Wrong Item Received Email to Customer: 5 Replies
A good wrong item received email to customer owns the mistake in one line, names the item they ordered and the item they got, and says exactly what happens next: the right item ships, here is the tracking, here is what to do with the wrong one. Before you reply, check the order and the warehouse. Then pick one of the five templates below based on three things: order value, stock, and how upset the customer is.
Most templates online are written for a generic company, or for a consumer writing to a seller. These are for Shopify merchants answering the ticket. This guide covers only the text of the email: the subject line, the wording and the follow-up. For the decision itself (who is at fault, what to check, when to resend or refund), read our guide on handling a Shopify wrong item sent ticket.
Check these 4 things in Shopify before you reply
A fast reply with the wrong facts makes things worse. Open the order and confirm:
- What was ordered. Product, variant (size, color), quantity.
- What was packed. Check the pick list or the fulfillment note if your warehouse or 3PL keeps one. A wrong SKU on the shelf next to the right one is the usual cause.
- Stock of the right item. Can you ship it today, or is it out of stock?
- Whether two orders were swapped. If the customer got someone else's product, another customer probably got theirs. Look for an order packed at the same time.
This is the work Relay does on each ticket: it finds the Shopify order, checks what was ordered against what the customer reports, and can refund or send a discount code within the permissions you set. Anything outside those rules goes to your team.
The decision grid: photo, return, goodwill gesture
Use this grid to choose your template. Set your own value threshold: the point where a return label plus restocking time costs more than the item.
| Situation | Ask for a photo? | Ask for the wrong item back? | Goodwill gesture? | Template |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low value item, calm customer | No | No, they keep it | Optional | 1 |
| High value item, in stock | Yes, one photo of the label or item | Yes, prepaid label | Not needed | 2 |
| Right item out of stock | No | Depends on value | Yes, and they choose refund or wait | 3 |
| Customer received another customer's order | Yes, to identify the order | Yes, prepaid label | Yes | 4 |
| Angry customer, any value | No, unless value is high | Make it optional | Yes | 5 |
One rule sits behind this grid: every extra step you ask for (photo, return, form) delays the fix. Ask only when the money or the identification really depends on it. If you are still setting your return cost policy, our article on who pays return shipping on Shopify covers it.
Wrong item received email template: 5 replies to copy
Each wrong item received email sample below uses one example order. Swap in the real name, order number, items and tracking link before sending.
Template 1: Low value item, they keep it
Subject: Your correct item is on its way, order #1042
Hi Sam,
You ordered the Navy Hoodie in size M and we sent the Black Hoodie in size L. That's our mistake, sorry.
The right hoodie shipped today with tracking here: track.example.com/1042. Please keep the black one, no need to send anything back. Give it to a friend or keep it as a spare.
Thanks for telling us,
The support team
Template 2: High value item, return with a prepaid label
Subject: Fixing your order #1042: replacement and free return
Hi Sam,
Sorry about this. You should have received the Walnut Desk Lamp and we sent the Oak version instead.
Here's what happens next:
- Your Walnut lamp ships today. Tracking: track.example.com/1042.
- Your prepaid return label is attached. Drop the Oak lamp at any drop-off point once your new one arrives. You won't pay anything.
- Could you reply with one photo of the lamp's box label? It helps our warehouse find where the mix-up happened.
The support team
Template 3: Right item out of stock, the customer chooses
Subject: Order #1042: your choice, refund now or wait for restock
Hi Sam,
We sent the wrong size on your order, and the size M you ordered is out of stock right now. Sorry for the double trouble.
Pick what works best for you:
- Full refund now for the hoodie, back to your original payment method.
- Wait for the restock. We'll ship your size M as soon as it's back and email you the tracking.
Either way, keep the hoodie you received, and here is a 15% code for your next order: SORRY15.
Just reply "refund" or "wait".
The support team
If the item you sent is high value, replace the "keep the hoodie" line with this one: "A prepaid return label for the item you received is attached. Send it back whenever suits you, at no cost to you." That keeps the email in line with the grid.
