Auto-Reply message is NOT working

[CanningCrafts]

I always set my auto-reply up on Fridays to respond on the weekends. It’s not working correctly now, or maybe they changed how it works? It used to automatically reply to EVERY message that I got. So if a buyer messaged me twice in the same thread, they would still get the auto-reply to each message. But not now.

If someone sends a completely NEW message, they get the auto-reply. But it doesn’t reply to anyone that I was having an ongoing conversation with! If I turn the weekend reply on at 5pm, it should reply to everyone after that. But if I was having back and forth messages with a customer, then turn my auto-reply on at 5pm, that customer doesn’t get the auto-reply!

Has anyone else had this issue? If it makes a difference, I use the “Temporary” auto reply and not the “Weekend” auto-reply.

[JJewellerySuppliesUK]

I think the auto-reply is only for the first message in a thread.

[CanningCrafts]

In the past, mine would always send to every message in the thread. So I could actually have it ON & reply to a customer, then if they messaged back, they would keep getting the reply. 

[CatsBeadKitsandMore]

@CanningCrafts  , When I turn on auto reply it replies to every question. Even in an ongoing thread. I hope that etsy hasn't changed this.

[CanningCrafts]

@CatsBeadKitsandMore Well I'm glad it's still working for you still! Mine started having issues last weekend. So I was hoping it would've corrected itself by this weekend. But I have had multiple people who should've gotten an auto-reply today that did not.

[ChillwolfArt]

Hi, I used Auto Reply last Fall only. There were some instances where I had to go to the hospital, and I wasn't here to run my Shop. But I don't think I had any Messages at that time. I just reset it every 5 days. 

[CanningCrafts]

I've used the auto-reply feature since it started, & this is the first time I've had issues with it. It's not a huge deal if it doesn't send a reply to the same customer if they message a few times in a row. But if it doesn't start to reply to messages after I turn it on, it looks like I've ghosted customers that I was going back & forth with.

[ChillwolfArt]

Yes, that would definitely be a concern.

[CanningCrafts]

After observing the "auto-reply" overnight, I can now confirm that it seems to work completely random now. I have had some chain messages get the auto-reply but not all of them. Looks like new messages get a reply, but I'm not sure if that will always be the case or not. So apparently I need to answer messages on weekends now which defeats the point of the auto-reply.