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Using Flexify Stand-alone Mode to Power a WhatsApp Business Catalog

Use Flexify Stand-alone mode to create a custom Shopify product feed, connect it to Meta Commerce Manager, and power your WhatsApp catalog with full control. The feed auto-updates your Shopify products for seamless, hands-free catalog syncing.

WhatsApp Business catalogs are already used by over 50 million businesses worldwide and viewed by 40 million+ users each month. In leading markets like India and Brazil, catalogs have become essential tools for mobile-first commerce, helping even the smallest businesses offer a professional, searchable storefront directly in chat.

This step-by-step guide explains how to use the Stand-alone mode to create a custom product feed from your Shopify store, import it into Meta Commerce Manager, and connect it to your WhatsApp Business account.

1. Create Your Flexify Stand-alone Feed #

  1. In your Shopify admin, install the Flexify for Facebook & Instagram app.

  2. Choose Stand-alone mode to generate a fully controlled product feed, independent of Shopify’s default integration.

  3. Configure your feed:

  4. Copy the feed URL provided by the app's Overview page for use in Meta Commerce Manager.

2. Set Up Meta Catalog via Commerce Manager #

  1. In Meta Commerce Manager, create a new catalog.

  2. Choose to add items via a data feed, then paste your Flexify feed URL.

  3. Set the update schedule (daily for free users, hourly for premium).

  4. Complete the setup to allow Meta to import and update your product data automatically.

3. Link the Catalog to WhatsApp Business #

  1. In Commerce Manager, open your catalog’s settings.

  2. Under Connected WhatsApp Business accounts, link your WhatsApp Business number.

  3. Once connected, this catalog becomes your WhatsApp Business catalog source.

4. Optional: Control Product Visibility with disabled_capabilities #

  1. In Shopify, create a metafield for controlling channel visibility.

  2. Assign values such as whatsapp, facebook, or instagram to exclude products from specific platforms.

  3. In Flexify, map this metafield to the disabled_capabilities field.

  4. This gives you precise control over which products appear on WhatsApp.

5. How to Manage the Catalog (Flexify → WhatsApp) #

Once your Flexify catalog is linked to WhatsApp via Meta Commerce Manager:

  • All product edits, including visibility, must be made in Shopify and configured via Flexify.

  • The WhatsApp Business app is read-only in this setup:

    • You can view catalog items

    • You can share items or collections with customers

  • To hide or exclude a product from WhatsApp, use the disabled_capabilities metafield in Shopify and set its value to include "whatsapp". Flexify will apply this to the feed during its next scheduled update.

  • Structural changes such as price, title, description, and media must be made in Shopify → Flexify → Meta Catalog.

Updates will sync to WhatsApp within 24 hours, depending on your Flexify plan and feed schedule.

✅ Summary #

Using Flexify’s Stand-alone mode allows Shopify merchants to:

  • Maintain full control over catalog content and visibility

  • Feed products directly into Meta’s ecosystem, including WhatsApp

  • Manage catalog updates centrally in Shopify, with automated feed syncing

  • Control platform-specific visibility using disabled_capabilities

This setup is ideal for businesses needing precision, automation, and unified catalog management across Meta platforms.