Getting customers to leave feedback

[MelsCreativeWishes]

i have had 22 sales now but only one person has left me feedback.
I am concerned that not getting feeback willl cost me sales.
I always make a point of leaving my buyers feedback but how do I go about getting feedback in return?
Should I send a convo with a thanks and ask for feedback? I dint want to sound spammy but think my business would definitely benefit if I had more feedback.

[WilliamsGiftshop]

Never ask for feedback! That is a big nono.
Feedback is optional on Etsy.
You could add a sentence to your message to buyer (on the transaction notifications) explaining that and how your buyer can leave feedback and that you would appreciate that.
But never ask for it afterwards.
And remember: no news is good news. If a buyer is not satisfied, you WILL hear from them.
I guess you will just have to have some more patience.

[Former_Member]

Mel, just want to say that I feel your frustration! I agree with Bea that "no news is good news" but I get jealous of sellers who get wonderful feedback about how amazing their purchase was....

[WilliamsGiftshop]

I've been selling on Etsy for over 6 years and I notice I get less and less feedback.
I know my customers are satisfied, like they have always been.
A lot of my customers are brand new to Etsy and just signed up before buying from me. I think they have no clue about the feedback system.
So, I think Etsy should play a bigger role in informing customers about Etsy's feedback system.
How about a link to the feedback page on the purchase notification?
Or a link to a help file about leaving feedback?
Buyers (only) simply don't have a clue and, in case they came for a single purchase, couldn't care less.

[DecalInnovations]

I agree that no news is good news. I have had just over 500 sales in about 2 months, mostly small orders. I would love feedback but I am only up to 37. And this weekend I got my first negative and first neutral :( Would have been happier with no "feedback" or just open communication with the customer and that they would have let me fix their disatisfaction before publicly posting it.

[Former_Member]

Less than one third of my sales have resulted in "Feedback". I have had customers write me a note and tell me that they absolutely love their purchase but they don't end up leaving "Feedback" on Etsy. It's just the way it is and there is no point in obsessing over it!

I do sometimes include a comment when I send a shipping notification that Feedback is appreciated but it has not resulted in an increase in Feedback so rather than annoy my customers I think I'm going to drop that altogether!

You can increase Feedback by buying something from other Etsy Sellers and leaving them Feedback and usually they will respond by leaving you Feedback!

[Former_Member]

I'm new here but have also sold on Ebay, and there feedback is EVERYTHING! Maybe Etsy buyers are more friendly or less jaded but I have this paranoia that a buyer who doesn't leave feedback as soon as they receive their item can turn around and leave negative feedback later for whatever reason. I don't know if there's a time limit or anything.

[Former_Member]

A great way to get additional feedback is to buy from other sellers yourself :) Other sellers will leave you + feedback, and on your site customers will see: 30 sales, 20 + feedback :)

Customers rarely leave feedback ... I get lots of private convos with feedback, but only a few have left oficial feedback. Don't stress about it - it's how Etsy works! No feedback = good feedback ;)

[seemomster]

I got a convo from a very happy customer today...did she leave FB? nope. I'm not stressed about it. I'll echo the advice to buy from other etsy sellers...they ALWAYS leave FB.

[ThePrivateCollection]

Perhaps include a message in the purchase confirmation and/or on the customer's receipt stating that if they are happy with their purchase you would appreciate them leaving feedback and that you will also give positive feedback for them.

[KilnMasterPottery]

I got most of my feedback half of my feedback before buyers feedback was made private. After that a long draft. 28 sales and 4 feedbacks only. I am politely asking in the note to the buyer when I send them the shipping info. I got some very nice emails from customers, but they have not bothered with Etsy feedback system.

[GreenFoxFarms]

I only have about 25-30% feedback from buyers. Most of mine is from purchases. I have a note about feedback with a link in my shipping announcement, but not sure it's done any good. I base that on the approach I would prefer as the customer. I wouldn't want to be contacted, so I don't do anything additional. It is true that most Etsy sellers will promptly leave feedback for you as a buyer so that may be your best option to build some up getting started. Good luck!

[Former_Member]

This isn't eBay. Feedback is 100% optional, and as mentioned, asking for it is a big no no. Don't do it.

Feedback also simply isn't that important up here. This is Etsy. People buy based on your item, your photos, and how you present your shop and your items. Most don't even know there is feedback.

Some are one time shoppers and don't know about the feedback, others, simply don't want the hassle.

