The decline email is one of the most-read emails your platform sends — applicants want clear explanation and (if possible) a path forward. A well-written template balances honesty with respect.
Structure
- Personal greeting using the applicant's name.
- Acknowledgement that you appreciate their time and interest.
- Decision statement — clear, not buried.
- Reason — specific enough to be useful, vague enough to not invite gaming.
- Next steps — “you may reapply after addressing X” or “feel free to contact us”.
- Sign-off — human name, not a generic “The Team”.
Editing
- Open Architect Panel → Email Templates.
- Find vendor_application_decline.
- Customise. The body supports a
{{declineReason}}token that maps to the reason picked at decline time. - Optionally write reason-specific templates (e.g. vendor_decline_kyc, vendor_decline_quality) for clearer guidance.
Example Templates
- Generic decline: “Thanks for your interest. After reviewing your application, we're unable to approve it at this time. You may reapply in 6 months.”
- Quality decline: “Your product samples didn't meet our quality bar. Specific feedback: [...]. We'd love to see you reapply once you've addressed this.”
- KYC decline: “We weren't able to verify your business information through our standard checks. Please reach out to support if you'd like guidance on what to supply.”
- Out-of-scope decline: “Your products fall outside the categories we currently support. We'll keep your contact details on file and reach out when we expand.”
Tip: Never lie in a decline email. Vague-but-honest beats specific-but-misleading every time. Applicants who feel respected become future customers, partners or hires.