Christmas is approaching, and with it, the hottest retail season. And this year, one protagonist is gaining even more strength as the main battleground for sales: WhatsApp. According to a specialized report produced in partnership with Opinion Box, the channel remains the primary means of contact between consumers and brands in Brazil. The study shows that 30% of Brazilians already use the app to make purchases, while 33% prefer it for post-sale, surpassing traditional methods such as email and telephone.

“For years, WhatsApp was just a messaging app. Today, it’s the busiest marketplace in Brazilian digital retail,” says Alberto Filho, CEO of Poli Digital, a company from Goiás that works with official WhatsApp communication solutions.

And so, the pressure to beat the competition and for quick results at this time of year leads many companies to adopt practices that violate the policies of Meta, WhatsApp's parent company. The result? One of the biggest nightmares for any modern business: having their account banned.

“Understanding how the system works and what its limits are is important to ensure that the main sales showcase doesn't close its doors in the middle of Christmas week,” explains Mariana Magre, a specialist in WhatsApp customer service and Customer Success at Poli Digital.

She explains that the meteoric growth of WhatsApp Business has brought both opportunities and risks. The more essential the channel becomes, the greater the impact of its misuse. "The expansion has attracted not only legitimate businesses, but also spammers and scammers, which has led Meta to tighten its vigilance over suspicious behavior," she explains.

Meta Platforms announced that, between January and June 2025, more than 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts were banned, many of them associated with fraudulent operations, as part of a broader effort to crack down on the abuse of its messaging services by criminals.

“Meta’s system analyzes behavioral patterns to identify spam-like activity. Warning signs include sending an abnormally high volume of messages in a short period, a high rate of blocks and reports, and sending messages to contacts who have never interacted with the brand.”

The consequences vary. A temporary block can last hours or days, but a permanent ban is devastating: the number becomes unusable, all chat history is lost, and contact with customers is immediately cut off.

However, the expert from Poli Digital details that the majority of blocks occur due to a lack of technical knowledge. The most common infractions involve the use of unofficial versions of WhatsApp, such as GB, Aero, and Plus, and mass messaging via "pirate" APIs. These tools are not approved by Meta and are easily tracked by security algorithms, leading to almost certain bans.

Another serious mistake is buying contact lists and sending messages to people who haven't authorized receiving them (without opt-in). Besides violating the platform's rules, this practice drastically increases the rate of spam complaints.

The absence of a structured communication strategy worsens the situation: the excessive sending of irrelevant promotions and disregard for WhatsApp's commercial policies compromise the so-called Quality Rating, an internal metric that measures the "health" of the account. "Ignoring this rating and insisting on bad practices is the shortest path to a permanent block," Mariana emphasizes.

To operate safely, it is essential to understand the differences between the app versions:

1. WhatsApp Personal: designed for individual use.
2. WhatsApp Business: free, suitable for small businesses, but with limitations.
3. Official WhatsApp Business API: a corporate solution that enables automation, multiple agents, CRM integration, and, above all, scalable security.

It is in this last point that the "trick" lies. The Official API operates within Meta's parameters, with pre-approved message templates, mandatory opt-in, and native protection mechanisms. Furthermore, it ensures that all communication follows the required quality and consent standards.

“At Poli Digital, we help companies make this transition safely, centralizing everything on a platform that integrates the official WhatsApp API with CRM. This eliminates the risk of blocks and keeps operations compliant,” explains Mariana.

A prime example is Buzzlead, a company that uses WhatsApp extensively for notifications and engagement. Before migrating, the use of unofficial messaging platforms caused recurring blocks and message loss. “When we started sending large volumes, we faced problems with number blocking. It was through Poli that we learned about the official WhatsApp API and were able to resolve everything,” says José Leonardo, director of Buzzlead.

The change was decisive. With the official solution, the company began operating without physical devices, using approved templates and drastically reducing the risk of being banned. "The results improved significantly, with a higher read rate and better delivery of notifications," the executive added.

Mariana summarizes the central point: “Migrating to the Official API is not just a tool swap, it's a change in mindset. Poli's platform organizes workflows, ensures compliance with rules, and monitors account quality in real time. The result is peace of mind to focus on what really matters: selling and building relationships with customers, especially at Christmas.”

"And if Christmas is the peak of sales, safety and compliance become the real gift for those who want to continue growing in 2025," concludes Alberto Filho. 

