Yes, you can reply to Etsy reviews with a public response, and you have 100 days from the buyer’s last edit to post one reply per review.
Reviews shape trust on a marketplace. Shoppers scan stars, read a line or two, and decide fast. A smart reply can calm nerves, clear confusion, and keep a sale on track. This guide shows what you can say, where it appears, and how to write replies that help sales without sounding defensive.
Review Actions At A Glance
The table below gives you a quick map of common situations and your best move. Keep replies short and aimed at the next shopper who will read the thread.
| Scenario | What You Can Do | Where It Shows |
|---|---|---|
| Glowing praise | Thank the buyer and add one helpful detail | Listing reviews and Shop reviews |
| Mixed note with a fixable snag | Message first; post a brief public reply only if needed | Listing reviews and Shop reviews |
| Low stars that break policy | Report the post; reply only if it stays up | Listing reviews and Shop reviews |
| Buyer updates their comment | Edit your reply during the 100-day window | Listing reviews and Shop reviews |
| Photo or video attached | Keep your line tight and product-specific | Listing reviews and Shop reviews |
Replying To Etsy Feedback On Your Shop — What’s Allowed
Etsy lets a shop owner post one public response under a buyer’s comment. That line is visible to anyone who views the product page or the Shop reviews page. You can write the response during the review period, which runs for 100 days after delivery or the expected delivery date when tracking is missing. Replies don’t send a notification, so use Messages for back-and-forth.
When A Reply Locks A Review
There’s a key rule that many sellers miss: once you post a public response, the buyer can’t edit that review during the window. Many shop owners reply only after a private fix or if the buyer stops responding. You can still edit your own line while the window remains open, but the star rating and buyer text will no longer change once your response appears.
Where Your Words Appear
Your public response sits directly under the original comment on the listing and on your Shop reviews page. It becomes part of the story a new shopper reads while deciding to buy. Write for that next person. Keep the tone warm, neutral, and steady. Avoid jargon. Skip long explanations that bury the point.
When To Reply Publicly Versus Privately
Use Messages first when you can solve a problem with a resend, refund, or tip on use. A public line helps only when it clears up a misunderstanding or shows future buyers that you tried to fix an issue. Thank-you notes on five-star posts are fine, yet don’t flood your feed with long replies. A tight line reads better than a scroll of text.
How To Write A Calm, Useful Response
Start with thanks when the tone allows. State one fact that clarifies the issue. Share the fix you already offered, or invite the buyer to message you so you can sort it. Skip blame. Keep product details specific and helpful.
Helpful One-Liners You Can Adapt
- “Thanks for the kind words about the finish.”
- “I’ve sent a message so we can swap the size.”
- “Shipping ran late due to a carrier delay; a replacement label is in motion.”
- “Care tip: hand-wash and dry flat; the card in the box lists the same steps.”
Policy-Safe Boundaries For Public Replies
Keep private data out of replies. Don’t post order numbers, addresses, emails, or photos that reveal identity. Don’t link to outside stores. Avoid promises you can’t meet. If a review crosses the line with personal info, hate speech, threats, or off-site issues, report it. If the post remains after review, keep your line brief and factual.
How Reviews Tie Into Shop Health
Ratings feed your average score. That average sits next to your name and weighs on buyer trust. Alongside ratings, your message response rate and shipping record live in the same dashboard. Clear replies help in two ways: they ease buyer doubts and they cut follow-up messages. If you want to dig deeper, read Etsy’s Star Seller badge criteria and the full review system explainer.
Simple Workflow For Each New Comment
- Read the text twice and separate feelings from facts.
- If a fix exists, send a Message first and work the plan.
- Draft a one-to-two sentence public line for later.
- If the buyer confirms the fix, you can ask for an update.
- If the chat goes quiet, post your reply before the window closes.
Timing Rules That Trip People Up
The reply window resets when the buyer edits their review. The clock starts from the last edit date. You get one public response per review, so choose your moment. If you want to give the buyer room to edit up after a fix, wait to post. If you post right away, the buyer loses the ability to adjust their rating during the window.
