Customer Negative Reviews

[#1]

Etsy, PLEASE tweak the customer reviews system! Customers who leave a negative review without FIRST communicating with the seller that they have a problem should not be able to post a review until they have done this.  In my case, it has been two customers who had problems printing my downloadable patterns.  Both of these negative reviews have hurt my Star Seller rating. Neither customer tried to contact me, but went directly to Reviews and posted a one-star rating. My patterns include printing tips. My descriptions for each pattern also include printing tips. Some customers have complained that they can't print JPG files.  BUT...my description clearly states that they will receive two files, a PDF and a JPG, so if they complain without having read the description by posting a negative review, this is not fair at all. 

Also, for downloadable patterns, we sellers should not be responsible for printing errors, as we have no control over what printer a customer has, their tech knowledge, or even if their printers have INK in them. Some people simply get frustrated and their first impulse is to post a negative review.  Please, Etsy, tweak this system so disgruntled customers cannot do this to us without first having reached out to us for a solution. I am always ready to help my customers!

[TazamarazVintage]

Negative reviews are hard. I just had some leave a lengthy negative review after I fully reviewed her. The frustrating part was that had she read the description she would have seen that the item was not in perfect condition.  Frankly, I now wish I hadn't refunded.

I guess the lesson learned is that if something isn't in "perfect" condition even when you clearly state what is wrong with it you are taking a chance for a bad review. As an antique and vintage collector and seller I'm use to seeing imperfections and if it is a really cool or hard to fine item I'm good with it. My house is full of imperfections! 

Buy the way, I'm in my late 60s and still feel young

[DianeKnottLLC]

I'm somewhat older than you and I feel young too!!  Designing and selling in my Etsy shop helps keep me that way!! I love what I do!  

[1960sDollHouse]

@HazelsSewingSupplies  Kudos and Thank you. You have put this information out there as eloquently as possible. 

[DianeKnottLLC]

Thank you.  I appreciate your affirmation. I've discussed this with other Etsy sellers and I see we are on the same page in regard to Star Seller/negative reviews. If we have tried every way possible to contact them, and for whatever reason they haven't responded, the poor rating shouldn't apply. Communication works both ways. 

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

You can't discount a reviewers opinion just because they don't answer your messages or emails.  I believe that's illegal and un-American.

We all have a right to express our opinion and that can't be taken away from us.

People put too much time and energy into poor reviews and the SSB program.  IMO.

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

Etsy doesn't tell buyers that they have to answer a sellers messages (sure glad they don't - that would be gestapo measures)  so I'm pretty sure they aren't going to discount those reviews.

Freedom of speech and all that.

[BarkingRockJewelry]

It's beginning to sound like we need some sort of drop-down option so that various age groups can be refused service.  /s

[DianeKnottLLC]

I wouldn't say "refused service" because of age.  That would be wrong.  I think a negative review should be refused if they don't communicate the problem with the seller first.  Once contact has been made and seller has responded and tried to communicate a solution, then they should be free to post a review.

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

Sadly it does.

[ThePurplePuppy]

@BarkingRockJewelry 

Thank you very much--good thing I am not your target market, I guess.

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

@BarkingRockJewelry 

I hope you said that with your tongue in your cheek.

[ThePurplePuppy]

@HazelsSewingSupplies 

I was hoping so too--{{Said while biting my tounge}}

[BarkingRockJewelry]

@HazelsSewingSupplies 

@ThePurplePuppy 

 er...that's what the /s is for...

/s=sarcasm off

FWIW...I'm also a senior.

It'd be just my luck that TPTB will pick this up as a serious suggestion!

[OneEyeCatStudio]

Then can we have one to refuse service from various age groups?:)

[ThePurplePuppy]

@BarkingRockJewelry 

Thanks--learned something new today--see, never too old to learn! {{{grin}}}

[FunkyJunkyVintage]

@DianeKnottLLC 

Well, OP, by responding to those reviews you've locked in those one stars instead of working with the customers, fixing the problems, and then they could update the reviews. By responding you've actually hurt yourself. My suggestion is to not respond right away but instead try to work with your customer before leaving any comments.

While it does sting to see that one star you do have 100 days to address the problems before responding and 100 days for your customers to change their reviews. All the speculation here by both OP and other posters about competence and age, etc. doesn't help with the core issues.

The fact is, you received two one stars, not the most ideal situation, but consider that the reviews might have been those customers' way of contacting you. I've had that happen before, they think that it's a direct message to you.

I might have missed something but I'm not reading that you contacted the two one star customers to try to resolve the issues and help them before posting here? We really can't do anything for you other than post some advice and give some speculative opinions. You would need to write directly to etsy with your suggestion/question about why they do what they do. Most of us are still baffled by their power and control over our shops, even after many years, it defies logic sometimes.

