Feedback....To Leave or Not

[Former_Member]

Hi! I was reading some advice, a little while back, that I thought was interesting.....Wait a month, to leave feedback, so that the customer has time to leave feedback, first.

However, I was wanting advice about this....
If a person still hasn't left feedback, after a long time, is it tacky to convo them, and ask if they are happy with their purchase/ if they are, could they leave feedback?
Or is it better just to leave feedback, without contacting them?

I also just tried asking if they were happy, and had many come back and say, "Yep!"
(But no feedback.:) I then asked if they would mind leaving feedback, and they said that they would be glad to, but didn't know how. I helped them, and they left great feedback.

I just didn't know if it was worth "pestering" people...:)

[IstriaDesign]

I don't think you should be messaging people asking for feedback. Some people find that annoying. I send a personal note with the order where I thank them and write that feedback would be appreciated. Some leave it, some don't... and that's ok. If they weren't happy you'd hear from them for sure. As for you waiting to leave feedback to your customer, I don't think that's ok either. If the customer pays for what they ordered you should leave them a positive feedback. They did their part, and that's all they were supposed to do. I leave feedback to my customers usually after I ship their orders. I don't know how others handle it, but personally... I wouldn't want to be messaged and asked to leave feedback. You can ask them if they were happy with the product though.

Best wishes,

Ivana

[Former_Member]

From my understanding of the Terms of Use, we aren't supposed to be using customer's names for things after the sale. If one of your materials was recalled, that would be one thing, but in this situation I think it would be against TsOU. When looking at different shops, it seems like a 50% feedback rate is about average. I don't think leaving feedback is as important for people who aren't also sellers!

[Former_Member]

Unlike many here, I really really love Etsy and everything they do for us & our shops but I do think this is one area where they really fall short. The only thing that reminds customers to leave feed back is a small, easily missed grey bar at the top of the screen. I really wish they would make it easier for customers to see how & where to leave feedback. Like leaving a link when they go to their purchases. Or even sending them an automatic email a week or two after the sale, or giving us that option. One that has link that they can click on to be taken directly to the page to leave feedback.

Right now, I add in my invoice that I send with each order that feedback is really appreciated and then give them brief instructions on how to leave feedback. To let them know with out sounding too pushy.

[Former_Member]

You know I just checked, and it does look like if you just give them this link: http://www.etsy.com/feedback/awaiting
It will take them straight to there own feedback page. But I'm not sure. Anyone wanna click and see if it works? That would make things handier.

[Former_Member]

Yes, Courtney, it took me straight to mine!:)

Well, thank you, all, for your input! It was interesting to read!
I do agree with you, Ivana....and I like your idea of writing a note, on their invoice....

I certainly don't want to pester people! And it isn't really that big of deal, either. I just wondered what everyone did, in general.

[Former_Member]

Also, I am not sure what the idea was behind waiting to leave feedback, but I can think of one example, where it might have helped me....

A long time ago, I had a lady purchase commercial yarn, from me. It was clearly labeled, and described....Yet she left me neutral feedback. She said that she didn't like it. I sold it as destash, very cheap, but it was wool, which you can hardly go wrong with! It was a really good deal, that I passed on.
However, I felt badly, that she was unhappy! I tried to contact her, several times, but she never responded, never gave me a chance, to even see what the problem was.:( At least, she didn't leave negative feedback....

I honestly don't know if I would have said, in delayed feedback,
"Yeah-but!" But I suppose that the people who posted the original delayed feedback post may have had an experience like mine????

[Former_Member]

Never chase someone down for feedback! That would definitely make a bad impression. If you want to beef up your feedback numbers, buy supplies from another etsy seller. They always leave feedback and who cares if you were the buyer?

It didn't used to be this way, but now buyers feedback comments are private. You can see the number, but that's it. So only the buyer would see it if you wrote something snarky. If you write something nice & memorable, it could leave them with a lasting positive impression. And make them more likely to leave you feedback in return.

