If you run a local shop, there comes a point when messaging customers one by one simply becomes too much work.

You may have a new collection.

Maybe a weekend sale starts tomorrow.

Or you have just received stock that regular customers keep asking about.

You want to tell 50 or 100 customers. Sending the same WhatsApp message 100 times doesn't make much sense.

This is where a WhatsApp broadcast list can help.

I am Abhinav Jain, one of the founders of Vizbe.com, a Noida-based platform built for local retailers and shoppers. I feel broadcast lists can be useful for shops, but there are some limits that every shop owner should know before depending on them.

Let's start with the basic question.

What Is a WhatsApp Broadcast List?

A WhatsApp broadcast list lets you send the same message to several contacts at once.

The nice part is that it doesn't work like a WhatsApp group.

When you send a broadcast, each customer receives your message as an individual WhatsApp message. If the customer replies, their reply comes privately to you. Other customers don't see it.

So a clothing shop in Delhi could send:

“Our new summer collection has arrived. Visit us this weekend to check it out.”

That single message can reach many customers without creating a group.

How to Create a WhatsApp Broadcast List on Android

According to WhatsApp's current instructions, Android users can create a broadcast list from the Chats screen.

The process is simple:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to Chats.
2. Tap the three-dot menu.
3. Select Broadcast lists.
4. Create a new list.
5. Search for and select the customers you want to add.
6. Tap the check mark to create your list.

You can then send a message to that list whenever needed.

WhatsApp says broadcast lists aren't supported on Windows, Mac or WhatsApp Web, so you generally need to manage traditional broadcast lists through your phone.

WhatsApp's official broadcast list guide

How to Create a Broadcast List on iPhone

The steps are slightly different on iPhone.

Go to Settings or your profile picture → Broadcast messages → New List.

Select the customers you want and create the list.

Again, each person receives the broadcast privately. Your customers don't see who else received your message.

That makes broadcasts much better for shop communication than putting hundreds of unrelated customers into one WhatsApp group.

The Big Catch: Your Customer Must Save Your Number

This is where many shop owners get confused.

You may have 500 customer numbers saved on your phone.

That does not mean all 500 customers will receive your traditional broadcast messages.

WhatsApp says contacts on a broadcast list must have your number saved in their phone's address book. Only people who have added you to their phone contacts will receive the broadcast.

Think about a shop in Kolkata.

The owner collects a customer's mobile number at billing.

The shop saves the customer.

But the customer never saves the shop's number.

The owner later adds that customer to a broadcast list.

The message may not reach that customer through the traditional broadcast-list system.

This is probably the biggest limitation of WhatsApp broadcasts for local shops.

How Many Customers Can I Add?

WhatsApp currently says you can have up to 256 contacts in one traditional broadcast list. You can create multiple lists.

WhatsApp also says people in some countries may see monthly broadcast limits as that feature is gradually rolled out.

So if your shop has thousands of customers, managing traditional lists can become messy.

You may end up with:

Regular Customers 1

Regular Customers 2

Regular Customers 3

Festival Customers

VIP Customers

and so on.

It works, but as the customer database grows, management becomes another job.

Create Different Lists for Different Customers

Don't send every offer to everyone.

Suppose you have a fashion store in Pune.

Someone who normally buys men's shirts may not care about every update related to children's clothing.

Try creating useful customer segments.

You could separate regular customers, new customers or customers interested in certain types of products.

WhatsApp Business also provides labels that can help businesses organise customer conversations. WhatsApp says a business can use a label and select Message customers to create a broadcast for individual customers under that label.

This makes your messages more relevant.

And that matters more than sending more messages.

Don't Turn Broadcasts Into Spam

Imagine buying something from a local shop on Monday.

Tuesday:

SALE!

Wednesday:

NEW OFFER!

Thursday:

BUY NOW!

Friday:

another offer.

You would probably start ignoring that shop.

Maybe even block it.

This is why I tell retailers that a customer mobile number is not a free pass to keep advertising forever.

WhatsApp's Business Messaging Policy says a business may contact someone when that person has provided their mobile number and the business has received opt-in permission confirming they want future WhatsApp messages from that business.

Ask permission and send useful messages.

That's better for your customers and better for your business.

