Following on from my recent writing exercise for a letter of local investment, I’ve got another exercise today covering a topic that affects everyone at some point: a letter of complaint.

The task here specifically concerns something ordered online, which we all do these days. The details of the letter may be changeable, but the general structure and language we use can be applied to almost any purchasing situation – including when complaining about a service provided, for example.

Again, I’ve provided a model answer which you can imitate, or use to compare to your own attempts. But again, this task could be completed in many ways, so see if you can express the same points in your own style. Just bear in mind that in this situation the aim is to be more clear and precise than creative.

Writing Exercise: Letter of Complaint

You ordered an item of clothing online but it does not fit the description. It is of a lower quality than expected. Write a message to the supplier to complain and suggest how they can resolve the situation.

Suggested Content:

Introduction: Briefly state who you are and why you are writing (tip: include details such as an order reference number and the date of your order)
Point 1: Describe what you ordered, and your expectations (e.g. a blue shirt from a designer brand, a pack of six socks, a high-quality pair of shoes)
Point 2: Describe your problems with the order (e.g. the size, colour or style is not as described, the material is poor quality, there is something wrong with the stitching)
Bonus Point: Comment on your expectations and your disappointment
Point 3: What do you want the store to do about it? (e.g. request a refund, an exchange, a partial refund)
Valediction: Provide a parting comment and your name (e.g. Thanks for your help, Kind regards)

Tips:

Try to be polite, and generally avoid overly emotional or overly personal language, but do not be afraid to add a few strong adjectives to enforce your opinion and point.
Be as specific as you can; be clear and factual with your details.
When highlighting a problem, try to predict possible responses and address them, too (e.g. make it clear why the product is at fault, and not you)
As this is a complaint, the key things to consider are what was promised/expected and what was delivered. If you are clear on why you feel disappointed, you can also be clear on how this can be addressed.

Model Answer

Dear Clothing Direct,

My name is Oscar Smith and I recently purchased a pair of blue jeans from your website. The order was placed on 02/05/21, Reference Number: 0753209.

The jeans were described as slim fit and brand new. However, I found the legs to be loose rather than slim. I am an average build, so I do not think these could be considered slim for most people. Also, the material around one trouser cuff is frayed, so it has either been damaged in transit or has been worn before.

I was really looking forward to this pair of jeans and the pictures on your website made them look much nicer than they are in person. As it is, I cannot wear these, and feel that I did not the product I paid for.

Please can you check if there was a mistake with the order? If I have been sent the wrong jeans, I can happily send these back for a new pair, but I expect you to pay for the postage. If you cannot replace them, I would like a full refund, including the cost of return postage.

Thank you for your help.

Kind regards,

Oscar Smith

This model is quite specific but you’ll note that if you simply change certain nouns it could be reused in almost the exact same structure for a wide variety of situations. It is fairly long, to demonstrate a developed letter of complaint, but bear it could also be much shorter. We do not need to go into so much detail (or necessarily express our personal disappointment) when the problem is clearer, for example if the jeans were simply the wrong size. On the other hand, this letter is specific to an ordered product. A letter of complaint for other matters might look a bit different, for example a noise complaint could require a lot more detail to explain your situation.

Hopefully this gives some pointers to help you starting out or improving, either way, and as always let me know if you have any questions.