What if your online shop gets a negative review on a blog? What would you DO? Say? React? Template here....

Lets say you are the subject of a critical blog review and you feel VERY upset and want to clear the air and get your facts OUT THERE. Tread very carefully, fellow sellers. Get in and out as cleanly as you can and then DO NOT GO BACK TO READ until at least a week has passed...

Template:

"I am very sorry to read (you didn't like my widget, I posted something not Etsy legal, my packaging you felt was sub-par, my item smelled of Fabreze/smoke/cats/butterscotch). I try to run a good shop but this must have slipped my attention (YES, YOU ROLL - - NO MATTER WHAT, YOU ADMIT SOME CULPABILITY THERE EVEN IF YOU WANT TO KNEECAP THE BLOGGER. IF you have factual refutation, briefly mention it ("the 75 negatives came from one buyer, but I should have been quicker at anticipating it")). {GET OUT}

Thank you for bringing this to my attention and I will strive to be better in the future.

Yourshopname
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And then LEAVE. Do not read more, do not feel the need to reply again, do not let yourself get into a quasi public exchange about 'He said She said' - - you drop and roll and divert a fire from taking out your shop and your rep.

Unfair and ulcer inducing? Yes, but way better to drop and roll than to tuck and cover and have 500 replies on a blog talking about how bad your shop is. DAMAGE CONTROL means minimizing the damage - - and your ego will survive it as soon as it drops OFF that top page so don't breathe new life into it :) Let it die a quick death - - always.

(Came loosely from an email. I help people with Customer Service Situations and Seller Replies To Icky Situations so I get these every once in a while)