WhatsApp Business Broadcasts Are Also Changing

There is another thing retailers should know in 2026.

WhatsApp is introducing newer business broadcast tools in some countries and accounts.

WhatsApp says the feature is being rolled out gradually and may not be available to everyone. It also has paid message packs in supported cases, where one credit is used for each recipient who receives a business broadcast.

So don't build your entire customer communication system assuming WhatsApp broadcast features will always work exactly as they do today.

Check the features currently available in your own WhatsApp Business account.

A Broadcast List Still Doesn't Solve Local Discovery

This is the bigger point for me.

Imagine a footwear shop in Chennai has 800 existing WhatsApp customers.

A broadcast list helps the shop communicate with some of those customers.

Good.

But what about the person living 2 km away who has never visited the shop?

That person isn't in the shop's contact list.

They haven't saved the shop's WhatsApp number.

The shop cannot depend on its existing broadcast lists to reach that buyer.

Local shops need two things:

Keep existing customers + find new customers.

And this is where the idea behind Vizbe starts becoming different.

Vizbe – Check Online. Buy Offline.

At Vizbe, our goal is to connect digital product discovery with physical local shopping.

A buyer should be able to check a shop, products and offers online.

Then go to the physical store and buy.

That's why our tagline is:

Check Online. Buy Offline.

Vizbe for Sellers App – For Local Shops & Businesses

The Vizbe for Sellers App is made for local retailers.

You can create your shop presence, add products, create deals, offer cashback and connect with buyers.

So your online activity isn't limited to sending a message.

Your customers can actually see what your shop has to offer.

A home furnishing shop in Jaipur, an electronics retailer in Hyderabad or a clothing shop in Chandigarh can put products online and use Vizbe to help turn digital interest into physical shop visits.

Send Bulk Messages to Connected Buyers

Vizbe for Sellers also gives businesses a bulk messaging feature for connected buyers.

The idea is simple.

A local shop owner should not need complicated technical knowledge just to communicate with customers.

When you have something useful to share, you can send a bulk message to your connected buyers.

Maybe you received a new collection.

Maybe your sale starts tomorrow.

Maybe there's a deal buyers should know about.

Your communication remains connected with your shop's wider Vizbe presence.

Showcase Your Products

This is one big difference between thinking only about messages and thinking about the whole buying journey.

Suppose you send:

“New shoes have arrived.”

The customer still has to ask:

“What shoes?”

“What price?”

“What colours?”

With Vizbe, sellers can also list products.

So buyers can check products online before deciding whether they want to visit.

Check Online. Buy Offline.

Create Deals to Bring Buyers to Your Shop

A deal gives your message a purpose.

Instead of saying:

“Visit our shop.”

you can give buyers a real reason.

For example:

“20% off selected shirts this weekend.”

The buyer can check the deal and then visit your store.

Your phone isn't replacing your physical shop.

It is helping bring people there.

Cashback Can Help Bring Customers Back

Getting a customer once is good.

Getting that person to return is better.

Vizbe lets shops create cashback offers that can help encourage repeat visits.

For me, customer retention is one of the biggest opportunities for local retailers.

Don't think only about:

“How can I message 500 people?”

Think:

“How can I turn my buyers into repeat customers?”

Vizbe for Shopping App – For Buyers

The Vizbe for Shopping App is the buyer side of the platform.

Shoppers can use Vizbe to discover local stores, products, deals and cashback offers.

So a buyer can check what's happening around them before leaving home.

They discover online.

They compare what interests them.

Then they visit the local shop.

That is what Vizbe – Check Online, Buy Offline is built around.

Should My Shop Use WhatsApp Broadcasts or Vizbe?

I would use WhatsApp broadcasts where they make sense.

WhatsApp is already part of how many Indian customers communicate.

But I would not make a broadcast list the whole digital marketing plan for a local shop.

A broadcast helps you send a message.

Your business also needs to show products, promote deals, retain customers and help new shoppers discover your store.

Use each tool for the job it does well.

And if your main business happens inside a physical store, start building an online presence that sends customers back to that store.

Install Vizbe for Sellers App on Google Play

Founder – Abhinav Jain

Vizbe.com | Noida, India

Vizbe – Check Online. Buy Offline.