Automated messages

This page was printed on Dec 01, 2021. For the current version, visit https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/inbox/saved-responses/automated-messages.

Automated messages allow you to respond to customers even when you're away from your online store. There are three automated messages you can customize:

  • Welcome: Displayed when your customer starts an online chat session.
  • Follow-up: When the follow-up message is active, the follow-up message is sent:
    • during scheduled hours
    • after the customer sends a message from your online chat window.
  • Away: When the away message is active, the away message is sent:
    • whenever the follow-up message isn't scheduled
    • after the customer sends a message from your online chat window.

The follow-up message lets customers know that their message has been delivered. This is a great way to set response time expectations. You can schedule this message to automatically send after every customer's first chat message, or only during specific hours that you choose.

The Away message is sent whenever the follow-up message is not scheduled. It lets you set expectations for longer-than-normal response times.

When you create automated messages in your Shopify admin, the preview window displays how they will appear to your customers.

Regardless of the type of automated messages you display to your customers, you can see all conversations on Shopify Inbox or the Android, iOS, or iPad Inbox app.

Edit your welcome message

The welcome message appears in the online chat window header. Use it to greet customers and encourage them to chat.

Steps:

  1. In your Shopify admin, go to Inbox > Saved responses > Automated messages.
  2. Click on Welcome message.
  3. You can use the default message, or add your own. At any time you can restore the default message by clicking the Reset to default link below the message field.
  4. Click Save.

Edit your follow-up message

The follow-up message lets customers know you've received their message. When active, the follow-up message is automatically sent during its scheduled hours, after a customer sends their first message in the chat window.

You can schedule the follow-up message to automatically send after every customer's first message, or only during specific hours you choose. The follow-up messasge is set to active by default.

Steps:

  1. In your Shopify admin, go to Shopify Inbox > Saved responses > Automated messages.
  2. Click on Follow-up message.
  3. Set the follow-up message to Active.
  4. You can use the default message, or add your own. At any time you can restore the default message by clicking the Reset to default link below the message field.
  5. Click Save.

To prevent the follow-up message from being sent altogether, set the follow-up message status to Inactive.

  1. In the Shopify Inbox app, tap Store > Automated messages > Follow-up message.
  2. Set the follow-up message to Active.
  3. You can use the default message, or add your own. At any time you can restore the default message by tapping the Reset to default link below the message field.
  4. Tap Back.

To prevent the follow-up message from being sent altogether, set the follow-up message status to Inactive.

  1. In the Shopify Inbox app, tap Store > Automated messages > Follow-up message.
  2. Set the follow-up message to Active.
  3. You can use the default message, or add your own. At any time you can restore the default message by tapping the Reset to default link below the message field.
  4. Tap Back.

To prevent the follow-up message from being sent altogether, set the follow-up message status to Inactive.

Set your follow-up message schedule

The follow-up message allows you to set response time expectations. You can schedule it to be sent automatically after every customer's first message, or only during specific hours you choose.

Steps:

  1. In your Shopify admin, go to Shopify Inbox > Saved responses > Automated messages.
  2. Click on Follow-up message.
  3. Scroll down to Message schedule.
  4. Click Edit.
  5. You can send the follow-up message to every person who starts an online chat session in your store, regardless of time of day by, clicking the box for Always send. You can also choose individual daily hours using the dropdown toggles to choose a start and end time.
  6. Set your local timezone.
  7. Click Close.
  8. Click Save.
  1. In the Shopify Inbox app, tap Store > Automated messages > Follow-up message.
  2. Tap Schedule follow-up message below your follow-up message text.
  3. You can send the follow-up message to every person who starts an online chat session in your store, regardless of time of day by, tapping the toggle for Always send follow-up message. You can also choose individual daily hours using the dropdown toggles to choose a start and end time. To better set customer expectations, you can also set individual hours for each day of the week. When active, the away message is sent whenever the follow-up message isn't scheduled. To set daily hours:
  • On the Schedule message screen, tap the toggle to disable the "always" option.
  • Tap each individual day to set the schedule and hours.
  • Set your Timezone, then tap Back.
  1. Once you've finished setting the schedule for the Follow-up message, tap Back and then Back again to return to the Automated replies page.
  2. Tap Done.
  1. In the Shopify Inbox app, tap Store > Automated messages > Follow-up message.
  2. Tap Schedule follow-up message below your follow-up message text.
  3. You can send the follow-up message to every person who starts an online chat session in your store, regardless of time of day by, tapping the toggle for Always send follow-up message. You can also choose individual daily hours using the dropdown toggles to choose a start and end time. To better set customer expectations, you can also set individual hours for each day of the week. When active, the away message is sent whenever the follow-up message isn't scheduled. To set daily hours:
  • On the Schedule message screen, tap the toggle to disable the "always" option.
  • Tap each individual day to set the schedule and hours.
  • Set your Timezone, then tap Back.
  1. Once you've finished setting the schedule for the Follow-up message, tap Back and then Back again to return to the Automated replies page.
  2. Tap Done.

Edit your away message

The Away message is automatically sent to customers whenever the follow-up message isn't scheduled.

Steps:

  1. In your Shopify admin, go to Shopify Inbox > Saved responses > Automated messages.
  2. Click on Away message.
  3. Set the away message to Active.
  4. Enter your message and any other information that you want to communicate to your customer.
  5. Click Save.

To prevent your away message from being sent altogether, set the status to Inactive.

  1. In the Shopify Inbox app, tap Store > Automated messages > Away message.
  2. Tap the Away message toggle.
  3. Tap the message text to edit the information. When finished editing, tap Back.
  4. Tap Done.

To prevent your away message from being sent altogether, tap the Away message toggle.

  1. In the Shopify Inbox app, tap Store > Automated messages > Away message.
  2. Tap the Away message toggle.
  3. Tap the message text to edit the information. When finished editing, tap Back.
  4. Tap Done.

To prevent your away message from being sent altogether, tap the Away message toggle.

Ready to start selling with Shopify?

Try it free