Shipping delay email templates

By the Chatbait team · October 22, 2026

Short answer: a good shipping delay email states the new expected date plainly, doesn't over-apologize, and gives the customer a way to cancel if they'd rather not wait. US sellers also have a legal reason to get this right: the FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule requires you to notify the customer and offer a refund option if you can't ship within the time you promised. Five templates for different delay situations are below.

Proactive delay notice

Send this as soon as you know a delay is coming, before the customer has to ask.

Template

Subject: Your order #[Order number] is delayed Hi [Customer name], Your order #[Order number] is taking longer than expected. The new estimated ship date is [New date]. [Short, specific reason if you have one, e.g. a supplier delay or a shipping carrier backlog.] If you'd rather not wait, reply to this email and we'll cancel and refund your order in full. Otherwise, no action is needed, we'll email you again once it ships. Sorry for the wait. [Store name]

Backorder notice

Template

Subject: [Product name] is on backorder - here's what happens next Hi [Customer name], [Product name] from order #[Order number] is currently out of stock and on backorder. We expect new stock on [Expected restock date], and your order will ship within [X] days after that. Your other items[, if any,] will ship separately in the meantime. If you'd rather cancel this item and get a refund instead of waiting, reply to this email and we'll take care of it. [Store name]

Holiday or carrier-wide delay

Carrier delays during peak season are usually outside your control, but the customer still needs a clear, specific update, not just "delays may occur."

Template

Subject: A delay with your order #[Order number] Hi [Customer name], [Carrier name] is reporting delays across its network due to [reason, e.g. holiday volume or weather]. Your order #[Order number] was shipped on [Ship date] and tracking currently shows [tracking status]. We expect it to arrive by [revised estimate], though this is the carrier's estimate, not ours. You can follow it here: [Tracking link]. If it hasn't moved by [follow-up date], reply to this email and we'll look into a replacement or refund. [Store name]

For the specific ship-by dates carriers publish each year, see holiday shipping deadlines 2026.

Apology with a discount code

Use this once the delay has actually caused real inconvenience, not as a standard add-on to every delay notice.

Template

Subject: Sorry about the delay on order #[Order number] Hi [Customer name], We know order #[Order number] has taken longer than we promised, and that's on us. As an apology, here's [X]% off your next order: [Discount code], valid until [Expiry date]. Your order is now expected by [New date]. Thanks for your patience. [Store name]

Reply to an angry customer about a delay

This works best when it doesn't get defensive, acknowledges the specific frustration, and gives a concrete next step rather than a vague apology.

Template

Subject: Re: Order #[Order number] Hi [Customer name], You're right to be frustrated, we said [original promise] and it's now [actual status]. I'm sorry about that. Here's where things actually stand: [specific, honest status, e.g. "it shipped yesterday and is in transit" or "it's still with our supplier and we expect it by X"]. Given the wait, I'd like to [specific resolution: refund the shipping cost, send a partial refund, offer a replacement at no charge]. Let me know if that works, or if you'd rather cancel the order entirely for a full refund. [Store name]

What US law actually requires

The FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule applies to most US sellers who ship goods ordered online. If you can't ship within the time you promised, or within 30 days if you didn't state a time, you must send the customer a delay notice that gives either a revised, definite shipping date or a clear statement that no date can be given, and tells them they can cancel for a full refund, according to the FTC's own guide to the rule, checked October 22, 2026. If the revised delay is 30 days or less, the customer's silence counts as consent to wait; for longer delays, you need their actual agreement, or the order is automatically cancelled and refunded. If you do cancel, refunds must go out within 7 working days for cash, check or money order, or within one billing cycle if you're the one extending credit.

In practice, that means your proactive delay notice template above isn't just good customer service, it's close to what the rule requires you to send anyway. The FTC guide is worth reading directly if you ship on a schedule that regularly slips.

Frequently asked questions

What does a shipping delay email need to include?

A clear new expected date (or a statement that none is available yet), a short honest reason if you have one, and a way to cancel for a refund if the customer doesn't want to wait.

Does US law require me to notify customers about a shipping delay?

Yes, if you're a US seller covered by the FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule. You must send a delay notice with a revised date or a no-date statement, plus the right to cancel for a full refund, according to the FTC's guide to the rule.

Should I offer a discount every time an order is delayed?

No. Save it for delays that caused real inconvenience. Using it as a reflex on every minor delay trains customers to expect a discount whenever something ships late.

How fast do refunds need to happen under the FTC rule if an order is cancelled for a delay?

Within 7 working days for cash, check or money order refunds, or within one billing cycle if the seller extended the customer credit, according to the FTC's guide to the rule.

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