What to Do When a TPT Buyer Leaves a 4 Star Review with a Great Comment

If you've ever received a 3 or 4 star review on Teachers Pay Teachers with a glowing comment, you're not alone. One of the most common questions I've been hearing from sellers lately is: 

"Why did this buyer leave such a great review, but only 4 stars??"

It's frustrating, confusing, and honestly can mess with your overall rating if it happens often. 

The good news? You can respond to those reviews in a way that's kind, professional, and opesn the door to helpful feedback - without being awkward or pushy! 

In this post, I'm sharing how to respond to TPT reviews that have a lower star rating but a positive written review or little feedback, along with a free set of 5 ready-to-use TPT review reply templates that you can add to your Saved Replies in TPT! 

Why Do Buyers Leave 4-Star Reviews with Great Comments?

Buyers tend to leave less than 5 star reviews for lots of reasons. Even when they liked the resource! Here are some common examples:

• They think 4 stars means "great" and 5 is only reserved for perfect
• Something minor was missing, unclear, or hard to print
• They accidentally clicked the wrong number of stars (it happens more often than you think!)
• They simply never give 5 stars on principle (yes, that's a thing!!)

Whatever the reason, a kind written review paired with a 3 or 4 star rating is a great opportunity to connect, gather feedback, and build trust with your buyers. 

How to Respond to a TPT Review That's Less than 5 Stars

Here's the trick: keep it friendly, supportive, and open-ended. Avoid asking buyers to change their review directly. Instead, focus on showing that you care about their experience and want to support them and their students. 

A thoughtful response can help: 

• Show you're present and responsive
• Invite them to share more details via email
• Turn one-time buyers into repeat customers
• Prevent future issues with other buyers
• Give you ideas for other products based on feedback

Free Download: TPT Review Reply Templates

I created a set of 5 plug-and-play reply templates for TPT sellers to use when replying to 3 or 4 star reviews that have positive feedback. These are perfect for: 

• Your TPT Saved Replies 
• Replying quickly without overthinking it
• Encouraging helpful feedback via email
• Showing buyers you genuinely care about their success

Each message is warm, casual, and professional. They are written to make your buyer feel heard and supported without pressure. You can also customize them to personalize each message and have them fit your writing style and voice. 

Ready to save time and stress when responding to less than 5 star reviews? Just click here to access the free Google doc with 5 TPT Review Reply Templates! 

Whether you're a new seller or a seasoned pro, having these responses saved will help you stay consistent and positive with your customer communication. 

Thoughtful Responses Make a Difference

Not every review needs to feel like a mystery. A kind and professional reply, especially when the written feedback is already positive, can go a long way in building long-term relationships with your buyers and improving your products over time. 

So next time you see a 4 star review that says "My students loved this! Thank you for creating an engaging resource!" you'll know exactly what to say!