Managing my own Etsy shop has taught me a lot about customer service. If you sell online for long enough, you’re going to encounter a dissatisfied customer or two. Etsy allows buyers to leave negative ratings if they are unhappy with a purchase, which can come as a surprise to a seller. What should you do if this happens to your shop? Here are a few tips to help you deal with this unfortunate situation:
Take a Breath
Don’t respond back if you’re feeling really upset- wait a little while until you can write the customer with a calm, clear head. Offer a solution to their problem depending on the complaint- this can vary from a replacement item to a refund. Etsy allows the buyer to change their feedback within a reasonable amount of time if you reach out and make things right, so it’s crucial to be polite. Sellers do also have the ability to respond publicly below the negative feedback, though once you do this the buyer cannot change their rating for your product (it becomes locked-in).
Remain Professional
Never get into a petty fight or throw insults at a customer- it will always look unprofessional on your end and could make the situation worse. Keep in mind that some buyers will not communicate back to you even if you try to correct the transaction, so you may just have to live with the negative rating. In those situations, it is okay to leave a public feedback response, just be polite and succinct in your reply.
Turn it Into a Lesson
Most importantly, try to learn from the experience and ask yourself how you can use it to improve as a seller. If the unhappy buyer has a legitimate concern (like a quality control issue), take steps to make sure it never happens again. Assessing what went wrong is crucial, even if you just come to the conclusion that you can’t please everyone.
How have you used negative feedback to grow as an Etsy seller?
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