Upset customers need special care and attention. Your response to their complaints can either save or destroy your relationship with them. A properly written apology email shows you value their concerns and want to make things right.
Many business owners find it challenging to write effective apology emails that can turn upset customers into loyal fans. These 20 different apology email samples can serve as templates to handle various customer complaints professionally and effectively.
Sample Apology Emails
The following apology email templates will help you handle different customer complaint scenarios.
1. Late Product Delivery Apology
Subject: We Sincerely Apologize for Your Delayed Order #12345
Dear Ms. Johnson,
We failed to meet our promised delivery date for your order, and we take full responsibility for this delay. Our shipping team discovered that your package was misrouted during transit, causing an unexpected 3-day delay.
To make up for this inconvenience, we have upgraded your shipping to express delivery at no extra cost. Your order will arrive within 24 hours. Additionally, we’re adding a 20% discount code for your next purchase.
We know how frustrating delays can be and have already implemented new tracking procedures to prevent similar issues. Please accept our sincere apologies for any problems this may have caused.
Best regards,
Sarah Williams
Customer Service Manager
2. Product Quality Issue Apology
Subject: Our Sincerest Apologies – Your Recent Purchase
Dear Mr. Thompson,
Thank you for bringing the defect in your recently purchased coffee maker to our attention. Quality control is a top priority for us, and we clearly missed the mark with your order.
We are sending you a brand new replacement unit today via express shipping. Please keep the defective unit – there’s no need to return it. As a token of our appreciation for your patience, we’re also including a complimentary pack of our premium coffee beans.
Your satisfaction matters greatly to us, and we hope you’ll give us another chance to prove our commitment to quality.
Kind regards,
Michael Chen
Product Quality Supervisor
3. Website Technical Issue Apology
Subject: We’re Sorry About Your Shopping Experience Today
Dear Ms. Rodriguez,
We apologize for the technical difficulties you faced while trying to complete your purchase on our website this morning. Our technical team confirmed there was a server issue that affected checkout processing for about 45 minutes.
The problem has been fixed, and we’ve added extra server capacity to handle high traffic better. We’d love for you to try again – we’ve applied a $25 credit to your account to use on your next purchase.
Thank you for your understanding as we worked to resolve this issue.
Warm regards, David Park Technical Support Lead
4. Customer Service Response Delay Apology
Subject: Apologies for Our Delayed Response
Dear Mr. Baker,
We sincerely apologize for taking three days to respond to your support ticket. This falls well below our standard response time of 24 hours. We experienced an unexpected surge in support requests, but that’s no excuse for keeping you waiting.
We’ve reviewed your original query and have prepared a detailed solution, which you’ll find attached to this email. We’re also implementing additional staff training and expanding our support team to handle volume spikes better.
Please let us know if you need any clarification or have additional questions.
Best wishes, Rachel Martinez Support Team Lead
5. Billing Error Apology
Subject: Our Apologies for the Billing Mix-up
Dear Ms. Anderson,
We’re writing to apologize for the duplicate charge on your account from yesterday. Our billing system experienced a glitch during routine maintenance, affecting several customer accounts including yours.
We’ve already processed a full refund, which should appear in your account within 2-3 business days. To compensate for any inconvenience, we’ve added three months of free service to your subscription.
Rest assured we’ve fixed the underlying issue and added extra verification steps to prevent similar errors.
Sincerely, James Wilson Billing Department Manager
6. Out-of-Stock Item Apology
Subject: We’re Sorry – Item Temporarily Unavailable
Dear Mr. Garcia,
We apologize that the hiking boots you ordered were shown as available on our website when they were actually out of stock. This happened due to a sync delay between our inventory system and website.
We expect to receive new stock within 5 days. We can either hold your order and ship as soon as they arrive, or help you find a similar alternative. As an apology, we’ll add free express shipping and a 15% discount.
Please let us know your preference, and we’ll handle it right away.
Best regards,
Emma Thompson
Inventory Manager
7. Canceled Event Apology
Subject: Important Update About Tomorrow’s Workshop
Dear Ms. Taylor,
We deeply regret to inform you that we must cancel tomorrow’s photography workshop due to our lead instructor’s medical emergency. We understand this late notice is extremely inconvenient.
You can choose between a full refund or priority booking for next month’s session with a 30% discount. We’re also offering a free digital copy of our advanced photography guide as a small token of apology.
Please let us know your preference, and we’ll process it immediately.
Sincerely,
Robert Lee
Events Coordinator
8. Service Interruption Apology
Subject: Service Outage – Our Sincere Apologies
Dear Mr. Collins,
We apologize for the 2-hour service interruption you experienced this afternoon. Our main server failed unexpectedly, affecting all users in the eastern region. While our backup systems activated quickly, some users still faced access issues.
We’ve credited your account with 1 week of free service and strengthened our backup systems to prevent similar disruptions. Our technical team has also installed additional monitoring tools.
Thank you for your patience during the outage.
Best regards,
Lisa Chen
Operations Director
9. Wrong Item Shipped Apology
Subject: We Shipped the Wrong Item – Making It Right
Dear Ms. Peterson,
We sincerely apologize for shipping you the blue sweater instead of the red one you ordered. This mistake occurred during our warehouse picking process, and we take full responsibility.
We’re sending the correct red sweater today via express shipping. Please keep the blue sweater with our compliments – consider it a gift. We’ve also added a $30 store credit to your account.
We appreciate your understanding as we correct this error.
