WhatsApp, the popular Facebook-owned messaging app, has continued to change over the past few weeks, rolling out a number of new features, from introducing a way to mute conversations indefinitely to supporting multiple devices and offering video calling.

WhatsApp has now made its latest move by adding a shopping button aimed at making it easier to get the products you want when browsing the catalogs of your favorite stores.

WhatsApp's new shopping button provides direct access to product and service listings that are on sale. The button is available to WhatsApp users worldwide and works similarly to WhatsApp's storefront icon.

Companies that have a complete product catalog can simply tap this button to browse their products. It will initiate a chat with that company about the product or products you wish to purchase. This button replaces voice calling, which will remain a WhatsApp feature, but will be integrated into the new shopping button, replacing the single-function voice call option.

When you select an item to purchase, WhatsApp does not have a traditional cart system and the item will remain visible WhatsApp does not have a traditional cart system and the item will remain visible. In an earlier video showing how WhatsApp simplifies online shopping, an "Add to Cart" button is added. This will likely be implemented in the future, but at this time it seems particularly limited to stable builds.

WhatsApp is used by over 2 billion people each month, and the addition of such a feature should be considered a way to maintain the user base. The shopping button should be especially welcomed by companies that are expanding into apps under the Facebook umbrella, as it will help them attract new customers.