ChannelReply makes it easy to build a Zoho autoresponder for Amazon, eBay, Back Market, Shopify or Walmart. A few quick tweaks can make Zoho Desk’s built-in notification rules do the trick. And if you want something more powerful, you can create your own specialized workflows from scratch.
Note that before you can use this system, you must first integrate Zoho Desk with ChannelReply.
Click on any screenshot to view it at full resolution.
Table of Contents
Important Notes
Timing
This autoresponder system generates messages once every half-hour. When a reply is triggered, you will instantly see an internal note in Zoho Desk estimating when the message will be sent.
Note that the delay could be up to 35 minutes. Once the wait is over, your auto-reply will appear inside the ticket. The message will then be delivered to the customer instantly on Amazon, eBay, Shopify or Walmart tickets. (Back Market tickets have an additional delay of up to 5 minutes after the message appears in Zoho.)
You can safely answer your messages at any time. If an agent responds to a ticket before the auto-reply appears in Zoho Desk, ChannelReply cancels the auto-reply. The agent's message is delivered immediately, and the customer will only see the human response.
When reviewing the screenshots in this article, you may notice we haven't synched our time zones! Our team was running on different clocks (GMT, EST, and GMT+3). Just pay attention to the minutes rather than the hour to get a feel for how the delay works.
Differences Between What You and the Customer See
The message shown in your internal note may display common symbols like quotation marks as HTML code. Have no fear—this is normal! Your message will be delivered to the customer with the actual symbols displayed properly.
Screenshots Used in This Article
We’ve mainly used Back Market screenshots because they make it easy to run unlimited tests without breaking any rules. However, these autoresponders work equally well for Amazon, eBay, Shopify and Walmart.
The Two Ways to Create a Zoho Autoresponder for Ecommerce
If you’re happy using one autoreply template for all your customers, regardless of how or why they contacted you, you can use notification rules. Follow Quick Setup: Notification Rules below.
If you’d prefer to make more advanced autoreplies, you should use workflows instead. These give you way more options but are a bit trickier to set up. Jump down to Advanced Setup: Workflows to give it a try.
Quick Setup: Notification Rules
Here’s the short version of what you need to do:
- In Zoho Desk, click Setup (the gear icon in the upper right), then “Notify.”
- Edit “Receiving a new ticket.”
- Make sure you have a “From” address set.
- Rewrite your subject line, starting exactly as follows: ${Cases.Request Id}
- Switch to plain text to avoid formatting errors.
- Delete this from your message: ${Cases.CUSTOMER_PORTAL_BUTTON}
- Customize your message; you can include custom fields to personalize it with order data.
- Save and enable “Receiving a new ticket.”
- If you want to reply to every message in a ticket, not just the first message, then repeat these steps for the rule “Acknowledging a ticket reply.”
Below is a detailed, step-by-step explanation with tips and screenshots.
Each Quick Setup step is labeled QS (QS 1, QS 2 etc.) so you can tell you’re looking at Quick Setup rather than Advanced Setup.
QS 1. Go to Notification Rules
In Zoho Desk, click Setup (the gear icon in the upper right).
Choose “Notify” under “AUTOMATION.”
QS 2. Edit “Receiving a New Ticket”
Find “Receiving a new ticket” and place your cursor next to the Email Template slider. The Edit button (a pencil icon) will appear. Click this now.
QS 3. Set Your “From” Address
Make sure you have an email selected in the “From” address dropdown.
Note that marketplace customers generally will not see the address shown here. However, customers who contact your Zoho Desk account directly will see it.
QS 4. Start Your Subject Line with ${Cases.Request Id}
It's unlikely that any of your marketplace customers will ever see your autoresponder’s subject line. It won’t appear in messaging systems like Seller Central. Plus, most marketplaces will overwrite your subject line when they email customers about your message.
But with the wrong subject line, the autoresponder won’t work at all.
Zoho Desk’s default subject line for “Receiving a new ticket” is as follows: [##${Cases.Request Id}##] Your ticket has been created
This default subject line will not work with ChannelReply’s autoresponder system. Your subject line must begin exactly as shown below:
${Cases.Request Id}
This placeholder will show the Zoho Desk ticket number for this conversation. While it generally won’t appear in marketplace replies, it will be visible to customers who contact your Zoho Desk account directly.
You must include a space between this placeholder and the first word of your actual subject line. So, the following would be acceptable:
${Cases.Request Id} Your ticket has been created
However, we recommend writing a custom subject line to make your message less likely to be flagged by spam filters.
QS 5. Switch to Plain Text
Zoho Desk’s message fields are set to rich text by default. While this gives you more formatting options, it can also result in formatting errors, like unwanted line breaks. And since most marketplaces will remove some or all rich text formatting anyway, it’s best to use plain text.
To switch to plain text, click “More” (the column of three dots on the far right of your formatting options). Then hit “Plain Text.”
Click “OK” in the popover that appears to confirm your decision.
QS 6. Delete ${Cases.CUSTOMER_PORTAL_BUTTON}
Your message can be just about anything you want. The only critical change to make is to delete this placeholder from the message: ${Cases.CUSTOMER_PORTAL_BUTTON}
This placeholder creates a link to the ticket in Zoho Desk. Since most marketplaces have rules against links leading anywhere off their site, it’s critical to get rid of this.
