Anyone else's Star Seller status inconsistent with the email sent

[clotheslinesvintage]

Anyone else notice that their results for Star Seller this month (JUNE) not consistent from the Shop Dashboard (actual badges awarded was one) to the Star Seller tab (stats shows that you should have earned them all) and the email (you have earned two customer service badges for June). Tried sorting this out with Customer Service via Chat to no avail, despite screenshots shared. They kept saying my stats showed I did not earn them for the previous period, so wasn't awarded them??? To which I kept replying that I wasn't referring to previous period, but the current period as per the dashboard. Anyone else? Would love some clarity if anyone has insights or can explain this phenomenon. Extra scary, as it seems every other person who does not meet Star Seller is being put on Reserve. 

[BagmakerSupply · Accepted solution]

@clotheslinesvintage: There are many many reports of issues with Star Seller, but are you looking at the current period (for July star) or at previous period (for June star)?

[clotheslinesvintage]

Thanks for your reply @BagmakerSupply I was looking at my qualification for the June badge(s). I only received one badge, but the email communicating my qualifications for the June badge showed that I should have received 2 and that is different from the dashboard which shows via my stats that I should have qualified for all three. The rep kept saying that I did not qualify from the previous period, despite sharing screen shots to prove otherwise. Just wondered if I was alone in the madness. Either way, I guess it makes no difference, they won't adjust it, it seems. I just wished they would acknowledge it as an error. I guess I just wait until July for my next chance to qualify. Sigh.

[clotheslinesvintage]

Thanks for your reply @BagmakerSupply I was looking at my qualification for the June badge(s). I only received one badge, but the email communicating my qualifications for the June badge showed that I should have received 2 and that is different from the dashboard which shows via my stats that I should have qualified for all three. The rep kept saying that I did not qualify from the previous period, despite sharing screen shots to prove otherwise. Just wondered if I was alone in the madness. Either way, I guess it makes no difference, they won't adjust it, it seems. I just wished they would acknowledge it as an error. I guess I just wait until July for my next chance to qualify. Sigh.

[clotheslinesvintage]

Not sure why my reply posted twice.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

They kept saying my stats showed I did not earn them for the previous period, so wasn't awarded them??? To which I kept replying that I wasn't referring to previous period, but the current period as per the dashboard.

they are correct, you have to look at previous period, to match the ones on the front of your shop

on stats for "current period", that's what you are working towards for the end of this month

the stats for "previous period" are the ones earned up to end May, and are the ones shown on the front of your shop.

[Spellbinderie]

The current period is for the next chance to qualify which is JULY.  You'll see that it says: Your July progress

You need to click the tab for last review period to see if you qualified for a star now, in June.  The June star is based on the metrics for the last 3 months, which is March 1–May 31, 2023

[ChristmasIsLove]

@clotheslinesvintage You have only one badge for the March-May period (reviews), which is the second tab to the right on your Star Seller dashboard. The top tab (left side) is for the next period, ending July 1, not the one that currently shows on your shop. 

[clotheslinesvintage]

Hey all, thanks for your help. I am aware of all of this. The issue is that my stats and the Etsy email sent to confirm my badges for June was not consistent with the number of badges actually awarded for the review period and posted as of June 1st. I shared screen shots with them to no avail. I will just throw-up my hands on this one and wait until July and should have all three badges and Star Seller - if not, I will find my way back the the help desk.

[ArtDollsbyJD]

@clotheslinesvintage   Are you looking at the previous time period for June?  Not what is currently displayed?  That is for July.

So the email said you earned the shipping badge or the message badge?  Or star seller for all three?

I know people love chat but they don't have the ability to change anything.  Use email and attach a copy for the email and a copy of your previous stats.  Or at least ask them to look.

(FYI I suggest adding your UK/EU compliant policies  with 30 day return period since you ship there for being eligible for purchase protection.)  

[BagmakerSupply · Accepted solution]

@clotheslinesvintage: Understand what you are saying - unfortunately there have been other reports in this forum of the "Congratulations" eMail being sent (in error?) but no Star awarded. Putting aside errors in the underlying data - and therefore the Star Seller stats - it does seem nonetheless that the badges and Stars awarded match the stats displayed on the applicable tab. Do the stats in your previous period  (June Star) tab show that you qualified for shipping and / or message response badges?

[ZzaZuuBlu]

I too am having issues with incorrect Star Seller badges.  For June I had 100% for response rate and on-time shipping, and a 4.9% average overall rating.  All of these are above the minimum to earn all 3 badges but I only have 2.  Etsy claims I haven't met the minimum for the response rate!  Seriously?  I'm at 100% so what else should I be doing???

