Give each request an owner
“Someone checks the inbox” leaves a lot unsaid. Decide who looks at new submissions, how often they check, and who takes over when that person is away. A two-person store needs this decision just as much as a larger team.
You do not need a complex system to begin. You need a place the responsible person checks, enough context to recognise the job and a way to tell whether it has been handled.
Separate requests when they need different kinds of attention. A question about a late parcel belongs with order support. A potential stockist needs someone who can discuss wholesale terms. A custom quote may need the person who understands production.
Work backwards from the first useful reply
Try this exercise for the forms you plan to publish. Write the next action, then list the details you need to take it.
| Request | Useful next step | Details to collect |
|---|---|---|
| An order problem | Find the order and understand what went wrong. | Reply email, order reference and a short explanation. A photo if it helps. |
| A wholesale application | Decide whether to start a trade conversation. | Business name, shop website, region and products of interest. |
| A custom quote | Check whether you can make it and what affects the price. | Brief, quantity, requested date and any useful reference file. |
The table also shows where a generic “Message” box may leave your team asking predictable follow-up questions. Give those questions their own fields when they are essential to the first decision. Keep the rest for the conversation.
Our wholesale application guide includes a field list you can adapt, and the contact form guide covers a general enquiry setup.
Make a promise your team can keep
A submission confirmation tells someone their message arrived. It does not tell them when a person will read it, whether their application was approved or whether the requested date is possible.
Explain the next step near the form. For example, a wholesale page might say:
Our team reviews each application before sharing wholesale details. We’ll contact you using the email address you provide.
If you can commit to a reply window, add your actual working days and timing. Avoid borrowing a response promise from another store. A small team checking requests on weekdays should not imply that someone is available every hour of the weekend.
For a custom quote, make it clear that the form starts an enquiry. A requested deadline is something to assess, and a submitted brief is not yet an accepted order.
Automate the handoff you understand
Once you know who needs the response and what they need to see, choose the simplest notification that supports that process.
In Perfect Forms, you can set an email notification recipient and enable notifications for a form. The alert links back to the authenticated response page, where your team can read the answers and open any attachments.
For a more specific route, use Shopify Flow. Start with the Perfect Forms trigger, filter to the intended form and add the next action. Test that one connection before adding more branches.
Keep a person involved where the answer needs judgement. A workflow can alert you to a new stockist application; someone still needs to decide whether the retailer is a fit. If an automation creates a record elsewhere, use the response’s unique reference to avoid creating duplicates.
Rehearse the whole job
Submit a test as a customer, then switch roles. Open the notification, find the response and draft the reply. If there is a file, download it. If someone else handles the request, ask them to do this part.
- Can the responsible person tell which form the message came from?
- Do they have enough context to take the next step?
- Can they find the attachment and connect it to the request?
- Is the reply consistent with the promise on the page?
- Will the rest of the team know the enquiry has been handled?
That is your launch check. Once it works from both sides, the form is ready for a real conversation.