Can't reply to negative feedback Etsy is now showing as Suggested at the top of listing

[HullabalooBrew]

Hi folks, I've been selling on etsy for a few years now and met so many nice customers.  Recently someone requested a refund without returning the product and while I enjoy helping customers when they (rarely) ask, something was off because what the person was describing that they received is something I have never sold.  Our main small business item is imported elderberries, whole and the person said that they received seeds which we do not and have never sold.  I believed that they may have confused the package from me with something else they ordered, so I asked them to return the package as received (was going to pay shipping) and they instead left a negative feedback (claiming poor customer service since I would not refund them without a return) and then described something we do not sell in the negative feedback.  They claimed they received seeds and unripe berries which we have never sold and don't even have access to.  

So, I responded to the feedback, accidentally clicked send without spell checking it, went back to edit the spelling errors and was only given a delete option.  Then I went to repost the spell checked reply and there is no option.  

Then finally etsy for some reason took this single bad feedback (for something I don't sell) and moved it to the top of over nearly 600 positive reviews (99% 5 stars) and it killed the sales on the product, as the negative review is what etsy is now suggesting people read first.  It is more prominently displayed than the actual item description on the page.  

https://www.etsy.com/listing/651141472/2023-whole-wild-crafted-elderberries

It's a terrible shame and I wish I could have seen the package she received but since she refused to return it I had no way of helping, which I did explain in my reply to the feedback, which I now can not find a way to post again, spell checked.    

Aside from just closing my store and moving to another venue, is it possible that the 1 star review will lower in the etsy 'Suggested' area over time as people upvote the actual real (almost all) 5 star reviews of the product?    It seems extremely odd that etsy would "suggest" a single 1 star review out of 600 or so 5 stars.  Does it just stay that way now forever or is there any hope to recover the sales of something so many people enjoy and I enjoy(ed) selling?    

Thanks 

Greg

[EtchedinTimeLLC]

looking at your listings, I don't see any 1 star reviews.  But I know it can happen that etsy shows a very old bad review at the top.  I believe they said it was a test?  Don't know test for WHAT though.

[HullabalooBrew]

Okay thank you for taking the time to look.  It's only showing under a single listing, this one: 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/651141472/2023-whole-wild-crafted-elderberries

Was going to try to post a screenshot but I guess you can't on this forum.  To me it shows as the very top 'suggested' review on the listing, and even when I went to an incognito browser it was the same.   I've read the same about it being a test some time in 2022 on other forums.   If they were testing to see if a single 1 star review out of 600 5 stars when pushed to the top as 'suggested' would kill sales of an item, well the results are in.   Yes it does.   It would be laughable if it were not so upsetting after all the work I have put into my shop, and genuinely enjoy helped customers when they ask.   

Again, thanks for looking.  

Greg

[VintageRescueSquad]

I wouldn't worry about it. One bad review on one listing won't kill your shop.

[HullabalooBrew]

I agree with you, thank you.  It hasn't killed the shop, just the best selling item in it.  And it's not even for something I sell.  The person posted a handful of some type of seeds and I've never sold seeds.  I think they got their packages confused and opened something they bought from someone else thinking it was what I sent.  They seemed very confused when I tried to help them.   Darn it.   

[HullabalooBrew]

Thank you.   It actually did.   Sales went to zero.  For days.  The reason being is that the listing is the #1 one that people order from.   So yes, for etsy to decide to display the one single negative feedback in years (unverified) instead of the other 660+ positive ones, it killed the shop.     I don't understand why etsy would do that, but they did.   

[audreytherese]

It's only showing first for that particular item because item specific reviews are always going to show as suggested in that listing before the rest of the reviews from your shop. When I looked at any other listing, it was not showing. When I looked at your suggested reviews on your shop front it didn't show up. Even if I sort by the newest it's already on the second page. Are you really considering abandoning your shop with so many sales and great reviews over this one review? 

You can delete that item and create a new one. The review won't go away, but it's not as likely to be shown as the first one on a new listing than it is on this particular listing. 

In the future, make sure you read everything before reacting. When you go to respond to a review this comes up and warns you that you will not be able to edit it once published: 

Please note

• By submitting your response, the current buyer rating, their review and your response will no longer be editable.
• Before responding, we recommend trying to work out this issue with your buyer. Read our guidelines for resolving and responding to reviews.

