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Module 16 — Customer Service & Support Operations
Refund and Return Scripts — The 12 Templates You Need
10 min · text · Intermediate
Every CS team eventually rebuilds the same 12 response templates: damaged item, late delivery, wrong size, change of mind, fraud claim, refund requested, etc. Operators who build this library upfront save 30-50 hours of CS time per quarter and produce more consistent responses. Today: the 12 templates every AU dropshipping CS team needs, written for AU consumer law compliance.
Why a script library matters
Without a script library, every CS response is custom-written. Three downsides:
- Inconsistent quality. Some responses are great; some miss empathy or escalation language. Customer experience varies.
- Slow. Even an experienced VA takes 8-15 minutes per response. With templates, the same response takes 90 seconds.
- Compliance drift. Without standardised language, refund offers may breach AU Consumer Law over time (e.g., wording that excludes ACL guarantees).
A 12-template library covers ~80% of CS scenarios. The remaining 20% requires custom response, but the templates accelerate triage.
The 12 essential templates
Template 1: Damaged item received
"Hi [name], I'm so sorry your [product] arrived damaged. Could you reply with a photo of the damage? Once I have that, I'll send a replacement immediately at no cost — keep the original. Sometimes carriers cause damage in transit; we'll work with them on the cause. Thanks for letting us know."
Template 2: Late delivery (within reasonable window)
"Hi [name], thanks for the message. Your order shipped on [date] and the tracking shows [current status]. Standard delivery to AU is [X-Y] business days from shipping. Your delivery is currently [Z] days into that window — should arrive within the next [days]. If you don't receive it by [date], please reply and I'll investigate immediately."
Template 3: Late delivery (over reasonable window)
"Hi [name], I'm sorry your order is taking longer than expected. The tracking shows [status]. As a goodwill gesture for the delay, I'll process a [shipping refund / 20% partial refund / replacement order]. Please confirm which works for you. Thanks for your patience."
Template 4: Wrong item received
"Hi [name], I'm sorry — that's clearly wrong. Could you reply with a photo of what you received? I'll send the correct item immediately and arrange return of the wrong one at our cost. Sorry for the mix-up."
Template 5: Wrong size received
"Hi [name], I'm sorry the size isn't right. Could you confirm what was ordered vs what arrived? I'll arrange a free replacement in the correct size. You can keep the wrong-sized item if it's helpful, or I'll arrange free return."
Template 6: Change-of-mind return request
"Hi [name], thanks for letting us know. We accept change-of-mind returns within 30 days of delivery for unopened, unused items. Please return to: [return address]. Once we receive the item, we'll process your refund within 5 business days, less original shipping cost (return shipping at customer's expense for change-of-mind returns under our policy). Australian Consumer Law guarantees still apply if there's any defect."
Template 7: Refund request (general)
"Hi [name], I'd like to understand what's prompting this. Could you share what specifically didn't work for you with [product]? Australian Consumer Law gives you specific rights depending on the issue, and I want to make sure we resolve this correctly. If the product has a defect, you're entitled to a refund or replacement. If it's change-of-mind, our 30-day return policy applies."
Template 8: Product not as described
"Hi [name], I'm sorry — that's exactly the kind of feedback we need. Could you describe specifically what's different from what you expected? Australian Consumer Law guarantees products match their description, so if there's a major mismatch, we'll process a refund or replacement. We'll also review our product page to make sure it accurately reflects what customers receive."
Template 9: Where is my order? (with tracking)
"Hi [name], your order [order number] is [current tracking status] as of [date]. Tracking link: [link]. Estimated delivery is [date]. If it doesn't arrive by then, reply to this message and I'll investigate."
Template 10: Where is my order? (no tracking yet, recently shipped)
"Hi [name], your order [order number] shipped on [date]. Tracking sometimes takes 24-48 hours to update with the carrier. The tracking number is [number]; please check [carrier link] in 24 hours for the latest. If still nothing in 48 hours, reply and I'll investigate."
Template 11: Fraud / chargeback investigation
"Hi [name], I see your bank/Stripe has filed a chargeback. Before that's formally investigated, I'd like to make this right directly. Could you tell me what went wrong with your order? In most cases I can resolve faster than the chargeback process. Reply with details and I'll address immediately."
Template 12: Question about product (pre-purchase)
"Hi [name], thanks for reaching out about [product]. [Specific answer to their question]. If you have other questions before ordering, just reply. Once you're ready, here's the product link: [link]. We offer 30-day returns and ship within 24 hours from our AU warehouse."
Template philosophy
Three principles every template follows:
- Empathy first. "I'm sorry" or "I'm so sorry" early. AU consumers are aware when CS is robotic.
- Action plan immediately. Don't bury the resolution. The customer's anxiety drops the moment they see "I'll send a replacement immediately."
- ACL compliance baked in. No template ever says "no refunds" or "all sales final." Templates respect ACL guarantees while structuring goodwill responses.
Customising templates per VA
The template library is starting language. VAs personalise:
- Add the customer's name at start
- Acknowledge specific details (e.g., "the silicone collar" not just "the product")
- Match tone to customer mood (apologetic if customer is frustrated; helpful if customer is confused)
Templates take 90 seconds to customise + send. Custom-written responses take 8-15 minutes. The 6-10x time savings compounds.
!CS rep at desk reviewing template library on laptop with multiple customer ticket previews The 12 templates handle 80% of scenarios. The remaining 20% requires custom — but you have time for those because templates handled the rest. Photo: Unsplash / NEXT Academy.
Building the library in your tool
For Gorgias users:
- Settings > Macros > Add macro
- Paste each template as a separate macro with a clear name
- Assign keyboard shortcut (e.g., #refund-damaged) for fast access
- Tag macros for analytics (which scenarios are most common?)
For Shopify Inbox users:
- Settings > Saved responses > Add response
- Less feature-rich than Gorgias macros but functional
For Gmail-only users:
- Use Gmail templates (Settings > Advanced > Templates)
- Manually customise each time
Why this matters
The template library is the single highest-leverage CS investment after hiring a VA. It transforms CS from "operator-improvisation" to "operator-optimisation." The work to build the library is 4-8 hours upfront. The savings compound: 30-50 hours of CS time per quarter, plus higher consistency, plus ACL compliance reliability.
AU homewares operator — built 12-template library, VA productivity tripled, CS quality improved
An AU homewares operator running 60 tickets/day on Gorgias was burning 4 hours/day of VA time on custom-writing responses. Quality varied by VA mood; sometimes great, sometimes mechanical.
She spent 6 hours one Saturday building a comprehensive template library: 12 core templates + 6 product-specific templates (e.g., "what colour is the gold lamp?" with detailed product description response).
Implementation week 1:
- VA used templates for 70% of tickets
- Average response time: 10 min → 2 min per ticket
- VA capacity increased: 60 tickets/day → 110 tickets/day in same hours
Quality measured (random sample of 50 customer feedback messages):
- Pre-template: 4.1/5 average satisfaction with response
- Post-template: 4.6/5 (templates ensured empathy and action plan in every response)
ACL compliance audit (random sample of 30 refund requests):
- Pre-template: 4 responses had non-compliant language ("we don't accept change-of-mind returns")
- Post-template: 0 non-compliant responses
The library also enabled hiring a second VA without expanded training time — the new VA was at full productivity in 2 days because templates carried the operational knowledge.
Total operator time invested in library: 6 hours one-time Time saved per month: ~80 hours of VA time + 4 hours of operator review time = A