How does Simple Chat handle damaged or missing items?

When a shopper reports a damaged or missing item, Simple Chat does not treat it as a generic product question. The AI follows a structured process: it collects order and contact details, asks for relevant photos, confirms the shipping address, and then proposes a replacement order for staff approval. Your team always has the final say on replacements.

The structured process step by step

The assistant moves through the case in a clear sequence so customers know what to provide and your team receives a complete record.

1. Order number — ties the conversation to the correct purchase.
2. Email — confirms contact information associated with the order.
3. Relevant photos — when documentation helps, the AI may request images such as the packing slip, items received, lot stickers, and packaging materials.
4. Shipping address — confirmed before any replacement is proposed so fulfillment goes to the right place.
5. Replacement proposal — after intake, the AI proposes a replacement order for staff approval rather than placing it automatically.

Following the same steps on every damaged- or missing-item report keeps your queue consistent and reduces repeated follow-ups.

What the AI collects and why it matters

Each data point supports a defensible replacement decision.

• Order number and email link the chat to the right customer and order in your systems.
• Photos (packing slip, received items, lot stickers, packaging materials) document what arrived and how it was packed.
• Confirmed shipping address avoids sending a replacement to an outdated or mistyped address.

The AI’s role is thorough intake and organization—not bypassing your fulfillment or returns policies.

Replacement proposals and staff review

Once intake is complete, Simple Chat prepares a replacement order proposal for your team to review.

• The proposal summarizes what the customer reported and what they submitted.
• Staff can approve, adjust, or decline before anything ships.
• The customer can stay in chat while the case moves toward resolution.

Proposals are drafts for human judgment, not automatic replacements.

Staff always has final say

Simple Chat is explicit about control: staff always has final say on replacements.

• The AI never approves replacements on its own.
• Every replacement goes through staff approval after the AI’s proposal.
• You retain authority over inventory, cost, and policy on each case.

That split—structured AI intake plus mandatory staff approval—lets automation handle routine collection while your team owns every replacement outcome.