Customers don’t answer messages I send them

[lovelinez]

Goodmorning, I think something is not working as it should. Lately, when customers send me a message, and I answer, they don’t answer back. Even if I tell them they paid too much shipping costs, and ask them if they want more candles to compensate, or a refund. Also, my top seller status says I do not answer quick enough but I always answer immediately, unless I am asleep at night, but then I will respond first thing in the morning. I only don’t respond to spam (usually people asking me for my email). Can you please help out? I am afraid my messages don’t arrive.
Lieve groetjes, Inez 

[CryzalisDesigns · Accepted solution]

Not everyone tends to reply or even see the messages. Have you tried sending a copy of the message to their email?

I think you would know if there was a problem as sellers have reported a notification if their messages have been disabled.

If you want just send me a message and I will see if I can reply or see it.

[WantableDesigns · Accepted solution]

If you don't respond to spam, you need to mark it as spam, otherwise it will count against you for star seller.

Have you tried emailing the customer instead? In the sold notification there's a link to send the customer an email, rather than an Etsy message.

[ZehOriginalArt · Accepted solution]

Here are the things you can do and others have mentioned two of them:

1 - Send an email to those customers from whom you require a reply. The email address can be found on the order page in a drop down next to the customer's name.

2 - If an email does not work and you need a reply before the order can go out, then go to your orders and shipping page and click the circle/arrow icon and update the ship by address to one later than your ship by date. Make sure you set it at least a week later and include a note telling what you need.  Etsy sends an email to the buyer that is often seen by them when the messages and direct emails do not work. BUT NOTE: I would not do this for shipping overage - to me that is not worth bothering the customer for. Instead, I simply refund the shipping overage. I would only reset the ship-by date if I need more information to complete an order and the customer does not respond, or if I simply need more time to complete the order.

3 - Send all spam messages and scam messages to your spam folder so they do not count against your response rating.

[audreytherese · Accepted solution]

Just adding that if you need to mark a message as spam it can't be done through the seller app. It needs to be done on a browser or in the buyer app. 

And just a side note that the fact they switched to this new seller app over a year ago but still haven't added the feature to be able to mark a message as spam in it yet it pretty ridiculous. 

[LastCentury · Accepted solution]

If someone has paid too much in shipping cost, just give them a partial shipping refund and in that "reason for refund" say you overestimated the parcel weight, or whatever the reason is.

[ArtDollsbyJD · Accepted solution]

Not everybody is on Etsy like we are.  For something like this, send an  email with the header about Etsy order and need answer by date.

If the amount is over shipping cost, simply refund the buyer the amount.  Easy to do.  Saves a lot of hassle