[HullabalooBrew]

Thank you.  I didn't see a warning as you have noted when I tried to post a response.  I was trying to do it on my phone and it's hard to type on a small screen which is why I had so many typos.  Seems that box does not spell check.   

Yes I am considering abandoning my whole shop because that was the #1 seller and it took over 6 months to get it rated as 'Best Seller'.  

I'm shocked that etsy would take the only 1 star review for it in two years and push that to the top of what they called 'suggested' and the worst part is that the image the person posted is not even of something I sell.  

I am in hopes that over time the buyers will click on like or that thumbs up thing to push the actual real product reviews up and push the 1 star one down by 4 slots so it's not showing on the main listing for the product, more prominently than the item description itself.   I don't know if that's how it works but I hope.  

A 1 star review of 600 should not be what etsy 'suggests'.  Certainly that is not right.  There have been 5 star reviews since that are not showing as 'suggested'.  

Anyway, thank you for taking the time to reply.   

Greg

[PurityGems]

I don't see anything under 4 stars in your shop. I looked at all the recent reviews and they are all 5 stars 

[HullabalooBrew]

Thank you.  It is showing at the top of one single listing which just so happens to be the shop best seller;

https://www.etsy.com/listing/651141472/2023-whole-wild-crafted-elderberries

Do you happen to know if and when the buyers click on like to upvote the actual reviews (all 4-5 star, 88% 5 star) of the product if it will drive down where etsy 'suggest' only the 1 star one of 600 or so? 

Again, thank you for your reply.  

Greg

[ChillwolfArt]

Hi Greg, I do see it in the link to your listing (posted above). There isn't  a way Buyers can Like or Upvote a Review (we don't have that option). I think what you're seeing there is the option to Report a Review (please correct me if wrong). Honestly, I wouldn't abandon your Shop for one bad Review.  However, to be honest, I wouldn't be happy about it either. But because you have so many great Reviews, I think it won't be long before the good ones will "knock out" the bad.

I noticed something and hope it's OK to tell you (I don't want it to hurt you in search).  There is a typo in the listing "Zapotitian Sal Organic..."

[HullabalooBrew]

Hey thanks for the reply.   I saw it again today and should have taken a screen shot.   It allowed me to upvote reviews of a product by a tiny thumbs up which says 'Useful' next to the review.   Now I am not seeing it again.    I am in hopes that the people that have bought from me will over time upvote the useful real reviews instead of the fake one where the person made false claims and refused to return the product (me paying) in order to get something free.  It's the only person on etsy that I have ever seen do something like that.   And for etsy to make the fake feedback the #1 thing they 'suggest' people see is just astounding.  

https://www.etsy.com/listing/651141472/2023-whole-wild-crafted-elderberries-1

Why?     Why would etsy do that?    It doesn't make any sense to highlight the one and only negative review (unverified).    

[HullabalooBrew]

Thank you.  I know there used to be a thumbs up button on reviews to vote them as 'useful', I just saw it somewhere today.   I've now exhausted another opinion, I reported the review to etsy by noting that the photo the reviewer posted is not of something I sell and etsy said they still can't remove it.  

Oh and 'Sal' is Spanish for Salt.   Maybe I should correct that where it is in English.   Thank you.  

Greg

[ChillwolfArt]

@HullabalooBrew  Someone just Messaged me and said as a Buyer, they've been able to Like/Upvote Reviews for the last 3 years.  They sent a screenshot (the Thumbs Up said, "Did you find this helpful").

I went back to the Shops which I recently purchased from.  And I am not seeing this on my end (desktop computer, Chrome). But I'm getting De Ja Vu about this being a test in the past, and seeing some Threads about it.  I just don't know why I'm not seeing the option to do this on my end. 

ETA:  I edited my first sentence (3 years, not months).

[audreytherese]

I have seen the thumbs up/down option on reviews before, but I don't see it now. I assume it's another one of the tests. 

[HullabalooBrew]

Yep, it says 'Useful' next to the thumbs up.   Only has a thumbs up and no option for thumbs down.  I know for sure I saw it earlier today and it's not there now.   

Regardless, I have to wonder why etsy would take the one and only 1 star review of 1600 positive and 99% 5 star reviews and post it on an item listing as being the very top 'suggested'.   That doesn't compute.  

[EaDoVintage]

This was a big deal for many sellers a couple of years ago. Some closed their shop over it.  A Facebook group was started. Eventually it died down and eventually they did stop showing the worst reviews. You’re lucky it’s not showing under every listing. That’s what was happening before. If you can sell some of this product and get some good reviews it should fade away. 

