Update: I used to ignore 3-star reviews until I got one that made sense

I used to only look at 5-star and 1-star reviews when I was selling handmade soap on Etsy. Figured the 3-star ones were just people who couldn't make up their minds. But then I got a 3-star review about my lavender soap that said the scent faded after a week. I thought it was a fluke at first, but then another buyer emailed me the same thing. So I did some digging and found out I was using cheap fragrance oil that didn't stick. Switched to a better supplier that cost me $8 more per bottle, but now my reviews are way more consistent. Has anyone else found that mid-range feedback actually tells you more than the extremes do?

2 comments

2 Comments

marywells1mo ago

Same thing happened with my candle business last year. A 3-star review said my "ocean breeze" scent smelled like soap instead of the beach. I tested my oils and realized the cheaper ones were evaporating way too fast. Upgrading suppliers hurt at first but those middle reviews stopped showing up.

aaron8451mo ago

Just wondering, @marywells, how long did it take you to notice the cheaper oils were the problem?