How to Automatically Send Failed Order Messages to WooCommerce Customers: A Comprehensive Guide
Introduction:
In the fast-paced world of e-commerce, providing excellent customer service is paramount. While celebrating successful orders is a joyous occasion, addressing failed orders with empathy and efficiency is equally crucial. A failed order can leave a customer feeling frustrated, confused, and potentially distrustful of your brand. Proactively informing customers about failed orders and providing clear guidance can mitigate these negative feelings and even turn a potentially bad experience into an opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction. This article will guide you through the “how-to” of sending failed order messages to your WooCommerce customers, covering both built-in options and more advanced, automated solutions.
The Importance of Prompt Communication About Failed Orders
Failing to notify a customer about a failed order leaves them in the dark. They might assume the order went through, leading to confusion, potential charge disputes, and ultimately, a negative perception of your business. By sending a timely and informative failed order message, you:
- Reduce customer anxiety and uncertainty: Customers appreciate being kept informed, even when things go wrong.
- Maintain transparency and build trust: Open communication fosters trust and reinforces your brand’s commitment to honesty.
- Offer assistance and alternative solutions: You can guide customers towards resolving the issue and completing their purchase.
- Prevent negative reviews and potential chargebacks: Proactive communication helps prevent misunderstandings that can lead to negative feedback and financial repercussions.
- Insufficient funds
- Incorrect card details
- Your bank blocking the transaction
Main Part:
Understanding WooCommerce’s Default Failed Order Email
WooCommerce, by default, sends a “Failed Order” email to the store administrator whenever an order fails. However, it doesn’t automatically send a separate, customer-facing notification. The default email sent to the admin contains details about the order, the reason for failure (if available), and customer information. While useful for internal troubleshooting, it’s not a sufficient solution for direct customer communication.
Activating and Customizing the ‘Order on Hold’ Email
While there’s no dedicated “Failed Order” email template for customers out-of-the-box, you can leverage the ‘Order on Hold’ email as a starting point. This email is typically triggered when an order requires manual intervention, which can often be the case with failed payments. Here’s how:
1. Access WooCommerce Settings: Navigate to WooCommerce > Settings > Emails in your WordPress admin panel.
2. Locate the ‘Order on Hold’ Email: Find the ‘Order on Hold’ email in the list.
3. Enable the Email: Ensure the ‘Enable this email notification’ checkbox is checked.
4. Customize the Email Content: Click on the ‘Manage’ button to customize the email subject, heading, and body. Critically, re-write the content to explicitly address the order failure, explain why it might have failed (e.g., payment issue, inventory shortage), and provide clear instructions on what the customer should do next (e.g., update payment details, contact customer support).
Example Customization (Body):
“Hi [Customer Name],
We’re writing to inform you that your order (#[Order Number]) is currently on hold due to a payment issue. It appears your payment was declined during processing.
This could be due to several reasons, such as:
To resolve this, please:
1. Check your payment details in your account.
2. Contact your bank to ensure they are not blocking the transaction.
3. Try placing the order again with an alternative payment method.
If you continue to experience issues, please don’t hesitate to contact our customer support team at [Your Support Email] or [Your Phone Number].
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Sincerely,
The [Your Store Name] Team”
Advanced Solution: Using Plugins or Custom Code for Automated Failed Order Notifications
For more robust and automated failed order notifications, you can explore these options:
#### 1. WooCommerce Email Customizer Plugins:
These plugins allow you to create completely custom email templates for various order statuses, including failed orders. They often provide drag-and-drop interfaces and conditional logic to tailor the email content based on specific failure reasons.
* Pros: User-friendly, no coding required (usually), flexible customization options.
* Cons: Can be expensive, may introduce plugin conflicts.
#### 2. Custom Code (PHP):
If you’re comfortable with PHP and have access to your theme’s `functions.php` file or a custom plugin, you can create a custom function to send a failed order email to the customer. This provides the highest level of control but requires technical expertise.
<?php /**
function custom_failed_order_email_to_customer( $order_id ) {
$order = wc_get_order( $order_id );
if ( ! $order ) {
return;
}
$customer_email = $order->get_billing_email();
if ( ! $customer_email ) {
return;
}
$subject = ‘Your Order (#’ . $order->get_order_number() . ‘) Failed’;
$message = ‘
Dear ‘ . $order->get_billing_first_name() . ‘,
‘;
$message .= ‘
We regret to inform you that your order (#’ . $order->get_order_number() . ‘) has failed. Please check your payment details and try again.
‘;
$message .= ‘
If you need assistance, please contact us.
‘;
$message .= ‘
Sincerely,
‘ . get_bloginfo( ‘name’ ) . ‘
‘;
$headers = array(‘Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8’);
wp_mail( $customer_email, $subject, $message, $headers );
}
?>
Explanation of the code:
- `add_action( ‘woocommerce_order_status_failed’, ‘custom_failed_order_email_to_customer’ )`: This line hooks the `custom_failed_order_email_to_customer` function to the `woocommerce_order_status_failed` action, which is triggered when an order status changes to “failed.”
- `wc_get_order( $order_id )`: This retrieves the order object based on the order ID.
- `$order->get_billing_email()`: This retrieves the customer’s billing email address.
- `wp_mail()`: This is the WordPress function used to send emails.
Important Considerations When Using Custom Code:
- Security: Always sanitize input data and escape output to prevent security vulnerabilities.
- Maintainability: Document your code clearly for future maintenance.
- Testing: Thoroughly test your code to ensure it functions correctly.
- Updates: Be mindful of WooCommerce updates, which may require adjustments to your code.
#### 3. Using Transactional Email Services (SendGrid, Mailgun, etc.):
These services offer reliable email delivery and often provide advanced features such as email tracking and analytics. You can integrate them with WooCommerce using plugins or custom code.
* Pros: Improved email deliverability, scalable, often includes tracking and analytics.
* Cons: Requires a separate subscription, may involve more complex configuration.
Best Practices for Crafting Effective Failed Order Messages
No matter which method you choose, keep these best practices in mind:
- Be Clear and Concise: State the reason for the failure clearly and avoid technical jargon.
- Offer Solutions: Provide clear instructions on how the customer can resolve the issue.
- Be Empathetic: Acknowledge the customer’s frustration and apologize for the inconvenience.
- Include Contact Information: Make it easy for customers to contact you for assistance.
- Maintain Brand Consistency: Use your brand’s tone and style to reinforce your identity.
- Test Your Emails: Send test emails to ensure they are delivered correctly and look professional.
Conclusion:
Sending failed order messages to your WooCommerce customers is not just a courtesy; it’s a crucial aspect of providing excellent customer service. By proactively communicating about order failures, offering helpful solutions, and maintaining transparency, you can build trust, reduce customer anxiety, and ultimately improve your brand’s reputation. Whether you choose to leverage WooCommerce’s built-in options, use specialized plugins, or implement custom code, remember that clear, empathetic, and informative communication is key to turning a potentially negative experience into an opportunity to strengthen your relationship with your customers.
