Posted by Sometimes this vintage biz just gets you down. Okay, sales are crickets right now which is to be expected. But I’m dealing with it and honestly it’s not affecting my psyche too much. I’m making good use of the time reorganizing stuff and rethinking items (more on that in another post).
What I didn’t expect was a one-star review for a lot of 100 antique/vintage snapshots because she thought these were all faked copies. It left me speechless. These are all original from different eras. Different lots. Different sizes and papers. Some with writing. Some with paper and glue on the back.
Yes, I am speechless. And angry. She’s calling me a fraud over vintage photos that are obviously… vintage photos. Does anyone fake glue and bits of paper on the back? Write dates and names? Make tiny creases. Deckle edges. None of it makes sense. I’ve been collecting and selling vintage photos for over 15 years and these are the real deal.
Here are just a few from the lot…
But there it is. Her review could demolish my Etsy “star seller status” for the next month or two. It could tarnish my reputation and affect my sales. And that’s how it is. Buyers can trash talk you and your items in reviews with complete impunity and ignorance.
Some days I just want to throw in the towel. This is one of them.
Still 99% of my 1123 reviews are five stars with thoughtful sometimes sweet messages. So there’s that!
I did respond to her review, politely and professionally (though I really wanted to tell her how ridiculous and ludicrous her idea was!) and now I’m done with it.
Time to move on and focus on listing again.
Karen
Hunting for Vintage 
How much did she pay for the photos?
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$34 plus shipping
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Jesus. People are so dang petty!!
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It wouldn’t have been worth your time to fake them! I’m not sure you can fake some things. Like overexposures and age changing the color.
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Exactly!!!
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I’ve found that people who give one-star reviews tend to give one-star reviews all the time.
They can’t give five or four stars. It’s as if it’s not in their DNA.
It’s laughable … because it’s so frustrating.
You responded perfectly. ♥
One-star reviews break my heart, to be honest. We sellers try so hard. And these responses negate our hard work.
We know these are real! You’re the expert. NOT her.
-H
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Thanks Heather! We do try so hard. I am just weary of buyers like this.
Hope all is going well in your store!
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I’m really sorry Karen, this is awful and unfair.
Just the thought of faking 100 pics, pay for the photo paper, write & age them, etc… is ridiculous.
Is there any way to appeal the review through Etsy? I think there is one on ebay
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Hi Gabriella. Yes, the whole notion is totally ridiculous!! I did submit an appeal to Etsy, but it was turned down as it didn’t fit their criteria…sigh!
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what? i can’t believe they turned it down. based on what? How could they conclude that the photos were fake??
Tbh I stopped listing on etsy, for me it turned to be more hassle than gain (of course that’s different for your shop). I don’t like the way they became. I’m not even shopping there much anymore. I’m really sorry for what they’re doing in you case
Hugs x
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If the buyer didn’t feel they were authentic, why didn’t she return them? That would have been better than giving one star.
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Fonda, that would have been a better option for me! But I know some folks don’t want the bother of returning things.
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Thanks Gabriella. Etsy wouldn’t remove the review because it didn’t violate any of their rules (like obscenity) and the buyer was entitled to her opinion.
Sorry to hear you’re no longer active on Etsy, but I can understand it!
How’s your Italian renovation biz going?
Hugs, Karen
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Sorry that you had that experience….It happens!
I had 100% positive feedback on eBay, then I had a buyer, who left me a NEUTRAL feedback on eBay, with the lame comment, “Average”.
All of the feedback that she had left for buyers were Neutral, stating “Average”….Her feedback was obviously set to auto, however eBay would not remove the neutral, that she left for me!
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Hi Liz. What disturbed me with this particular review was her accusation that these photos “seemed” to be fakes and not genuine. Which was so ludicrous that I found it mind boggling.
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