Review Window Opening Early Glitch, PSA

[CostumeCoutureNaomi]

I am just sharing a technical glitch with the review window opening early, before delivery.

This could become an issue for multiple sellers, or it could just be a one off.

Last week, I ordered some supplies from a shop I frequent.

They shipped on time, and tracking was progressing normally.  

I did not pay attention to the projected delivery date, as I know that Etsy can be inaccurate with delivery estimates.

USPS deliveries to my area tend to follow a circular pattern before arriving at the local post office.  They typically go from the regional distribution center, to the local distribution center, back to the regional center, then back to the local center, then finally to the local post office the next morning.  It typically takes 1-2 days to work through this process. 

This morning, my package arrived at the regional distribution center.

At some point this morning, between the first stop at the regional distribution center and the first visit to the local distribution center, Etsy marked the order as delivered and opened the review window, complete with prompting me to leave a review.

• The package was not yet delivered.   It won't arrive until tomorrow at the earliest
• USPS did not mark the package as delivered.  
• The package is still working its way through the local and regional distribution centers.
• USPS has not marked this package delivered at any point.  The USPS scans are all normal.

The review window appears to have opened when the package was scanned locally, instead of after delivery as usual.

I had a package delivered on Saturday via USPS and did not experience the review window opening early.

Has anyone else experienced this review window glitch today? 

[CostumeCoutureNaomi]

Adding to this issue, the tracking on Etsy shows "out for delivery" but the review window opened yesterday.

Has anyone received a premature review or review alert prior to the order being delivered?

[DesertChains]

My guess: the estimated delivery time has passed.

[CostumeCoutureNaomi]

Interesting.  I thought the review window opened at delivery, but that might be it.

I didn't pay attention to the estimated delivery date when ordering as it was not a time sensitive supply.

The package does not seem like it was delayed though.  I ordered late Friday evening, it shipped the following Monday, and is arriving today, so one week later.  If I go to the item and put it in my cart, it shows a 3-9 day delivery window.

Does Etsy's ship window estimate include weekends?  If it includes weekends, then the item is 2 dsys late, but if it does not include weekends, it is 2 days early.

[bradgoodell · Accepted solution]

• The review window opens when the estimated delivery date has passed.  
• The estimate given prior to purchase is based on a combination of your turnaround time and estimated shipping time.
• Once you actually ship, the new estimated delivery date starts when you mark a package shipped, using the shipping company's estimate.  
• If USPS estimated your package would arrive on Saturday, the review window would open the following day.  

Hope this helps.

[CostumeCoutureNaomi]

Thank you.

This is the first time I have had this happen.  

The seller shipped the package on time, and it will be delivered within a reasonable time frame for USPS.

The review alert actually got me excited because I thought it arrived early, then disappointed when I went to my mailbox and discovered it wasn't there.

I imagine that kind of excitement/disappointment might lead some customers to leave poor reviews, especially since the review prompt from Etsy is so aggressive.

It is unfortunate for sellers who ship on time to get dinged with a poor review due to the review window opening prematurely.  I can also see the value of protecting buyers from unscrupulous sellers who print labels to mark the order complete, but don't actually ship.

Etsy should do estimated delivery date plus 2 days before opening the review window to allow for normal postal delays.

[bradgoodell]

@CostumeCoutureNaomi 

Yesterday there was a thread in the forum where a seller was complaining that a package had delivered earlier than estimated, and the review window hadn't opened yet.  She felt it discouraged good reviews.  Everyone has different opinions.  

[NoFrogsAllowed]

I'm sure Etsy doesn't check to see when a package is actually delivered.  That would cost money.  They go buy their guesstimate of when it should arrive and don't care whether it does or doesn't arrive in their time frame.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@CostumeCoutureNaomi 

many people don't buy tracking, so if etsy relied on actual delivery, many buyers could never leave a review.

And if it was lost, buyers couldn't leave a review either

Etsy says it's estimated delivery date, or actual delivery date, whichever is first