What to write in an eBay thank-you message, with examples

By Brian, an eBay seller and the founder of SellerThanks · Updated October 2026

A short, friendly message after someone buys from you does a lot of work. It reassures the buyer their order is in good hands, answers the "when will it arrive?" question before they ask it, and makes your shop feel like a real person rather than a faceless listing. Here's what to include, what to avoid, and examples you can copy.

What a good thank-you message includes

The buyer's name. "Hi Sarah" feels personal. "Dear customer" doesn't.
What they bought. It shows the message is about their order, not a copy-and-paste.
When it will be dispatched. The most useful thing you can tell a new buyer.
What to do if something's wrong. Invite them to message you, so problems come to you first.
Your name. Signing off as yourself makes a small shop feel trustworthy.

Keep it short: two to five sentences is plenty. Buyers often read it on a phone.

What to leave out

eBay's member-to-member contact policy applies to every message you send. Don't include:

Email addresses, phone numbers, social media links or accounts, or any other contact details. Only names are allowed.
Offers to buy or sell outside eBay, such as "order direct next time for 10% off".
Discounts, refunds or free items in exchange for positive feedback (see our guide to getting more feedback within eBay's rules).

eBay messages are plain text, so bold and colours won't show. Use short lines and a blank line between parts instead.

Examples: after payment

Simple and friendly

Hi {buyer_first_name},

Thank you so much for your order of {item_title}! I'll get it packed and on its way within 1 working day, and I'll let you know as soon as it's posted.

If you have any questions, just reply to this message.

Thanks again,
[Your name]

Made to order or handmade

Hi {buyer_first_name},

Thank you for ordering {item_title}! Every order is made by hand, so please allow 3 to 5 working days before it's dispatched. I'll message you as soon as it's on its way.

[Your name]

Items with sizes or options

Hi {buyer_first_name},

Thanks for your order! You've chosen: {variation}. If that's not quite right, reply as soon as possible and I'll change it before it's sent.

[Your name]

Examples: when you dispatch

With tracking

Good news, {buyer_first_name}! Your {item_title} is on its way with {carrier}.

Tracking number: {tracking_number}

If anything isn't right when it arrives, please message me and I'll sort it out.

[Your name]

Without tracking

Hi {buyer_first_name}, your order is now in the post and should be with you in the next few working days.

If it hasn't arrived after a week, please let me know.

[Your name]

Example: feedback reminder

Send this once, after the item should have arrived. Ask for feedback, not specifically positive feedback, and never offer anything in return.

Polite reminder

Hi {buyer_first_name},

I hope you're enjoying your {item_title}. If you're happy with your order, I'd really appreciate it if you could leave feedback. It makes a big difference to a small shop like mine.

If anything isn't right, please message me so I can put it right.

[Your name]

The words in curly brackets, like {buyer_first_name}, are how SellerThanks fills in each buyer's details automatically. If you send messages by hand, swap them for the real details.

A few final tips

Send it promptly. A thank-you within an hour or so of payment lands while the buyer is still thinking about their purchase.
Read it on your phone first. If it looks long there, shorten it.
Be honest about timings. It's better to say 3 days and dispatch in 2 than the other way round.
One message per stage is enough. Payment, dispatch and one feedback reminder. More than that starts to feel like spam.

Let SellerThanks send these for you. Write your messages once and they're sent automatically to every buyer, after payment, when you dispatch, and as a polite feedback reminder, personalised with their name and what they bought.

Try it free for 7 days, no card needed How it works

More guides: How to get more eBay feedback without breaking eBay's rules · eBay's rules on messaging buyers, explained · eBay buyer says the item is smaller than expected? How to prevent it · How to reduce returns on eBay: a guide for UK sellers · How to show the size of an item in your eBay listing · eBay dispatch message templates, with tracking · SellerThanks vs 3Dsellers: a simple alternative for small eBay sellers