The hardest customer emails are the ones with bad news. These templates make the first draft easy. Change the details every time, so each one sounds written for that person.
The rules behind every template
- Answer the main question in the first two lines.
- Use their name and their details.
- Say what happens next, and when.
- Sign with a real name.
For complaints and refunds, there are separate guides: responding to a complaint and responding to a refund request.
An order is delayed
Hi Jonas,
Your order will arrive later than we promised. Our supplier is a week behind, so it will now ship on 22 October instead of 15 October.
I am sorry for the wait. If you would rather cancel, reply and I will refund you in full today. Otherwise, you will get a tracking link as soon as it ships.
Tell them before they have to ask. A delay you announce feels very different from one they discover.
An item is out of stock
Hi Petra,
The blue version of the lamp you ordered is out of stock until early November.
You can wait for it, switch to the green or white version which ships tomorrow, or get a full refund. Just reply with what you prefer.
You need more information
Hi Karim,
Thanks for getting in touch. To fix this quickly, I need two things:
- Your order number, which starts with NV.
- A photo of the damaged part.
As soon as I have them, I will send a replacement the same day.
Number your questions. Customers answer numbered lists more completely.
You cannot do what they asked
Hi Bea,
Thanks for asking. We cannot ship outside the country at the moment, because our courier does not cover international delivery.
If you have a friend or family member in the country, we can send it to them. And I will let you know as soon as we start shipping abroad.
You do not know the answer yet
Hi Adam,
Thanks for your message. I need to check this with our supplier before I can give you a proper answer.
You will hear from me by Thursday at the latest, even if it is only an update.
After a problem is solved
Hi Lucia,
I wanted to check that the replacement arrived and everything works now.
Thank you for your patience while we sorted it out. If anything is still not right, reply here and it comes straight to me.
This short email turns a bad experience into a good memory more often than you would expect.
Lines to avoid
- We apologise for any inconvenience
- Please be advised
- Do not reply to this email
- Your request has been escalated
Save your best replies
When you write a reply that works, save it. Over time you will have a small library of answers that sound like you. That library, your policies and what you can offer belong together, in one place, like a second brain for your business. It also makes it much easier to hand customer emails to someone else, or to an AI tool.