[lipmeister]

A while back, I brought up the fact that Etsy should make it easier for new people to leave feedback and I was shot down by other sellers. They said they didn't want to be hounded like I think Ebay does? But I still think Etsy should make it easy. So many times new sellers wanted to leave feedback but asked me how to do it. I have heard from other etsians that if you end up with 50% feedback on your total sales, that is about the average. It's so interesting when people leave it months later. I get so excited when people leave me great feedback.

[WilliamsGiftshop]

I agree Robin.
Etsy should make it clearer to customers. That would result in more feedback.

Tasha, there is a 6 month time limit. After 6 months the option to leave feedback for a past transaction disappears.

Sometimes when I get feedback by convo or e-mail, I suggest that the buyer leave offcial feedback and I tell them how they can do that.
I explain to them that that way other potential buyers can read their feedback.
I do, however, say it is only optional and they should not feel obliged to use it.

[Former_Member]

It seems daft to have a feedback system and then make it so convoluted to leave it. It's either an important feature that should be prioritised or don't bother having feedback. I have noticed that I now get a reminder about feedback on my stats page and elsewhere but I don't know what buyers see when they log on to remind them.

[Former_Member]

Jaie Johnson from dirtygirldesigns says

"Feedback also simply isn't that important up here. This is Etsy. People buy based on your item, your photos, and how you present your shop and your items. Most don't even know there is feedback.

Some are one time shoppers and don't know about the feedback, others, simply don't want the hassle."

______________

^^This!^^

I get feedback left for about 1 in every 10 sales. I don't feel it affects my sales. I don't request it to be left at any point, as I don't think it's that big a deal. I concentrate my efforts elsewhere, instead.

[WildWhimsyArts]

Great thread, something I've been worried about and now not so thanks to all those who've responded. Never thought that no feedback is good! Now I'm not worried.
:o)

[TRaewynJewelry]

Don't worry about not getting feedback, Worry only when you get negative or neutral, and think of the Positive Feedback as a HUGE bonus!
I think of it like this - people that don't leave feedback got exactly what they thought they were getting. People that leave positive feedback got More than what they expected (maybe the item looked better in person, or it was wrapped beautifully)..... You just don't want negative.

[Former_Member]

Hello,

the main point - as say BeaG - is to know that people are happy. But I understand you. A mother bought two boxes personnlized with the names of her girls for a wedding. And she send me a message to thank me and say that they are very happy.
I would like she leave also a feedback but it's always good to know that people like what I do (even without feedback that can "invite" other people to buy in my shop..)

Keep Courage and wish you a lot of sales!! :-D

[Former_Member]

I don't make a lot of sales, so if I don't get any feedback how am I to know if the buyer got their package? I ALWAYS leave feedback when I buy. I too think Etsy should include a link or something for buyers to leave feedback.

[WilliamsGiftshop]

Kristina, the buyers would have contacted you if their packages did not arrive.
If you want to know sooner, ship with tracking.

[KthysKreations]

In my Message to Buyers box I state this along with shipping times and a thank you for their order:

Feedback is very important to me. I love to hear that you are satisfied with your purchase and that it arrived safely. If you would like to leave feedback on your order, please do so by clicking on the following link: http://www.etsy.com/feedback/awaiting

[LaurasLastDitch]

When I was on eBay, I once made the mistake of using its feedback reminder feature. I used it on probably 100 or 200 buyers and ended up getting several positives and two negatives out of it. The majority of the time, a buyer doesn't leave feedback because they didn't know or didn't want to take the time to do so. BUT once in a while, it will be because a buyer didn't like the item, or it wasn't what they expected. They may know it's not really your fault, but when they feel pushed, they will leave negative because, well, they felt the experience was negative overall. They might not realize that negative feedback is only appropriate when there's an issue and the seller won't take care of you. I will NEVER send out another feedback reminder. Trust me, you don't want to learn this the hard way.

[taffetablue]

Very touchy subject! I guess I am not doing too bad. I have to say that I had two ocassion when I bent over backwards and did take a big profit cut and did not get feedback. Soooo, I am not doing that again. Maybe next time the buyer will be more considerate, but for me it does not pay off.
I always leave feedback as soon as I shipped the item. I think customers, if they receive the item and are over the moon, will leave feedback immediately. If they are not near a pc they will forget and never bother.

Once I bought something here on etsy and the seller asked me for feedback. Okay, I complied, as I know how difficult it can be and between etsy folks we can do each otehr favours, why not..... I never got feedback back! That was just awful! I did not even bother to contact that seller - I will just never use their services again.

From that experience I guess some regular buyers might have had similar experiences and do not bother with feedback at all. I also get lots of first time buyers and I think they do not know about it or do not think it very important. For us, as sellers of course, it is.