Shipping Delay Email to Customers: 4 Templates to Copy
A good shipping delay email to customers says four things in this order: the order is late, why, the new date, and what the customer can do now (wait, change the order or cancel for a full refund). Send it as soon as you know about the delay, and always before the shipping date you promised. Below you'll find four ready-to-send templates, one per cause (carrier, warehouse, out of stock, peak season). Each one comes with a short SMS version, and there's a US legal checklist too.
A delay email comes with a second job: the "where is my order?" tickets that arrive in the days after you send it. Relay answers those tickets 24/7 with the real order status from Shopify, following your rules. See how Relay handles order status tickets for Shopify stores.
Shipment delay email to customer: the 7 parts of a good message
Every template below follows the same structure. If you write your own, check it against this list.
- A clear subject line. Put the order number and the word "delayed" in it. Don't try to be clever. The customer has to understand it from the inbox.
- Thanks. One line. They paid and they're waiting.
- The real cause. Say it in plain words: carrier backlog, stock arriving late, warehouse behind. A vague "unforeseen circumstances" brings more tickets.
- The new date. A specific date, not "soon". If you can't give one, say that and say when you'll write again.
- An apology. Short. Own it, even when the carrier is at fault. The customer bought from you, not from the carrier.
- Their options. Wait, swap the item, split the shipment or cancel for a full refund.
- A gesture, if it makes sense. See the decision grid further down.
When to send it
Send the email the day you learn about the delay. Don't wait to see if the parcel catches up. If the delay goes past the date you promised, the customer finds out on their own, and the ticket they send is angrier than any email you could have written.
For US merchants, timing is also a legal question.
FTC checklist for US stores
The FTC's Mail, Internet or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule covers orders you can't ship on time. Check each point before you send:
- Sent in time. Within a reasonable time after you learn about the delay, and no later than the shipping date you promised.
- New date given. A definite revised shipping date, or a clear statement that you can't give one yet.
- Right to cancel stated. The customer can cancel and get a full, prompt refund, and you give them a way to cancel at your expense (a reply to the email works).
- 30-day rule applied. If the new date is 30 days or less after the original one, no reply from the customer means they agree to wait. If it's more than 30 days, the order counts as canceled unless the customer clearly agrees to wait, or you ship within 30 days of the original date without receiving a cancellation.
- Refund timing ready. The FTC guide sets two deadlines. In its own words: "If the customer paid by cash, check, money order, or by credit where a third party is the creditor, or by any other method except credit where you are a creditor, you must refund the correct amount within seven working days after the order is cancelled." And: "If the customer paid by credit where you are a creditor, you must credit the customer's account or notify the customer that the account will not be charged within one billing cycle after the order is cancelled." Source: the "How Quickly You Must Make a Refund" section of the FTC business guide.
Outside the US, check the consumer rules of the country you ship to. This checklist is still a safe baseline for the content of the email.
Delivery delay email to customer: 4 templates (samples to copy)
Each sample uses example details (Sam, order #1048, real-looking dates). Swap them for the order's details before you send. The legal line about canceling is in every template. For US customers, you can use them as is, except template 3 (see the 30-day note).
Template 1: the carrier is delayed
Subject: Your order #1048 is running late with the carrier
Hi Sam,
Thank you for your order. Your parcel left our warehouse on October 20, but the carrier is running behind in your area, so it won't arrive by October 24 as planned.
The carrier now expects to deliver it by October 28. Your tracking link still works and will update as it moves.
We're sorry for the wait. If you'd rather not wait, reply to this email and we'll cancel the order and refund you in full.
Jordan, Customer support
SMS version: Order #1048 is delayed by the carrier. New delivery date: Oct 28. Tracking still works. Reply CANCEL for a full refund.
Once the parcel has shipped, you can't cancel it in Shopify. Your refund offer then means "refuse the parcel or send it back". Say so if your policy works that way.
Template 2: the warehouse is behind
Subject: Order #1048: shipping a few days later than planned
Hi Sam,
Thanks for your order. Our warehouse is behind on packing this week, and your order won't ship on October 22 as we promised.
It will now ship by October 27. You'll get a tracking link that day.
That's on us, and we're sorry. To make up for it, shipping on this order is free and we've refunded the shipping cost to your card. If you'd prefer to cancel, reply to this email and we'll refund the full amount.
