Review Response Templates: Replies for Every Star Rating and Platform

A blank reply box is the hardest part of responding to reviews. The owner knows what they want to say, the staff member covering the inbox on Saturday doesn't, and either way a one-star review with an upset customer behind it is not the moment to start from nothing.

This is a library of review response templates you can copy, fill in and adapt: for one and two-star reviews by situation, mixed three-star reviews, ratings with no text, and four and five-star reviews. At the end are notes for replying on Google, Facebook, Trustpilot and ProductReview, because each platform works a little differently. If you'd like a copy to keep, there's a free PDF of our Google review reply templates, sent by email, just after the first section.

If you want the method behind a good reply to a bad review (what to check first, what to own, what never to say), start with how to respond to negative reviews. This page is the wording.

How to use a template without sounding canned

Templates save time and keep a team consistent. They also go wrong in a very public way. ProductReview's own guidance for businesses puts it plainly: customers see template replies as impersonal, feel their review hasn't been read, and get frustrated seeing the same response under review after review. It adds that the bigger risk is a template used carelessly, such as one addressed to a different reviewer.

Trustpilot's tips for businesses make the same point from the other side: use the reviewer's name where you can and refer to specifics from their review, because a templated reply "can come across as an afterthought".

Google's own advice for replies, as of October 2026, lines up with both:

• Keep it short and simple.
• Instead of the same "thank you" to everyone, focus on reviews where you can share a helpful update or answer a question.
• Be conversational, not promotional. Don't use replies to offer deals.
• Address the reviewer by name, acknowledge their specific feedback, and sign off with your name or initials.
• Never share a reviewer's private information. For anything complex, ask them to contact you by phone or email.

So treat every template below as a skeleton, not a finished reply. Four rules make that work:

1. Fill every blank. Square brackets are things only you know: the customer's name, what happened, what you've changed, who to contact. A template with a bracket left in is worse than no template.
2. Add one detail from the review. Quote or mention one specific thing the customer said. That single line is what tells readers a person wrote the reply.
3. Rotate. Keep two or three versions for each situation so the replies on your profile don't all read the same. If several people reply for you, agree who uses which templates as part of your review response strategy.
4. Read it before you post. Check the name, the facts and the tone. A reply is public and, on most platforms, the customer is notified when you post it.

Templates for 1 and 2-star reviews

The method for every negative reply is the same: thank them, own what's fair, say what you're doing about it, and give a direct way to continue the conversation. The templates below apply that to situations that come up again and again.

Late delivery or a missed deadline

Hi [Name], thanks for letting us know, and sorry that your [order / job / booking] arrived [late / after the date we promised]. You planned around that date and we let you down. [What caused it, in one plain sentence, without blaming the customer or a named staff member.] We've [specific change, for example "added a delivery check the day before"] so it doesn't happen again. If anything is still outstanding, please contact [Name] on [phone] or [email] and we'll sort it out. [Your name], [role]

A booking or appointment that went wrong

Hi [Name], we're sorry your [appointment / booking] on [day] didn't go to plan. [Acknowledge the specific problem: "being double-booked", "arriving to find we'd closed early".] That's not the experience we want anyone to have, and it was on us to get it right. We've [what you changed]. We'd like to make it up to you properly, so please call [Name] on [phone] and we'll find a time that works. [Your name]

Don't offer a freebie or discount in the reply itself. Google's guidance is to keep replies conversational rather than promotional, and anything you offer should come after you've spoken to the customer, not as a public trade for a better review.

The product didn't meet expectations

Hi [Name], thank you for the honest review of the [product]. We're sorry it didn't live up to what you expected. [If the description was misleading, say so and say you've fixed it. If the product was faulty, say you'd like to replace or refund it.] Please get in touch at [email] with your order number and we'll [replace it / arrange a return / work out what went wrong]. [Your name], [role]

A refund or billing dispute

Hi [Name], thanks for raising this, and we're sorry the [refund / invoice] has been frustrating. We can't go through account details in a public reply, but we want to get this right. Please contact [Name] on [phone] or [email] and they'll go through it with you [today / within one business day]. [Your name]

Keep account numbers, amounts you dispute and anything else private out of the public thread. Trustpilot's advice is to leave out order numbers, account information and personal identifiers entirely.