[Former_Member]

Um, actually, Rebecca, I just checked your feedback, and it is all shown, just so you know!;)

I really am not THAT worried about it all....just curious!:)
I actually have lots of possitive feedback, I was mostly wanting to compare some ideas to the ideas of the ones I was referring to, who ALWAYS waited to leave feedback. I thought it was an interesting concept.:)

[Former_Member]

I'm new to etsy, and am just facing this issue as well!! I recently made a sale, it got delivered just this Tuesday, and I've had no feedback since. I feel a bit sad, since it would be my first feedback (on etsy), and I hyperventilated for a little while thinking that the dresses arrived torn, the box smashed, or she didn't like it or something... but I thought if such a thing happened, I would have probably gotten a panicky email immediately! :)

The buyer was really nice and chatty and appreciative over email before I sent the product, so I feel it's not like her to be silent. OK ok maybe I think I'm thinking too much about it now.

I did consider emailing her, but decided not to. I guess she'll leave it if she wants it :(

I'll include a piece of paper in my package asking for feedback next time - that's a useful tip!

I also didn't dare to leave her feedback yet in case she had issues and only let me know after I left feedback - that would be...... awkward! So good idea, I'll wait a month (when I can safely assume nothing went wrong) and leave her feedback!

Thx for bringing up this topic!

[RaesSpirit]

I always learn something here! Thanks for the link Courtney for feedback awaiting. I don't usually worry about getting feedback but always leave feedback. Now I might add this link when I convo them to let them know their item has shipped as an easy way for them to leave feedback when it arrives.

[Former_Member]

I've received a few purchases that have come along with a little note telling me to please leave feedback and if the item is not to my liking etc., etc., etc., to please contact them... which is a good idea, especially for people who are not used to how Etsy works (for a handful of my sales I've received feedback as a convo, for example). I leave feedback to the buyer as soon as I ship

[AnneLondezGlass]

For my first 40 sales or so I've had around 5% official feedback. It's started picking up after that though but I don't know why. I never directly ask for it but I do wait to leave mine until I hear from the buyers that they have received their item and are pleased with it.

[MythOfTheWild]

Personally, I hate to ask for feedback. People who ask for feedback seem like ebayers - I use ebay a lot and I'm bombarded with "please leave 5 star feedback" and yet no real "thank you for your purchase" or any customer care like that. I give them feedback, though, not because they asked but because of their products.

I do my best to package my products safely and gorgeously - this can help people to leave feedback, and I add a hand written note. But, in a case where a buyer hasn't left any feedback, I take my boyfriend's advice: Wait a while, and if you're pretty sure they've received it but haven't left any feedback, send them a message saying that you hope the item arrived safely, that you hope they like it, and thanking them again for purchasing. This will remind them that they bought from you. I think it's a default setting to have an email sent to you if you receive a convo on Etsy. In which case, some people may read it as an email, or may log in. Or, they may log in to respond, and when they log in, there's a little banner at the top saying that they haven't left feedback yet. Failing that, it might at least remind them that the feedback feature is there.


If you're desperate for feedback, though, you can ask. It's not against the rules or anything, we're all trying to run small businesses here, afterall. It's just the way I see it. I leave feedback as soon as I receive items, though, so no one's had to contact me yet :P and it is always a good idea to wait and not leave feedback for a buyer until they do for you. If they leave negative feedback and spin some sort of story and really dramatically blow up a small misunderstanding, at least you can give your side of the story politely in their feedback box.

And as for immediately leaving them feedback just because they payed for an item, well on Etsy the order doesn't generally even get placed until full payment is made anyway, unlike ebay. To leave feedback for that would be a waste of time. You're better off leaving a thank you note in the package for that. Paying for the item was necessary and doesn't prompt feedback. It has to be immediate payment, or no dice.

I think it's important to leave good feedback for buyers, too, especially if they don't have any. It can sometimes make them look suspicious. I had an order from someone the other day, and his location looked a bit dodgey to me. But, he payed straight away, of course, and I sent the item out, and he left wonderful feedback. I had to leave him feedback for the good of other sellers, and the same goes if the individual had been a scammer, or had made outrageous demands that he knew couldn't have been met. Leaving feedback for a buyer - especially if they are exclusively a buyer - is so important for other sellers. If they're dodgey, then they know who they're dealing with, and it's within every seller's rights to refuse to serve anyone that they think is trying to scam them.

