How do I ask a company why a promotion did not apply to my order?

Start by checking the promotion’s written terms against what appears in your order confirmation and payment record. The FTC recommends reading an advertised deal’s terms and keeping records of what you ordered, what you paid, and your communications with the seller. [S1] That gives you a clear basis for asking what happened without guessing at the company’s reason.

Gather the offer or promotion name, the order date, the item or items involved, and the amount shown before and after the promotion, if available. Use placeholders for details you do not have.

Look for the conditions the offer itself states, such as any listed dates, included items, minimum purchase, or required steps. These are examples of details to check, not claims about your particular promotion. Compare the wording with your order rather than relying on memory. If a condition is unclear, note the exact wording and ask the company to explain how it applies.

The source guidance supports comparing written terms with order records, but it does not establish the eligibility rules for any particular promotion. [S1] The company will need to clarify those rules for your offer.

You can adapt this:

“Hello, I placed order [order number] on [date]. I expected [promotion name or description] to apply to [item or order], but my confirmation shows [what the confirmation shows]. I reviewed the offer terms, and the relevant wording says: ‘[brief wording or condition].’ Could you explain which condition affected this order and whether the promotion was applied? If it was not eligible, please point me to the applicable term. Thank you.”

Keep the wording neutral: say what you expected and what you can see, then ask for an explanation. Include only details relevant to identifying the order and comparing it with the offer.

Keep the order confirmation, a record of what you paid, the promotion wording you can access, and copies of your messages and replies. The FTC specifically recommends retaining order, payment, and seller-communication records. [S1] If you cannot find the original offer, say so plainly and ask the company to identify the terms in effect for that promotion. Avoid presenting a remembered condition as exact wording.

Before sending, check that the order details are accurate and that the question is easy to answer. A concise request for the applicable condition is more useful than a long account of assumptions.

Use a short list in the message, not a broad accusation. For example:

“Order: [order number], placed [date] Offer: [promotion name or description] Item(s) I thought it covered: [item names] What I see on the confirmation: [brief description or amount] Term I checked: [wording or ‘I could not locate the terms’] Question: Which condition determined whether this order qualified?”

This format separates your records from your interpretation. If one item appears to be the issue, identify it; if you are unsure, say that you are unsure. The goal is clarification, not to assert an eligibility outcome that the written information does not establish.