QS 7. Edit Your Message
It’s smart to rewrite your message as something unique to your business. The more personalized the message, the more certainly it will count toward marketplace SLAs and avoid spam filters.
We strongly recommend including placeholders to personalize your message. Zoho’s default placeholders are the easiest to add. There are already a few in the default message, like ${Cases.Contact Name} (which enters the customer’s full name). You can also add more by clicking “Insert Placeholders” on the right.
When your autoresponder fires, these placeholders will transform into info unique to the customer or the ticket.
Above: What you would see in Zoho Desk. Below: What the customer would see in their marketplace messages.
It can be even better to use our custom fields. These let you personalize your autoreply with details about the customer’s order.
Above: What you would see in Zoho Desk. Below: What the customer would see in their marketplace messages.
Just note that data can only populate in the placeholders if it’s available on the ticket! If no data is available, the placeholder will appear as a blank space when the autoreply is created.
This is something to keep carefully in mind if you have customers contacting your Zoho Desk account directly. If messages come in through channels other than ChannelReply, our custom field placeholders won't work on those messages.
You can learn more about each custom field in our custom fields FAQ. This will show you which of our custom fields only provide data for certain marketplaces and which ones do not always contain data. For example, Purchase Date is universal and reliable, but Latest Ship Date only works for Amazon, eBay and Walmart.
QS 8. Save and Enable the “Receiving a New Ticket” Rule
When you’re happy with your message, click “Save.”
You’ll be returned to the list of notification rules. Enable “Receiving a new ticket” by clicking the slider in the Email Notifications column. (When the knob is on the right and the slider is green, it’s enabled.)
Your autoreply is all set! Now, every time a new ticket is created, your auto-response will be delivered to the customer.
What if you also want to send auto-replies to follow-up messages, not just the first message in each ticket? In that case, you should continue to step 9:
QS 9. Optional: Edit “Acknowledging a Ticket Reply”
If you want to auto-reply to every message in a ticket, not just the first one, you’ll need to set up a second notification rule. Edit “Acknowledging a ticket reply.”
The settings for this follow-up auto-reply are exactly the same as for the first autoresponder rule. Go back to step 3 above and follow all steps through step 7. Just make sure to write a different subject line and message than you used in the first rule.
Once you’re finished, save your rule and you’ll be returned to the Notification Rules page. Click the “Acknowledging a ticket reply” slider to enable it. Once the slider is green and the knob is on the right, you’re all set!
Your customers will now receive auto-replies after every message.
Advanced Setup: Workflows
Workflows allow you to build powerful and precise autoresponders. Here’s how to use them.
Each Advanced Setup step is labeled AS (AS 1, AS 2 etc.) so you can tell you’re looking at Advanced Setup rather than Quick Setup.
AS 1. Set Up Tags
Create ChannelReply tags for each marketplace account you have integrated with Zoho.
AS 2. Set Up Custom Fields
If you have not done so already, set up ChannelReply custom fields in Zoho Desk. You must at least have the custom field “ChannelReply Tags” configured to complete this setup. Other custom fields are not required, but they unlock incredible customization options.
AS 3. Create Your Auto-reply as a Template
You’ll need to use a template as your auto-reply, so it’s best to create the one you want before you start building your autoresponder.
To create a template, click “Setup” (the gear icon in the upper-right of your Zoho Desk screen).
Under “CUSTOMIZATION,” click “Templates.”
Click “Add” > “New Template.”
Leave the module set to “Tickets.” The folder and “Reply to” field can generally be left unchanged as well. Just make sure the “Name” and “From” fields are filled in.
Scroll down. Enter a subject line in the “Subject” field. Note that your subject line must start with the placeholder below:
${Cases.Request Id}
It should have one space between it and the rest of your subject line. While it’s smart to have a good subject line, note that your customers will probably never see it. So, don’t worry about writing a masterpiece!
Next, you’ll want to write your message in plain text to make sure no formatting errors appear. Marketplaces often remove formatting anyway, so don’t worry, you’re not losing out! To make the switch, click “More” (the column of three dots on the far right of your formatting options) and then “Plain Text.”
Hit "OK" to confirm that you want to switch.
Now you can enter your message in the “Message” field. Note that the custom fields you set up in step 2 will be available in your list of placeholders.
Using custom field placeholders in your message is highly recommended. They’ll make it more personalized, which will not only be better for the customer, but also protect your message from getting caught by spam filters. It’s the best way to make sure your auto-replies count toward response time SLAs on sites like Amazon.
Be sure to review our custom field definitions to learn which fields are only compatible with certain marketplaces. For example, Delivery Level works with Amazon and Shopify messages, but not eBay, Walmart or Back Market. You can target your autoresponder at specific marketplaces, so feel free to specialize this message to one or two of them.
You should also be careful to avoid including any links or contact information at all. Links often break marketplace rules and can get you in trouble!
Once you’re happy with your message, click “Save.”