[HullabalooBrew]

Thank you for taking your time to reply.   I remember reading of the etsy 'revolt' a few years back where sellers were being treated unfairly with feedback and that was the exact reason why I decided not to join etsy as a seller back then.   It sounded very unfair and unsafe.   Yet here we are now at the end of 2023 and apparently, well not apparently, obviously etsy is doing it again and now I am a victim.   I don't want to be a victim, I just want to sell what our family makes and people are happy with.   With over 600 positive and raving reviews, why would etsy take a single unverified 1 star comment (where the person got something free by being dishonest or confusing a package in the mail from someone else) and use that unverified content to destroy sales of a best seller that people really do love?    It in a way feels intentional.  

[TinLizziAntiques]

OP, delete that listing with the bad review. Create a new one, with slightly different wording and photos, and you will be working toward getting a best seller again. Not everyone will see the one star review if you delete the listing. Think positively; you just hit a road bump.

[HullabalooBrew]

I appreciate you taking time to reply.  The problem with deleting the listing, which has over 600 positive reviews and now where etsy is displaying the only negative one as 'suggested' is that the listing has coupons for repeat buyers and they have been using them for years.  

It seems extremely unfair that I would have to delete my main and original listing simply because etsy has targeted a single review and made it the most prominent content on the listing page itself.   The negative review, which is not for something I have ever sold is more prominent in the listing than the actual item description itself.    It doesn't make sense for etsy to do something this reckless.    I turned it off and back on and just don't know what to do.   But I have to question why etsy would choose to prominently display an unverified comment as front and center, above all of the real 600+ actual reviews of the product itself?    It makes no sense.  

[cindylouwho2]

Lots of us have had this happen across our whole shops, not just one listing. Consider yourself lucky! I survived; you will too.

The listing is probably selling less not because the review is ranking at the top, but because negative reviews hurt a listing temporarily in search. Again, this is something most of us who sell enough have been through. Closing your shop would be an overreaction. 

PS you can help your shop out immediately by writing an About page. They help with conversions, and are part of the search ranking. 

[HullabalooBrew]

Thank you, and I will take your advice and make an about me page.  I didn't know that feature existed.   At this point I would kind of feel like I was writing an obituary for my etsy stores after etsy destroyed it by posting a single unverified 'negative' slanderous diatribe as being 'suggested'.    

I'm not sure I can trust etsy anymore.   Even a share holder.   

But yes, an about me page is a great idea, thank you.   I'm just not so sure at this point that I will keep using it, as my trust as a small business owner has most certainly been violated. 

Yeah, show 'suggested' of the only negative (and fake) feedback of thousands?    That doesn't make any sense to do something like that.   It doesn't provide true and accurate data for consumers. 

[HullabalooBrew]

I appreciate you taking the time to comment and advise.   I don't believe closing my shop is an over-reaction.   Once the person left the terrible, slanderous post accusing me of being 'unethical' and selling 'poison' I have learned that I can take them to court.   That is something I am looking at.   But I didn't join etsy to become involved in lawsuits, I just want to sell something our family has been using for over 50 years and people like it.  It's a good product and over 600 people have posted glaring nice reviews.   So why would etsy take only a single bad one and make it the #1 'suggested'?   

Once the person posted that, sales dropped to zero.   So why should I pay to advertise a shop on etsy for zero sales?   That is why I considered just closing up shop and moving on elsewhere.  

On a possible good note, out of the 6--+ all 5 star reviews, etsy is now only showing the fake negative as 2 of 4.    So it got ranked down 25% just today.   THree more to appear above it and it will no longer show on the main page.    I just wonder how long that will take.  

I didn't deserve this and it really makes me feel like etsy is not something that sellers can trust.   If they take 1 review out of 600 and place the ONLY bad one at the top of the item sales page itself, killing sales and scaring people with information that has not been confirmed in any matter, are any of us sellers really safe on etsy? 

Greg

[VintageLakeshore]

Sorry to hear about the review.

I have posted this before: When a bad review happens, rare as it is, it is stressful. I recommend reading some of the 5 star reviews and remembering you have made thousands of people happy with your products.

Your product is about to get more in demand as winter is coming, just make more wonderful sales and watch as the review move down. 

Best wishes 

[HullabalooBrew]

Thank you for your kind reply.   

Greg