Charleston AI Playbook

Directory / Prompts / Retail

Reply to a return request

Updated

Problem it solves

A customer wants a return. The reply should match the policy on the receipt, not a policy the chat prefers.

Best tool

  • ChatGPT (free chat)
  • Claude (free chat)
  • Gemini (free chat)
  • Copilot (free chat)

The free chat is enough for one draft. ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and the free Microsoft Copilot chat can each do this. A paid plan only helps if you hit a usage limit. Copilot inside Word, Excel, or Outlook is a separate paid Microsoft 365 feature. You do not need it to try this once.

Copy-paste prompt

Write a reply to this return request. Follow only the policy below. If the request does not fit the policy, say what we can do instead, and only if I wrote an alternative. Do not apologize for a fact we have not checked.

Request: [paste, name removed]
Policy: [your return policy in a few lines]
Alternative you allow: [exchange / store credit / none]
Sign off: [name]

Replace every [bracket]. If you cannot fill one, delete that line.

Example output

A usable draft applies your policy to the request and offers only the alternative you allowed. It does not invent a 30-day window.

Tips

  • If you do not have a written policy, write the rule you will stand behind in the bracket before you generate the reply.
  • A person sends it. Keep the order number out of a public review reply. This one can stay in email.

Time saved

Estimate: one reply is a few minutes when the policy is already written. Writing the policy is separate.

How to use it

  1. Copy the prompt. Copy the prompt on this page into a free chat.
  2. Fill every bracket. Replace each [bracket] with a fact from your own notes. If you cannot fill one, delete that line instead of guessing.
  3. Edit before you use it. Read the draft against your notes. Delete any price, date, name, or promise you did not supply. You decide what gets sent.

Where this came from

  • Original to this library.