AS 4. Create an Alert
In order to actually send your template, it will need to be built into an alert. Open the “Workflows” submenu in the left-hand menu. Mouse over “Alerts” and hit the plus sign that appears.
Under “Module,” select “Tickets.”
Give the alert an easily recognizable name, like “Amazon Autoresponder Alert.”
Then, under “Email Template,” select the template you just created.
Leave “Send Email Alert To” set to Teams | --None--
Under “Also Notify,” check “Notify Contact.”
Finally, click “Save.”
AS 5. Create Your Autoresponder Workflow
The “Workflows” submenu should already be open in your left-hand sidebar. Mouse over “Rules,” then hit the plus sign that appears.
AS 6. Fill In Basic Information
Leave the module set to “Tickets.” Give the rule a name that describes what you want it to do, like “Amazon Autoresponder” or “Shopify and eBay Autoresponder.” Finally, hit “Next.”
AS 7. Use “Execute on” to Choose How Often to Send Autoreplies
Under “Execute on,” decide what to check:
- Check only “Create” if you just want to auto-reply to the first message in each ticket.
- Check only “Customer Reply” if you want this autoresponder only to reply to follow-up messages from the customer. (This is a good option if you already set up a “Create” autoresponder and want a different message for follow-ups than for the initial response.)
- Check both “Create” and “Customer Reply” if you want this to auto-reply to both the initial message and all customer follow-ups in a ticket.
Once you’re happy with your settings, click “Next.”
AS 8. Set Criteria
If you are perfectly happy with this autoresponder replying to every single ticket that comes into Zoho Desk, you don’t need to set any criteria. You can just hit “Next” and skip to step 9. However, most sellers will want to set at least some criteria!
This is why we had you create both ChannelReply tags and custom fields earlier.
ChannelReply tags are great for targeting your autoresponder. Every account has its own unique tag, after all, so you can decide to reply only to a specific account by targeting only that one tag.
If you've read our guide to tags, you also know that we tag some special notifications automatically. So, you can do things like prevent auto-replies to eBay Resolution Center cases by excluding the tag “case.”
There’s just one catch. In Zoho Desk, our tags do not work in Tags criteria for ticket “Create” rules. (They do work on rules that only have the “Customer Reply” box checked.)
Zoho Desk populates our tags after the ticket is created. So, if you use a criterion like Tags | is | eBay, the autoresponder will never fire on the first message of any ticket. The tag simply won’t appear in time to trigger the workflow.
However, custom fields work on both “Create” and “Customer Reply” workflows. You can always use them to target your autoresponder. So we created the custom field “ChannelReply Tags” so you can still use your tags in your criteria.
Hit “Select field” and choose “ChannelReply Tags” as your first criterion.
Set the criterion to:
ChannelReply Tags | contains | [the ChannelReply tags of any account you want this autoresponder to reply to]
We also recommend excluding our special notifications by default. To add another criterion, click the blue plus sign on the right.
Set the second criterion to:
ChannelReply Tags | doesn’t contain | [all tags from the comma-separated list of all automatic ChannelReply tags]
Once you’re happy with your criteria, hit “Next.”
Quick Notes on Specializing your Autoresponder Criteria
These are just our recommended default settings. You can tweak them as desired.
For example, some sellers like to build a special autoresponder just for eBay or Shopify new order notifications. To do this, you only have to change two things: remove “neworder, ” from the second criterion, and add the third criterion ChannelReply Tags | Contains | neworder
Feel free to experiment with other custom field criteria as well—they work! It’s up to you how simple or complex you want to get. If you want to try them out, we recommend reviewing our list of custom field definitions to see exactly what info each will provide.
You can learn more about managing your workflow rules in Zoho Desk’s workflow documentation.
AS 9. Set the Action to Your Alert
Hit the black plus sign to the right of “All Actions.” Mouse over “Alerts” and choose “Existing.”
Check the box next to the alert you created earlier, then click “Associate Alert.”
Finally, click “Save.”
At last, your autoresponder is complete and active! It will now send autoreplies to all messages that meet your criteria.
Above: What you would see in Zoho Desk. Below: What the customer would see in their marketplace messages.
You can create as many autoresponder workflows as you want. If you’d like to set up more now, you can jump back to step 3 here.
Can I Have Both Notification Rule and Workflow Autoresponders?
Yes, if you’re careful. As one example, you can use workflows for ChannelReply tickets and notification rules for everything else.
ChannelReply only delivers Zoho auto-replies when ${Cases.Request Id} appears at the beginning of the message’s subject line. If you don’t start notification rule subject lines this way, ChannelReply will never deliver those messages to customers.
Likewise, ChannelReply custom fields only appear on tickets created by ChannelReply. As long as your workflow autoresponders have at least one required custom field criterion, they will never reply to non-ChannelReply tickets.
As a result, you can have both types running at the same time without customers receiving two autoreplies. There are unusual exceptions, though. It's a good idea to contact us for help reviewing this kind of double setup if you want to be safe.
How to Get Help
Stuck on setup? Autoresponder not working as expected? Have no fear—contact us and our support team will be happy to assist you. You can even schedule a live online support call here.
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