How to write an apology email to a customer (12 examples for delays, errors and outages)
How to apologise to a customer by email when something goes wrong — delays, mistakes, outages, data errors — with a simple structure and 12 example emails.
A good apology email to a customer names the mistake in the first sentence, takes responsibility without excuses, explains what you have done to fix it, and says what happens next. Send it as soon as you know, from a real person, and keep it short. Offer something to make up for it only when the mistake cost the customer time or money.
When to send an apology first
The best apology arrives before the complaint. If you know an order will be late, a booking was double-charged or a service was down, tell the customer before they find out on their own. A proactive apology turns "they let me down" into "they told me straight away".
If the customer has already complained, see how to reply to a complaint email — the structure is similar, but you answer their questions first.
The structure: name it, own it, fix it
- Name the mistake in the first sentence. "Your order will be three days late."
- Own it. "That's our fault" — not "due to circumstances beyond our control", unless that is truly the whole story.
- Say what you have done. Fixed it, refunded it, changed the process.
- Say what happens next, and by when.
- Make it right, if it cost them something: a refund of the delivery fee, a free month, a discount on the next order.
Write the subject line plainly: "Your order is delayed — sorry" works better than "Important update regarding your recent purchase".
12 apology email examples
Orders and delivery
Hi Sarah, I'm sorry — your order will arrive three days later than we promised, on Friday 18 October. A supplier sent us the wrong fabric and we had to reorder it. We've refunded your delivery fee, and you'll get a tracking link as soon as it ships.
Hi James, I'm sorry: the blue jacket you ordered sold out before we could pack it. Our stock count was wrong. You can choose a full refund or the grey version with 15% off — just reply with which you prefer.
Hi Priya, we sent your parcel to your old address — that's our mistake, and I'm sorry. A new one goes out today by express delivery, free of charge.
Service and software
Hi Mark, our service was down for about two hours this morning, and you couldn't log in. I'm sorry. A faulty update caused it; we've rolled it back and added a check so it can't happen the same way again. Your data was not affected. We've added a free week to your account.
Hi Lena, last week's update broke CSV exports for some accounts, including yours. I'm sorry — I know you rely on them for month-end. It's fixed as of this morning, and your exports from the last seven days are attached.
Hi Daniel, I'm very sorry our engineer didn't arrive on Tuesday and nobody called you. That's not acceptable. I've booked the first slot available, Thursday at 9 am, and the visit will be free.
Billing
Hi Grace, we charged you £49 instead of £29 this month — our mistake. The £20 difference has been refunded today and should reach you in 3–5 working days. I'm sorry for the surprise.
Hi Omar, you cancelled in September but were still charged in October. I'm sorry. I've refunded the payment in full and confirmed your account is closed — you won't be charged again.
Communication mistakes
Hi, earlier today you received an email about a sale that ended last month. It was sent by mistake — sorry for the confusion. The prices on our website today are correct.
Hi Fatima, I'm sorry it took us five days to reply. That's far too long. To answer your question: yes, we deliver to your area, and your first delivery would be on Monday.
Hi Tom, I gave you the wrong price on the phone yesterday — the total is £180, not £150. I'm sorry. Since you booked based on my quote, we'll honour £150.
A serious mistake
Hi Rachel, I'm writing to tell you that yesterday an email containing your order details was sent to another customer by mistake. It included your name, address and order — no payment details. We've asked the recipient to delete it and they have confirmed they did. I'm very sorry. If you have any questions, you can reach me directly on 020 7946 0000.
A data mistake may also have legal reporting duties in your country (such as under GDPR in Europe). Check those first; the email to the customer comes alongside, not instead.
Phrases that make an apology worse
- "We apologise for any inconvenience." It apologises for nothing in particular.
- "Sorry if you were upset." It apologises for their feelings, not your mistake.
- "Due to unforeseen circumstances." Say what happened.
- "Mistakes were made." By whom? Use "we".
- "This should not happen again" without saying what changed.
Writing it faster, without the corporate tone
Apology emails tend to come out stiff because they are written nervously. AI Reply Writer drafts them in Gmail and Outlook: reply to the customer's thread, or open a new email and type what happened — "order 3 days late, refunded delivery" — and press ✦ AI Reply. It reads the thread and any attached invoice or photo, and writes a plain, specific apology for you to edit and send yourself. The free plan includes 20 replies a month.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write an apology email to a customer?
Name the mistake in the first sentence, take responsibility, explain what you have done to fix it, say what happens next, and make it right if it cost them time or money.
What should be the subject line of an apology email?
Something plain that says what happened, such as "Your order is delayed — sorry" or "We overcharged you this month".
Should you offer compensation in an apology email?
When the mistake cost the customer time or money, yes — a refund of a fee, a free period or a discount. For a small mistake, a sincere apology and a fix are enough.
How do you say sorry professionally?
Say "I am sorry" or "We are sorry", name the specific mistake, and avoid hedges such as "for any inconvenience" or "if you were upset".
