I have star seller status, both of my top selling items have best seller tags and I offer free shipping.
Today I noticed a sharp decline in my store visits and 0 sales, I figured it was a slow day but I went to search my items and they aren’t even showing up in the search, on any of the pages.
I even searched using the specific title of the items and nothing shows up. The only change that I noticed is that a customer left two one star reviews. Which ranked my item to 3.4 stars but my shop reviews are great. I’ve noticed that most people are leaving shop reviews and not many item reviews, which is why the 1 start made the item ranking low.
I’m wondering if this somehow affected my listings. I can’t find them on the search but they are definitely still active
I have received 1 star reviews (in fact one buyer left me SIX on 6 items purchased) and it has never seemed to have affected my sales. I think it is probably a coincidence as my sales (and views) are way down this week from last, also.
ETA: BTW, your shop is indexed so your items should show up somewhere.
Low reviews can drop your search standing for a while; Etsy even states this in their ultimate guide to search. The effect will eventually drop off.
You can counter this effect by bringing in sales from other sources, and getting positive reviews to average things out.
Don't forget search can change for many different reasons, and this set of reviews may not be causing all of what you are seeing. Plus, I might see something different for the exact same search.
@LoveCharniaCandles: Undoubtedly reviews are considered in both shop and listing "quality" scores, but how much is something we can only speculate on and I doubt that Etsy will tell us as the relative weight of that as a factor is probably constantly changing. Cause and effect correlations on Etsy are very dangerous, and as @ThePurplePuppy said it is much more likely to be coincidence.
What am I missing? I can give and receive an item review, but haven't given or gotten a shop review unless you are referring to those hokey/useless/Amazon wannabe 3 separate reviews you can give when you give an item review?
I'm just guessing here, but after looking at the item in question I have a theory.
Under the listing where it has reviews, the particular item that received the low reviews has 70 reviews for that item, then next to it there are 107 reviews for the shop. I think the OP may have misinterpreted what that means.
Customer's aren't leaving shop reviews, they can only leave item reviews, but it can look like they are leaving shop reviews if you're not familiar with how Etsy makes it unnecessarily confusing with their terminology.
In each item it will show reviews for that particular item first and separate than the other reviews for other items in the shop. When you see the way it's labeled, it can be read as they are shop reviews. I can totally see how the OP could infer that from what they're seeing.
Search results will vary for all of us. If you do a private window browser search, you would probably see different search results. I was able to find one of your items with the exact title, so you do show up. You have a lot of competition in your category here too.
And for what it's worth, I don't think that low review will affect future buyers. Your response was very professional.
Thank you!
It can for a bit but as long as everything else is going well, search can return.
One thing that does effect placement is not have a complete shop. That includes location, about page,
Oh and one thing about your mystery box, That is the selection the buyer will get and nothing else? Buyers can file NAD on mystery boxes because the items need to be exactly what is in the photo. No subs.
Maybe separate the "light and non-overpowering airy scent" items out from the listing whose title is "Whole bag full of strong scented fall wax melts" to prevent confusion?
I received a one star (first time in my 20 years of selling online) from a customer, recently. I don't see that it's affected my shop. It's been unusually slow for many, right now. Many seasoned sellers stating a huge drop in early holiday sales. I strongly believe we're battling a new AI territory with online marketplaces.
I'm starting to think the decline in sales and activity that people are reporting is due to Etsy changing to the latest fad. AI.
I also now realize, based on that article, that AI is probably the culprit that is shutting down legit "handmade" products, like Etsy has done to one of ours.
Here is an article that briefly talks about AI: https://www.insiderintelligence.com/content/how-shopify-ebay-etsy-use-ai-strengthen-seller-relations...
Is the electric scent pot made by you? That is what I would worry about. Not being seen in search is one thing and not being open is another. The scents have rave reviews and I would focus on that because your response to the bad review is so nicely written it sells the product!
https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360024112614-What-Can-I-Sell-on-Etsy-?segment=selling
https://www.etsy.com/legal/policy/reselling/239324376512
Etsy help has clearly stated that factory made wax melt warmers DO NOT qualify to be sold on Etsy.
I copy and pasted the title from your item with the 1 star review
it came up on the first page of search
Ditto, searching "whole bag of wax melts". #1 on page one for me.
Sigh. Some people just like to be (enter adjective of your choice). Don't let it get to you.