An international customer FAQ that an AI agent can answer from: shipping by region, customs and duties, returns across borders, payment methods and currency, written in plain English for a worldwide audience
International customers have a different first question from local ones: not "do you have it" but "will it reach me, what will it cost me at the border, and can I send it back". Most stores answer those questions badly or late, which is why cross-border carts are abandoned. A clear FAQ answers them before they are asked, and an agent answers them at 3 am in Portuguese.
Quick answer
Write one FAQ section for international customers with plain, one-fact-per-line answers: which countries you ship to and which you do not, shipping methods, costs and time ranges by region, whether prices include tax and who pays customs and duties (and how the carrier collects them), tracking, cross-border returns and who pays return shipping, payment methods and currencies accepted, and support hours in a named time zone. Put it on your website and in the agent's knowledge base identically. An AI agent then answers each in the customer's language; ReplyKit does this from your English text.
The questions to answer
| Question | Write it as |
|---|---|
| Do you ship to my country? | A list of regions or countries served, and a line for those not served |
| How much is shipping and how long? | Per region: method, cost, time range in working days |
| Will I pay customs or duties? | Whether prices are delivered-duty-paid or not; if not, that the carrier collects duties and taxes on delivery and you cannot predict the amount |
| Are taxes included? | Yes or no, and for which regions |
| Can I track it? | Tracking link sent on dispatch; where to find it |
| Can I return it from abroad? | Window, who pays return shipping, where to send it, refund timing |
| How can I pay and in what currency? | Methods and currencies, and whether the bank may apply a conversion fee |
| When do you reply? | Assistant now; a person during stated hours in a named time zone |
Wording that avoids disputes
- Duties. "Prices do not include import duties or taxes. Your country's customs may charge these on delivery; the carrier collects them. We cannot estimate the amount." Honest and quotable.
- Time ranges. "8 to 15 working days to Europe" beats "about two weeks"; the agent quotes the range and customers do not message on day 9.
- Returns. "You pay return shipping and any duties on returned items; refunds exclude original shipping." In one line, if that is the policy; the full policy structure is in a returns policy the agent can quote.
- Currency. "Prices in USD; your bank converts at its rate and may add a fee." Currency handling is in currency and pricing questions.
- Time zone. Always named; see multiple time zones.
Structure for the agent
Headings and one fact per line. A region table (region, method, cost, days) is better as lines: "Europe: tracked courier, $18, 8 to 15 working days." Keep it in one note and update it when carriers change rates; two versions produce wrong answers. The general rules are in what to put in the knowledge base.
What the agent does with it
Answers each question in seconds in the customer's language, before purchase on the website assistant and after purchase on WhatsApp, and hands over anything the FAQ does not cover (a country not listed, a lost parcel, a disputed duty). Post-purchase delay messages are in the shipping delay and customs templates.
Frequently asked questions
What should an international customer FAQ cover?
Countries served, shipping by region, duties and taxes, tracking, cross-border returns, payment and currency, and support hours in a named time zone.
How do I explain customs duties?
State whether prices include them; if not, say the carrier collects duties and taxes on delivery and you cannot estimate the amount.
Can the AI agent answer in the customer's language?
Yes, from your English FAQ.
Where should the FAQ live?
On the website and in the agent's knowledge base, identical, and updated together.
What about countries I do not ship to?
List them or state the regions you serve; the agent declines politely for the rest.
Answer the border questions before they are asked
Shipping, duties, returns and payment answered in any language, on your site and WhatsApp. 7-day free trial, no card.
Sources and further reading
- Harvard Business Review, The Short Life of Online Sales Leads (Oldroyd, McElheran, Elkington, 2011) · firms that responded within an hour were about seven times more likely to qualify the lead
- WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy · opt-in, opt-out and prohibited-use rules every business must follow
ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp. This article is general guidance for running a small business, not legal, financial or regulatory advice.