[ArtDollsbyJD]

@ZzaZuuBlu Which period are you looking at?  Look at the previous period which is March, April, May for June.

As of June 1, March drops off so it sounds like you will be eligible in July.

[clotheslinesvintage]

@ArtDollsbyJD Thanks for the policy suggestion - I do have my shop set-up for UK/EU compliant policies. Just double-checked, worried that you weren't seeing this, but it is in fact there.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

for eu/uk compliance,

etsy looks at the choices in the dropdowm menus, you need 30 days for returns, you currently have "no returns"
faq's do not count, etsy has always said faq's don't count
and bots don't read faq's, it has to be the dropdown menus

you have no gdpr policy

and you have not ticked the "trader" box, which is down by sellers details

[peapodcloset]

Yes, this Star Seller program is a joke!  I have had 100 percent in all three areas for over 3 months and I have yet to see a Star Seller trophy!

Doesn't matter too much as I am almost done with this form of torture and expense!

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@peapodcloset 

you don't have the message badge,

go to "last review period" download the message csv, and you will see the one/s you missed

[clotheslinesvintage]

@CraftyCornishMaids I appreciate your following up re: EU/UK Return policies. The FAQs policies placement seems to be the only option, unless I want to offer returns/exchanges to all of my buyers (which I do not). I cannot see a drop-down menu that allows me to isolate by region or country. If that were available, I would use the Policies function to do so. I currently do not ship to EU countries, only non-EU and UK. Am I to understand that my options are change my policy to allow for Returns/Exchanges for all OR stop selling to non-EU and UK countries? As for the GDPR policy and Trader box, I will look into those. 

[CraftyCornishMaids]

you need a 14+14 returns period for shipping to the UK, and you need it in the dropdown boxes

 which means all buyers, as you can't do it by ship-to country

[clotheslinesvintage]

@CraftyCornishMaids then I guess I will have to take my chances until Etsy provides a better option for managing returns by country. I am just not willing to forgo my current Return Policy for all buyers. It will live in my Q&A for now, until Etsy asks me to update my policy or forego selling to the UK, because what other option is there really?

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@clotheslinesvintage 

the options are,

offer returns, or don't ship to the UK

[clotheslinesvintage]

@CraftyCornishMaids it would seem that, because I do not sell to the EU, I am exempt from having the GDPR policy and Trader box ticked. I thought so, but thanks anyhow.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@clotheslinesvintage 

you need a gdpr policy, and mark as trader, if you sell to the UK, our laws still have the same requirements

[clotheslinesvintage]

@ArtDollsbyJD thanks for your reply. To answer your questions: I should have had 2 of 3 badges and only have one. I spoke with Etsy twice this week, as the Speedy Messages badge should have been awarded for June, as well as the Reviews. The email sent said I did qualify for those two badges, but that is not what my Dashboard shows for June. It would appear that the reason I did not qualify for the Shipping badge is due to an order which was over the $15 dollar threshold. Apparently, Etsy looks at pre-sale prices for your items to meet the under $15 threshold , which I was not aware. IMO the way they communicate the criteria for the threshold is misleading : if the customer paid under $15 and I made under $15 dollars for any given order (on sale or not), it should qualify, in my mind. Not in Etsy's minds-eye, apparently. Before I get the "you have to shipped tracked to qualify" response from friends reading along here, on the forum -  I cannot ship tracked for small items in Canada and have it make sense for my buyers, so I offer free standard shipping via CanPost letter mail for all items under $15 which does not include tracking. In this case, a buyer bought two pairs of earrings and on sale 40% off which before the discount was deemed by Etsy to not meet the criteria for the $15 threshold. Now I know! This sale happened on the cusp of the eligibility period for SSB and my score went down to 94% because of that contentious order. Sheesh! Truth be told, I do not often qualify for the Shipping Badge because I have a few customers who I offer free delivery or local pick-up and that is the price of offering a service my local customers enjoy. I may need to re-direct their sales to e-transfer moving forward if it looks like qualifying for SSB status is necessary to avoid the fickle nature of Etsy. Joy of joys, it does look like I will qualify for the SSB in July, so there is that. Again, thanks for your questions, insights and caring enough to read all of this, if you do! 

[BagmakerSupply]

@clotheslinesvintage: Per https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/4403058372503-How-to-Become-a-Star-Seller-?segment=selling  for determining the order value for required tracking "We use the total value of the items purchased before any discounts, not including shipping and taxes."