No call back, slow emails or poor communication

Hi [Name], you're right, and we're sorry. You [called / emailed] about [issue] and didn't hear back when you should have. [What changed: "we now have one person checking enquiries every morning".] [Name] will call you [today / tomorrow] about [issue], or you can reach them directly on [phone]. [Your name]

Cleanliness or presentation

Hi [Name], thank you for telling us. [Acknowledge the specific thing: "the bathroom", "the table when you sat down".] That's below the standard we hold ourselves to and we're sorry. We've [specific action, for example "added a mid-afternoon check to our cleaning list"]. We'd love the chance to show you we've fixed it. [Your name], [role]

A complaint about something outside your control

Google's advice is to acknowledge mistakes but not take responsibility for things outside your control, and to explain what you can and can't do. This template does that without sounding defensive:

Hi [Name], sorry your [delivery / event / visit] was affected by [the courier delay / the storm / the road closure]. It isn't something we can control, but we understand it still spoiled [what it spoiled]. What we can do is [what you do, for example "send tracking updates as soon as we hear from the courier"]. If you'd like help with [the order / a new booking], please contact us on [phone]. [Your name]

A review that looks fake or isn't about you

Don't argue in the reply, and don't accuse the reviewer. Report the review if it breaks the platform's rules, then reply calmly for anyone reading in the meantime:

Hi [Name], we take feedback seriously, but we can't find a [booking / order / visit] that matches this review. We'd like to understand what happened, so please contact us at [email] with any details. [Your name]

For the reporting side, see how to report a fake Google review.

Templates for 3-star and mixed reviews

A three-star review is usually someone telling you exactly what to fix. They liked enough to stay positive and were let down enough to say so. The reply should take both halves seriously.

Good experience with one problem

Hi [Name], thanks for the balanced review. We're really glad you enjoyed [the thing they liked], and you're right about [the problem]. [What you've done about it.] We hope next time is five stars from start to finish. [Your name]

"It was fine"

Hi [Name], thanks for taking the time to review us. "Fine" isn't what we're aiming for, so we'd really like to know what would have made it better. If you have a moment, reply here or email [email]. [Your name]

Great service, but the price

Hi [Name], thank you, and we're glad the [team / work / meal] was up to standard. On price, [one honest sentence: what the price includes, or that you've reviewed it]. If anything on your [invoice / bill] didn't match what you were told, please call [Name] on [phone]. [Your name]

Templates for star-only reviews (no text)

Ratings with no comment are common and easy to skip. Replying shows every reader that you read everything, and it gives an unhappy customer a door back in.

1 or 2 stars, no text

Hi [Name], we're sorry we didn't get it right for you. We'd really like to hear what happened so we can fix it. Please contact [Name] on [phone] or [email]. [Your name]

3 stars, no text

Hi [Name], thanks for the rating. If there's one thing we could have done better, we'd love to hear it at [email]. [Your name]

4 or 5 stars, no text

Thanks so much, [Name]. We're glad you had a good experience and hope to see you again soon. [Your name]

Keep the five-star version to a line or two, and vary it. A wall of identical "Thanks for the 5 stars!" replies is exactly the copy-paste look these templates are meant to avoid.

Templates for 4 and 5-star reviews

Positive reviews deserve a reply too, and they're the easiest place to sound like a person rather than a template. For a fuller guide with examples by situation, see how to respond to positive reviews. A short set:

A five-star review that names a staff member

Thanks so much, [Name]! We've passed this on to [staff member], who'll be very happy to hear it. [One line about what they mentioned: "Glad the fitting made the difference."] See you next time. [Your name]

Only use the staff member's first name if the customer did, and only if your team is comfortable being named.

A detailed five-star review

Thank you, [Name], this made our day. [Pick out one specific detail they gave and respond to it.] Reviews like this help other [customers / families / businesses] decide, so we really appreciate you taking the time. [Your name]

A repeat customer

Thanks, [Name], and thanks for coming back. [Reference the history if they did: "Three years of servicing that ute and counting."] We appreciate it. [Your name]

Four stars with a suggestion

Thanks for the great review, [Name], and for the suggestion about [their suggestion]. [Either "We've passed it on to the team" or "Good news, we've just started doing that."] [Your name]

Platform notes: Google, Facebook, Trustpilot and ProductReview

The templates work everywhere, but each platform has its own rules about who can reply, where, and what happens next. All of the following is as of October 2026.

