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Chapter
9
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Customer Service Handbook For Etsy Sellers
Customer Service Messages Swipe File

How to use these customer message templates:


  1. Customise the templates to fit your shop and products. Replace the placeholder text to fit your situation.
  2. Keep in mind your shop's brand voice: These messages have been written in a friendly tone that’s not too formal nor informal, but you should adjust them to fit your shop's unique brand voice. Add or remove words to make the message sound more like you.
  3. Copy the messages to include in your 'saved replies'. Make sure to put them in different categories, so that you will be able to send customers a great response quickly.


With these message templates, you’d be able to quickly respond to your customers and provide excellent customer service. Here are the templates:



Handling Unhappy Customers

Delayed order

Thank you again for your order! I'm sorry to let you know that your order has been delayed because of (reason). I understand how important it is for you to receive your items on time, and I apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.


The new estimated shipping time is (updated time frame). Here's your tracking code for your reference: (tracking code here). You can track the status of your shipment at any time.


If there's anything we can do to help, please don't hesitate to reach out. My goal is to ensure the best buying experience for all my customers.


Thank you very much for your patience and understanding!



Product is damaged when received

I am so sorry to hear that your product was damaged during shipping. I understand how frustrating that must be and I want to apologise about that.


I always strive to package my products with the utmost care, but unfortunately, sometimes accidents do happen during shipping that’s out of my control. I am very sorry that this happened to your order.


My goal is to make sure that you are completely satisfied with your purchase, and I would like to fix this situation for you to my best ability. I am happy to send you a replacement or issue a full refund, whichever you prefer.


Please let me know if you have any other concerns or questions. I'm here to help and make sure you have a great shopping experience with us. Thank you for your understanding and I apologise for the inconvenience.



Order with missing item

I'm so sorry to hear that there's a missing item in your order. I do my best to ensure that all orders are accurate and complete, but sometimes mistakes happen. I understand how frustrating this can be and I want to make it right.


I'll do my best to fix the situation as soon as possible. I'll ship the missing item to you at no additional cost. I'll keep you updated and let you know when the shipment is on its way.


Please let me know if you have any other concerns or questions. I'm here to help and make sure you have a great shopping experience with us. Thank you for your understanding and I apologise for the inconvenience.



Order with wrong item

I'm sorry to hear that you received the wrong item with your order. I strive to get every order right, but sometimes mistakes happen. Please know that I am here to make it right.


I would like to offer to ship the correct item to you at no extra cost to you. I'll make sure it ship it to you as soon as possible and will keep you updated on the shipping status.


Or, if you prefer, I can also provide you with a (discount percentage) discount on your current order if you choose to just keep the item you received.


Please let me know your preferred option and if you have any other concerns or questions. I'm here to help and make sure you have a great shopping experience with us. Thank you for your understanding and I apologise for the inconvenience.



Haven’t received product even though tracking says delivered

I am sorry to hear that you have not received your package even though the tracking information says it has been delivered. I understand how frustrating this situation can be and I want to help you find your order.


Please check with any family members or neighbours to see if they may have received the package on your behalf. It's possible that it was delivered to the wrong address by mistake or your family members have accepted the package without letting you know.


Additionally, I suggest contacting your local post office with the tracking code, as they should have more information on the whereabouts of your package. I’ve experienced situations where the shipment is marked delivered by mistake.


If none of these steps are successful, please report the missing mail to the post office. Here's a link that you can use to report stolen mail: (Link to website).


Please keep me updated on the situation and I hope that you'll be able to locate the package soon. If there are any further issues, please do not hesitate to reach out to me for assistance.



Asking for refund

Yes Refund

I'm sorry to hear about the situation about our product. I understand that receiving a product that isn't as expected can be disappointing and I want to help make it right.


I'd like to confirm that a refund is possible. However, please note that you'll need to ship the item back to me at your own cost.


As an alternative solution, I would be happy to offer you a discount or exchange the item for another item from my shop that you prefer. I just want to ensure that you're happy with your purchase.


Please let me know if you have any other concerns or questions. I'm here to help and make sure you have a great shopping experience with us. Thank you for your understanding and I apologise for the inconvenience.



No Refund

I'm sorry to hear about (the situation) with your purchase. I understand that receiving a product that isn't as expected can be disappointing and I want to help make it right.


Unfortunately, as per our policy, we are unable to offer a refund for this item.


However, I would be happy to offer you (a discount or exchange for another item in our shop). If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.



Order cancellation request for custom order

Thank you again for your order! I’m sorry to hear that you would like to cancel your custom order. Unfortunately, as custom orders are made specifically for you, it's not possible to cancel them and receive a full refund.


However, I understand that sometimes things change and I am happy to offer a 50% partial refund if you still choose to cancel the order. I've already started working on your custom order, so I hope you understand this limitation.


