By business · Online shops and brands

Instagram auto-replies for print-on-demand stores

A print-on-demand store never touches the stock, so most DMs are about things it cannot see in a hurry: sizing, print colour, how long production takes and where a parcel is. Comment-to-DM answers those at once. Below are words that fit, four set-ups, freebies and what to check about designs and delivery.

Updated 6 October 2026

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Comment words for print-on-demand stores

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

SIZE: The size chart for the tee, hoodie or tote in the post, with measurements in centimetres and inches and a note on how it fits.
SHIPPING: Production time plus delivery time for each country you ship to, so the buyer knows it is printed after the order is placed.
NEWDROP: The notify list for your next design, with the release date and whether it comes as a limited run or stays in the shop.
TRACK: Where to follow a parcel: your tracking page, what the status wording means and how long to wait before writing to you.
CUSTOM: How personalised items work: what you can add (a name, a date), how the proof is approved and when it cannot be changed.
BULK: Orders for teams, clubs and events: the minimum, price breaks, deadlines and how artwork is approved first.
QUALITY: Real photos of a printed sample: fabric weight, print feel and colour next to the mockup, so buyers see what arrives.
RETURNS: What happens if the size is wrong or the item is faulty: your policy, who pays the postage and how to ask for a replacement.

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 chart from a try-on Reel
Someone comments on your post
SIZE
Public reply under their comment
Size chart is in your DMs 📏
First DM (plain text)
Thanks for asking. Do you prefer a fitted, regular or oversized look, and what size do you usually wear? Reply and I'll send the size chart with a suggestion.Yes pleaseSize chart and fit guideSee sizes
A made-to-order item is often not returnable for a wrong size, so a fit question is worth answering well. Asking for their usual size and the look they want lets you recommend one size, and that cuts exchanges before they happen.
Production and delivery times from DMs
SHIPPINGThanks for asking. Which country would the order go to? Reply and I'll send the production time and the delivery time for it, so you know when to expect it.Production and delivery timesSee delivery times
Items are printed once an order is placed, so delivery is production time plus transit. Asking the country first gives an honest range, and that is the single answer that prevents the most angry messages later.
Notify list for a new design
Replied to your story
NEWDROPYou're on the radar. Which would you rather see next: a tee, a hoodie or a mug? Reply and I'll add your pick and send the release date and sign-up.Next design: date and sign-upJoin the list
A new design costs nothing in stock, so it is cheap to test. The product people ask for tells you which item to print first, and the email collected on the sign-up page is how you reach buyers on release day.
Order tracking for “where is my order?”
TRACKSorry for the wait. Was your order placed more or less than ten days ago? Reply and I'll send how to track it and what each status means.Track your orderOpen tracking
Where-is-my-order messages are the most common in print-on-demand, and most come while the item is still being printed. The guide explains production status, and the question tells you which messages need a personal look.

Freebies worth commenting for

A size and fit guide for every product, with measurements to check against a favourite item
A printable gift guide by budget, with the last order date for each country you ship to
A behind-the-scenes sheet of how an order is printed, packed and posted, with the typical timings
A care card for printed garments: wash inside out, cold wash, how to avoid cracking
A wallpaper pack of your best designs for a phone, free for anyone on the list
A team order planner: how to collect sizes, set a deadline and approve the artwork
A free design brief for custom orders: what to send, the file types you accept and the proof steps
An early-access code or first-look sheet for the next design, sent with a signup

What buyers ask a print-on-demand store

The store does not hold stock, and it does not control the printer's calendar. The questions are the same few, and most have a fixed answer you can give on the spot.

They ask	Send automatically	Answer yourself when
Is it true to size?	The SIZE chart with a fit note	They give measurements and want a personal recommendation
Why does it take so long?	The SHIPPING note: it is printed once ordered	Their order is well past the stated time
Is the colour like the photo?	The QUALITY photos of a real sample	A customer reports a colour or print fault: ask for a photo
Can you put my name on it?	The CUSTOM page with limits and proof steps	The text or artwork needs checking for rights or fit
Where is my order?	The TRACK guide	A tracking page shows no movement for longer than your stated window
Can we order 30 for an event?	The BULK terms	Always: confirm artwork, sizes and a deadline

Tip: Show the printed item on a real person or a table in your Reels, not only the mockup. People who have seen the real thing ask fewer quality questions.

Posts that earn comments, and the word for each

A try-on Reel in two sizes on the same person, with SIZE for the chart.
A teaser of a design before it goes on sale, with NEWDROP for the release date.
An unboxing of a sample you ordered for yourself, with QUALITY for close-up photos of the print and fabric.
A Story asking which colour of a design to print, with a reply word that sends the notify list.
A personalised order, shared with the buyer's permission, with CUSTOM for how it works.
A team or event order wearing the finished shirts, with BULK.

Orders rise ahead of Christmas, school returns and any event your audience attends. Because every item is printed on demand, the last day to order for a given date is real, so work it back from your printer's stated times and put the date in the first message.

From a comment to a paid order

The comment starts the DM. The question in it gets you a size, a country or a product, which is the missing piece for the next message.
The card opens the product page or the chart. If they hesitate, your own message can send the QUALITY photos.
Ask for an email when someone joins the NEWDROP list, so you can tell them when a design goes live.
After release, switch the message to the next design or a sold-out notice. A buyer who arrives after a drop has ended gets a date for the next one, not a dead link.

Selling from India? The DMFast store can sell digital goods such as design files, templates or a course on starting a print shop, and take 1-on-1 bookings, with payments through Razorpay. The printed items sell from your own shop or marketplace.

Rules and risks for print-on-demand sellers

Designs. Do not print logos, characters, song lyrics or brand names you do not own. Marketplaces and Meta can remove listings, and the owner can claim against you. Say what you can legally sell.
Delivery promises. Use your supplier's current production and delivery times, and add a margin. Times change at peak, so check them before a big sale.
Refunds. A made-to-order item usually cannot be resold, so many suppliers do not take returns for the wrong size. Rules on consumer rights differ by country, so check what you must offer.
Mockups. Photos of products you have not seen can mislead. Order a sample of each product type, and post it.
Meta allows one private reply per comment, within 7 days. Instagram's cap is 750 private replies an hour, and DMFast stays under 700.
SIZE and TRACK are everyday words, so use them on the posts they belong to.

Messages to copy

Questions people ask

Can it look up an order for me?

No. DMFast does not connect to your shop or your print partner, so it cannot see order status. It sends the tracking guide and the link to your own tracking page, where the buyer enters their order number. You can still answer any customer personally in the inbox.

Should the first DM include the size chart link?

Not for comments. Instagram allows only plain text in the first message to a commenter, so ask a question, such as their usual size, and the card with the chart follows once they reply. For Story replies and DMs, the person wrote first, so the card follows at once.

My supplier changed its delivery times. How do I update the replies?

Edit the first message and the card text in DMFast and the change applies to everything sent afterwards. Replies already sent stay as they were, so put the date you last checked on the delivery page, and not only in the DM.

Can AI replies handle size questions?

On the Growth and Business plans, AI replies answer from the business information you write, such as the size chart, at one credit per reply. When the answer is not in what you gave it, the AI says you will follow up, so add measurements for each product.

Does it work for a store with several brands or shops?

One account handles one Instagram professional account. The Pro plan covers three accounts, and the Business plan ten, so a store with several brands can run separate words and cards for each.

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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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