Delivery delay message templates
Tell the customer about a delay before they have to ask, give an honest new date, say sorry once, and offer a choice where you can. Early news of a delay is far easier to accept than silence.
When to use it
Send a delay message as soon as you know an order will be late, to each customer affected, one at a time in their own chat.
Give a new date only if you trust it. If you do not know yet, say when you will update them instead.
For longer delays, offer a choice: wait, swap for something in stock, or cancel and get their money back.
8 templates to copy
Copy a template, replace the words in square brackets, and read it once before you send it. Change anything that does not sound like you, because customers answer messages that sound like a real person who knows them.
1. Early warning · WhatsApp · Calm
Hi [name], I wanted to let you know before you had to ask: your order [order number] is running late because [short reason]. The new expected date is [date]. Sorry for the wait.2. Delay with choice · WhatsApp · Helpful
Hi [name], sorry, your [item] is delayed until [date]. You can wait for it, swap it for [alternative] which can go out today, or cancel for a full refund. Which would you prefer?3. Unknown new date · WhatsApp · Honest
Hi [name], your order is held up at [carrier or supplier] and they have not given us a new date yet. I will update you by [day] either way. Sorry about this.4. Instagram delay · Instagram DM · Friendly
Hey [name], so sorry, your order is taking a little longer than planned. It should be with you by [date]. I will message you as soon as it ships.5. Messenger delay · Messenger · Calm
Hi [name], a quick update on order [order number]: it is delayed and should now arrive on [date]. If that does not work for you, reply here and we will find a solution.6. Email delay notice · Email · Professional
Subject: Update on your order [order number]
Dear [name],
I am sorry to tell you that your order is delayed because [short reason]. We now expect to deliver it on [date].
If you would rather cancel, reply to this email and we will refund you in full.
With apologies,
[your name]
[business]7. Delivery day change · Any channel · Short
Hi [name], the courier has moved your delivery to [date], [time window]. Does that still work? If not, tell me a better day.8. Delay resolved · Any channel · Warm
Good news, [name]: your order is finally on its way. Tracking: [tracking link]. Thanks so much for your patience.What to avoid
- Waiting for the customer to chase you.
- Blaming the courier at length. One short reason is enough.
- Giving a new date you are not confident in.
- Sending one delay notice to all customers in a broadcast. Message each affected customer in their own chat.
- Making it hard to cancel when the delay is long.
Give this to your AI agent
Paste this into your AI agent’s instructions and replace the words in square brackets. Your agent then follows the same rules every time. What else to tell your AI agent.
When an order is delayed, message that customer in their own chat as soon as we know. Say sorry once, give the short reason and the new expected date, and offer to wait, swap or cancel if the delay is more than [number] days. If we do not know the new date, say when we will update them. Pass refund requests and complaints to [staff name].Channel rules that apply
- WhatsApp. WhatsApp restricts automation and bulk sending on ordinary and Business app numbers, so treat automated sending as a risk you manage rather than one you remove. Reply in chats customers started, and never broadcast these messages to a list. Spaces keeps a connected number to at most 200 messages and 10 new chats a day, and a newly connected number warms up over four weeks. WhatsApp limits
- Instagram. Instagram only lets you message someone who has not replied inside its messaging window, so replies in existing chats work best. Reply to people who messaged you, commented or asked to hear from you. Instagram limits
- Messenger. Like Instagram, Messenger limits messages to people who have not replied, so replies in existing chats work best. Keep to people who wrote to your Page first. Messenger limits
- Email. A new chat here is a new email thread. Replies on a thread someone started are not held back by the warm-up. Spaces sends one email at a time to one person, never bulk email. Email limits
Spaces lowers the risk of a restricted account with enforced limits, warm-up and pacing, but no tool can guarantee a platform will not act on an account. How Spaces keeps accounts safe.
FAQ
When should I tell a customer about a delay?
As soon as you know. A message before the original delivery date feels like good service; one after it feels like an excuse.
Should I offer a refund for a delay?
For longer delays, offering the choice to cancel is fair and usually keeps goodwill. Check your local consumer rules for your minimum obligations.
Can I message every affected customer at once?
Message each one in their own chat, one at a time. Identical messages to many people at once are what platforms restrict.
Can I send this delivery delay message to all my customers at once?
No. Send each message to one person who contacted you, booked or bought from you. Bulk messages on WhatsApp, Instagram or Messenger are one of the quickest ways to get an account restricted, and Spaces refuses the same cold message sent to many people. A message written for one conversation also gets far better replies.
Can my AI agent use these templates for me?
Yes. Connect your accounts to Spaces and your AI agent can read each chat and reply in your words, using the note on this page as a guide. A scheduled message or a routine can also send a set reply at a time or on a trigger; routines send the exact words you give them and are not an AI. You can turn on approvals so nothing goes out until you say yes, and every message stays inside the account’s sending limits.
Let your AI agent answer for you
Spaces connects your own WhatsApp, Instagram, LinkedIn, Messenger, X and email accounts to the AI agent you already use, so it can reply in your words and keep every account inside safe sending limits. No card needed to start a trial.
Related
More orders and delivery templates: Order update. All message templates.