TL;DR
Buyers can leave a review starting at the estimated delivery date through 100 days after. They can edit a review for up to 100 days after they originally left it. They cannot delete a review once posted; only edits or Etsy-approved removal.
The exact timing windows
Etsy's review system has three windows:
| Action | Window | Notes | |---|---|---| | Leave a review | Estimated delivery date through 100 days after | Etsy prompts twice via email | | Edit a review | 100 days from when it was first left | Edit replaces the original; no version history visible to buyers | | Self-delete a review | Not permitted | Only Etsy can remove via policy violation |
The 100-day windows are absolute. Once they close, the review is locked.
When Etsy prompts the buyer
After delivery, Etsy sends the buyer a review prompt. The cadence:
- First prompt: about 5 days after the estimated delivery date (sometimes triggered by tracking-confirmed delivery, sometimes just by date).
- Second prompt: about 14 days after the estimated delivery date if no review was left after the first.
- No further prompts. After day 14, Etsy stops emailing about that order.
Buyers can still leave a review after the prompts stop, up to day 100. They just won't be reminded.
What this means for sellers
The narrow window where most reviews land: days 5 to 21 after delivery. About 80% of reviews come in this window, based on patterns from public seller-forum data.
If you're sending a post-purchase Convo asking for honest feedback, time it around day 7 to 10 after delivery. That's after Etsy's first prompt but before the buyer forgets.
Editing rules
Buyers who edit a review get the same 100-day window, starting from when they first left it. So a buyer who reviews on day 5 has until day 105 (relative to delivery) to edit. A buyer who reviews on day 50 has until day 150.
Editing replaces the review entirely. There's no public version history; future buyers see only the latest version. This means a 1-star can become a 5-star if you resolve the issue, and there's no trail of the previous rating.
You cannot ask the buyer to edit in exchange for anything. That's review extortion under Etsy's policy. You can offer a return or replacement on the merits, and many buyers update their review on their own afterward.
How long does a review stay in your Star Seller window?
The Star Seller review-rating metric uses the trailing 31 days of new reviews. So a review left on May 18 counts toward your Star Seller average from May 18 through June 18. After that, it ages out of the active calculation.
But the review itself stays on your shop forever (unless removed by policy). Future buyers see all reviews regardless of their age.
This is why a single 1-star at the wrong moment hurts: it's in your Star Seller average for 31 days even after the buyer's own emotion has faded.
Common scenarios
Scenario: Buyer left 1-star, you resolved via Convo, asked them to update
Inside the 100-day edit window, they can change the review. They aren't obligated. About 1 in 5 buyers updates a review after a positive resolution; the rest don't bother.
Scenario: Buyer wants to delete their review entirely
They can't. Self-delete isn't a feature. Their options: edit to neutral language and rating, or leave it. If they want it removed entirely, they can contact Etsy and request, but Etsy almost never removes a review at the buyer's request.
Scenario: Reviewing days 90 to 100 after delivery
Allowed but rare. Buyers who wait this long usually have a specific complaint that emerged later (a product breakage, a discovered defect). Be especially polite in any Convo follow-up; long delays often signal accumulated frustration.
Scenario: Buyer never received the item but the 100-day review window is open
The buyer can leave a review even if they say the item never arrived. Tracking and case history are your defenses. See Etsy buyer protection.
What to do
- Send post-purchase Convos around day 7 to 10 after delivery to maximize review velocity.
- Reply within 24 hours to any pre-review Convo from a buyer with a problem; the chance to resolve before they review is your best leverage.
- Track which reviews are in your active 31-day Star Seller window so you know your real average.
- Don't ask for review edits explicitly; let resolution speak for itself.
What NOT to do
- Don't message the buyer asking them to edit a review in exchange for anything. Reverse extortion.
- Don't assume "100 days" means an open-ended re-review window. Edits are 100 days from original posting, not from delivery.
- Don't pressure buyers who are still in the prompt window. Give them space to review or not.
Related concepts
- Etsy's review policies, translated covers all review-related rules
- How to respond to a negative Etsy review covers post-review buyer engagement
- Etsy review extortion: spotting and reporting covers the line you can't cross when asking for edits
Sources
- Etsy Help: Reviews (accessed May 5, 2026)
- Public Reddit threads in r/EtsySellers, 2024–2026 (review-prompt cadence patterns)
- Gold Shield original research, 2025–2026
Notes for human review: The "5/14 day prompt cadence" is observational, not Etsy-published. The exact prompt timing varies by category and may have changed.