Checking Hand Delivery for an item Equals losing Star Seller status

[SparkleGlassJewelry]

A good customer made a custom order and it turned out I would be at a craft event that she was planning to attend.  She asked me to hand deliver her order, which I did.  Before I did, though, I searched through all the drop downs regarding shipping her order and I clicked on the "hand deliver" option.  Now I see I got punished for this because there was no tracking.  This is not fair.  My shop is small and I struggle to get any kind of footing at all as a seller here.  I have really lost business when the Star Seller program was brought in as it appears to favor the larger shops.  I would like to have this error because of the hand delivery corrected. 

[JustMeToo]

@SparkleGlassJewelry   Try not to lose too much sleep over the star seller program.  It is extremely flawed, and this is just one of the ways.  I am in Canada.  They expect me to charge my customers $17.00 for tracking on $10.00 items.  I am not about to gouge my customers that way for a little purple star.  I will continue to rely on good products, and good reviews.

[JJewellerySuppliesUK]

Yes, that's how Star Seller works.  Pick up and hand delivered do not count as you need a tracking number to qualify. 

[howtobooksandmore]

Etsy has always said the orders under $10 didn't need a tracking number and didn't bother to tell anyone that this meant it would count against them for the star seller badge.  The star seller badge does not mean anything when it comes to making sales.  When Etsy says they give star sellers a boost in search results they mean that they mark one of hundreds of criteria a little higher and it means nothing toward being or not being in the results.  Unless you have a lot of sales, you don't really get a boost.  And there is nothing you can do about it so just learn a lesson, continue to fulfill customer's requests and forget about it.

[SparkleGlassJewelry]

Thank you!  Good advice!

[BagmakerSupply]

@SparkleGlassJewelry: "This is not fair." It may or may not be fair, but that is how it has been since day one of Star Seller. If you have not yet done so, you might want to read https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/4403058372503-How-to-Become-a-Star-Seller?segment=selling and https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000338067-How-to-Offer-Local-Pickup-or-Delivery?segment=s...

Will local pickup orders be part of my evaluation for a Star Seller badge?

All physical listing orders must include a valid tracking number or a shipping label purchased on Etsy to be considered for a Star Seller badge. At this time, we’re unable to make exceptions for local pickup orders.

This also applies to delivery orders.

[TheAtticRooms]

Yes, that's just how it is. I recently sold a couple of items to my colleagues at the day job and although it would have been easier to just hand them over in person, I had to explain it needed to be sent to them via Tracked 24. It's just how it works. I explained to my customer/friend and they understood. 

[ArtDollsbyJD]

Yes, the rules are clear on this.

I hand deliver only to friends and family so I take the item off of Etsy.  Otherwise I use tracking.  I am not going to waste my time and gas to hand deliver.  Hand delivery is not good customer service.  You lose profit.

[JustMeToo]

@ArtDollsbyJD   I don't deliver.  I allow pick up.  For locals that is GREAT customer service IMO.

[WitticismsRus]

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/4403058372503-How-to-Become-a-Star-Seller-?segment=selling

"What if I offer local pick-up or delivery for my items?

At this time, orders that don't have tracking because they are delivered or picked up in person will be considered shipped without tracking, and will not meet the Star Seller criteria for shipping."