What happens if a customer replies after a ticket has been auto-closed?

Gorgias automatically reopens a ticket when a customer replies to a closed conversation. The ticket returns to your open queue with the full conversation history intact, so no context is lost. You can add a tag like 'reopened' via a Rule to flag these for priority handling.

Should I auto-close tickets after the very first agent response?

Only for tickets where a single response is likely sufficient — order status inquiries, tracking link requests, or FAQ-style questions. For complaints, refund requests, or multi-step issues, wait until the agent has confirmed the issue is resolved before starting the auto-close timer.

How long should the wait period be before auto-closing?

48 hours is the most common default and works well for most teams. If your product involves complex purchases (B2B, high-ticket items), consider 72 hours. For high-volume, low-complexity support (fast fashion, consumables), 24 hours is reasonable. Monitor your reopen rate — if more than 10% of auto-closed tickets get reopened, extend the timer.

How do I exclude VIP customers or high-priority tickets from auto-close?

Add a condition to your auto-close Rule that excludes tickets with specific tags (e.g., 'vip', 'escalated', 'priority'). You can also exclude tickets assigned to specific agents or teams. In the n8n and code approaches, add a check for these tags before closing.

How to auto-close stale support tickets in Gorgias after 48 hours with no reply

Why auto-close stale tickets?

Support queues fill up with tickets that are technically "open" but practically resolved — the agent replied, the customer read it, and nobody followed up. These ghost tickets inflate your open count, distort reporting, and make it harder for agents to find the tickets that actually need attention.

Auto-closing stale tickets after a waiting period keeps your queue accurate. Paired with a polite "did this help?" follow-up before closure, it gives customers one last chance to re-engage while ensuring that resolved conversations don't linger indefinitely.

What you'll need

Prerequisites

Gorgias account on any paid plan
A follow-up message template (e.g., "Did this resolve your question? If not, reply here and we'll pick it back up.")
(Optional) Tags to exclude VIP or escalated tickets from auto-close

Choose your approach

Select an approach below to see the full step-by-step guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to auto-close stale support tickets in Gorgias after 48 hours with no reply

Why auto-close stale tickets?

What you'll need

Choose your approach

Gorgias Rules

n8n

Agent Skill

Claude Cowork

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Frequently Asked Questions

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