Never promise a restock date you can't hold. In the US, the FTC's Mail, Internet or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule says that when you can't ship on time, you must tell the customer and let them cancel for a full refund. Template 3 does this by giving the refund option up front. The code amount is only an example: use whatever your margins allow.
Template 4: They received another customer's order
Subject: Order #1042: you received someone else's package
Hi Sam,
Thank you for flagging this. The items you received belong to another order. Two packages were swapped in our warehouse.
Your own order ships again today. Tracking: track.example.com/1042.
Could you send one photo of the packing slip in the box? It helps us reach the other customer quickly. A prepaid return label is attached for the items you received. As a thank you for your help, shipping is free on your next order.
The support team
Template 5: The customer is angry
Subject: We got your order wrong. Here's the fix, order #1042
Hi Sam,
You're right to be frustrated. You ordered a gift for this weekend and we sent the wrong item.
Your Navy Hoodie in size M is going out today by express shipping, at no cost to you. Tracking: track.example.com/1042. You don't need to send anything back or prove anything.
For the trouble, here is a 20% code for your next order: SORRY20. It works on anything in the store.
The support team
The 20% is an example, like the code in template 3. Set the amount your store can afford, and use the same gesture every time so customers in the same situation get the same answer. For the tone of these tickets, our guide to replying to a rude Shopify customer goes further.
Let Relay answer these tickets from the real order data, following your rules.Start the 14-day trial
Wrong order received email: subject lines that work
The subject line is the first sign that you've read the complaint. Put in the order number and the outcome, not just "Re: your message":
- "Your correct item is on its way, order #1042"
- "Fixing your order #1042: replacement and free return"
- "Order #1042: refund now or wait for restock?"
- "We sent the wrong item. Here's the fix"
- "Your replacement shipped today, tracking inside"
Wrong product received email: the variants you'll see most
- Wrong size or color. Use template 1 or 2. Name the variant ordered and the variant received, word for word. If the color looks different from the photo but the variant is correct, it isn't a wrong item: see our product color different from photo guide.
- One wrong item in a multi-item order. Resend only that line, and say in the first sentence that the rest of the order is correct.
- Nothing in the box. That's a different ticket. Use our empty box reply guide.
The follow-up email after you resend
Send one short email when the replacement is delivered:
Subject: Did your Navy Hoodie arrive, order #1042?
Hi Sam, your replacement shows as delivered today. If anything else is off, just reply to this email and we'll sort it out.
If you sent a return label, check the return is scanned before you close the ticket. If not, send one reminder, then let it go if the item is low value.
Mistakes that turn one ticket into three
- Blaming the customer ("Are you sure you ordered the M?") when the order shows you're wrong.
- Asking for proof by default. A photo of a low value item delays the fix and adds friction.
- Promising a delivery date your carrier doesn't guarantee. Share the tracking link and let it speak.
- A cold template with no order details. It reads like nobody looked at the order.
- No fix for the cause. Note the SKU on each wrong item ticket. When the same two products keep getting swapped, move them apart on the shelf or relabel them.
Relay keeps these replies consistent on every ticket and passes the high value or unclear cases to your team.Start the 14-day trial
FAQ
Should I ask the customer for a photo of the wrong item?
Only when it changes your decision: a high value item, a swapped order you need to identify, or a claim that doesn't match the order. For a low value item or an already angry customer, skip it and send the right item.
Should the customer return the wrong item or keep it?
Let them keep it when the return label and restocking cost more than the item is worth. Otherwise, send a prepaid return label and ship the right item without waiting for the return.
What should a wrong item apology email say?
Four things, in this order: a one-line apology, the item ordered and the item received by name, the fix with its tracking link, and what to do with the wrong item. Leave out long explanations about the warehouse.
Should I offer a discount or credit as an apology?
Not always. A fast, correct fix is enough for most customers. Add a code or free shipping when the customer had to wait (out of stock), helped you (swapped orders), or is clearly upset. Your store sets the amount.
Ready to send the right reply on every wrong item ticket?Start the 14-day trial