Please let me know if you have any other concerns or questions. I'm here to help and make sure you have a great shopping experience with us. Thank you for your understanding and I apologise for the inconvenience.



Order cancellation request after order is shipped

Thank you again for your order! I'm sorry to hear that you'd like to cancel your order. Unfortunately, it's not possible to cancel the order because it's already been made and shipped.


If you'd like a refund, please wait until you've received the item. You can choose to ship the item back for a full refund.


Please let me know if you have any other concerns or questions. I'm here to help and make sure you have a great shopping experience with us. Thank you for your understanding and I apologise for the inconvenience.




Reviews

Asking for review

Thank you again for your order! I really appreciate your support!


I hope you are happy with your order. If you are happy with your purchase, it would mean the world to me if you can leave a positive review for my shop. But if you have any questions, please let me know and I’m happy to help.


To leave a review:

1. Go to https://www.etsy.com/your/purchases

2. Find the item purchased from my shop

3. Leave a review



Can’t leave review as a guest

Thank you again for your order! I really appreciate your support!


I hope you are happy with your order. If you are happy with your purchase, it would mean the world to me if you can leave a positive review for my shop. But if you have any questions, please let me know and I’m happy to help.


To leave a review:

  1. Search for the order confirmation email from Etsy from the email address transaction@etsy.com
  2. Click on the order confirmation number link (located underneath the heading “Order details”
  3. Follow the steps to create an Etsy account
  4. Then your order will be linked to the new Etsy account
  5. Go to “Your Account” and click “Purchases and Reviews” to leave a review for the order



Thanking customers for positive review

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a wonderful review! I really appreciate your kind words and I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed your product.


Thank you again for your support and for choosing to shop with (your shop name)! Hope to see you again soon!



Receiving 3/4 star positive review

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review for my Etsy shop. I really appreciate your feedback and am committed to providing the best possible experience for my customers.


I'm sorry to hear that there were aspects of the product that didn't meet your expectations, and I will be sure to look for ways to improve it in the future.


Is there anything I can do in the meantime to make your shopping experience better? I would be more than happy to help as customer satisfaction and feedback are very important to me.


Thank you again for your review and I look forward to the opportunity to make things right!



Negative review public response

Very sorry to hear about your negative experience about the (problem). It’s a rare incident as product quality is very important to me. Even more important is that every customer is happy with their orders from (your shop name).

Because of the (problem), I’ve offered (fixes you offered) to (customer name). (More details about the fix if necessary). If in the rare case of a similar situation happening again, I’ll be more than happy to help.




Dealing With Difficult Customers

Unreasonable request

Thank you for your interest in my products. I appreciate you reaching out to us.


Unfortunately, your request is not possible because (reasons why you can’t fulfil the request). I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.


If there is anything else I can help you with, please let me know and I’m happy to help.



Unreasonable discount

Thank you for reaching out and expressing your interest in my handmade products!


Unfortunately, I can’t offer the discount you have requested as my products are handmade with a great deal of time and effort. I strive to provide the highest quality products at an affordable price, and I believe that the value of our handmade creations is reflected in the price.


However, as a token of our appreciation, I’m happy to offer you a 10% discount on your first order. This is a special offer for new customers and I hope it will encourage you to try our products.


Thank you again for your interest and we look forward to hearing back from you!



Unreasonable shipping time request

Thank you for your interest in my products! I understand that you have a specific shipping time request, but I'm afraid it’s not possible as all my products are made-to-order.


The process of creating and crafting each item takes time, and I want to make sure that each product is made to the highest quality before it's shipped out to you.


I'm sorry to say that the earliest I can ship out your order is (date). It usually takes another (Number of Days) on average for the package to arrive to you.


If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm always here to help!



Customer who’ve put an item on hold for too long

Thank you for your interest in the (Item). I just wanted to send you a friendly reminder you that you had requested for it to be put aside for you.


As other shoppers have also expressed interest in this item, I won’t be able to put it on hold forever.


If you are still interested, I'll be happy to hold the item for another (Number of Days). Please let me know as soon as possible if you'd like to proceed with the purchase.


Thank you for your understanding and I look forward to hearing back from you!




Using Etsy

Customer asks how to apply a coupon code

Thank you for your interest! Here are the steps to apply a coupon code:


  1. Go to your Etsy shopping cart
  2. Click on "Apply shop coupon codes" next to my shop
  3. Enter the coupon code in the box and click "apply"
  4. You should now be able to see the discounted price


If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to and I’ll be happy to help!



