Got a bad review? What to do, and what not to do

First, wait an hour

A bad review about something you made with your own hands hurts. That is exactly why the first reply you think of is usually the wrong one. Put the phone down, finish what you were doing, and come back to it.

Remember who your reply is really for: not only the unhappy customer, but every future buyer who reads both the review and your answer.

Is it fair?

Read it twice and decide which kind it is:

• A fair complaint. The cake was late, the colour was different, the stitching came open. Something did go wrong.
• A misunderstanding. The customer expected something you never promised, like same-day delivery.
• Fake or abusive. Someone who never ordered, a competitor, or a review full of insults.

The first two get a reply. The third gets reported.

How to reply

Keep it short and follow four steps: thank them, own it, say what you'll do, and offer to talk privately.

In Roman Urdu:

Change "chahta" and "karta" to "chahti" and "karti" if you are a woman. For a misunderstanding, explain the facts politely, once, without blaming:

What not to do

• Don't argue in public. Even if you are right, a long back-and-forth makes you look worse than the review.
• Don't share the customer's details, like their number, address or private messages. It breaks their trust and can break the rules.
• Don't ask them to delete it in return for a refund. Buyers who hear about it stop trusting all your reviews.
• Don't drown it in fake five-star reviews. One fake review found out costs far more than one honest bad one.
• Don't threaten anyone. Not with complaints, not with exposing them.

When to report a review instead

On Reviewdou, a seller can report a review that is fake, abusive, about the wrong business, or shares personal information. Our team checks every report. The review stays up while we look, so reporting can't be used to hide honest criticism. You can't edit or delete reviews yourself, and that is exactly why buyers trust them. How we check reviews explains the rules.

Use it to get better

If the same complaint comes up twice, it isn't bad luck. Fix the cause: confirm delivery times in writing, send a photo before dispatch, or say no to orders you can't finish on time.

A few bad reviews make the good ones believable

A page with nothing but perfect ratings makes careful buyers suspicious. A few honest complaints with calm, helpful replies show that the reviews are real and that you look after your customers. Keep asking every customer for a review, the happy ones and the unhappy ones. Our WhatsApp guide shows how.