[ionesAttic]

Customers do not like being pressured into feedback.

My positive feedback is important to me.
I would say my feedback return is about 60% of total sales

Since feedback became non-transparent I never leave feedback first... it is so tedious that when I do receive feedback I have to hunt through pages of sales to find the buyer to reciprocate.
Wish Etsy would streamline this function, or am I missing something?

[Former_Member]

I never ever ask for feedback. I think it's tacky & rude, honestly. Once the buyer has paid me & I have shipped, the transaction is over. If I don't get feedback from them in about 6 weeks, I leave it for them. Sometimes this spurs them on to leave feedback for me, sometimes not. I always thank them when they purchase, and in a note when I ship. If they want to respond, that's up to them.
And without asking, about 75% of my buyers leave feedback. Don't sweat it - over time, you'll get plenty. Just do everything you can to make sure it's positive.

[Former_Member]

When I ship my items, I notify them through Etsy that the item was shipped and give them the tracking number. Since there's a place to add a note, I tell them there item is on its way, I hope they're happy with it and to please let me know if there is a problem. I then ask if they are happy, feedback is always welcome and that I leave it for them, too.

I know some sellers withhold feedback until they've received it. It makes no sense to me, but to each his own. I leave feedback within a week of mailing, that way they see it about the same time they receive the package, and hopefully they'll leave some for me. If not, oh well...I'm not going to chase them down for it.

Of course, maybe that's why my feedback rating is at about 30% :(

[Former_Member]

Thanks, all of you for your input, especially the link
www.etsy.com/feedback/awaiting
I have been wondering about this since my first sale, and , Etsy, and it may help to add to this topic to guidelines, as well as whether feedback is visible to others, and how to find it.
Thanks for all your help!

[MaintStreetVintage]

I used to give feedback after shipping their item but as some have pointed out, there may be problems,so now I wait for them to leave it.

[Former_Member]

I always leave feedback out of common courtesy both as a seller and a buyer. I understand that some buyers may not be familiar to the feedback process...and if they want guidance on how to leave it, I'll help them out.

I don't have that much feedback because I've just gotten back into running my store last year. I have been buying some stuff on Etsy and I would like it to bump up my feedback so people can see they can buy from me and I'm not some shady dirt bag. But...there are sellers who don't leave feedback either and I was a little peeved by that. I've left them positive feedback and the transactions were great and the convos were great...why not leave feedback for something like that??

[seemomster]

I leave feedback for my buyers as soon as they let me know they received their piece. (All have contacted me via conversations to let me know how happy they were.) Of those three...only one has left me feedback...and I had to walk her through how to do it. (She didn't see that little gray button.) Luckily she was REALLY happy and went to the trouble to contact me to tell me she couldn't figure out how to leave me feedback,

Feedback system is one of the biggest flaws in this system...I've just decided to not worry about it and to live with it. (I have complained to the Powers That Be.)

[Former_Member]

The trouble with feedback is people who only use the site occasionally to purchase something don't even know how to use it and probably don't know it exists. I have gotten convos telling me how much my buyer like their jewelry but no feedback. All I care about is that the item is received and liked. When I hear that in a convo I am satisfied. Most of the time, however, I hear nothing and just assume the jewelry arrived and was fine. I never ask for feedback. I don't think it is the right way to treat customers.

[Former_Member]

No news is good news.

Asking for feedback opens the door for negativity.

Leave it be. ♥

[Former_Member]

I agree with Stacy... no news is good news. Sometimes if you force someone to say something you might not get the response you were hoping for!

[Former_Member]

I also think no news is good news.
If I don't get a negative I consider it a done deal.

As a seller I leave feedback when tracking shows the item was delivered.

As a buyer I find it rude and sneaky to know you are waiting for my feedback before leaving yours.