How Do I Get More Reviews On Etsy? 5-Star Success Guide
Getting reviews for your Etsy shop, especially when you’re a new seller, is something that is not emphasized enough on the platform.
Etsy reviews can honestly have such a big influence on a buyer’s opinion to purchase from your shop or your competitors based on reviews.
One factor that can really boost your Etsy shop is the quality of reviews you receive. I wouldn’t focus too much on the quantity, but if you get even a small amount of quality reviews, that will make you stand out in a sea of Etsy sellers.
So you might be wondering, How do I get more 5-star reviews on Etsy?
This guide will teach you exactly how to get those 5-star reviews on Etsy and boost your Etsy seller success and ratings! I’ll also teach you how to deal with negative reviews and optimize your Etsy shop for positive reviews.
So let’s jump into it!
Why are Etsy reviews so important?
Even Forbes mentions how reviews are crucial for businesses. Reviews on Etsy serve as a testament to what you’re selling on its platform.
The first reason why Etsy reviews are so important is because it helps build trust with your buyers. The first thing they notice when they’re browsing through Etsy’s search results is your reviews.
Take a look!
The number next to the star ratings is the number of reviews an Etsy shop has.
I hate to be so blunt, but if a buyer was looking at a product that only has 1 Etsy review compared to another similar product and the Etsy shop has 20 reviews, who do you think they will choose? Probably the latter, right?
That’s why you need to stand out and one way to do that is by getting those reviews – but we need to also consider Etsy’s review guidelines.
What you need to know about Etsy’s review guidelines
It’s important to pay attention to what Etsy says about what’s okay and not in terms of transactions and reviews between friends and family. Here’s a screenshot of what is okay:
So long story short, it is okay to ask your family and friends for reviews! Just make sure you’re abiding by Etsy’s guidelines.
Strategies for More Etsy Reviews
have high-quality products
If you don’t have high-quality products that people actually will consider buying, then what are the chances that they will leave a review?
You really want to make sure that you’re creating products that make people want to “add to their cart.”
Struggling to find products that actually sell? Sign up to get my free 37 Etsy digital products e-book to see what actually sells!
Exceptional Customer Service
If an Etsy buyer messages you about a question regarding your product or needs help with their purchase, you want to make sure you’re replying in a timely, professional manner!
Trust me, I’ve been so guilty of this, haha. It’s hard sometimes when you’re managing so many other things, but customer service can seriously go a long way.
I’ve found that when I reply as soon as possible to someone who has not yet purchased my product, they actually buy it right after. All because I chose to answer their questions quickly. They also leave a review that mentions something like this, I asked the seller a question and she was quick to reply back to me. Great customer service!”
So do not underestimate the power of customer service! It really goes a long way.
have clear Product Descriptions
Is your description of your product clear and accurate? When a customer is looking to buy something, they often look at these features:
- The measurements/size of the product
- Product features
- Benefits of the product
- Shipping information
- Digital or physical product
- What’s included
be transparent on Processing times for shipping
I know it can be so tempting to change the amount of days it takes for items to get shipped on your Etsy shop. But the more transparent you are about your processing and shipping times, the more likely a customer will leave a 5-star review.
If you mention that your shipping time is around 3-5 days, and they end up getting it 7-9 days later, then they might feel a lack of trust or communication on your end.
Just be honest with your shipping times!
How To Request For 5 Star Reviews On Etsy
So Etsy does give customers the opportunity to review your products. Once they are done buying a product from you, they’ll have a notification that shows in “Purchases” that shows them if they want to review. Etsy will also send an automated email to your customers.
ask your family and friends
When you’re just starting off, I’d recommend asking your family and friends to support your shop. That’s honestly how I was able to get my foot off and start growing my Etsy shop.
Chances are they will be the most supportive people in your Etsy journey. I know it might feel weird to ask, so here’s a template you can use:
Hey (name)! I recently just started an Etsy shop selling ____________. This has been something I've been thinking of doing for so long and finally got the courage to do it. I really want to get my shop off the ground and would really appreciate it if you could support my shop by purchasing an item!
That’s how I reached out to my family and friends in the past, haha. I think 90% of them said “yes! I’d love to!” and the 10% said “yes” and didn’t. Haha, but that’s totally okay!
Also, I have to say you want to evoke some sort of emotion in your text. Hence, why I mentioned “I’ve been thinking of doing this for a long time,” which is true for me. You want them to know how much it would mean for them to buy something from you!
I’d rather ask and take every “yes” opportunity than never have asked in the first place.
So once they purchase a product from you, here is a template I would send to ask for reviews:
Ah, thank you so much for your purchase, (Name)! I appreciate you supporting my Etsy shop. If you could take 1 minute to just review my product, that would help my shop out so much. Reviews help me grow my Etsy shop since buyers will be able to see them! Again, thank you!
There you have it! My personal blueprint to asking for Etsy reviews from my friends and family.