Kind regards,
Tom Anderson
Fulfillment Manager
10. Restaurant Reservation Mix-up Apology
Subject: Our Apologies for Last Night’s Reservation Issue
Dear Mr. Mitchell,
Please accept our sincere apologies for the confusion with your reservation last evening. A system glitch caused double-booking during peak hours, leading to your 30-minute wait despite having a confirmed reservation.
We would love to make it up to you with a complimentary dinner for two, including wine service. We’ve also updated our reservation system and added staff to handle busy periods better.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
Warm regards,
Maria Santos
Restaurant Manager
11. Misquoted Price Apology
Subject: Apologies for the Price Quote Error
Dear Ms. Henderson,
We apologize for the pricing error in yesterday’s quote for your office furniture order. Our sales team mistakenly applied an expired discount code, resulting in the lower price shown.
While we cannot honor the incorrect price, we would like to offer you our best current discount of 25% off, plus free delivery and setup. This brings your total close to the originally quoted price.
We value your business and hope this solution works for you.
Best regards,
Kevin Zhang
Sales Manager
12. Appointment Scheduling Error Apology
Subject: We’re Sorry About Today’s Appointment Mix-up
Dear Mr. Douglas,
We sincerely apologize for the scheduling confusion that led to your missed consultation today. Our new scheduling software failed to sync properly with our master calendar, causing this unfortunate overlap.
We’d like to offer you priority scheduling for any time slot this week, plus a 30% discount on your consultation fee. We’ve also added a backup verification process for all appointments.
Please let us know what time works best for you.
Sincerely,
Amanda Foster
Scheduling Coordinator
13. Data Privacy Breach Apology
Subject: Important Notice About Your Account Security
Dear Ms. Reynolds,
We’re writing to apologize for the recent security incident that may have affected your account. While no financial data was compromised, some email addresses and usernames were briefly exposed.
We’ve reset all passwords as a precaution and implemented additional security measures. We’re also offering one year of free credit monitoring services to affected customers.
Your trust matters to us, and we’re committed to protecting your data.
Best regards,
Samuel Kim
Security Director
14. Product Return Process Apology
Subject: Sorry for the Return Difficulties
Dear Mr. Wallace,
We apologize for the confusion and frustration you experienced while trying to return your purchase. Our return portal should be simple to use, but clearly, we failed to make the process clear.
We’ve issued your refund in full, including shipping costs. A return shipping label is attached to this email – simply print and attach it to the package. We’re also sending you a $50 store credit.
Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention.
Kind regards,
Patricia Moore
Returns Department Supervisor
15. Subscription Renewal Error Apology
Subject: Apologies for the Auto-Renewal Issue
Dear Ms. Turner,
We’re sorry your subscription was renewed automatically despite your cancellation request last week. This happened because of a processing delay in our billing system.
We’ve cancelled the renewal and processed your refund, which should appear in 3-5 business days. We’ve also added safeguards to prevent similar issues and will offer you a 50% discount should you choose to resubscribe.
We appreciate your understanding in this matter.
Best wishes,
Daniel Wright
Subscription Services Manager
16. Missed Service Appointment Apology
Subject: Our Sincere Apologies for Missing Today’s Service Call
Dear Mr. Harrison,
We deeply regret missing our scheduled maintenance appointment this morning. Our technician had a vehicle breakdown, and we failed to notify you promptly about the situation.
We would like to reschedule at your earliest convenience and offer the service at no charge. We’ve also implemented a new notification system to alert customers immediately about any schedule changes.
Please let us know what time works best for you.
Warm regards,
Laura Stevens
Service Department Manager
17. Software Update Error Apology
Subject: Recent Update Issues – Our Apologies
Dear Ms. Bennett,
We apologize for the problems caused by our latest software update. Several users, including you, experienced login issues and data sync problems after the installation.
Our development team has released a patch that resolves these issues. We’ve also extended your subscription by two months and added priority support status to your account.
Thank you for your patience during the resolution.
Best regards,
Mark Rodriguez
Technical Support Manager
18. Membership Benefits Error Apology
Subject: Sorry About Your Member Benefits Mix-up
Dear Mr. Phillips,
We apologize that you were unable to access your premium membership benefits this weekend. A database update incorrectly classified some premium accounts as basic memberships.
We’ve fixed the classification error and added three months to your membership at no cost. We’ve also streamlined our membership validation process to prevent similar issues.
We value your continued membership.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Adams
Membership Services Director
19. Product Assembly Instructions Error Apology
Subject: Our Apologies for the Incorrect Assembly Guide
Dear Ms. Cooper,
We sincerely apologize for including the wrong assembly instructions with your furniture kit. This mix-up happened during a recent update of our instruction manuals.
We’re sending you the correct instructions via express mail, along with a complete set of spare parts. We’ve also arranged for free assembly service if you’d prefer professional assistance.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
Best regards,
Paul Martin
Customer Experience Manager
20. Gift Card Processing Error Apology
Subject: Sorry for the Gift Card Issue
Dear Mr. Russell,
We apologize for the problems you encountered while trying to redeem your gift card yesterday. Our payment processing system experienced technical difficulties that affected gift card transactions.
Your gift card has been reactivated with an additional $25 balance added. We’ve also added new backup processing systems to handle similar situations better.
We appreciate your patience during this issue.
Kind regards,
Nancy Taylor
Payment Solutions Supervisor
Final Thoughts
Writing good apology emails requires genuine concern for customer satisfaction and clear communication. These templates offer useful starting points – modify the tone and content based on your specific situation. The main elements stay consistent: acknowledge the mistake, explain what happened, detail the solution, and offer compensation where appropriate. Your customers will appreciate the honesty and effort to make things right.