By business · Online shops and brands

Instagram auto-replies for bookstores

Readers message a bookshop with a title, a nephew's age or a half-remembered cover, usually while the bookseller is on the till. Comment-to-DM sends the staff picks, the special-order steps or the event details at once. Below: words that suit a bookshop, four set-ups, freebies and the rules to check.

Updated 6 October 2026

Start free See the set-ups

Comment words for bookstores

Ask people to comment one word in your caption or video. Each word sends something different.

PICKS: This month's staff picks, each with one line on who it suits, so someone who loved a recent read can find the next one.
ORDER: How special orders work: what you need (title, author or ISBN), how long your wholesaler usually takes and how people are told it has arrived.
SIGNED: Which signed copies you hold, how to reserve one and the date of the next author evening, for readers who ask for a signature.
CLUB: This month's book club title, the meeting night, the discussion questions and how to join, including the discount for members.
EVENT: The next author talk or launch: the date, the doors time, ticket price and how many seats are left, plus where to park.
KIDS: Reading lists for children by age band, written by your booksellers, for parents choosing a present or a first chapter book.
TRADEIN: What second-hand books you take, the condition you can accept, whether you pay cash or credit and when to bring them.
GIFT: Your gift cards and wrapped-book service, with the last day to order for Christmas and how to send one to another address.

4 set-ups to try

Each one shows the conversation it creates. After a comment, the first DM is plain text, as Meta requires, and the link follows once they answer.

Staff picks from a shelf-talker Reel
Someone comments on your post
PICKS
Public reply under their comment
This month's picks are in your DMs 📚
First DM (plain text)
Glad that one caught your eye. What was the last book you loved? Reply with the title and I'll send this month's picks, with a line on who each one suits.Yes pleaseStaff picks this monthSee the picks
Readers buy from an independent shop because of its taste. The title someone names is the start of a personal recommendation, and your first message by hand can be a book instead of a question.
Special orders from “can you get this?” DMs
ORDERHappy to try. Which book is it? Reply with the title and the author, or the ISBN if you have it, and I'll send how special orders work and how long they usually take.Special orders: how it worksHow to order
A bookseller needs a title and an author before anything else. DMFast cannot check your stock or your wholesaler, so the page states your usual wait and your own reply confirms that this book can be found.
Signing evening from the announcement Story
Replied to your story
EVENTGlad you want to come. How many seats should we think about, and would anyone like a signed copy set aside? Reply with a number and I'll send the details and how to book.Author evening: details and ticketsGet tickets
Signings fill by group, and a count tells you quickly if a table of six fits. People who reply to the Story wrote first, so the card follows at once, and the signed-copy question lets you set stock aside before the night.
Age-band reading lists from a children's shelf Reel
Someone comments on your post
KIDS
Public reply under their comment
The lists are in your DMs 🧸
First DM (plain text)
Lovely to see you shopping for a young reader. How old are they, and what do they read at the moment? Reply with an age and a favourite and I'll send a shortlist that fits.Yes pleaseChildren's picks by ageSee the lists
Parents and relatives buy by age, and most do not know the shelves. An age and one favourite book is enough for a good shortlist, and the lists get busy before birthdays, school holidays and Christmas.

Freebies worth commenting for

A reading list of ten books sorted by mood: cosy, gripping, funny, and for a long train journey
Your staff picks as a printable bookmark, one title a week for a month
A children's reading list by age band, from picture books to the first chapter books
A starter kit for a new book club: how to choose a title, twelve discussion questions and a sign-up sheet
A gift guide by budget with the last order date for Christmas and the wrapping you offer
The next three months of events as a calendar, with the signing dates and ticket prices
A what-to-read-after list for readers who finished a popular series and want more like it
A first look at next month's new releases, sent to the email list a few days before they land

What readers ask a bookshop in DMs

A bookshop gets stock questions, taste questions and event questions, often on top of each other. The fixed ones have a standard answer. The ones about what to read need a person.

