Example replies
Before you copyEdit every reply to fit: only promise actions, refunds or policies that are true for your business, and replace anything in [brackets].
Retail, within policy
Hi [Name], I'm sorry the jacket didn't hold up. Items returned within 30 days with a receipt qualify for a full refund, and yours sounds like it should. Please email [email] with your order number and I'll process it myself today. [Owner name]
Service outside policy
[Name], thank you for explaining what went wrong with the installation. Our policy is to come back and correct workmanship issues at no charge rather than refund completed jobs, and I'd like to get that scheduled for you. Please call [phone] so we can find a time that works. If that doesn't resolve it, we'll talk through other options.
Restaurant, meal issue
We're sorry your pasta arrived cold, and that the team didn't make it right at the table. That should have been handled before you left. Please reach out to our manager, [Name], at [email] so we can talk about the visit directly.
Online order delay
Thank you for your patience, [Name], and I'm sorry the order took longer than the date we gave you. Delayed orders can be cancelled for a refund at any point before they ship, or we can expedite yours. Our support team at [email] will sort out whichever you prefer as soon as they hear from you.
Can't find the order
Thanks for letting us know. We'd like to help, but we haven't been able to match this to an order on our side. Could you email [email] with the date and the name on the purchase? Once we find it, we'll look at the refund request right away.
Policy firm but kind
We hear your frustration, [Name]. Deposits for custom work are non-refundable once materials are ordered, which is in the agreement signed at booking. Within that, I want to find a fair way forward, whether that's a different design or a later date. Please call me at [phone]. [Owner name]
Keep the money talk private
A review that ends with “I want my money back” is two things at once: a public complaint and a private request. The reply should handle the first and route the second. In public, readers want to see that you listened and that you have a fair process. They don’t need, and shouldn’t see, the order total, the date, or the back-and-forth over what’s owed.
A refund conversation involves order numbers, card details and sometimes a back-and-forth about what happened, which is about as complex and personal as review topics get. None of it belongs on a public page.
Say the policy once, plainly
One sentence of policy helps everyone. “Returns within 30 days qualify for a full refund” tells the reviewer what to expect and tells future customers your terms. If the request falls outside your policy, say what you can do instead (a repair visit, an exchange, a credit) rather than only saying no. Google’s guidance asks owners to be honest about limits and to explain what they can and cannot do.
Avoid quoting fine print or pasting terms and conditions. Long replies lose readers before the point.
Never trade a refund for the review
This is the line that matters most. Google prohibits offering incentives in exchange for reviews, review changes, or the removal of negative reviews. A refund offered “if you update your review” is exactly that, and so is accepting a customer’s offer to delete the review once paid. Decide the refund on its merits. If you settle it fairly, the customer is notified of your reply and can edit their review whenever they like; some do, unprompted.
What to avoid
- Arguing over whether the product was misused, in public.
- Calling the request a scam or hinting the customer is lying.
- Promising a refund in the reply before you’ve checked the order.
- Copy-paste replies. Readers notice the same paragraph under every complaint.
When to report
A refund demand is usually legitimate feedback and should be answered, not reported. Report only if the review breaks a content policy, such as unsubstantiated accusations of wrongdoing, profanity, or posting someone’s personal details. Even then, post the short reply too.
If it doesn't work
- The customer replies publicly asking again: don't negotiate in the thread. Repeat the contact route once and leave it.
- You can't identify the order: say so neutrally and ask for an order number or date by email.
- They demand a refund in return for deleting the review: decline politely. Offering or accepting anything for a review change is against Google's rules.
- The review accuses you of fraud or theft: that can count as an unsubstantiated accusation under Google's offensive content policy. Consider reporting it.
Questions owners ask
Should I just issue the refund to make the review go away?
Decide the refund on its merits, the same way you would if there were no review. You can't make it conditional on a review change; Google prohibits incentives in exchange for reviews, review changes or removal. If you refund, the customer may update their review on their own, and that's their choice.
Can I post our refund policy in the reply?
Yes, a one-line summary is fine and helps other readers. Paste the full terms elsewhere, such as your website. Keep the reply short so the main point isn't lost in policy text.
Can I mention the amount they paid?
Avoid it. Order totals, dates and what someone bought are personal details. Google asks owners never to share a reviewer's private information in replies, and readers don't need the number to judge how you handled it.
What if I already refunded them and they still left a bad review?
Say so in neutral terms without amounts, such as noting the matter was resolved directly, and thank them for the feedback. Don't ask them to remove the review. See the page on replying after you've fixed the problem for wording.
Sources
- Tips to get more reviews and write better replies (support.google.com)
- Manage customer reviews (support.google.com)
- Prohibited and restricted content (support.google.com)
Checked 13 Nov 2026. When the platform changes its process we update this page and log it in What changed.