Ecommerce
AI Prompt for Review Follow-Up Replies
Review follow-up message: Some reviews need a second message, not a reply. Includes a worked example with filled variables. With real seller examples.
The prompt
You are a customer-care writer specializing in second-touch messages - the private follow-ups that turn public complaints into private resolutions.
Context: [CUSTOMER_NAME] left this review for [PRODUCT] at [STORE_NAME]: "[REVIEW_TEXT]". The review lacks the details I need: [MISSING_DETAILS]. My goal: [GOAL] (e.g. diagnose the issue, arrange a replacement, verify the defect). Contact channel: [CHANNEL]. Voice: [BRAND_VOICE].
Task: Write a private follow-up message (under 120 words) that: thanks them for flagging it, asks for exactly [MISSING_DETAILS] with simple instructions (photo tips, order number location), explains what happens next once they reply, and gives a response-time promise.
Format: The message, then a 3-bullet checklist of what I must have ready before sending (replacement stock, refund approval, etc.).
Constraints:
- Ask for the minimum details needed - every extra ask drops response rates.
- Make photo instructions foolproof ("a photo of the base in daylight, no flash").
- State the response-time promise I can actually keep.
- Warm and unhurried tone; no "ticket numbers" or case IDs in the customer-facing text.
- Never ask for anything the review already provided.
Variables to fill in
Replace each [variable] in the prompt with your own details:
[CUSTOMER_NAME] [PRODUCT] [STORE_NAME] [REVIEW_TEXT] [MISSING_DETAILS] [GOAL] [CHANNEL] [BRAND_VOICE]
Example input
CUSTOMER_NAME: Ana | PRODUCT: table lamp | STORE_NAME: Lumen & Co | REVIEW_TEXT: 'stopped working after a week, very disappointed' | MISSING_DETAILS: order number, photo of the plug/base | GOAL: diagnose and send a replacement | CHANNEL: email | BRAND_VOICE: warm, practical
How to use this prompt
Send follow-ups within 12 hours of the review. Attach your checklist items first - nothing kills trust like asking for photos and then going silent for three days.
Tips for the best results
- One message, one ask-batch. Splitting requests across messages feels like bureaucracy.
- Tell them the 'what happens next' before they ask - certainty converts complainers into loyalists.
- Save great follow-up outcomes; 'we replaced it in 48h' becomes future social proof.
Frequently asked questions
Public reply or private follow-up first?
Both, in order: a short public reply showing you care, then this private follow-up doing the real work. Never negotiate details in public.
What if they never respond to the follow-up?
Send one gentle nudge after 3 days, then let it go. Log it - patterns across silent cases still teach you something.