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Suspension riskSP-4 · Seller Policy

Sellers must not manipulate reviews through incentives, coercion, or retaliation

What this rule means

Reviews have to reflect what buyers really think. Etsy's Seller Policy says reviews and your responses to them may not include shilling or otherwise falsely inflate a shop's review score, and may not undermine the integrity of the Reviews system. Paying for praise, rewarding five stars, or threatening buyers who leave low ratings all fit that.

What Etsy says

Reviews and your response to reviews may not: Include shilling or otherwise falsely inflate a shop's review score; Undermine the integrity of the Reviews system.
Read Etsy's full Seller Policy

Why Etsy has this rule

Reviews are how a buyer decides whether a stranger's shop is safe to buy from. That only works if they are honest. When a seller pays for praise, rewards five stars, or punishes a low rating, the score stops telling buyers anything.

Etsy's policy says reviews and responses to them may not include shilling or falsely inflate a shop's review score, and may not undermine the integrity of the Reviews system. The rule protects buyers and protects sellers who earn their ratings.

Common mistakes

  • Adding a card to the package that offers a refund or gift in return for a five-star review.
  • Messaging a buyer after a low rating to ask them to change it, with a discount or refund as the reward.
  • Threatening to leave negative feedback or open a case if a buyer posts a poor review.
  • Paying a service to post reviews for your shop.
  • Offering a coupon only to buyers who say they will rate you highly.
  • Asking friends who never bought from you to post reviews.
  • Pressuring a buyer repeatedly to take down a review you disagree with.

Examples

  • AllowedYou send every buyer the same note asking for honest feedback.
  • AllowedYou answer a negative review publicly with a calm, helpful reply.
  • AllowedYou offer all buyers a coupon for a future order, whatever their rating.
  • AllowedYou fix the problem a buyer raised and let them decide whether to update their review.
  • Not allowedYour insert card offers a free gift for a five-star rating.
  • Not allowedYou message a buyer and promise a refund if they delete a one-star review.
  • Not allowedYou buy a batch of reviews from an outside service.

How to stay compliant

  1. Remove any message, listing insert card, or shop announcement that offers a discount, gift, or refund in exchange for leaving a review.
  2. You may offer a generic incentive (e.g., a coupon code for a future order) to all buyers without conditioning it on the review sentiment or star rating.
  3. If a buyer leaves a negative review, respond professionally through Etsy's public response feature — do not contact the buyer directly to pressure them to change it.
  4. Never threaten a buyer with negative feedback, case filings, or other retaliation for a poor review.
  5. Stop any use of third-party review-purchase services immediately.

Effort: low · 30-60 minutes

If your suspension email cites this rule

Read the email for what Etsy saw: an offer, a message, a pattern of reviews, or a buyer's report. Then collect everything you have sent to buyers about reviews. Check your packaging inserts, order messages, shop announcements, and listing text. Look for any wording that ties a reward to a rating, or that pushes a buyer to change feedback.

Remove any such wording at once. In your appeal, describe plainly what you did, what you removed, and how you will ask for reviews from now on. A generic request that does not depend on the rating is a safer approach. If you believe Etsy misread your message, quote it in full. Do not contact the buyer about the report. Do not promise a result. Etsy makes the final decision.

Suspended over this rule?

Generate a complete, ready-to-submit Etsy appeal for this exact violation.

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Common questions

Can I offer a discount for leaving a review?

Not for a specific star rating. A reward tied to a rating falsely inflates your score and undermines the Reviews system, which the Seller Policy bars. A generic offer to all buyers that does not depend on their rating is a lower-risk choice.

Can I ask a buyer to change a negative review?

Do not pressure a buyer or offer a reward to change a review. If you fixed the problem, you may tell them, and they can decide on their own.

How should I respond to a bad review?

Use the public response feature. Keep it short, polite, and factual, and avoid blaming the buyer. A calm reply shows other buyers how you handle problems.

Is it okay to buy reviews if they are honest?

No. Buying reviews falsely inflates your score, which the Seller Policy bars, even if the praise sounds true.

Can I tell buyers I would appreciate a five-star review?

It is safer to ask for honest feedback. Asking for a specific rating, especially with a reward, can break the rule.

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