Why boutiques drown in WhatsApp messages
If you sell clothes, shoes or accessories, you probably know the pattern. You run an Instagram or Facebook ad with a "Send message" button, and for the next two days your WhatsApp fills up. Most messages are some version of the same three questions: "Is this available in M?", "What other colors?", "How much with shipping?". Many arrive as a screenshot with no text at all. Many arrive at 11 pm.
Every unanswered message is a customer who was ready to buy a few minutes ago. A WhatsApp AI assistant for a clothing store does not need to be clever about fashion. It needs to know your stock, your sizes and your prices, answer quickly and politely, and take the order cleanly so you can pack it in the morning. That is what Wabo is built for.
How Wabo handles boutique conversations
Wabo is a desktop app for Windows and macOS. It links to your existing WhatsApp number as a linked device, the same way WhatsApp Web does, and replies to customers who write to you using your own Google Gemini key. Here is what that looks like in practice:
- Size and color questions. Each product in your catalog can have options (size, color, length) with their own prices. The assistant answers from that list, not from guesswork.
- Product photos. It sends the right images from your catalog when a customer asks to see an item or another color.
- Screenshot matching. When someone sends a screenshot from your ad or Instagram post, Wabo looks for the matching product and answers about it.
- Voice notes and quick bursts. It understands voice messages, and when a customer sends three short messages in a row it waits and answers them together.
- Order mode. It collects product, option, quantity, name, phone, address and payment method, shows a summary, asks for confirmation and saves the order. You get a WhatsApp notification and can export orders to Excel.
[screenshot of a green linen dress] do you have this in M?
Hi! I'm Mira Boutique's AI assistant. That's our Sage Linen Dress, $59. Size M is available in sage and in cream. Would you like to see the cream one?
yes pls
Here you go, Sage Linen Dress in cream. Both colors are the same price.
ok I'll take the cream in M
Great choice! 1 × Sage Linen Dress, cream, M = $59. May I have your full name, phone number and delivery address?
If you prefer to close sales yourself, use handover mode instead. Wabo answers the first questions, sends the photos and prices, and then leaves the conversation to you. Many boutiques start this way and switch to order mode once they trust the answers.
Setting it up for a boutique
1. Build your catalog
Add categories (dresses, shoes, bags), then products with options and prices. If you already keep stock in a spreadsheet, download the template and import your catalog from Excel. You can also upload many photos at once, with each image becoming a product, and let the AI write a description of each image for you. Mark items as sold out when they run out.
2. Write your rules in plain words
Tell the assistant how your shop works: shipping times and fees, exchange and return policy, which payment methods you accept, and how to talk (warm and short works well for fashion). Add the questions you get every day as FAQ entries. If you have a return policy or size chart as a PDF or Word file, upload it and Wabo will answer from the relevant part. Our guide on training your assistant walks through this.
3. Test before you go live
The test chat lets you talk to your assistant without connecting WhatsApp. Send it a screenshot, ask for a size you do not stock, try to order a sold-out item. You can compare two Gemini models side by side. When you are happy, link your WhatsApp with a QR code or an 8-digit pairing code. You will need a free Gemini API key first; the free tier is a fine place to start.
What it won't do
Wabo answers people who write to you. It does not send bulk messages or broadcast campaigns, and it is not a replacement for your ad tool. It can send a short, limited follow-up (at most a couple of reminders) to a customer who went quiet, never at night, and never again if they say "stop". When it does not know an answer, it hands the chat to you instead of inventing one.
If you are wondering how this differs from the built-in greeting and away messages, see Wabo vs WhatsApp Business auto-reply.
Pricing
Wabo is a one-time license of $199 for one WhatsApp number, with 12 months of updates included and a 7-day money-back guarantee. AI usage is billed by Google to your own Gemini key, and the app shows an estimated cost per 1,000 replies. You can try every screen and the test chat for free without a license. See full pricing or download the free trial.
Frequently asked questions
Can it tell which item a customer means from an Instagram screenshot?
Yes. When a customer sends a photo or screenshot, Wabo looks for the matching product in your catalog and answers about that item. Good, clear product photos in your catalog make matching more reliable.
How do I handle sizes and colors that are sold out?
Each product can have options such as size and color with their own prices, and you can mark a product as sold out. The assistant will not offer it, and you can add a rule for what to suggest instead.
Will it collect the shipping address and payment method?
In order mode it asks for product, option, quantity, name, phone, address and payment method, shows a summary, waits for the customer's confirmation and saves the order. You get a notification on your own WhatsApp.
Can I still reply from my phone myself?
Yes. When you type in a chat from your phone, Wabo goes quiet in that conversation for a few hours (3 by default). You can also switch it off for specific contacts.