Should I remove my negative review?

[LisaR]

*Placed Etsy order on November 25th.
*Site stated that all items would be shipped on December 12th.
*I checked on December 15th and it now said all items will be shipped by December 20th.
*20th came and went.
*Emailed seller.....didn't respond.
*Emailed seller again and told her I wanted a refund.....nothing.
*Left a negative review. I don't think it is harsh. I said I paid for the item, it hasn't even shipped and the seller won't reply. I noted in the review that maybe if I left this review she would actually respond.
*Finally heard from her yesterday. She was on vacation and didn't check her messages.
*First response said the items would be in in two weeks and she would ship it out.
*Another response came ten minutes later when she saw my second email. She said she would give me a refund if I wanted, but the items should be in in a week and she'd ship.
*Ten minutes earlier it was going to be another two weeks and now it's a week??
*Told her I'd pass and I'll just take the refund.
*She said she'd issue the refund, but her business depends on positive reviews so since she settled this amicably, I should remove my review, blah, blah, blah.
*I'm still out a Christmas present that I planned on giving to my son. I don't really view that as amicable. I think she is a pretty, at minimum, lazy business owner. I told her I would be willing to add to my review and say that she finally contacted me on January 3rd and has issued me a refund.
*She has asked again that I remove it completely.

Before this she only had one negative review and that was regarding the length of shipping time. It was the last person to leave a review on her site right before mine. She seemed to be doing great up until that point. Had she said it was a family emergency or something, I'd be more sympathetic, but an extended vacation doesn't really garner my sympathy. At minimum she should have noted on her site that she would be away and not able to respond.

Should I be nice and remove the negative review?

 

[BelleBee]

*Placed Etsy order on November 25th.
*Site stated that all items would be shipped on December 12th.
*I checked on December 15th and it now said all items will be shipped by December 20th.
*20th came and went.
*Emailed seller.....didn't respond.
*Emailed seller again and told her I wanted a refund.....nothing.
*Left a negative review. I don't think it is harsh. I said I paid for the item, it hasn't even shipped and the seller won't reply. I noted in the review that maybe if I left this review she would actually respond.
*Finally heard from her yesterday. She was on vacation and didn't check her messages.
*First response said the items would be in in two weeks and she would ship it out.
*Another response came ten minutes later when she saw my second email. She said she would give me a refund if I wanted, but the items should be in in a week and she'd ship.
*Ten minutes earlier it was going to be another two weeks and now it's a week??
*Told her I'd pass and I'll just take the refund.
*She said she'd issue the refund, but her business depends on positive reviews so since she settled this amicably, I should remove my review, blah, blah, blah.
*I'm still out a Christmas present that I planned on giving to my son. I don't really view that as amicable. I think she is a pretty, at minimum, lazy business owner. I told her I would be willing to add to my review and say that she finally contacted me on January 3rd and has issued me a refund.
*She has asked again that I remove it completely.

Before this she only had one negative review and that was regarding the length of shipping time. It was the last person to leave a review on her site right before mine. She seemed to be doing great up until that point. Had she said it was a family emergency or something, I'd be more sympathetic, but an extended vacation doesn't really garner my sympathy. At minimum she should have noted on her site that she would be away and not able to respond.

Should I be nice and remove the negative review?

No. Everything you said was true, correct? I'd add to the review she contacted you on January 3rd and issued a refund and leave the rest.

 

[usnuzuloose]

I use ebay. I usually just skip not giving them a review. The way I see it I don't like leaving bad marks for someone, unless it is really bad. So for me when it came to shipping I usually let it go. But that is me.

 

[cluvsdisney]

Since it's all true, I would leave it and update it like BelleBee suggested...but after you receive the refund. If she was so concerned about getting a positive review, she should have made sure you had a positive experience buying one of her products.

 

[wilkeliza]

Since it is true I would leave what you originally wrote and update after you receive your refund. If she doesn't want negative reviews on her etsy she should follow through with what is posted on her site.

 

[srferson]

Nope. Reviews exist for a reason. If she doesn't want more bad reviews, she'll get back on track. If she doesn't get back on track, then you may be saving future buyers from a headache.

By all means, update it, but I don't think it should be removed. And I don't think it was particularly professional of her to flake and then outright request you remove an entirely true review.

 

[LisaR]

Thanks! Part of me feels bad because I know having your own business is hard, but you can't just go on vacation with open orders, not check your email, not ship things when you said you would, still not have the product ready to ship, and expect people to be happy.

 

[SMD]

No, I would not remove the review. She was coming close to 45 days which could be a dispute deadline for some methods of payment. But if it's possible I would update it that you heard from the seller as of whatever date and she issued a refund. She can contact etsy about having the review removed. Did she even put her shop on vacation if she was on vacation?

 

[teller80]

I'm thinking this is why she only has one negative review - she's asked others to take them down. I'd leave it.

 

[LisaR]

No, I would not remove the review. She was coming close to 45 days which could be a dispute deadline for some methods of payment. But if it's possible I would update it that you heard from the seller as of whatever date and she issued a refund. She can contact etsy about having the review removed. Did she even put her shop on vacation if she was on vacation?

No, and that's what I told her in the private email. You had an obligation to your customers. You either let them know you're going to be on an extended vacation and can't reply or you check messages while away.

 

[Meriweather]

Leave it...others need to know what they might be getting into

 

[Allons-y!]

Not only would I not remove it, I would strongly consider mentioning her shady request in my update.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

No, I would not remove it. It sounds like it is very deserved. I'm thankful when people write honest reviews.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

Double post

 

[phorsenuf]

As an Etsy seller myself, I would leave the review. If you want to add to it that it was finally settled, then you could do that.

 

[NewRVLady]

Leave it

I sell on Esty too-I also buy there-I WANT to know things like this

_________
This weekend all Hell broke loose on the Forums because of a mad buyer-lthe Etsy shop was actually deleted BY Etsy because of many unshipped items
A link was given to their Facebook-lots and lots of unhappy customers who never got their Christmas presents-the sellers had 600 orders -yep that many - and could not get them out
know what it was?

Yeti Cups with custom decals that they sold for $90 !! ( the cup costs $40 retail)

 

[anniemae]

I would leave it, but add in the outcome and that you have settled things with the seller. You told the facts, which is the truth. If you take it down, it defeats the purpose of a review. I get that everyone wants positive reviews, but you must always deliver excellent service, and you can't pick and chose what reviews stay.

She could have checked her email on vacation and very least sent you a message telling you she will handle it when she returns. Many people who run their own businesses check email on vacation.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

Remove the bad review until your refund clears, then post it again, or even a worse one.

 

[Dancind]

The way I'm reading this, the seller is holding the refund hostage until she promises to revise, or even revises. If that's the case, file a dispute, Quick!

 

[chloelovesdisney]

At the very least before her vacation started she should have emailed all customers with unfilled orders she wasn't going to meet the expected shipping date. I'd leave the negative review.