Meta, L’OCCITANE and Omnichat have spotlighted a major shift in customer engagement across Asia-Pacific — loyalty now lives inside everyday conversations on WhatsApp. The insights were revealed at the third Commerce Leadership Forum, recently hosted at Meta’s Singapore hub by Omnichat, a leading AI-powered omnichannel messaging platform.
The forum gathered senior leaders from the retail, beauty, and lifestyle sectors to discuss how conversational commerce is reshaping customer behaviour. WhatsApp is rapidly evolving from a simple support channel into a high-intent engagement and transaction platform, enabling richer customer experiences and stronger brand relationships.
WhatsApp Becomes L’OCCITANE’s Primary Loyalty Channel
L’OCCITANE has positioned WhatsApp at the centre of its customer communications in APAC — now driving over 80% of all inbound and outbound interactions. Through tailored, AI-driven conversations, the brand is seeing stronger conversion and deeper loyalty than through traditional digital channels.
“Loyalty starts the moment customers choose to stay connected,” shared Terrence Siu, CIO APAC, L’OCCITANE. “WhatsApp enables us to deliver seamless, personalised journeys across discovery, purchase and in-store engagement — whether they come from Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp.”
The brand now manages sampling campaigns, VIP perks, post-purchase care, and continuous re-engagement directly within WhatsApp. Their personalised rewards strategy — including targeted couponing — has pushed redemption rates to 87%, driving repeat purchases and keeping customers close to the brand long after their first order.
Messaging Becomes the New Loyalty Engine
Meta shared fresh YouGov insights highlighting the region’s rapid transition to conversational buying — 32–43% of APAC consumers now rely on business messaging to browse products, track orders, and seek support, especially during peak shopping moments.
“The future of shopping is conversational,” said Vicky Yiu, APAC Strategic Partnership Manager, Business Messaging at Meta. “WhatsApp is becoming the commerce layer for brand relationships. It’s where loyalty is built — through ongoing dialogue, not one-off campaigns.”
Omnichat — the official WhatsApp Business Solution Provider for brands like L’OCCITANE — emphasised how messaging transforms loyalty from passive programs into real-time relationship-building.
“Points in an app do nothing if customers forget about them,” said Alan Chan, CEO & Founder, Omnichat. “WhatsApp keeps loyalty active — delivering rewards, reminders, and recognition in the channel customers already use every day. That’s how loyalty becomes a habit — and unlike apps, no one deletes WhatsApp.”
A Shift to Relationship-Led Growth
The event highlights a wider regional movement: from transactional marketing to continuous customer engagement powered by AI and messaging. As consumers abandon cumbersome apps and demand instant interaction, WhatsApp is emerging as the default loyalty hub for APAC brands.
By unifying discovery, education, rewards, repurchase, and reactivation into a single conversational ecosystem, brands can now build loyalty inside the customer’s daily behaviour — one message at a time.