Google

• You need a verified Business Profile to reply. Google Business Profile Help says you must verify your business before you can reply to reviews.
• To reply: go to your Business Profile, select Read reviews, select Reply next to the review, enter your reply and select Reply again.
• Google checks replies first. Google says replies are reviewed against its content policies, usually within 10 minutes but sometimes up to 30 days, and you'll be asked to edit a reply that isn't approved.
• The customer is notified. The reviewer gets a notification when you reply and can change their review afterwards. If they do, the review's date changes to the date of the update.
• Your reply shows as the business. Google says your personal name isn't shown.
• You can edit or delete a reply from the same Read reviews screen. The full steps, and what to do when a reply doesn't appear, are in how to reply to Google reviews.

If a Google review breaks Google's policies, report it rather than reply to it in anger. Google's review policy explained covers what qualifies.

Facebook

Facebook calls reviews "recommendations", and they sit on your Page's recommendations tab. Facebook's Help Centre says Pages can turn recommendations off, but doing so also removes the rating and reviews from the Page, so most businesses leave them on and reply instead. Recommendations that only include a star rating can't be reported, according to Facebook's help page on reporting, so the star-only templates above matter more on Facebook than anywhere.

Trustpilot

• Reply on Trustpilot itself. Only businesses that have claimed their Trustpilot profile can reply. Replies are public on your Trustpilot page, and Trustpilot emails the reviewer when you reply.
• Trustpilot's tips: reply quickly, avoid generic copy-paste responses, don't argue, keep negative replies short, keep order numbers and personal details out, and finish on a positive note.
• Flag rather than reply if a review breaks Trustpilot's guidelines.

If you use Dinopix, your Trustpilot reviews arrive alongside your other reviews by forwarding Trustpilot's notification emails (see Trustpilot in Dinopix); the reply itself is still posted on Trustpilot.

ProductReview

• Three places to reply. ProductReview says Brand Managers can respond from the review alert email, from the Reviews tab of the Brand Management Platform, or from the public listing while logged in.
• Replying is free. ProductReview's Plans & Features page says you can sign up to its Starter plan and respond to reviews for free.
• Its guidance on templates (quoted above) is to use more flexible templates with more blanks, keep a range so replies don't look repetitive, and check each one before posting.
• For major issues, it suggests replying publicly and then moving to a private message.
• No promotional material, and no information that could identify the reviewer unless they've disclosed it themselves.

In Dinopix, ProductReview reviews arrive by email automatically, and you draft the reply there, then copy it and post it on ProductReview (see ProductReview in Dinopix).

What not to put in any reply

Whatever the star rating or platform:

• No incentives. Google prohibits offering payment, discounts or free goods in exchange for removing or changing a negative review. See incentivised reviews: what you can and can't offer.
• No pressure to change the review. Fix the problem and let the customer decide. Google's guidance notes customers can update their review after reading your reply, and a good reply sometimes leads to that without being asked.
• No private information. Not the customer's surname, phone number, order details or anything about their health or account.
• No promotion. Save the specials for your newsletter.

And when you ask for reviews in the first place, ask every customer, not only the happy ones. Google's policy prohibits merchants from selectively soliciting positive reviews, and review gating breaks the rules on most platforms.

Draft your next reply in seconds

Paste a review into the free review reply generator and get a draft that already follows the structure above. If you're replying across Google, Facebook, Trustpilot and ProductReview, Dinopix brings every review into one inbox and drafts each reply in your brand voice, so you approve, edit or send without opening four platforms. Google, Facebook and Instagram replies publish straight from Dinopix.

Sources

• Google Business Profile Help, Manage customer reviews
• Google Business Profile Help, Tips to get more reviews
• Google Business Profile Help, Report inappropriate reviews on your Business Profile
• Maps User Generated Content Policy Help, Prohibited & restricted content
• Trustpilot Help Center, Tips for replying to reviews
• Trustpilot Help Center, Can businesses reply to reviews?
• Trustpilot Help Center, Engage with your reviewers
• ProductReview.com.au Help Centre, How do I respond to reviews? (archived copy, 2 December 2025)
• ProductReview.com.au Help Centre, Best practices for responding to reviews (archived copy, 2 December 2025)
• ProductReview.com.au, Plans & Features: Brand Management
• Facebook Help Centre, Turn Recommendations on or off for your business Page
• Facebook Help Centre, Report a recommendation or review about a business Page on Facebook