They ask	Send automatically	Answer yourself when
Do you have this in stock?	The ORDER guide, so they know it can be ordered	You can check the shelf or your system and answer yes or no
Is there a signed copy?	The SIGNED reply with how reservations work	Copies are sold out or the author is not visiting
What should I buy for a ten-year-old?	The KIDS lists by age band	They describe a reader in detail and want a pick
Is there a book club?	The CLUB reply with the title and night	They want a private club or a group visit
Do you take second-hand books?	The TRADEIN terms	They have a large collection, which needs a conversation
Can I get this by post?	The shop page with delivery options	The book is heavy, rare or going abroad

Tip: Answer “what should I read?” in your own words even when the set-up sent the lists first. Taste is the thing a bookshop sells that a big online store cannot copy.

Posts that earn comments for a bookshop

A shelf-talker Reel in which a bookseller holds up three books they would give to someone who says they do not read, with PICKS for the monthly list.
An unboxing Monday: new arrivals unwrapped on the counter, with ORDER for books people want that you have not got.
A short tour of the children's corner, with KIDS for the age lists.
A Story the week of an author evening, with a reply word for the details and seats.
A pile of second-hand books on a trolley, with TRADEIN for what you buy.
A time-lapse of the window being redone for the season, with GIFT for the cards.

Christmas is the biggest stretch for most shops, and the weeks around a major book prize announcement or a screen adaptation can lift single titles. Back-to-school and summer holidays bring the reading-list questions. Check which dates apply where you are, and have each word live a fortnight ahead.

From a comment to a visit or an order

A comment with PICKS or KIDS sends a DM that asks about a book they loved or an age. The answer is your first hint about what to recommend.
The card opens the picks or the lists on your shop page. Your own message later can add one personal suggestion.
Collect an email on the free reading list or the event calendar, then export the list as a CSV for your newsletter.
For events, set a short close-off message once tickets sell out, so a reply the next day gets a waiting-list note.

Based in India? The DMFast store can sell a paid reading guide as a digital product, give a free list in exchange for an email and take 1-on-1 bookings, such as a gift-picking call, with payments through Razorpay. Books themselves sell from your own shop or till.

Rules and details bookshops should check

Fixed book prices. Some countries set the price of a new book, by law or by agreement with publishers, so how you can discount differs. Check yours before you post a sale.
Cover art and quotes. Publishers usually supply covers and review lines for promotion, but do not photograph pages of text to post. Check the terms on any images you use.
Event photos. Ask attendees before posting them, and tell people at the door that you take pictures.
Young readers. Instagram is for people aged 13 and over, so write the KIDS reply for parents. If a child messages, answer personally.
Stock claims. Say “can be ordered”, not “in stock”, unless a person has checked, because DMFast cannot see your shelves.
Platform limits. One private reply per comment, within 7 days, and a cap of 750 an hour, with DMFast staying under 700.

Messages to copy

Questions people ask

Can it tell a reader whether a book is in stock?

No. DMFast does not connect to your till or stock system, so it cannot check a shelf. The ORDER reply explains how ordering works and how long it takes, and a bookseller replies by hand when someone asks about one particular title.

Can it recommend books?

Keyword replies send the list you write, the same for everyone who uses the word. On the Growth and Business plans, AI replies can answer from the picks and shelf notes you provide, and say a bookseller will follow up when the answer is not there.

Can I sell tickets for an author evening through it?

The card opens your ticket page. In India, the DMFast store can also take paid or free bookings through Razorpay, which can suit a small talk. Elsewhere, link the card to whichever ticket service you already use.

Will it message my book club members each month?

Not in bulk. Automated messages reach only people who wrote to you in the last 24 hours, and official tools send no mass DMs. Use a Story with a reply word for the new title, and email for members who gave you an address.

We are a bookshop and cafe. Can one account handle both?

Yes, with different words for each side: PICKS for books and something like MENU for the cafe, each with its own first message. Keyword replies only fire on the words you set, so each customer gets the right answer.

Related businesses

Words to know

More businesses

Answer every PICKS comment in seconds

Pick a post and the word. DMFast replies under each comment, sends the DM and follows with your link once they answer, day and night. It can collect emails on the way. Free plan, no card.

Start free