Good DM scripts do three things: answer the actual question in the first sentence, add the one detail the customer needs next, and end with a step toward the order. Below are twelve copy-paste scripts covering order status, sizing, delivery, payment, and returns, plus the rules for adapting them to your store.
What makes a DM script work?
Before the scripts, four rules that separate scripts that close from scripts that stall:
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Front-load the answer. No "thanks for reaching out!" preamble before the substance. Chat readers scan the first line only.
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Be specific or be silent. "2 to 4 business days to Riyadh, 25 SAR" converts; "delivery times vary" does not. Replace every bracket below with your real numbers.
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End with a next step. A question or a direct link. Every script below has one.
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Match the customer's language. If they wrote in Egyptian Arabic or Franco-Arabic, the reply should too. Scripts are only as good as their localisation.
What scripts should you use for order status questions?
WISMO ("where is my order?") is commonly 25 to 50 percent of ecommerce ticket volume, according to industry reporting, so start here.
Script 1, order status with number provided: "Found it! Order #[1234] is [packed and with the courier]. Expected delivery: [Tuesday or Wednesday]. Tracking link: [link]. Want me to check anything else on it?"
Script 2, order status, no number: "Happy to check! Can you send the phone number or email you ordered with? I'll pull it up right away."
Script 3, order delayed: "You're right, order #[1234] is running [2 days] behind, and I'm sorry about that. Current status is [in transit], new expected date [Thursday]. I'll keep an eye on it. Anything you need in the meantime?"
Script 4, order not found: "I can't find an order under that number/phone. Could it have been placed with a different number or email? Send whatever you used at checkout and I'll dig again."
What scripts work for sizing questions?
Script 5, size availability: "The [ribbed midi dress] is available in [S, M, L] right now, [M is running low, 3 left]. What's your usual size and I'll confirm the fit?"
Script 6, fit guidance: "That style runs [slightly small], so if you're between sizes, go [one up]. For reference, the model is wearing [M] and is [170cm]. Want the full size chart?"
Script 7, out of stock in their size: "Ah, [M] just sold out in that colour. Two options: it's still available in [beige], or I can note your details and message you when [M] restocks, usually within [2 weeks]. Which do you prefer?"
What scripts cover delivery and payment?
Script 8, delivery time and cost: "We deliver to [Jeddah] in [2 to 4 business days], delivery is [25 SAR] and free over [200 SAR]. Want me to check your cart total?"
Script 9, COD availability: "Yes, cash on delivery is available! I can place the order for you right here. I'll just need: full name, phone number, city and address, and the size you want. Ready when you are."
Script 10, international delivery: "We currently ship to [UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait]. To [Dubai] it's [4 to 6 days], [40 AED]. Duties are [included / paid on delivery]. Shall I send the checkout link?"
What scripts handle returns and recovery?
Script 11, return request: "No problem. Returns are free within [14 days] if unworn with tags. I'll start it now: can you confirm the order number and the reason? You'll get the pickup details right after."
Script 12, abandoned checkout follow-up (within the messaging window): "Hey! You were one step from ordering the [linen shirt in beige, size M], and there are [3] left. Anything holding you back, sizing, delivery, payment? Happy to sort it here."
A note on that last one: follow-ups must respect Meta's 24-hour messaging window, which allows free-form replies within 24 hours of the customer's last message. The rules are worth two minutes of your time; see the 24-hour window explained, and the full recovery play in abandoned cart recovery via DM.
How should you deploy these scripts?
| Deployment level | How it works | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Saved replies | You paste and edit manually | Speed depends on a human being awake |
| Instagram FAQ buttons | Fixed answers to fixed questions | Cannot fill in order or stock data |
| AI agent | Generates the answer with live Shopify data | Needs a good tool and initial configuration |
Scripts 1, 3, 5, and 7 expose the ceiling of manual deployment: they contain live data (order status, stock counts) that a human must look up every single time. That lookup is exactly what makes DM replies slow, and slow replies are what kill DM sales, as we showed in why response time decides the sale.
This is the gap ReplAi fills: it runs this entire playbook automatically, pulling real order status, stock, and pricing from Shopify, replying in under 14 seconds on average around the clock, and closing with checkout links or in-chat COD orders. It answers in the customer's own language, including Egyptian, Gulf, and Levantine Arabic and Franco-Arabic, with gender-aware phrasing, so one script becomes every script. Measured across our merchants, about 80 percent of messages are handled end to end this way. You can test it on the free plan (details on the pricing page) or book a demo to see your own products in these conversations.
Frequently asked questions
Should DM replies be formal or casual?
Match your brand voice, but bias casual: DMs are a chat medium and stiff corporate phrasing reads as automated in the bad way. Short sentences, the customer's name if you have it, and one emoji maximum. In Arabic, dialect beats formal Arabic for warmth in nearly every retail context.
How do I personalise scripts without spending more time per message?
Keep the brackets small and factual: name, product, size, city, date. Those five slots cover almost every script above. If filling them requires opening Shopify each time, that is the signal to automate; the lookup, not the writing, is what eats your minutes.
Can I use the same scripts on WhatsApp and Messenger?
Yes, the structure transfers directly; all three are chat channels with the same customer expectations of speed and specificity. Keep platform differences in mind for follow-ups, since messaging window policies apply across Meta's channels. ReplAi runs the same playbook across Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and website WebChat from one place.
What should I never put in a DM script?
Promises you cannot verify ("arrives tomorrow!"), fake scarcity, and requests for card numbers in chat, never take payment details in the thread. Also avoid deflections like "check our website"; the customer messaged you specifically to avoid doing that.