Brazil already has 91.3 million online shoppers, according to ABComm, and widely publicized projections from the sector indicate that the country should surpass 100 million by 2026. The sector continues to expand, generating R$ 204.3 billion in 2024 and expected to reach R$ 234.9 billion in 2025, according to ABComm data. This growth, combined with the advancement of social commerce and the popularization of digital tools and artificial intelligence, reduces barriers to entry and makes it simpler to transform ideas into real businesses, especially for those who wish to become entrepreneurs in 2026.

For Eduardo Schuler, CEO of Smart Consultoria , a company specializing in scaling businesses by combining strategy, technology, and AI , this convergence opens a rare window of opportunity. The executive states that there has never been so much individual execution capacity, so much access to information, and so much consumer openness to new brands. “The scenario has never been more favorable. The combination of speed, low cost, and powerful tools makes 2026 the best year in history for those who want to start a business,” he emphasizes.

Below, the expert details the ten pillars that make 2026 the best year in history to start a business:

1. Record-breaking drop in initial business costs.

The reduced cost of digital tools, sales platforms, and AI solutions eliminates barriers that previously prevented new entrepreneurs. According to Sebrae (GEM Brazil 2023/2024), digitalization has drastically reduced initial operating costs, especially in sectors such as services and digital retail. Today, it is possible to launch a brand with few resources and minimal infrastructure. “The initial investment has fallen to a level that democratizes market entry and opens up space for those with good execution,” says Shuler .

2. Artificial intelligence increasing individual productivity.

Studies by McKinsey & Company (Generative AI and the future of work report, 2023) indicate that generative AI can automate up to 70% of the activities currently performed by professionals, allowing a person to achieve results comparable to the work of entire teams. Automations, co-pilots, and intelligent systems expand operational capacity and accelerate launches. "Never has an individual produced so much alone," the expert emphasizes.

3. Brazilian consumers more receptive to new brands.

Research by NielsenIQ (Brand Disloyalty Study, 2023) shows that 47% of Brazilian consumers are willing to try new brands, driven by the search for better prices, authenticity, and proximity. For Schuler, this openness reduces the acceptance time of new products. "Brazilians are more curious and less loyal, which creates fertile ground for those who are starting out," he points out.

4. Social commerce consolidated as a sales channel.

Today, a significant portion of Brazilian purchases happen directly within social media. Brazil is the 3rd largest social commerce market in the world, and the sector is projected to grow by 36% by 2026, according to Statista (Digital Market Insights, Social Commerce 2024). For Schuler, this expansion creates the biggest shortcut in history for selling without a physical store. "It's the first time that selling within content has become the norm, not the exception," he points out.

5. Unlimited and free knowledge to learn and execute

The availability of free content, courses, and tutorials reduces the gap between intention and practice. In 2023, Sebrae registered more than 5 million enrollments in online courses, a historical record. For Schuler, this abundance accelerates the learning curve. "Today, nobody really starts from scratch; the repertoire is within everyone's reach," he states.

6. Bureaucratic simplification thanks to technology

Instant payments, digital banks, electronic signatures, and automation have made financial and operational management much more agile. The Business Map (MDIC) indicates that the average time to open a business in Brazil has fallen to 1 day and 15 hours, the lowest level ever recorded. “Routines that previously required long periods are now completed in minutes, and this completely changes the game for small businesses,” he analyzes.

7. Historic expansion of Brazilian e-commerce

The forecast of exceeding 136 million online consumers by 2026, according to Statista (Digital Market Outlook 2024), reveals the highest level of digital maturity ever recorded in the country. For Schuler, this means a market ready to absorb new solutions. “Demand exists, it is growing, and there is room for those who want to build a brand,” he states.

8. Lower psychological barrier for those who wish to become entrepreneurs

The growth of creators, mentors, and entrepreneurs sharing their behind-the-scenes experiences has made entrepreneurship more common and less feared. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2023/2024, 53% of Brazilian adults say they intend to start a business, one of the highest rates in the world. “When everyone knows someone who has started, fear decreases and action increases,” he comments.

9. Faster execution and immediate validation.

The current speed allows for testing ideas, validating hypotheses, and adjusting offers in real time. The Webshoppers 49 report (Neotrust/NielsenIQ) indicates that small brands have gained ground precisely because they respond faster to consumer behavior, taking advantage of intelligent advertising tools, automation, and A/B testing. “The market has never been so agile, and this favors those who need to gain traction quickly,” he reinforces.

10. Unprecedented convergence between technology, behavior, and economy.

According to Schuler , the combination of low costs, open consumers, high demand, and powerful tools creates a rare alignment. Data from Statista, GEM, and Sebrae show that there has never been so much intention to start a business, so much digital demand, and so much accessible technology all at the same time. "It's a window of opportunity that simply didn't exist before. Whoever enters now will have a historic advantage," he concludes.