With personal connections, you have a lot more flexibility with how you ask, but with Etsy buyers who you don’t know, there’s a different approach you should take.
manually send a message to etsy customers
When you’re requesting an Etsy customer to give a star rating and review, you want to ask in a professional, yet personable manner.
You don’t want to sound pushy or robotic. If they haven’t reviewed your product, give it a 2-3 days, and then you can manually send them a message.
Here’s a template you can use:
Hi (Name)! Thank you so much for purchasing from my shop! It means so, so much to me. If you are satisfied with your purchase, could I actually take 2 minutes of your time to ask you to review it? It would mean the world to me and would help my shop so much! Pleas let me know if you have any questions, though. I'd be more than happy to help! Here's how you can leave a review: 1. Head to https://www.etsy.com/your/purchases‍ 2. Go to the item you purchased 3. Rate and leave a review Thank you again! Much love, (Your Name)
Request in a personalized greeting
It’s nice because Etsy allows you to send a personalized confirmation email to your buyers.
If you go to “Settings” and select “Info and Appearance,” you’ll see that you can customize a “Message to Buyers” and “Message to Buyers for Digital Items.”
I would recommend making it very subtle, though. Often times, I feel like buyers don’t really look at those customized messages, at least from my personal experience.
It’d be better to establish quality customer service by emphasizing how you will help them with any questions/concerns they have, and put it in your confirmation email.
request in order inserts
If you sell physical products, you can easily slip an order insert with the product! Chances are they are more likely to leave a review if you remind them to do so.
How Do I Handle Negative Reviews On Etsy
As you start to grow your Etsy shop, chances are you might run into unsatisfied customers who might drop a 1-2 star review. I know it’s not the best feeling in the world to see that on your shop, especially after putting in so much hard work.
But it’s not the end of the world if that happens. Here’s what you can do!
acknowledge concerns in a calm manner
If someone drops a negative review on your shop, address it right away by responding to the review.
You want to handle negative reviews like a pro by acknowledging and addressing it, instead of avoiding it. because avoiding a response to negative reviews can really hurt your shop.
Sometimes, negative reviews come from a lack of understanding from the customers’ side. For example, they didn’t realize it was a digital download even though you mentioned it in your description and title.
Or maybe they didn’t see what was included in the product before purchasing even though you made it clear.
However, I’d respond publicly to the negative review, and then personally message the customer about their experience and the review.
Trust me, it might be tempting to try to win over the argument or rebuke their negative review. But your goal as an Etsy seller is to handle negative reviews with professionalism.
Here is a template you can use to message the customer:
I'm sorry about the product not meeting your expectations. I understand the impact a negative experience can have with a product, and I want to assure you that I am committed to improving the issues you've highlighted. I appreciate your honesty.
If it’s a physical product and you are able to give a full refund, here is a template:
I'm sorry that this product gave you a less than satisfactory experience from my Etsy shop. Your satisfaction is my top priority. I'd be happy to give you a full refund or resend a new item.
How you choose to navigate a negative review depends on how expensive it’d be to resend a new item in exchange for a positive review. If you can give a full refund, then I would consider that option.
If you do resend a new offer, then follow up with the customer. Just say thank you for their time and you hope they enjoy their new offer.
After several days, you can ask for an updated revision of their review:
Hi [Name], I understand that your initial experience fell short of expectations, and I want to make things right. If you have a moment, I would be incredibly grateful if you could consider updating your review to reflect any positive changes you may have noticed. Your feedback really does mean a lot!
Real-life Etsy Review Example
So I thought I’d share a real-life example of how I would increase positive Etsy reviews for my shop.
Hopefully this can give you a better sense of how to get more Etsy feedback and enhance your Etsy reviews!
One of my Etsy customers needed help with an item she purchased, which I got back to her right away. This is what I said:
You can see I followed up with a subtle request for an Etsy review. I did it right away because I knew that if I waited another day, she probably wouldn’t reply.
She gave me a 5-star review and little did she know that she helped my business continue to grow! 🙂
Yes, if you have time to do so! When you take 5 minutes out of your day to show appreciation for a positive 5-star review or address a negative review, potential Etsy customers can see that you are responsive to your customers.
Final thoughts about Etsy reviews
Don’t be afraid to utilize your personal connections to get your Etsy shop running!
Address negative reviews in a professional manner, and never try to place the blame on the customer, haha. That’s not a good business tactic.
Trust me, as your shop starts to grow, you will hit a point where you’ll notice an automatic increase in Etsy reviews.
I think I would manually message people until I hit 100 Etsy reviews on my shop. From there, my reviews would just automatically start to come on their own.
When you gain more positive Etsy reviews, more people will start to trust your brand and products; thus, this will encourage more Etsy reviews from potential customers.
So I would say prioritize building trust with your customers through the quality of your Etsy products and descriptions. Then when you get a sale, manually message them after a few days for an Etsy review.
You got this!
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