Shipping and returns templates
Missing item reply templates for when something wasn't in the parcel
Missing item reply templates have to do two jobs at once: sort out an honest packing mistake quickly, and slow down a claim that doesn't add up. Pick the reply below that matches what the customer told you and what the order shows, from a first claim on a two-item order to a box that arrived empty.
The templates
1. First claim: we'll put it right
WarmEmail
Subject: Your order [#1234]: the missing [item]
2. Ask for a photo first
NeutralEmail
Subject: Quick check on order [#1234]
3. It's in a second parcel
NeutralEmail
Subject: The rest of order [#1234] is on its way
4. The box arrived empty
NeutralEmail
Subject: Your order [#1234] arrived empty
5. It's happened before
FirmEmail
For a customer who has reported a missing item before. It slows things down without accusing anyone.
Subject: Re: Order [#1234]
6. Short version for chat
WarmChat
Start from what the order shows#
Pick the reply by what the order and the packing record say, not by how cross the email sounds. If the item was on the order and the packing record shows it wasn't ticked off, it's a packing mistake, and the first template sorts it. If the order went out in two parcels, send the second tracking link. If you can't tell yet, ask for the photo first.
When a missing item becomes a dispute#
Keep the conversation, whichever reply you send. If the customer goes to their bank instead of waiting for you, what they told you and when is part of your evidence. Our guide to chargeback evidence from customer conversations shows what to keep and how to send it.
What to include
- An apology that doesn't argue with the customer.
- The item and the order number, so there's no mix-up.
- What you need from them, and why.
- What happens next, and by when.
Don't say this
-
"Are you sure it wasn't in the box?"
It sounds like an accusation. Ask for a photo instead, and say it helps you check.
-
"We pack every order carefully."
They didn't ask how you pack. It reads as a polite no.
-
"Please contact the carrier."
If the item was never packed, the carrier can't help. If the parcel was lost, the claim is yours to make.
When a person should take over
A second missing item claim from the same customer within a few months.
An empty box, or a claim on a high-value order.
A customer who mentions a chargeback or their bank.
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