Feedback on Etsy: Part Two

Did I mention before that feedback makes me happy?  Especially when it is as lovely this!

"The earrings and worry stone I received from Kelley's Bead Studio are exquisite- lovelier than the photos by far.  There is no way to describe the way the light plays with these glass beads.  They are beautiful and it is obvious that Kelley loves what she does- her care and creativity shine through brilliantly." -GMG

These kind words are in regards to a custom pair of earrings and a special worry stone I made especially for a friend.  I had told her previously that I wish I could put cameras in my packages to capture the first reactions upon being opened.  But her words let me know I hit the mark and maybe, just maybe, passed it.  Her words are fulfilling and reassuring in that what I make with my own two hands does affect others. That what I create is appreciated.  Valued. 

It makes me think about the lyrics in a song Jewel Kilcher wrote called Hands:

I will not be made useless

I won't be idled with despair

..............

My hands are small, I know 

Feedback can be so validating.  That how my time is spent is worthwhile and was not wasted.   That my efforts are not useless.

Which brings me to Part Two, after writing Part One last month.  I'm curious about the feedback practices of other Etsy sellers.  Do you leave feedback immediately upon receiving payment?  Or do you wait to see what/if any feedback is left for you from the buyer?

I normally leave feedback after receiving payment to both thank the buyer for their purchase and to provide confirmation of when their item shipped (sorry LE, I realized today I didn't do that on your last two sets.  where was my mind?!).  But sometimes there is a nagging worry at the far reaches of my mind.  Particularly on custom orders.  Will the buyer be pleased?  Is it what (s)he had in mind?  What if I missed the mark?  Will the customer allow me the opportunity to make it right?

What if?

Because any type of negative, or even neutral, feedback would be devastating if I was not given the chance to make things right if I failed to meet someone's expectations.  And let me tell you, there are some people with extremely high expectations (some, I fear, that are higher than my own!).

My entire working life has been, in one form or another, delivering customer service.  As a teenager, I began as a courtesy clerk and then a cashier at the local grocery store.  I moved onto waitressing for several years before entering the world of corporate America to pay off the credit cards I had so horribly abused.  I have moved up that working chain over the past two decades from interfacing with the general public and standing on my feet all day while wearing an apron to partnering with directors and VP's of Fortune 100 companies.

I know which paycheck and which position my feet like better, but the responsibilities are very similar.

I nurture customer expectations and perceptions about the company I work for on a daily basis.  It is through my performance and my work ethic that I shape those perceptions.  It is how I have built my reputation.  I have worked hard to get to where I am.  Not just with the phone company, but with my beads, jewelry and Etsy shops.  I strive to create quality and unique products and make my customers so happy they come back for more.  That they have nothing but good things to say about me.

As the first-born and only child, I suffer from that overpowering drive to succeed, to care for others and to receive validation.  In that spirit, I can't foster the "What if?" mentality or the option of retaliatory feedback.   At the end of the day, as I close my eyes with my head on my pillow and am buried under countless covers and layers of clothing (because even in the summer, I freeze), I know that I tried my best.  That I gave my all.  And I hope that that is good enough. 

My hands are small, I know

I do love what I do.  GMG, I'm glad it is obvious to you.  I hope it is just as obvious to others.

Between my bead and jewelry sales on Etsy and selling my work at craft or bead shows, I have near 750 sales behind me.  It sounds like a lot, doesn't it?  It doesn't feel like it to me.  I have collected hundreds of comments of delight about items I have made with my hands.  Many of those comments are visible via etsy, but others are held carefully in email folders, special drawers or my own memories of conversations followed by hugs.  I always think back and wonder if I could, or should, have done more.  What else can I do differently/better going forward?

I have worked hard to build and earn my reputation.  And so, I will continue on in this same path, for it has worked well for me.  Using my hands and inspiration to melt glass and shape expectations.  To trust that what I have put out in the world will come back to me.  That I can leave positive feedback for others upon receiving payment and trust it will not make me feel sorry later.

Fellow Etsians, what are your practices on leaving feedback for your buyers?  Do you wait?  Why/why not?