Jordan, Customer support
SMS version: Order #1048 ships late: new date Oct 27. Shipping refunded. Reply CANCEL for a full refund.
Template 3: an item is out of stock or on pre-order
Subject: Order #1048: one item is delayed, here are your options
Hi Sam,
Thanks for your order. The linen shirt in size M is out of stock. Our next delivery is due on November 10, so we can ship it by November 12.
You can choose what happens next:
- Wait, and we'll ship the whole order on November 12.
- Get the other items now, and the shirt when it arrives.
- Swap the shirt for another size or color in stock.
- Cancel the shirt or the whole order for a full refund.
Just reply with 1, 2, 3 or 4. If we don't hear from you, we'll go with option 1.
Sorry for the change of plan.
Jordan, Customer support
SMS version: One item in order #1048 is out of stock until Nov 12. Reply WAIT, SPLIT, SWAP or CANCEL.
30-day note. "If we don't hear from you, we'll go with option 1" only works in the US when the new date is 30 days or less after the original one. If the delay is longer, replace the last line of the options with:
Please reply with 1, 2, 3 or 4 by November 5. If we don't hear from you, we'll cancel the order and refund you in full.
We cover the split-or-hold choice in what to do when a Shopify order is partly out of stock.
Template 4: peak season backlog
Subject: Holiday rush: your order #1048 will arrive a little later
Hi Sam,
Thanks for shopping with us this season. Order volume is higher than we planned for, and carriers are busy too, so your order won't arrive by December 18.
It will ship by December 19, and the carrier expects to deliver it by December 23. If it's a gift and that's too late, reply to this email: we can cancel and refund in full, or send a gift card by email today instead.
Thanks for your patience.
Jordan, Customer support
SMS version: Holiday rush: order #1048 now arrives by Dec 23. Need it sooner? Reply and we'll refund or send an e-gift card.
Planning ahead for the season? See when to send Black Friday emails and how to staff support around them.
Discount, free shipping or nothing: a decision grid
| Situation | Gesture | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Carrier delay of a few days | None, a clear update is enough | The customer mostly wants a date |
| Your warehouse or your mistake | Refund the shipping cost | You caused it, and the cost is easy to cap |
| Out of stock, long wait | Options first (split, swap, cancel) | Choice is worth more than a code |
| Gift or event order that will arrive too late | Full refund or e-gift card offered up front | The order has lost its point |
| Second delay on the same order | Discount code for the next order, and escalate | Trust is at risk, so a person should take over |
Keep gestures in a written rule. If you don't, each agent invents their own, and customers compare.
How to send an order delay email to customers in Shopify
Shopify doesn't have a single "send delay notice" button, so do it in four steps:
- Find the affected orders. In Orders, filter by unfulfilled status, date range and, if needed, product or location.
- Tag them. Add a tag like
delay-octto each one, so your team and your reports can see them. - Send in bulk. Export the list, or use a customer segment, and send the template through your email tool. For a handful of orders, send them by hand from the order page.
- Prepare for the replies. Write down the answer to each reply you expect: "is it still coming?", "cancel please", "can I change the size?". That way, whoever reads the ticket gives the same answer.
Handling the "where is my order?" wave after you send
A delay email doesn't stop questions. It changes them. Some customers reply to ask for tracking, some want to cancel, and some write again on the new date if the parcel still isn't there. These are WISMO tickets, and they repeat by nature: look up the order, read the status, apply the rule, answer.
Relay was built for this work. It reads the ticket, finds the Shopify order, checks the real status and replies, or cancels and refunds within the permissions you give it. When a case needs judgment, like a second delay or an upset gift buyer, it brings in your team.
FAQ
How do you tell a customer their order is delayed without losing them?
Tell them early, give a specific new date and offer a real choice, including a full refund. Silence is what drives angry follow-up tickets.
What should a delivery delay email to a client include?
The order number, the cause in plain words, the new date, an apology and the customer's options. For US orders, add the right to cancel for a full refund.
Should I tell the customer when the carrier is at fault?
Yes. Name the carrier delay as the cause, but apologize anyway. The customer's contract is with your store.
Should I offer a discount for a shipping delay?
Not by default. Offer one when the delay is your fault, when it's the second delay on the same order, or when the order loses its purpose, like a late gift.
Delays bring follow-up tickets. Relay answers them with the real order status, 24/7.Start the 14-day trial