WhatsApp gives customers control over the marketing messages they receive from businesses. This guide explains how WhatsApp's "Offers and announcements" setting works, what happens when customers opt out, and how you can see their preferences in Spur.
What Is WhatsApp's Opt-In/Opt-Out System?
WhatsApp allows customers to indicate whether they're interested in receiving marketing messages from your business.
This is managed through a setting called "Offers and announcements" in the customer's WhatsApp app.
How It Works:
Meta prompts the customer with a notification that pretty much says: "Are you interested in the kind of messages you receive from this brand?"
Customer responds:
Interested → Customer continues receiving marketing messages as usual
Not interested → WhatsApp shows them fewer updates from your business and gives them the option to stop all marketing messages right after that
If the customer selects "Stop offers and announcements":
They will no longer receive any marketing template messages from your business
This opt-out happens on WhatsApp's side, not just in Spur
You cannot override this decision or send them marketing messages until they opt back in
How to See Opt-In/Opt-Out Status in Spur
In the Shared Inbox
When you open a conversation in Spur's Shared Inbox, you'll see the customer's opt-in status in the right sidebar under the customer's details.
What You'll See:
Opt-in: True → Customer is opted in and can receive marketing messages
Opt-in: False → Customer has opted out and cannot receive marketing messages
You can also see when the opt-out happened. If the customer opted out via WhatsApp, you'll see:
"Marketing Messages Opted Out via WhatsApp"
Can You Manually Change the Opt-In Status?
Yes, you can toggle the opt-in status in Spur, but it won't override WhatsApp's settings.
What Happens If You Turn It Back On:
If a customer has opted out via WhatsApp and you manually turn on the opt-in toggle in Spur:
The toggle will show "Opt-in: True" in Spur
BUT WhatsApp will still block any marketing messages you try to send them
The customer must opt back in on their end for marketing messages to be delivered again
Bottom line: You cannot bypass a customer's opt-out preference. Only the customer can opt back in.
How Customers Opt Back In
If a customer wants to start receiving marketing messages from your business again, they can opt back in through WhatsApp.
Steps for Customers:
Open WhatsApp and go to your business chat
Tap on your business name at the top to view Business info
Scroll down to Offers and announcements
Toggle it on to resume receiving marketing messages
Once they do this, they'll start receiving marketing messages from your business again.
What Happens When You Try to Send a Marketing Message to an Opted-Out Customer?
If you attempt to send a marketing template message to a customer who has opted out, here's what happens:
Spur processes the request (e.g., you send a broadcast or marketing template through a flow)
WhatsApp blocks the message and does not deliver it
You'll see a failed status in Spur with the following error:
Status: Failed
Error code: 131050
Error message: "Unable to deliver the message. This recipient has chosen to stop receiving marketing messages on WhatsApp from your business"
This means the message did not reach the customer, and you won't be able to send them any marketing messages until they opt back in.
Interested vs. Not Interested Feedback
When a customer selects "Not interested" (but doesn't fully opt out), WhatsApp reduces the frequency of marketing messages they receive from your business.
This can affect per-user marketing template messaging limits, meaning:
You may not be able to send them as many marketing messages as usual
WhatsApp may prioritize other types of messages (like transactional or service messages) over marketing messages for that customer
However, the customer will still receive some marketing messages unless they fully opt out by selecting "Stop offers and announcements."
Tracking Opt-Outs in Spur
Spur automatically tracks when customers opt out via WhatsApp. You can see this information in:
Shared Inbox → Customer details sidebar → Opt-in status
Workflow executions → If a marketing flow fails due to opt-out, you'll see the error
You'll also receive a webhook notification (if configured) whenever a customer stops or resumes marketing messages from your business.
Best Practices for Managing Opt-Ins and Opt-Outs
✅ Respect customer preferences – If someone opts out, don't try to manually override it. They've made their choice.
✅ Focus on quality over quantity – Send valuable, relevant marketing messages to reduce opt-outs.
✅ Use transactional messages when appropriate – Order confirmations, shipping updates, and support messages are not affected by opt-out preferences.
✅ Monitor opt-out rates – If you're seeing a lot of opt-outs, it may be a sign that your marketing messages need improvement.
✅ Make it easy for customers to manage preferences – Let customers know they can control their message preferences in WhatsApp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I send non-marketing messages to opted-out customers?
A: Yes. Opt-outs only apply to marketing template messages. You can still send:
Transactional messages (order confirmations, shipping updates, etc.)
Service messages (customer support responses, account notifications, etc.)
Utility messages (password resets, delivery notifications, etc.)
Q: What if a customer opts out by replying "STOP"?
A: Previously, customers could opt out by replying with keywords like "STOP" or "UNSUBSCRIBE." This still works in some cases, but WhatsApp is gradually rolling out the new "Offers and announcements" setting, which gives customers more control directly in the app.
If a customer replies "STOP," you should:
Honor their request and stop sending marketing messages
Add a tag in Spur to mark them as opted out
Remove them from future marketing broadcasts
You can either do that or all of that can also be handled by the WhatsApp subscribe/unsubscribe flow automatically.
Q: Can I see who has opted out in bulk?
A: Yes. You can filter contacts in your Spur database by opt-in status or create a segment of opted-out contacts.
This is useful for:
Excluding opted-out contacts from broadcasts
Analyzing opt-out rates
Q: What happens if I manually toggle opt-in back on in Spur?
A: The toggle will show "Opt-in: True" in Spur, but WhatsApp will still block marketing messages if the customer has opted out on their end. Only the customer can fully opt back in by changing their preference in WhatsApp.
Q: How do I reduce opt-outs?
A: Here are some tips:
Send fewer, more targeted marketing messages
Personalize messages using variables (name, past purchases, etc.)
Offer real value (discounts, early access, exclusive content)
Segment your audience so you're only sending relevant messages
Avoid spammy or overly salesy language
Test different message formats and timing
Q: Will I be notified when someone opts out?
A: Yes. You will see in the chat that they have opted out through WhatsApp.
Summary
Concept | Explanation |
Offers and announcements | WhatsApp setting that lets customers control marketing messages from your business |
Interested | Customer wants to keep receiving marketing messages |
Not interested | Customer will receive fewer marketing messages |
Stop offers and announcements | Customer opts out completely and won't receive any marketing messages |
Opt-in status in Spur | Shows whether a customer is opted in or out in the Shared Inbox |
Manual toggle in Spur | You can toggle opt-in status, but it won't override WhatsApp's settings if the customer has opted out via WhatsApp. |
How to opt back in | Only the customer can opt back in via Business info → Offers and announcements |
Failed message error | Code 131050: "This recipient has chosen to stop receiving marketing messages" |
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