One of the best ways for potential customers to trust your shop is by reading reviews from past customers. I’m sure you’ve browsed the reviews before purchasing something online and many of your customers will do the same. As your Etsy shop starts receiving reviews, you will likely have many questions about the Etsy review process. As always, I’m here to help! Keep reading for answers to some of the most commonly asked questions Etsy sellers have about reviews. Plus, I’ve included a BONUS FREE review card printable at the bottom of this post – be sure to grab yours!
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Can I ask my customer to leave a review?
Yes, absolutely! It’s a great idea to remind or ask your customer to leave a review of their purchase. Many customers may not be aware that they can leave a review and almost all will forget to do so once they receive their package. Etsy will also send your customer an email asking them to review their purchase, so don’t go overboard in asking for a review.
How to ask for Etsy reviews
There are many different ways you can encourage your customer to leave a review. Here are some ideas of where you can add a review request:
- “Message to Buyers” – customers receive this in their confirmation email and it’s printed on the receipt
- “Note to Buyer” as part of shipping notification
- Product listing photos
- In a message buyer thanking them for their purchase
- Add a sticker to your packaging – such as this one from House of Hays on Etsy
- Include a review card inside your packaging with your other branding (business card, etc.) – get my free printable at the bottom of this post!
As I mentioned above, don’t go overboard with review requests or you’ll annoy your customers. One digital and one physical method would be good.
Note: One important thing to be aware of is that you cannot offer your customer any type of incentive for leaving a 5 star review – such as a partial refund or discount on future orders.
Why can’t my customer leave a review?
This is likely due to one of three things.
1) They purchased as a “guest”
Guest purchases can’t be reviewed. In order to leave a review, the customer must have an Etsy account. If they purchased as a guest and now want to create an account, they will have to do so from the link in their order confirmation email or else their guest purchase won’t be linked to their new account.
2) It’s too early
Etsy won’t let customers leave a review before the items are expected to have arrived. If you shipped it out early, they will have to wait until the original estimated arrival date to leave their review. If they aren’t able to leave a review until much later, you likely have your order processing time set to much longer than what you’re actually taking or you shipped the package without tracking. Untracked shipments have less reliable shipping estimates, so Etsy will set the review date further out to try and make sure the customer has actually received their order before leaving a review.
3) It’s too late
Etsy’s review window stays open for 100 days from the estimated delivery date. If your customer tries to leave a review after the 100 days have passed, they won’t be able to.
Can I publicly reply to Etsy reviews?
Yes, but only for low review ratings of 3 stars or less. You can’t reply to 4 or 5 star reviews but you can send those customers a message thanking them.
If you want to talk to the customer about the reason for their review and/or offer to fix the problems, you should message them privately to work that out. Only publicly reply to a review as a last resort because once you do, the buyer cannot change their review.
In your reply, remember that your response is really directed to future customers who are reading your reviews to assess your shop. Keep your response professional, short, and based on facts not feelings. Address the customer’s concerns and anything you did to rectify them.
Can a buyer change their review?
Yes, unless you publicly replied to it. Your customer can change their review rating and wording any time within the 100 day window.
Can I get Etsy reviews removed?
Yes, but only for specific violations of Etsy’s review policy. If you feel the review has violated one of these policies below, you can report the review to Etsy. They will review your report and decide whether or not it goes against their policies. If yes, they will remove it. If not, the review will stay published.
Reviews that go against Etsy’s policies are ones that:
- Contain private information (full name, address, email, phone number, etc.)
- Contain obscene, racist, or harassing language or images
- Violate their Anti-Discrimination Policy (ex. derogatory comments against protected groups)
- Contain prohibited medical drug claims
- Contain advertising or spam
- Are only about things outside the sellerโs control, such as a delivery carrier (mentioned by name), Etsy, or a third party
- Contain threats or extortion (ex. demanding a refund in exchange for a higher review rating)
- Include shilling or otherwise falsely inflate a shopโs review score (ex. paying customer to leave a good review)
How did my customer leave a review with no words?
When leaving a review on Etsy desktop version (such as on your computer or mobile browser), the review must have a star rating plus at least 5 words. But if you leave a review on the Etsy App, it can be just the star rating with no words.
Are Etsy review photos public?
Yes. If your customer includes a photo with their review, that photo can be viewed by anyone browsing your shop review section. This can be a great way for potential customers to see more examples of your product in use or in “real-life” photos. If you feel the photo doesn’t reflect well on your brand or aesthetic, you can hide the photo from buyers.
More Etsy Tips
Looking for more Etsy seller tips? Check out the posts below:
- Etsy Fee Breakdown with free calculator
- How to set up Calculated Shipping Rates
FREE ETSY REVIEW CARD
In my experience, both as a shopper and a seller, most people forget to leave a review. The best time to remind them to leave a review is when they actually have the product in their hands. I created this fun review card printable just for you! Sign up below to get your free printable emailed right to you. Simply upload this to Vistaprint and order business cards printed with this design. You can even add your business name or logo on the back for a custom look. I also include the link to edit the card in Canva if you want to modify it.
I want to to thank you for this good read!! I absolutely loved every little bit of it. I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you postโฆ
Thank you! Do you know if Etsy also asks for reviews directly from the buyers? I read that sometimes, buyers are so annoyed by Etsy asking for a review that they leave a 1-star review (with no additional) comment even though it has nothing to do with your product… sounds scary!
Hi Cyril,
Sorry for the late reply. Yes, Etsy does send automated emails after the customer’s purchase asking them to review their order, which is why I wouldn’t be too pushy in asking for a review yourself. I wouldn’t worry about negative feedback because of Etsy’s one email to the customer, but if you also send them multiple messages, etc. then they could easily get annoyed. I think one friendly request in a spot the customer will likely see is most effective and remind them of the human element behind their purchase.