[DianeKnottLLC]

I did reach out to both customers before I responded to their reviews. I emailed, as well as messaged them through etsy messaging. I am professional in my responses. There is nothing we can do for customers who choose to review negatively without contacting us or not responding to OUR contacting them, which is what happened in both cases. I try very hard to solve problems and when I do after seeing a negative review and my attempts are ignored, I'm sorry, but that is simply not fair. I have also contacted Etsy several times and given my opinion to them about star seller status.  So yes, you missed something. I ALWAYS contact customers and try to resolve problems. I have been in one form of retail, wholesale and licensing my art and designs for over 30 years and I know how important communication is. I wouldn't have posted the issue otherwise, had I not tried all avenues to solve problems with both customers. I have a good track record and frankly, this star seller feature where customers can rank US without having made the effort to ask us to fix what they're unhappy about is simply too one-sided for the persons who put so much effort into all it takes to design products, create the patterns and then sell them on Etsy, especially when we try very hard to cover all the bases.  It seems as if you CAN cover all of the bases and then a customer comes up with a new angle we hadn't thought of before, or they just leave us hanging with their negativity with no way for us to make them happy.

[DianeKnottLLC]

I'm not sure this is true.  I know another Etsy seller who eventually solved a problem with a customer after a one-star review and the customer graciously changed her one-star rating to a five-star. I believe there is that option for a buyer. 

[ThePurplePuppy]

@DianeKnottLLC 

I have had several really bad reviews and in every single case the buyer did not contact me first--and they never replied to my contacting them after the fact.

When I get a bad review-and I have--I contact them for a resolution . I then wait 2 weeks and if no reply I reply to the review. I, personally, do not think the people who do this are "confused" about how to contact a seller, etc--I think they are p**** off and want to to vent!  Since I offer them very fair resolutions and they don;t reply I just try to give a very professional (to the best of my ability) and go on. I KNOW for a fact Etsy does not care and they will do nothing so I just chalk it up to "life is not fair!".

And yes, I am old, and yes, I have learned in my very very old age--not to sweat the small stuff!

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

@ThePurplePuppy 

Amen!

[TopOfThePassJewelry]

I've seen plenty of other sellers suggest this in past threads, but definitely don't think its a good idea to force a buyer to contact a seller before they leave a review.  I think forcing some people to contact the seller first would just make them even more angry. I don't know of any other site where they would expect you to contact a seller/store first before you can leave a review for a product.  I absolutely don't think all bad reviews are fair or deserved, but it is what it is. 

At the same time if it was just some pop-up where they clicked yes or no that they contacted you, they could just click yes and the leave you a review anyway.  

Bad reviews are annoying but you have so many good reviews anyway, it definitely wouldn't scare me away from your shop.  Seeing 100's of great reviews for the patterns and then the two bad ones, would just make me think that one person just didn't know what they were doing.

[DianeKnottLLC]

I think there are many who would agree with me because those I've spoken with privately feel the same way. I think it wouldn't be a popup like that, but a popup that would say something like "before posting a review below a 3, please contact the seller to see if there is something you are unhappy about with your purchase". 

[TonsOfPaper · Accepted solution]

Hello there,

We're noting this feedback and will be sharing it with the appropriate team to consider for a future update. Please remember that we take comments from the community to heart, and we make many changes to the site based on what we hear.

On the other hand, if you believe the review is against one of our policies, you do have the option to flag the review for a specialist on my team to look over. We'll evaluate it and determine if it qualifies for removal.

Thank you very much!

[DianeKnottLLC]

I agree.  Some people are simply bitter and there is no satisfying them. Fortunately it is a minority.  And yes, there are some who don't know how to use the Etsy system to ask for help. My responses to their reviews have been professional and I hope explanatory to anyone who has read them. I truly believe this is a problem that Etsy needs to rethink, even though it may, in the greater scheme of things, be "small stuff". It isn't for every seller because of their varied circumstances in life and for the amount of work they put into trying to either earn a living via Etsy or to provide extra income while on a limited budget.  Some of us are trying to live on those limited incomes and every little bit helps during these times of inflation. So a thoughtlessly posted negative review may be "small stuff" to one seller who is trying very hard, but not to another. I am very disappointed by some of the comments on this thread - one being in regard to "elderly" people not being savvy enough in their technical skills. Each of us has a different reason for having an Etsy shop - some of us may be handicapped, others may have opted to do this because they have been left widowed or are retired, or who have lost their job and are desperately trying to stay afloat. So "small stuff" to one isn't small stuff to all. This is a good example of why communication is so important to many of us struggling and why it means so much to us while it may not to another. Let's be kind here, please.  

[SeasideRoseCreations]

My .02 because you sell downloads and have a no return policy is that the buyers respected the policy.

As for these two reviews with issues of PDF, can you use variations to have an acknowledgement of that info to avoid this coming up in the future?

I'll add my own speculation here and say that people are annoyed, in general anymore (not justified) and just leave a negative review without thinking of consequences.

I hope you figure out how to move forward because this may pop up again (user error), people are busy, rushed and angry and quick to leave negative reviews.