Under the DPDP Act, your brand is responsible for how that data is used. In practice:

• Give the agent only the order fields it needs. It does not need full payment details to answer a status question.
• Decide how long conversation logs are kept, and delete them after.
• Keep marketing consent separate from order updates.

Agents and the DPDP Act covers the duties in more detail.

Getting started

Pull last month's WhatsApp conversations, group them by type, and count. The groups that are large, routine and answerable from your systems are the first candidates. The use case finder and the support agent page are good next steps.