How do you handle negative comments or reviews on social media?
Topic summary
The discussion centers on strategies for managing negative social media feedback, with participants sharing practical approaches from their business experience.
Core Response Strategy:
- Reply quickly and politely, even when comments feel unfair
- Show customers publicly that their concerns are being addressed
- Move detailed resolution conversations to private messages when appropriate
Key Perspectives:
- Gratitude approach: View negative comments as valuable feedback rather than problems—people who complain are giving you a chance to improve, unlike those who leave silently
- Compensation & empathy: Reach out promptly for details, offer discounts or store credit, and maintain an open, empathetic attitude focused on making customers feel heard and valued
- Authenticity over removal: Handle feedback transparently based on validity—accept genuine criticism directly, clarify misunderstandings with context, but avoid asking for review removal under conditions
Outcomes:
- Several participants report converting negative experiences into positive testimonials after resolving issues
- Negative feedback often reveals improvement opportunities and can inspire new content ideas
Consensus: The discussion agrees that responsiveness, empathy, and viewing criticism as engagement opportunities builds trust and demonstrates genuine customer care.
Hi there 
Over the years, we’ve definitely come across negative comments and reviews on social media, and honestly—It happens to every business. What really matters is how you respond.
In our experience, replying quickly and politely makes a huge difference. Even when the comment feels unfair, showing that you’re listening helps turn tension into trust. Sometimes we move the conversation to a private message to resolve details, but we always make sure the customer knows publicly that we’re taking care of it.
We’ve also found that negative feedback can actually highlight areas where we can improve our services. A few times, what started as a complaint ended up becoming a positive testimonial after we solved the issue. And when your happy customers also share their good experiences, the occasional negative review doesn’t feel nearly as heavy.
At the end of the day, we see negative comments less as a problem and more as an opportunity to connect, improve, and show people that we truly care.
1 Like
To be responsible for every customer feedback, we choose to handle each comment carefully with our best, no matter if it is negative or not. We feel grateful for the people who leave negative comments, as it is better to let us know what we did wrongly, rather than say nothing and leave directly.
1 Like
I would reach out to them as soon as possible to request more details about the issues. Then, offer them a discount or store credit as compensation.
Throughout the process, I would keep an open mind and empathetic attitude to listen from their perspective. After all, what customers actually want is to feel heard, respected, and valued.
1 Like
Great question! For us, it really depends on the situation:
-
If it’s true feedback → we face it directly, accept it, and show that we’re listening. Many times this even sparks new ideas or topics for our social media.
-
If it’s a misunderstanding or incorrect → we take the time to explain and share the story behind it. Transparency usually earns more respect than just ignoring it.
We don’t believe in asking people to remove reviews under conditions—it feels less authentic. Instead, we treat every comment as a chance to engage, improve, and show our brand’s human side.
Be quick and polite. Ask them to share what went wrong from your side and made them write such comments. Be focused on making them feel valued and knowing that you care for them and are ready for quick resolutions.
If the comment is genuine and they’re facing a real issue, then respond to the comment immediately. It shows that your business is open to solving your customer problems. Even with a short reply like ‘We’re sorry about the negative experience, please email us at with your order id and we will try to make it right’ or something goes a long way.
If they’re not a customer and made a comment in the vein of ‘why you’ even with a negative tone, then too you try to educate them about your USP.
If the comment is just plain crap with no substance, then hide them.
If someone gives a negative comment, i dont take it personally. I listen, reply politely and try to solve their problem. Most people just want to feel heard and once help them, the situation usually becomes positive.
When I receive negative comments or reviews on social media, I try to stay calm, respond quickly, and keep the focus on finding a solution. First, I acknowledge the customer’s issue politely so they feel heard, then I offer a clear next step to fix the problem. In my public reply, I keep things short and professional, and I always try to move the detailed conversation to private messages or email to avoid a long argument in front of everyone. At the same time, I make an effort to encourage more positive reviews, so occasional negative comments don’t overshadow the overall impression of my business.
When I get a negative comment or review on social media, I try not to take it personally. The first thing I do is respond fairly quickly so the customer knows they’re not being ignored.
I keep the reply calm and friendly, even if the comment feels a bit harsh. Usually, I’ll acknowledge what they’re feeling — something simple like, “Sorry this happened, let me help you fix it.”
After that, I try to move the conversation into DMs or email. It’s much easier to understand what’s going on and offer a real solution privately rather than going back and forth in public.
Once I know the details, I’ll do whatever makes the most sense — whether that’s replacing an item, checking the order status, or offering another solution. Most people calm down quickly once they see you’re genuinely trying to help.
And honestly, I pay attention to repeated complaints. If multiple people mention the same issue, it’s usually a sign that something needs to be improved on our end.
Overall, I just try to stay polite, fix the problem, and use the feedback to make things better.