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Should I respond to a 5-star Etsy review that mentions a disclosed flaw?
Anonymous • in 3 hours • 1 answer
I sell vintage collectibles on Etsy, and I recently shipped a pair of WWII-era flashlights. One of them had a noticeable chip in the lens and a dent on the lens holder, which I clearly described in the condition section and showed in close-up photos.
The buyer left a 5-star review but mentioned the chip as a negative detail. Should I publicly reply to the review to clarify that the damage was disclosed, or is it better to leave a 5-star review alone?
Answers
Hi! I’d usually leave a 5‑star Etsy review alone—even if they mention a disclosed flaw—because replying can unintentionally draw extra attention to the “negative” part and Etsy already shows your listing photos/description for context.
If you do want to reply (it can make sense for vintage/used items where condition notes matter), keep it short, friendly, and non-defensive—more like “thanks + helpful context” than “correction.” For example: “Thanks so much! I’m glad you’re happy with them—yes, the small lens chip was noted in the listing photos/condition details due to age.”
A couple quick rules of thumb:
- Don’t reply if: the review is 5 stars, the wording isn’t harsh, and you don’t need to “fix” anything—most shoppers will just see the stars and move on.
- Consider replying if: you’re seeing repeated comments like this across reviews and you want future buyers to understand you’re transparent about vintage condition.
Either way, you did the right thing by documenting the chip and dent clearly in the listing—good photos + a clear condition description is the best protection for vintage collectibles.
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