Reviews. I have lots of queries about reviews.

[StarDesignsShop]

1. I have many 'guest' buyers who are unable to leave reviews( unless they set up an account)

2. Why is the waiting time for a buyer to leave a review so long? The season for the item may be long gone! It has for me.

3 .Why have the quality of my items on my shop downgraded to 4.4 when I have 25 x5* reviews with 1 x3* and 1x 4*? That's not correct mathematically.

[MinnieMaudsAttic]

@StarDesignsShop 

1. Guest buyers have never been able to leave reviews.  Probably so that competitors can’t damage other shops by leaving negative reviews, in effect doing so anonymously.

2. Buyers can leave reviews when an item should have been delivered. They get reminders from Etsy and the reminders don’t go away until a review is left.

3. Only reviews from the last 12 months count towards the score.  Older reviews effectively ‘drop off’ so can affect the average.

It’s a good idea to buy something from an Etsy seller to experience the site from a buyer’s point of view.

[DOKOcreations]

As @MinnieMaudsAttic mentioned, the average score is based on reviews from the last 12 months. If you sort your reviews by most recent, you’ll see that since July 1 of last year, you only had 5 reviews. Unfortunately one of those was 3 stars, so it pulled down your average (even though the customer sounded entirely happy. I know, that sucks!). Your average will start going up again as you get more 5 star reviews, and in any case that 3 star review will drop out of your average next February.

[NancyQstudio]

Etsy introduced guest buying for customers who don't have an Etsy account.  This has been very helpful.  But, these customers can't leave a review unless they open an account.  On the positive side we are now able to get these orders which are a benefit.  

Review windows can be left on the first day an order is expected to be delivered.  The buyer has 100 days to leave a review.  

The star system is a very basic one which doesn't alway work for every seller.  Reviews are based on a 12 month occurrence.  

[TandemElementsShop]

2. Why is the waiting time for a buyer to leave a review so long? The season for the item may be long gone! It has for me.

This timeline is driven by your processing time and shipping transit time. If you want the review window to open sooner, you can update your processing time and shipping transit time to be sooner 

[mommawhazelsquilts]

I was going to reply but instead I have a question - Are you actually making these items (lace shoes in about a couple dozen sizes?) or are you designing them and having them made?

I didn't see any sign of a Production Partner and I suspect there should be one (or two or three) or more listed.  I'm kind of leary of the "handmade in the UK" - I would rather see "handmade in the UK by Me" - meaning the seller.

As far as Guest Buyers go, this is something that we asked for for year before we got it.  Nobody really likes giving reviews - if they can get around that more power to them.  About 2 out of 10 of my sales are from Guests - I love it!

As for the time involved - that's up to you and the rating is well explained by others.

Well, it looks like I replied after all....lol

[MinnieMaudsAttic]

@mommawhazelsquilts   You make a fair point about what is handmade according to Etsy’s rules.  

I thought it was Etsy-legal for sellers to embellish mass-produced items thereby making them ‘handmade’ according to the rules.  The embellishments themselves don’t need to be handmade.  I don’t know if that is what is happening in this case.

[JustMeToo]

@MinnieMaudsAttic   I agree.  I think she is embellishing shoes that she purchased.  Does the shoe supplier have to be listed?  I don't know.