---
title: "Automatic replies | Ferry Desk"
description: "Describe the questions customers ask most and write your answer once. The assistant recognizes them in context and replies right away, using the customer's real order details."
url: "https://ferrydesk.io/features/auto-replies"
---

# Answer common questions the moment they arrive

> Describe the questions customers ask most and write your answer once. The assistant recognizes them in context and replies right away, using the customer's real order details.

"Where is my order?" should not wait in a queue. Automatic replies handle the questions you answer every day, so your team can spend time on the ones that need a person.

- **Topics in plain words.** Describe what the customer is asking in one sentence, like "The customer asks where their order is or when it will arrive." No keyword rules to maintain.
- **Understands context.** The assistant reads the customer's first messages and matches the meaning, not exact phrases.
- **Answers with real data.** Use variables like the customer's first name, order number, order status and order status link. If the order can't be found, nothing is sent and the conversation waits for your team.
- **Never in the way.** Each topic answers once per conversation and never after a teammate has replied. Turn any topic on or off at any time.
- **Safe for guests.** Order details are never shared with storefront chat visitors who are not signed in.
- **See what it does.** Every automatic reply is labeled in the conversation, and each topic shows how many replies it has sent.

![The automatic replies page in Ferry Desk listing topics such as order status, return policy, shipping times, cancel order and address change, with their status and how many replies were sent.](https://ferrydesk.io/_astro/auto-replies-list.COMPN4pS_Zdxzhs.webp)

![Editing the Order status automatic reply, with a one sentence description of what the customer is asking and a reply that uses customer and order variables.](https://ferrydesk.io/_astro/auto-reply-form.C7BG_9hi_Z8KJkT.webp)

![A conversation where a customer asks where their order is and the assistant replies within a minute with the order status and tracking link.](https://ferrydesk.io/_astro/auto-reply-thread.hi-ZKK8J_k1Pz1.webp)

## About Ferry Desk

Ferry Desk is a customer support helpdesk for Shopify stores. Email and storefront chat land in one shared inbox inside the Shopify admin, next to the customer’s orders, so your team can refund, cancel or add tracking without leaving the conversation. Read the overview at https://ferrydesk.io/index.md.