How should I respond to a 1-star Etsy review when the buyer won’t message back?

Hi! If the buyer isn’t responding, a good rule is to wait a short, reasonable window (usually about 3–7 days after your first message, or 2–3 days after a polite follow-up) and then leave a calm public response—because once you post a public reply on Etsy, the review is typically “locked” and the buyer can’t edit it anymore, even if they later come back and you make things right.

Keep your public reply short and future-buyer-focused: acknowledge the experience, say you reached out, and invite them to contact you so you can fix it. Don’t argue details, don’t imply they’re lying, and don’t mention that they “won’t message back” (it reads accusatory).

Here are a few copy/paste options you can tweak:

Option A (simple + professional)
“Thanks for your feedback. I’m sorry this didn’t meet expectations. I’ve reached out via Etsy Messages to learn more and I’m happy to offer a replacement, refund, or another solution—please reply to my message so I can help.”

Option B (adds a gentle request for photos without sounding demanding)
“I’m sorry to hear your lamp arrived with an issue. I sent a message so I can make this right (replacement/refund). If you’re able to reply with a quick photo, I can help faster.”

Option C (reassuring to future buyers)
“Thank you for letting me know. I’m sorry you had trouble with this item. I’ve messaged you through Etsy to offer a replacement or refund and would love the chance to resolve it—please reply when you can.”

A few quick tips so it lands well:

• Use “I’m sorry” (not “I’m sorry you feel…”) and keep it to 2–4 sentences.
• Don’t explain your side of the story unless it’s extremely brief and factual (no blame).
• Don’t mention timelines like “delivered a month ago” unless it’s necessary for context (it can sound like you’re building a case).
• After you post the public reply, continue trying to resolve it privately anyway—sometimes buyers come back later, and great customer service still helps your shop long-term.

If you paste the exact review text here (without any private info), I can tailor a response that matches it word-for-word and still sounds calm and confident.