What Buyers See And Don’t See
Shoppers see your public response on the product page and the shop page. Buyers aren’t pinged when you reply, so a silent review won’t restart a chat. If you’d like to nudge a reply, a friendly coupon or a quick check-in through Messages works better than a public thank-you.
How Reply Tone Shapes Perception
New shoppers judge tone fast. Short, neutral, and warm reads as confident. Long replies can look defensive. Admit clear misses in plain terms and give the fix. Avoid sarcasm. Close with a path to a result, such as a resend, refund, or a tip that prevents the same issue next time.
Real-World Scenarios And Best Moves
Late Shipping Due To Carrier Snags
Thank the buyer for patience, state the scan date, and note the resend or refund path. Keep your line short on the review page and do the rest in Messages. A screenshot in the chat can help, while a wall of text under the review won’t.
Color Variance On Handmade Items
Explain small batch variance in one sentence and offer a swap. A single photo in Messages beats a paragraph. Your public line should show you care and that a solution is in motion.
Fit Issues On Apparel Or Wearables
Point to the size guide shown on the listing. Offer exchange steps in Messages. In public, one sentence that mentions the exchange keeps the thread tidy and reassures the next buyer.
Digital Download Confusion
Share where to find files and offer a direct send through Messages. In public, one line that notes you’ve sent the files keeps the thread clean. For clarity on how buyers leave or edit comments and how the edit window works, see Etsy’s page on how to leave a review.
Second Table: Response Playbook
Use these short templates as a starting point. Swap in your product terms and keep each line to one or two sentences at most.
| Situation | Goal | Sample Line |
|---|---|---|
| Praise with photo | Reinforce product strength | “That photo made my day; your frame choice suits the print.” |
| Wrong size received | Show the fix in motion | “Replacement in the right size is on the way; thanks for the heads-up.” |
| Broken on arrival | Own the problem and resolve | “I’m sorry it arrived damaged; I’ve shipped a free replacement today.” |
| Color doesn’t match | Set context and offer swap | “Hand-dyed tones can vary a touch; I can swap to the deeper teal if you prefer.” |
| Item not as expected | Clarify feature and offer option | “This finish is matte, not glossy; I can exchange for the glossy version.” |
Etiquette For Thank-You Notes
A quick thank-you on glowing posts is fine. Keep it short. Mention one detail from the buyer’s note so it feels personal. Rotate your wording so your replies don’t read like a script across your review page.
When Not To Post A Public Line
Skip a public response when a private chat is moving toward a fix. Skip it when the comment is pure venting without clear facts; post later only if silence follows. Skip it when your words would repeat listing text that’s already clear. A new photo or a short line in the description works better than a debate under the review.
How To Keep Future Ratings High
Set ship-by dates with a small buffer for delays. Send a brief post-purchase note with care tips. Add a size or color guide image to listings. Use tracked shipping where it makes sense. These small moves lower confusion and keep stars up.
The Link Between Replies, Ratings, And Sales
Shops with steady ratings and fast replies look dependable. That pattern leads to more clicks, fewer carts abandoned, and fewer cases. A tidy review page with clear, human replies supports that loop and takes some strain off Messages because new buyers see how you solve problems.
House Rules That Affect What You Can Say
The platform sets standards for ratings and replies. Personal data, threats, and off-site issues don’t belong in reviews. Report those posts. Ratings and review content weigh on shop health, so keep your side clean, brief, and factual. If you want step-by-step guidance on posting a public response or the timing window for that action, see Etsy’s page on how to respond publicly.
Checklist Before You Click “Post”
- Is the line one or two sentences?
- Does it thank, clarify, or solve?
- Would a new shopper read it as fair and steady?
- Did you avoid any private details?
- Is the next step clear?
Closing Notes For Shop Owners
Reply when it helps the next shopper understand your product and your service. Keep it tight, keep it kind, and handle the real fix in Messages. That balance keeps your review feed clean and your shop signal strong.