Messaging Commerce Platform
Conversational Commerce over Messenger & WhatsApp
Context
I worked on building the first MVP introducing Facebook Messenger as a transactional messaging channel. The goal was not just communication, but enabling structured ecommerce flows inside chat.
This foundation later evolved into enabling full ecommerce experiences over WhatsApp.
My Role
- Defined and implemented the MVP backend architecture
- Integrated Facebook Messenger APIs and webhook flows
- Modeled conversational state and transactional logic over chat
- Implemented the first chatbot builder prototype (Messenger + Web)
- Contributed to the product foundation that enabled early investment
- Supported evolution toward WhatsApp-based commerce
The Problem
Messaging platforms are event-driven and stateless. Ecommerce systems are stateful and transactional.
The challenge was bridging:
- Stateless webhook events → stateful commerce sessions
- Message retries → idempotent order flows
- Conversational UX → structured product and checkout logic
- Platform API limits → scalable backend architecture
Architectural Approach
Event-Driven Backend
Messenger and WhatsApp operate via webhooks and async events. I designed a backend architecture that:
- Normalized inbound events
- Enforced idempotency for message retries
- Managed session state per user
- Translated chat interactions into structured commerce flows
Conversational State Modeling
Instead of treating messages as isolated events, I implemented:
- Explicit session management
- Conversation-state persistence
- Structured order lifecycle tracking
This enabled full transactional flows within chat.
Multi-Tenant Commerce Logic
The system supported multiple merchants. I structured:
- Tenant-aware data modeling
- Merchant-level configuration
- Isolated conversational workflows
Chatbot Builder (Botme)
On Botme, I helped implement the first chatbot builder for Facebook Messenger and web-based chat.
This allowed non-technical users to design conversational flows visually. The prototype played a key role in securing early major investment.
Impact
- Replaced manual messaging with structured, automated commerce flows
- Enabled structured ecommerce over Messenger
- Established architecture that later extended to WhatsApp commerce
- Transitioned messaging from support-only to transactional
- Contributed to a product that secured significant early investment
Stack
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I help early-stage founders build solid technical foundations.
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