Automate first responses in Gorgias using Macros and Rules

Prerequisites

Why Gorgias Rules?

Gorgias Macros and Rules are the fastest way to automate first responses. Everything runs natively inside Gorgias — no external tools, no API keys, no LLM costs. Macros support dynamic variables like customer name and order number, and Rules apply them automatically the moment a ticket matches your keyword conditions. Setup takes under 30 minutes for your first 5 question types.

The trade-off is accuracy. Keyword-based Rules cover 70-80% of tickets well but miss conversational phrasing, multilingual messages, and edge cases. You also can't pull real-time data (like actual shipping status from Shopify) into the reply. For those needs, use the n8n or Claude Code approaches.

How it works

• Macros are pre-written reply templates with Gorgias variables like {{ticket.requester.firstname}} for personalization
• Rules fire on ticket creation, match keywords in subject and body, and apply the corresponding Macro as a public reply
• Tag action marks tickets as auto-replied for quality monitoring in a dedicated View
• Status action (optional) closes tickets that are fully self-service (e.g., tracking links) or sets to "pending" for questions that may need follow-up

Overview

Gorgias Macros are pre-written response templates with optional dynamic variables (customer name, order number, etc.). Rules can apply a Macro automatically when a ticket matches certain conditions, closing the loop from detection to reply without any agent involvement.

Step 1: Identify your top question types

Pull your last 100 tickets and count question types. For most e-commerce brands, the top 5 look like:

1. Where is my order? (order status / tracking)
2. How do I return an item?
3. When will I get my refund?
4. Can I change or cancel my order?
5. Do you ship internationally?

These become your first five Macros.

Step 2: Create a Macro for each question type

Go to Macros in the left sidebar → Add macro.

Here's an example for an order status question:

Macro name: Auto-reply: Order Status

Message body:

Hi {{ticket.requester.firstname}},
 
Thanks for reaching out! You can track your order in real time using the link below:
 
👉 [Track Your Order](https://yourstore.com/tracking)
 
You'll need your order number and the email address used at checkout. If your tracking link isn't active yet, it typically updates within 24 hours of your order shipping.
 
If you have any trouble, reply here and we'll look into it for you.
 
Best,
{{ticket.assignee.firstname | default: "The Support Team"}}

Set the Macro type to Public reply (not internal note) so it sends to the customer.

Repeat for each question type, adjusting the body for each.

Step 3: Create a Rule to apply each Macro

Go to Settings → Automation → Rules → Add rule.

Rule name: Auto-reply: Order Status

When: Ticket is created

Conditions (ANY match):

• Message body contains: where is my order
• Message body contains: tracking number
• Message body contains: when will it arrive
• Message body contains: order status
• Subject contains: order status
• Subject contains: where is my

Actions:

• Apply macro: Auto-reply: Order Status
• Add tag: auto-replied
• Set ticket status: closed (optional — only if the macro fully resolves the issue)

Step 4: Create Rules for each Macro

Repeat Step 3 for each question type. Use specific, distinct keyword sets per Rule to avoid applying the wrong Macro:

• Returns Rule: "return", "send back", "exchange", "RMA"
• Refund Rule: "refund", "money back", "charged twice", "credit"
• Cancel/Change Rule: "cancel my order", "change my order", "wrong item", "wrong address"
• Shipping info Rule: "do you ship to", "international shipping", "how long does shipping take"

Step 5: Add an auto-replied View

Create a View to monitor all auto-replied tickets:

View name: Auto-Replies Filters: Tag is auto-replied, Status is open or pending

This is your quality-control queue. Check it daily at first to catch any macros that fired incorrectly. If a Rule is triggering on the wrong tickets, tighten its keyword conditions.

Step 6: Set a satisfaction survey (optional)

For auto-closed tickets, configure Gorgias to send a CSAT survey after closure:

Settings → Satisfaction → Surveys → Enable

This surfaces any customers who got an auto-reply but didn't find it helpful, so you can refine your Macros.

Common questions

How many Macros should I start with?

Start with 5 — your top 5 question types by volume. For most e-commerce brands, these are order status, returns, refunds, order changes, and shipping info. These 5 typically cover 40-60% of all tickets. Add more Macros only after you've validated the first set works well.

Should I auto-close tickets or leave them open after the Macro fires?

Only auto-close if the Macro fully resolves the question with no possible follow-up needed. Tracking link replies are safe to close. Refund and return replies should stay open (set to "pending") because the customer will likely reply with order details or follow-up questions.

How do I measure the quality of auto-replies?

Create a Gorgias View filtered to auto-replied tickets. Check it daily for the first week to catch misfire — a Macro that fires on the wrong ticket type. Track your CSAT score for auto-replied tickets vs. agent-replied tickets. If auto-replied CSAT drops below 80%, tighten your keyword conditions.

Cost

Macros and Rules are included in all Gorgias paid plans at no additional cost.