Public (comments)
General answers everyone benefits from: price, stock, sizing, shipping to New Zealand, how to buy. A short apology and 'we have sent you a DM' for problems.
Social media customer service for online stores
Social media customer service means answering customers where they talk to you: comments on your posts and ads, Instagram and Facebook DMs, and TikTok. For an online store it is also a sales channel, because many comments are buying questions about price, stock, sizing and shipping. Do it well by answering buying questions first and fast, replying briefly in public and moving order details to private messages, escalating complaints to a person, and keeping every channel in one place so nothing is missed. Here is a simple playbook.
Updated 18 October 2026
Why it matters more for online stores
- Comments under ads are often the first question a new customer asks. Answered fast, many become sales; ignored, the ad money is wasted.
- Replies are public. Other shoppers read how you handle a question or complaint before they buy.
- Customers expect replies on the channel they used. 'Please email us' is not an answer to a DM.
- Questions are spread across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and email, so it is easy for something important to slip through.
The playbook: 7 rules
- Triage in order: buying questions first, then complaints, then order questions, then compliments and everything else.
- Reply fast: within an hour on comments under ads during business hours, the same day for DMs.
- Keep public replies short and human. Answer the question if it is general (price, sizing, shipping); move anything about a specific order to DMs.
- Never post private details in public: order numbers, addresses, phone numbers or tracking links.
- Escalate complaints, refunds and anything sensitive to a person who can fix it. Do not argue in public.
- Hide spam and abuse, but never hide genuine complaints.
- Write replies yourself or check drafts before they go out. Automated public comment replies can get Meta accounts restricted.
Public vs private: what goes where
Private (DMs or email)
Anything about a specific order, refunds, addresses, phone numbers, tracking links and longer complaints.
Both
For a public complaint: reply publicly with a short, kind message, then sort out the details privately, and update the public thread once it is fixed if that helps others.
Reply examples
Buying question under an ad
Hi [Name]! Yes, it is $[price] and in stock in [sizes]. Link in bio, or we can DM you the link 😊
Order question in a comment
Hi [Name], sorry for the wait! We have sent you a DM so we can check your order straight away.
Complaint in a comment
So sorry about this, [Name]. That is not the experience we want for you. We have messaged you to sort it out today.
DM about sizing
Great question! It fits [true to size]. Tell me your usual size and I will recommend one. Size guide: [link]
Who should own it
- One named person owns the inbox each day, even if several people help. Shared ownership usually means nobody checks.
- Set hours (for example 8am to 8pm AEST) and say them in your auto replies and bio.
- Write down your answers to the top questions and your rules for refunds and complaints, so anyone can reply in your brand's voice.
- Decide who handles escalations: refunds, angry customers, influencers and anything legal.
- Check response time and missed messages weekly. See our guide to customer service metrics.
Tools: from native inboxes to one list
Meta Business Suite's inbox brings Facebook and Instagram comments and DMs together, including ad comments, and is free. TikTok comments and messages, and your support email, live elsewhere, and none of them show the customer's Shopify order.
Paperflower puts Instagram, Facebook and TikTok comments and DMs and your support email in one list, connects to Shopify, puts buying questions first, flags complaints to a person and drafts each reply from your brand knowledge. For public comments it copies the reply and opens the comment so you paste and post it yourself; it never posts public replies for you. See how comments work.
How Paperflower is different
Comments are a sales channel, not a chore
Most tools treat comments as noise. Paperflower reads every one, spots buying questions like “do you ship to NZ?” and makes sure they get answered before the customer moves on.
Buying Intent and Opportunity Score
Every conversation gets a score so the people ready to buy come first. You see who to reply to now, and who can wait.
Shopify context in every draft
Order status, shipping and product details are pulled in automatically, so drafts are right the first time and private order details never go out in public.
You stay in control
AI drafts are on and auto-send is off by default. Complaints are escalated to you. Refunds and cancellations always need a human.
Simple pricing
Paperflower starts free with 100 customer interactions a month, no card needed: every message in one list, and you write the replies. AI sorting, reply drafts and spam hiding come with Standard, which is A$47 a month for 3,000 customer interactions, with a 7-day free trial. Human replies are always free. See all plans.
Built for AU and NZ brands
Local time zones, local shipping questions, and support from people who know the market.
Frequently asked questions
Answering customers on social channels: comments on posts and ads, Instagram and Facebook DMs, and TikTok. For online stores it covers pre-sale questions as well as order problems and complaints.
Aim for under an hour on comments under ads during business hours and the same day for DMs. Buying questions answered quickly are often sales.
Yes, briefly and kindly, so other shoppers see you care, then move the details to a DM or email. Never argue in public and never hide a genuine complaint.
Auto replies for DMs are fine for saying hello and setting expectations. Avoid automated public comment replies: Meta has been restricting accounts that automate them. Use drafts you check before posting.
Not unless you turn that on. By default it drafts a reply and you approve it. You can switch on auto-send for simple, safe questions once you trust the drafts.
Instagram, Facebook and TikTok comments and DMs, support email through Gmail or Google Workspace, and Shopify for order details.
Yes. The Free plan is the basics: 100 customer interactions a month in one list, no card needed, and you write each reply. Standard adds AI sorting, reply drafts and spam hiding, and comes with a 7-day free trial. You can cancel any time. Compare plans.
Start Paperflower free
Connect Instagram, Facebook, email and Shopify in a few minutes. On Standard, AI sorts every message and drafts every reply, you stay in control, and nothing is sent without your say-so unless you switch that on. Free puts every message in one list for you to answer.