Every online store answers the same questions, over and over. Delivery, returns, sizing, stock. Writing each answer from scratch wastes time and produces inconsistent replies. A set of good standard answers fixes both.
Below are ecommerce customer service scripts for the ten questions almost every store receives. Adapt the details to your own policies.
1. How long will delivery take?
Orders placed before 2pm on weekdays are dispatched the same day. Standard delivery takes 2 to 3 working days and express is next working day.
2. How much is delivery?
Standard delivery is $4.95, and free on orders over $50. Express is $8.95.
3. Can I return it?
Yes. You have 30 days to return unused items in their original packaging. Start a return from your order confirmation email.
4. Which size should I get?
This style runs slightly small, so most customers go up a size. The size guide on the product page has the full measurements.
5. Is it in stock?
The medium is in stock and ready to ship. The large is sold out, with a restock expected in about two weeks. I can take your email to let you know when it's back.
6. Where is my order?
Your tracking link is in your dispatch email. If it hasn't arrived after 5 working days, let us know your order number and we'll look into it.
7. What payment methods do you accept?
We accept major cards, PayPal and Apple Pay.
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8. Do you ship internationally?
Yes, we ship to the EU, US and Canada. Import duties may be charged on delivery for orders outside the UK.
9. My discount code isn't working.
That code applies to full-price items with a minimum spend of $40. If your basket includes sale items, it will apply once the full-price items reach $40.
10. Can I speak to someone?
Of course. Leave your email and a short note about what you need, and the team will reply today.
Writing scripts in your own voice
These examples are deliberately plain. Adapt them to how your store talks. A playful brand can be warmer and lighter; a luxury store more formal. What matters is that every answer is specific, gives the fact the customer needs first, and ends with a next step where one exists. Avoid opening every reply with an apology or a thank-you; customers skim straight past them to find the answer.
Keeping scripts useful
Scripts only help if they stay accurate. Review them whenever a policy changes, and adapt them to the specific situation: a customer whose parcel is late needs more than the standard tracking answer. Poor handling of those moments is one of the customer service mistakes that cost repeat orders.
Making the answers instant
The fastest way to use these scripts is to publish the facts on your website and let customers get the answers the moment they ask. SpideyChat for ecommerce stores answers from your policies and product pages at any hour, so these ten questions no longer wait in an inbox. A slow answer costs more than it seems, as shown in what an unanswered product question costs a small store.
The same approach works in any business with repeated questions. Estate agents use a similar set in scripts for the questions buyers ask every agent.
Tools that help
The free reply generator drafts replies to individual customer messages in your tone. For setting up an assistant, the installation guide and training guide cover the steps.