Customer sent duplicate message-lost star seller

[CwtchLaserDesigns]

A customer used two same name profiles to send the same question twice. I realised it was the same person as she quoted the same order number in each question. I only replied to one and a conversation ensued which answered the query with customer thanking me for my speedy reply.

I’ve now lost my Star Seller because I didn’t reply to the duplicate question. I only had 5 questions last month and answered 4 almost immediately. My percentage is now 80% because I didn’t answer the duplicate question.

Very unfair!

[UniqueGiftOrnaments]

We must answer ALL messages, or put into spam

[leinweberstudio]

It has been working this way since day 1. Did you read all the fine print about the program, that all messages have to be replied to in some fashion?

Mark the second message as spam and your total will be adjusted in a few days, this will help you on the next assessment day which is July 31.

[CreativeDesignsbyAmi]

Mark the duplicate message you did not reply to as spam.  I'm not sure but I have heard here on the forums that if  you mark it as spam it will not be counted when they update the stats.  You will have to wait another month though before you can qualify for the badge.

This exact same thing happened to me and I reported it to Etsy support but they said they could not change it.  I then marked it as spam just yesterday but it has not updated my stats yet.  Its worth a try for you, though.

[BeautifulDivine]

Me pasó exactamente lo mismo, de 14 mensajes no respondí a uno del mismo cliente, mi porcentaje ahora es de 80%, soló por UN MENSAJE que no respondí "a tiempo".

Estoy molesta con el "vendedor estrella", no es justo.

[UniqueGiftOrnaments]

@BeautifulDivine    If you read the star seller information, it states that every message must be answered or put into spam. That's the way it works.

[Romazone]

You can make an auto reply for convos saying you will respond in xyz time frame. That way your covered and you can get to messages as soon as you can on your schedule.

[BeautifulDivine]

Gracias. 

Sí, pondré más cuidado. 

[CreativeDesignsbyAmi]

When customers send duplicate messages, it is very easy to overlook the 1st one.  I know as I have done it.  Often these dupicate messages come within seconds of each other.  That is why I always have my auto-reply turned on.

[MysticCircleStudio]

 After coming back from almost a year off, Ive  just began learning about the SSP.   I got a reply to a message the other day and wondered how to answer it. It was just a thumbs up emoji. I suppose I could have sent one back, but its not me, it feels unproffessional...so I wonder now, after reading the suggestions above, if I put a message into spam, do I lose the whole thread? , because it is a customer, who I would like to keep a record of our convos. Am I expected to always be the last word, even  an awkward  return emoji?

[OneEyeCatStudio]

You don't have to reply to a reply.

[TheSweetTeeYall]

I reply to all multi messages, one with the full, correct answer and the other, just to say I responded in other message.

This way I am not penalized.

[DesertChains · Accepted solution]

It doesn’t matter whether or not you answered questions or provided information. It doesn't matter if a message doesn't need a response. It doesn’t matter if you’re the seller or the buyer. It doesn't matter if the message you received is a duplicate. The system only determines whether or not you replied to an individual message. If you didn't respond or send a message to your spam folder, you are going to get rated down. That's how it works.

Right or wrong, the program has worked this way for nearly a year! The instructions for meeting this metric are clearly stated and easily accessible. Daily posts in the forums also discuss this exact topic.

Send the missed messages to spam. Your stats will update in a day or two.

One more note: I took a look at your shop. Very nice!

[KertoStudio]

Just disputing the same thing! I have just relaised customer has sent 2 identical messages and my star seller rating is now "not there yet"!  
I've tried so hard to reply everyone  immediately and now I'm losing the star seller rating because of the system issue for duplicating messages and not adding them into same stream....?! Wrong!

[BagmakerSupply]

@KertoStudio: Probably almost everyone on this forum can sympathize with you but as it says right on your Star Seller page, you need to reply to the FIRST message of EVERY NEW INCOMING THREAD. It does not matter who sent it, the subject matter, if it is a duplicate or blank or anything else. If it is SPAM then it should be marked as such. Those have always been the rules.

Etsy is now putting a blue text warning / advisory (blue banner on desktop, and a blue dot on mobile) on those messages they consider to be a "new message" but should semantically be called a "new thread".

If the unanswered message is not a Help Request, at least for the time being, it appears that marking an unanswered message as SPAM (even after the 24 hour deadline has passed) will cause your reply percentage to change in a day or two if the original message was within the current star seller period - but not retroactively. Note that subsequent messages from that account may go directly to the SPAM folder.