By business · Online shops and brands

Instagram auto-replies for online boutiques

A boutique's inbox is a stream of “size?”, “price?” and “is this still available?” DM automation answers those on the spot, so a shopper who liked a dress at midnight gets a reply before the interest fades. Below: the words boutiques use, four set-ups, and how to handle live sales.

Updated 6 October 2026

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Comment words for online boutiques

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

PRICE: The price, the sizes still in stock and the delivery cost for the piece in the post, in one message.
SIZE: A size chart with garment measurements, plus a short guide to measuring a favourite item at home to compare.
MINE: A claim on a one-off piece during a drop or live sale, followed by how to pay and how long you will hold it.
DROP: The date and time of the next drop, with a link for early access to the pieces in the teaser.
STYLE: A lookbook with three ways to wear the piece from your post, and the other items in the outfit.
SHIPPING: Delivery times and costs by region, plus the returns and exchange rules, in one page.
RESTOCK: A waiting list for a sold-out dress or jacket, so you can email people when more arrive.
GIFT: A short gift guide with price bands and a note on gift wrapping and delivery before key dates.

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.

Size and availability on an outfit Reel
Someone comments on your post
SIZE
Public reply under their comment
Sent you the details 🧵
First DM (plain text)
Thanks for asking. Which size do you usually wear, and what is your height? Reply and I'll tell you what we have left in that size and how the piece fits.Yes pleaseSize chart and what's in stockSee sizes
Sizing is the single biggest reason shoppers ask before buying and returns happen after. Asking for their usual size and height gets a better answer than a generic chart, and it shows which sizes you should restock first.
Claim a piece during a live sale
Someone comments on your post
MINE
Public reply under their comment
Got it! Check your DMs to complete your order
First DM (plain text)
It's yours if you want it. Which size should I hold, and are you ready to pay in the next hour? Reply with your size and I'll send the payment details.Yes pleaseComplete your orderPay now
During a live sale hundreds of people type MINE in minutes. Comments on an Instagram Live can only be answered while the Live is running, so the reply has to be set up before you go live, not after.
Price and stock questions in DMs
PRICEThanks for messaging. Which piece caught your eye? Tell me the name or send a screenshot, and I'll reply with the price, sizes left and delivery cost.Current collection and pricesShop the collection
“How much?” is the most common boutique DM and often arrives after you have closed for the day. Add HOW MUCH, COST and AVAILABLE to the same auto-reply so each phrasing gets the same answer.
Drop reminder from a teaser Story
Replied to your story
DROPYou're on the list for Friday's drop. Which pieces do you most want to see go live first? Reply with a favourite and I'll send the early-access link.Friday's drop: early accessGet early access
A Story replied to is a person who is watching closely. Their answer also gives you a rough idea of which items will sell out first, before the drop happens.

Freebies worth commenting for

A size chart with garment measurements in centimetres and inches, plus how to measure a top you already own
A ten-piece capsule wardrobe checklist for the coming season, with the colours that mix
One dress, three ways: a styling sheet for the best-selling piece in the range
A what-to-wear guide for wedding guests, by dress code and by season
A fabric care sheet: how to wash and store linen, knitwear, satin and denim
A gift guide with picks under three price points and the last order date for each delivery option
Early-access times and a code for the next drop, for people on the list
Your returns and exchange rules on one page, written in plain words

What shoppers ask a boutique, and who answers

Most boutique chats are short and impatient. A reply within minutes often decides the sale, so set up the replies that never change and keep your own time for the ones that matter.

They ask	Send automatically	Answer yourself when
What size should I get?	The SIZE chart, after asking their usual size	They are between sizes or ask about a specific body shape
Is it still available?	The collection card with current stock	It is a one-off piece and you must check the rail first
Can you ship to my country?	The SHIPPING page with regions and times	They want a rush delivery before an event
Can I exchange it?	Your returns page	The item is sale stock or has been worn
Can you hold it for me?	Your hold policy and the payment steps	They want it held for longer than your normal limit
Do you do wholesale or styling?	A short note on what you offer	Always: this is a business conversation

Tip: Keep the stock reply honest. Link to a collection page that updates, not a screenshot of last week's rail, so the card never sends someone to a piece that has gone.

Posts and Lives that bring in comments

A try-on Reel in two sizes on the same model, with SIZE for the chart. Comparison clips draw more questions than single shots.
A styling Reel using one piece three ways, with STYLE for the lookbook.
A packing-an-order clip with the new arrivals, with DROP in the caption for the schedule.
A Story poll between two colourways, with RESTOCK for the one that loses.
A weekly live sale, with MINE as the claim word and a pinned reminder of the hold time.
A gift edit before a holiday, with GIFT for the guide and last-order dates.

Boutiques are busiest around pay days, the weeks before weddings and festivals, holiday gifting and end-of-season sales. Set up and test every word a week ahead, and test from a second account.

Running a live sale without losing track

Before the Live, set up the MINE auto-reply and write the hold time into it, for example one hour. Test it from a second account.
During the Live, show each piece, say the word aloud and read out the price. Comments are answered only while the Live is running.
After each claim the person replies with a size. Reserve the piece in your own stock sheet, since DMFast sends the messages but does not track your stock.
After the Live, send the stock list to anyone who is still waiting by turning the unsold pieces into a RESTOCK or PRICE post the next day.

If you are in India, the DMFast store can take payment for digital goods such as styling guides or a paid lookbook, through Razorpay. Clothing orders are physical, so the card should lead to your own checkout or payment page.

Rules and honesty points for fashion sellers

Do not claim “only five left” or “limited” unless it is true. Consumer protection rules in many countries treat false scarcity as misleading.
Distance sellers in many countries owe buyers a right to cancel and return, with exceptions. Rules and time limits differ by country, so check yours before you write the returns line.
Use your own photos. Using a brand's or another shop's pictures to sell a lookalike can lead to copyright and trademark complaints.
Meta allows one private reply per comment, within 7 days of it. Instagram caps private replies at 750 an hour, and DMFast stays below 700, queuing the rest during a busy drop.
Choose words that people rarely type by accident. A word like NEW will fire on ordinary comments, while MINE and DROP are clearer.

Messages to copy

Questions people ask

Can the auto-reply tell shoppers which sizes are still in stock?

Not live. DMFast sends the text and the link you write, and it has no connection to your stock system. Point the card to a collection page that shows what is available, and add a line asking the shopper to confirm the size before paying.

Does MINE work in the comments of an Instagram Live?

Yes, while the Live is on. Meta only lets you send a private reply to a Live comment during the broadcast, so set the word up beforehand. Once the Live ends, those comments can no longer be answered with a DM.

Why does the first message ask a question instead of sending the link?

Instagram allows no links or buttons in the first DM to a commenter. The question gives the shopper something to answer, and the card with the link and buttons follows. For Story replies and DMs the person has written first, so the card can come straight away.

Can I use this for a boutique that sells on a marketplace as well?

Yes, as long as your Instagram account is a Business or Creator one. The card can link to any page you choose, whether that is your own shop, a marketplace listing or a payment page. DMFast does not connect to those platforms.

A customer asked something unusual. What does an AI reply do?

On the Growth and Business plans, AI replies are written only from the shop information you provide, at one credit per reply. If the answer is not in that information, it tells the shopper that someone will reply, so you can follow up yourself.

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Words to know

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Answer every SIZE 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.

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