Notify customers on WhatsApp when a Shopify order is cancelled

What Shopify does when you cancel an order

Cancelling stops order processing. In the cancel dialog Shopify asks how to handle the payment: refund the full amount to the original payment method, refund it to store credit, or refund later. Restocking and sending a notification to the customer are both selected by default and can be switched off.

Some orders cannot be cancelled directly, for example a partially fulfilled order, where the fulfillment has to be cancelled first.

Why add WhatsApp

• Customers who ordered with a phone number and rarely check email learn about the cancellation at once.
• The notice comes from your real number, so a customer who wants to reorder or ask about the refund can simply reply.
• A clear notice arrives before the customer starts asking where the order is.

Set it up in WhatsApp Pilot

1. Install WhatsApp Pilot, upgrade to Pro and connect your WhatsApp number by scanning the QR code.
2. Open Automations and create an Order Cancellation flow.
3. Pick the template language and edit the text. Keep it about the cancellation; the app does not accept wording that promises a refund.
4. Activate it. It is independent from Order Confirmation, so you can run one or both.
5. Cancel a test order that has your own phone number and check the message, then look at Message History.

Default templates

• English: Hello {{customer_first_name}} 👋 Your order {{order_name}} from {{store_name}} has been cancelled. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
• Arabic: مرحباً {{customer_first_name}} 👋 بنحب نبلغك إنه تم إلغاء طلبك رقم {{order_name}} من {{store_name}}. إذا عندك أي استفسار، تقدر تتواصل معنا على واتساب.

What the app does not do

• It does not cancel orders. You cancel in Shopify.
• It does not process or confirm refunds.
• It does not report delivered or read status; Message History shows sent or skipped.
• It does not let customers cancel by replying; replies reach your WhatsApp chat.