Should I publicly respond to a 4-star Etsy review that mentions price and turnaround time?

Hi! In most cases, I wouldn’t publicly respond to a 4‑star Etsy review like this—4 stars is still positive, and replying can accidentally “spotlight” the one buyer who felt it was pricey or slow. I’d only reply if the review clearly misleads future shoppers (for example, it suggests you missed your stated processing time or implies you were dishonest about pricing).

If you do decide to respond, keep it short, calm, and informative for future buyers (not a back-and-forth with the reviewer). You’re basically leaving a tiny “public FAQ” note: made-to-order + processing window + holiday volume, without sounding like you’re correcting them.

A few quick rules so it doesn’t come off defensive:

• Thank them first, then one neutral clarification, then end.
• Don’t mention “you bought it on sale,” don’t imply they didn’t read, and don’t debate “expensive.”
• Keep it to 1–2 sentences if possible; avoid emotional language and exclamation points.

Here are a couple professional reply templates you can copy/paste and tweak:

Option A (simple + neutral)
“Thanks so much for your order and feedback! All of my items are made to order, and the current processing time is listed on each Etsy listing so shoppers can choose the timeline that works best for them.”

Option B (addresses timing without blaming)
“Thank you for your review—I’m glad you liked your item. Since these are made to order, turnaround can vary by season; my Etsy listing shows the processing time window at checkout so expectations are clear before purchase.”

Option C (lightly addresses price/value without arguing)
“Thanks for sharing your feedback! My pricing reflects the time and materials that go into each made-to-order piece, and the processing time window is listed on the Etsy listing/at checkout for transparency.”

If the review says something objectively false (like “it arrived late” when it shipped within your stated processing time), I’d respond once with a factual line like: “Just a quick note for shoppers: this order shipped within the processing time shown at checkout.” Keep it that clean.

One more thought: often the best “reputation protection” is updating your Etsy listing to prevent repeats—add a quick first-photo text overlay or a short line near the top of the description like “Made to order • Processing time: X–Y business days • Holiday volume may extend to the max of the window.” That reduces future “took longer than expected” reviews without you ever needing to reply.