Etsy Reviews - Buyers reviewing postage!!

[Iknowimnotbut]

I own a small home decor business (think candles, diffusers, room sprays, soaps, wax melts). I predominantly sell at Christmas markets. I do well, although 10 months of the year I’m so quiet it’s barely a business!

I branched onto online (Etsy, Ebay, Folksy) late last year. Sales are good - not anywhere near as profitable as in person because of various ‘seller fees’ (not tax, I pay that separately) and of course postage. Arguably, it’s not really worth the money and I mostly branched online to give me something to do on my downtime as I love making the items.

But, I am finding customers to be so ridiculous. My (own) website is just 5star reviews, lots of very happy customers - mostly directed from my Christmas market sales. In person? Similar (as far as reviews can be for in person sales)! EBay?! Excellent - 60, 5star reviews in two months and over 100 sales in that time (on only two of my items are actually even on eBay, so I’m very pleased). Folksy far less sales as it’s less mainstream but still lots of happy customers.

Etsy?! Multiple 1star reviews - and too many 1 reviews drags your shop down and Etsy will close it, it also obviously puts off customers and so is harming my sales - all of which are about fucking postage!! All really pleased with the item but they leave a 1* review along the lines of ‘amazing item, lovely scent, really long postage delays’ or ‘best candle I’ve ever bought, but awful postage delays.’

People don’t see that the low rating I have is because buyers are complaining about postage UNTIL they click on my store or item. And they’re not clicking on my store because of the lower reviews… I offer free 48 Royal Mail tracked - so if items don’t arrive in time, I proactively reach out to buyers to discuss next steps. The delays have all been due to Christmas and Royal Mail ‘losing’ items (typical). It’s just driving me bonkers.

I just don’t understand the logic of leaving a 1star review about the bloody postage. Who does this?!

I ordered something from Etsy as my mum sent me a link for a clock she wanted. I didn't get s single email confirming the order despatch nothing. I complained to the seller, who did nothing to help. Then the item arrived only just in time for Christmas. There communication is terrible. Turned out their emails were detected as spam and in my quarantine box, which in about twenty years of having email had never happened. They need to put less advertising on general emails so people get them in their inbox so at least they know what's going on.

@Doggymummar that is definitely bad customer service not to help. Unfortunately you will get some shoddy sellers who just don't reply or are very unhelpful. I don't understand it at all 🤷🏼‍♀️ I've never not replied to a message, even at 3am!

You need to be refunding or offering good will gestures where there are delays or missing items - do you do that?

as far as i can see there are many many reasons not to use Etsy at all - not least because of how it treats sellers - so if your sales are relatively low anyway, I'd knock it on the head and stick to eBay or use your own website.

I just listened to Rory sutherland talking about this exact thing. If you offer a customer a choice of postage options then they are less likely to blame the issues with postage on you. If you force the choice on them then they view postage experience as part of the service you offer.
Maybe offer a choice ? Where Royal mail is free and other options a chage but either way they actively choose the method

Why is it bad customer service? Their emails went into the poster's spam folder, which isn't the seller's fault.

@HolidayAtNight because she complained to the seller and the seller didn't help. I wasn't talking about the email.

@SparklesandRainbows Ah ok, I interpreted it as emails sent via Etsy (including the seller's responses).

Royal Mail are a terrible carrier, though. This is why I won’t order from John Lewis.

@HolidayAtNight no I absolutely agree with the fact that the confirmation/dispatch email going into the junk folder isn't the sellers fault.

I've had a couple of items recently on etsy where because of royal mail items have been delayed. But when I review the item its on the item not on the postage. I always maje a point of saying not the sellers fault. But still give 5 stars.

Thank you!

FWIW, if there are delays I always reach out as soon as I spot and then offer a discount on the next purchase.

I’ve been on the other side and it’s soo frustrating, but I’d never leave a negative review about postage as it’s not the sellers fault…so thank you for not doing that!

meh - if you have any contact with people via email, (either as a seller or a buyer) you need to regularly check your spam folder.