Auto reply not working --> Star Seller gone

[fuxandfriends]

Hi. I'd like to talk about a problem. On several occasions the automatic message response did not work despite being activated. This caused a drop of our response percentage and we lost our star seller status. Automatic response is mostly active on weekends when we don't answer messages. What can you do about that problem. The percentage drop is not our fault. What can be done about that?

[AutumnHollowStudio]

Did you set up recurring auto replies to be enabled every weekend? The normal auto-reply option expires after 5 days, it's not permanent. You have to turn it on again.

[fuxandfriends]

Hi. Thank you for your reply. 

We use the normal auto-reply. I know it expires. It's mostly needed for the weekend and sometimes for one day during the week. That's not the problem. It's just not working all of a sudden. 

[BootifulLabels]

There are three types of auto-reply.

1. Vacation mode auto-reply, which you set for the time you will be away and your shop will be closed.

2. Business hours auto-reply, where you set a message to be sent to buyers who try to contact you outside of your pre-set working hours.

3. Standard auto-reply, where you set a reply to go out every time you get a new message, to let your buyers know when you will get back to them.  This one satisfies Star Seller requirements, BUT it only lasts for five days and then you need to reset it.  It is not a set and forget thing.

[fuxandfriends]

Hi. Thank you for reaching out. 

Yes, I'm aware of all these things. We've been selling on Etsy for years and years. We use standard reply mostly for weekends (if it's required longer then 5 days I renew, of course). It's always been working but somehow doesn't right now. 

I don't have a problem with the technical issue. These things may happen. The problem is it destroyed our rate for the Star Seller badge. This time of the year we don't get a lot of messages. So only 2 unanswered messages take us to 73%. And it needs a lot of messages to get up to at least 95% again (in the 3 months window, that is).

[CraftyCornishMaids]

with option 1 it is easy to click hours instead of days

 or 1 day instead of 5 days

use option 2

[fuxandfriends]

It's not a mistake like auto reply is off because I clicked hours instead of days or anything. It's on but it does not reply. 

[TBQSC]

Auto Reply Option #2 = set & forget ... been using it for years, works perfectly for reaching & attaining Star Seller Messaging metrics.

[moonbeamgifts]

If the Star Seller badge is your primary target, you will have to wait until June for another chance.    Etsy has firmly stated that the badge will not be reinstated for any reason including technical difficulties.

[fuxandfriends]

Exactly. That's the thing I find so frustrating. I think it goes for everyone here: you're giving your best to provide excellent customer service - which reflects in those badges. It's not cool when this is compromised by technical issues and Etsy doesn't offer anything to right the wrong in that matter (besides investigating the technical problem, of course).

[moonbeamgifts]

When Star Seller came out, I decided it didn't mean anything for  my shop.   I already ship regularly, respond to messages.   

I accepted that there would be months I wouldn't be awarded the badge since that likely meant something out of my control happened - maybe I didn't get enough incoming  messages?    Maybe someone who ordered 20 items didn't understand the review system or was annoyed at Etsy badgering them so they gave all 20 items 1 stars.   <shrug>   All I can do is what's within my control.      No one knows for certain if there's even a bump in search for having the badge - and really, does it matter in today's version of Etsy search anyway?   

When I put on my buyer hat, I can say I look at reviews more than I check for a badge.    If there's one star's, I can usually identify if it's the buyer or seller.      A  "didn't like it" comment is not going to stop me from purchasing while 5 "ordered, never received" will.

[fuxandfriends]

That's definitely healthy  

I'm just never sure if shops with the badge are favored by the algorithm or not. I totally agree that real reviews are much more important.

[VintageClockRevival]

Thank you for sharing about this on going issue. My situation is similar. My shop was on VACTION mode with an auto-matric response. Messages did NOT receive an auto-matric response and the messages went to SPAM. When I answered the actual customers in the spam folder, they were marked as late responses. 

I reached out to Etsy's so called support team and all they could do is tender excuses. They said they would pass my concerns onto an advanced team that deals specifically with STAR SELLER issues but its been 20 days and nothing has changed. Today my message rate its at 71. Because I only get a few messages a month, I wont see my star seller again until mid summer. 

[fuxandfriends]

Yes, that's indeed very similar. So disappointing that the service is such a dead end in this regard. I try to think the Star Seller badge is not that important for customers anyway, but I'm not sure. 

[BagmakerSupply]

@VintageClockRevival: "Messages did NOT receive an auto-matric response and the messages went to SPAM." It makes sense that a SPAM Message would not get an auto-response. The problem is that the wrong Messages were sent to SPAM.

[VintageClockRevival]

I agree, the Star Seller program dose not draw sales to my shop. Most buyers dont notice those credentials on my page. Its all principal. I offered great customer service but was demerited by Etsy's technical issues. 

[TheIDconnection]

My automatic message option to set is not working. Is there a problem with messaging?

[CraftyCornishMaids]

there are two types of auto-reply

one you have to set for a number of hours or days, and it switches itself off after that,

the other you can choose the days of the week, and times of day you are open, and auto-reply is set for outside of that,

which are you having problems with?

[VintageClockRevival]

For me, its seems like the SPAM issue has finally resolved, after several weeks. 

Unfortunately, I have lost my full Star Sellers credentials for the past 60 days now. Truly by no fault of my own. 

I receive about 10 new messages a month. Two actual customer messages  going into spam has brought my message rate down to 75%. This will not change until July's results are calculated. 

I reached out to Etsy three times with written complaints and two actual live conversations with a support representative, with no resolve. It's a shame that they want sellers to maintain the highest level of customer care and professionalism, but Etsy in general dose not meet this standard. 

Yes, its disappointing but I can only change my behavior not Etsy's. I will continue to occasionally list the beautiful clocks I restore but it will be to a lesser level as I look into a secondary platform to sell from. I will continue to maintain my Etsy page as advertising that appears in online searches.