Customer asks for a personal message and gift wrapping for order

Yes it's possible

Thank you for your interest in (product name)! I would be delighted to personalise your order and provide gift wrapping for you. To ensure that your gift-ready order is processed correctly, please follow these simple steps:


  1. Check the "this order is a gift" option in the shopping cart page
  2. Add the gift wrapping option to your cart (Please keep in mind that there’s an additional fee for the gift wrapping service)
  3. For the handwritten note, you can include up to (number of) words. Simply enter your message in the text box provided in the shopping cart page.


I hope this helps, and if you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to let me know. I'd be happy to help!



No it's not possible

Thank you for your interest in (product name)! I'm sorry that at the moment I don’t offer personal messages or gift wrapping because (reason that it’s not possible like keeping the prices low, high number of order, haven’t found a gift wrapping option that is up to the high quality, etc.).


Thank you for your understanding and feel free to let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with!




Shipping & Delivery

Customer asks how to track their order

Thank you again for your order! Your order is on its way to you. The tracking code for your order is (tracking code). You can track your order by entering the code in this tracking website: (website link)


Please keep in mind that it may take a few days before the tracking info is available.


If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to me!


Thank you!



Customer asks for earlier shipment

Thank you for your interest in (product name). I'm sorry that it is not possible to ship the item earlier. All items in my shop are made-to-order and handmade, which takes time to create and make sure that the product is of the highest quality.


The earliest I'd be able to ship out the item will be (date). Thank you for your understanding and I hope you will still consider buying from my shop. If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to let me know and I’m happy to help!



Ask for update of shipping address

Thank you again for your order! The address that you've provided in your order doesn't seem to be complete. In order to ensure a smooth delivery, please let me know your shipping address with the full and complete details.


I’ll ship out your order as soon as possible after receiving the updated address. Thank you again and I look forward to hearing from you soon!



Customer asks where their order is

Thank you again for your order! Your order is on its way to you. The tracking code for your order is (tracking code).


According to the shipping carrier, the estimated delivery date for your order is around (date). I apologise for any delays or inconvenience.


If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to me.


Thank you for your patience and I hope you’ll enjoy your order!




General Questions

Thank you for order

Thank you for your recent order! I truly appreciate your support for my small handmade business!


Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. I’m always happy to help!



Email list sign up ask

Thank you again for your order! I really appreciate it!


I’d like to send you some useful information on how to take care of your product, special deals during holidays and new products when they come out. I promise there won’t be any spam!

Please follow this link for the signup:

(link to signup form)

The first email would be about (preview of first email).

Can’t wait to talk to you soon!



Payment reminder for custom order

Thank you for your interest in the custom (product name)!


As a friendly reminder, I kindly ask that you proceed with payment if you'd like me to start making your (product name). As it is made-to-order, I won't be able to start the process until I receive payment from you.


Here is the link to the custom product: (Link to custom listing)


As I want to make sure that there is enough time to create your custom item to your specifications, please make the payment before (date).


If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm happy to help!



Customer asks about custom orders

Yes custom order is possible

Thank you for your interest in a (product name)! I’d love to work on a custom one for you!


To make sure I understand exactly what you're looking for, could you please provide me with the following specifications for the product you have in mind?


(List of details and specifications you need. Preferably in a bullet list for clarity)


Once I have all the details, I'll be able to create a custom link for payment if you'd like to proceed. The turnaround time for this custom product is (number of days) after the payment is complete.


I'm excited to work with you on this custom item and I look forward to hearing back from you soon!



No custom order is not possible

Thank you for your interest in a custom (product name). Unfortunately, I won’t be able to fulfil your request at this time.


(Provide reason why it's not possible, such as a limitation in materials, time constraint, etc.)


I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and I understand that custom products can be important. If there is anything else I can help you with, please let me know!



Customer ask whether it’s handmade

Thank you for reaching out! I’m so glad you are interested in my (product name).


Yes, my (product name) is 100% handmade with care and attention to detail. Each piece is carefully crafted by hand with (your materials, method, etc.).


If you have any other questions or concerns, feel free to let me know and I’m happy to help!


Thank you and I hope to hear back from you soon!



Customer asks what if the item doesn’t fit

Thank you for your interest in (product name). To make sure you get the right size, I recommend following these simple steps to have the best chance of getting your perfect fit:


(Describe how to measure for your product, follow the sizing guide in your listing photos, etc)


In the unlikely event that the size you ordered doesn't fit, I would be happy to exchange it for a different size of the same product. Please note that the return shipping cost will not be covered in this case.


If you have any other questions, feel free to let me know and I’m happy to help!



Customer asks for discount for multiple items

Thank you for your interest in (product name)! I'm happy to hear that you're interested in purchasing multiple items from my shop. As a token of appreciation, I'd be happy to offer you a (percentage) discount on your order of (number of) items.


If you’d like to proceed, please let me know and I can create a custom link for you with the discounted price.


Thank you again and feel free to let me know if there’s anything else I can help!