Getting positive reviews on your Etsy shop is one of the most effective ways of increasing your customer base. If anything is going to increase your sales conversion rate on Etsy, it’s the opinions of other shoppers. Potential customers are looking for that ‘social proof’ from others to buy from your shop. If they see lots of five-star reviews on your shop, they are far more likely to complete their purchase.
To get more sales on your Etsy shop, you need to get as many glowing reviews as possible. But how do you actually get those reviews?
What is social proofing?
Social proofing is a concept based on the evidence that people will follow the actions of the majority. It’s a popular online marketing concept and it’s one that can help you to grow your Etsy business.
The benefits of positive reviews on Etsy
Reviews affect your Etsy SEO 📈
If you’re new to Etsy, you might not be aware that reviews affect your Etsy SEO. If reviews are positive, your SEO will be improved and you’re more likely to appear higher in search results. If reviews are negative, you are less likely to appear in shoppers’ search results. So the incentive is there for you to chase those four- and five-star reviews with every order.
According to the Etsy Seller Handbook, reviews are one of the key factors that impact your Etsy customer and market experience score. Etsy uses your shop's score as a factor when ranking listings in search placements. If you have zero reviews or a bunch of negative reviews, Etsy won’t recommend your shop or products.
Reviews increase brand recognition ✨
A host of positive reviews on your Etsy shop tells shoppers that your products or services are high quality and up to scratch. Although online shopping is now the norm for many, some shoppers are still hesitant about buying something that they cannot touch before making a purchase. So those customers will look for that social proofing before committing to a purchase. Positive reviews = greater awareness of your brand.
How to get more customer reviews on Etsy
1. Send follow-up messages (without being pushy) 💬
After every order is sent out, make sure to send a follow-up message. It’s a good idea to wait until the item has arrived with the recipient, as customers can (understandably) be a little annoyed if they are being asked to review a product that they don’t yet have in their hands. Reach out to customers directly and tell them you appreciate their order.
A suggested friendly message could be:
“Thank you so much for your order, I really appreciate you supporting my small business. Reviews really help, so once you have [the product], I would really appreciate it if you came back and left a review for my shop!
If there’s anything that I can do for you or if something’s not quite right with your order, please let me know and I’ll be more than happy to help!
Thanks again for your order – it made me very happy :)”
A follow-up message is your chance to resolve any issues before the customer has the chance to leave a negative review. With your follow-ups, do not be pushy or spammy – we think one message is enough, as any more could result in the customer knocking off a star or two from what otherwise might have been a five-star review!
2. Send a thank you note with each order ✉️
A little thank you note can go a long way in getting more positive reviews on Etsy. You can use this note in a few ways:
- To tell them how much you appreciate their purchase
- To promote a sale or offer
- To request a review
3. Offer an incentive 🆓
This is perhaps the #1 most effective way to receive more reviews on Etsy. You are asking customers to take some time out of their day to write a review, so a small ‘reward’ might give them the push to do it. Offer a discount code or throw in a free item with their next purchase.
We like to experiment with customer incentives, for example, some shoppers respond well to being told they will be the first to hear about upcoming products and collections. Find what works best for your target market and you’ll soon see an increase in the number of Etsy reviews your shop receives.
So you’ve implemented the three suggestions above – now what? Keep an eye on the data! If you start sending a follow-up message, how is that impacting the number of reviews you receive? And if you start sending thank you cards, look at how many reviews you were getting before doing it, and then after. The information you can collect from Etsy analytics will be key to taking your shop to the next level.
What have we learnt?
That reviews are HUGELY important to the success of your Etsy shop. Shoppers are looking for validation from your previous customers, so the more reviews you can get on your shop, the better it will be for increasing your conversions and making more sales on Etsy. Let us know how you get on!
And if you’re an Athlete customer, this seems like a good time to remind you that we’d love for you to leave us a review! 😉