Dashboard Live Chat Function for Star Sellers in August

[FineVintageMelbourne]

Back in July, when the elusive Etsy Help/Live Chat function was appearing on some seller's dashboards as a test, I had a message on my dashboard (and was also told by the Etsy rep I spoke to via chat) that this live chat function would be accessible from the dashboard of all star sellers for the month of August - "to reward and reciprocate the great customer service you are providing as star sellers".

I am a star seller this month, but the promised chat function has not appeared on my dashboard. I'm not sure if this is a glitch and I should have it, or if Etsy has since changed their mind about providing it.

To all the other star sellers out there this month, do you have a live chat button on your dashboard?

[Former_Member]

Yes, but it's only there during business hours.

[BootifulLabels]

There was a live chat link early in the month, but it disappeared after a few days.  I was not a Star Seller for August, but I still saw the link when it was there.  

[TickleYourWitch]

Yes. I always have it during regular business hours. Have had even before August. 

[Arcalliq]

people still believe Etsy's promises?

[ThePurplePuppy]

I have it most of the time during Etsy business hours (NY time). Not 24/7 as promised.

[BetseysBeauties]

As @ThePurplePuppy said: I see the chat button (bottom right of screen) during US business hours Monday through Friday. It is not there otherwise.

ETA: US Eastern Time business hours

[SewJoyfulandBlessed]

I'm a star seller this month but I have never had that button..... Sounds like a typical Etsy thing!

[catfluff]

yeah star seller as well all of August and never got the chat button

[FineVintageMelbourne]

Sounds very hit and miss then! I'm in Australia, so NY time is overnight for us - perhaps I do have it during business hours and I just haven't been logged in late or early enough to see it. I'll have to check later tonight to see if it's appeared.

Thanks for all your replies. Sounds like I shouldn't be holding my breath for this to be a permanent/reliable feature...

[TonsOfPaper · Accepted solution]

Hello there,

We’re testing out this new way to support our Star Sellers through mid-August. However, this feature may or may not appear on your end. We often run tests on Etsy with the goal of helping our sellers and buyers. We keep a careful eye on stats that tell us exactly how buyers and sellers change their behavior because of tests, but we know it’s not all about the data. We also listen to what the community is telling us via email, feedback forms, Forums, and other avenues.

It's really valuable to hear your perspective on potential changes so we get a more complete picture, and we want you all to know that we're noting all of your inputs and will be sharing them with our teams to review.

Thank you very much!

[BootifulLabels]

@TonsOfPaper 

Since you value our feedback, I will give you my take on this.

If you are seeking to improve support to sellers, perhaps you should lead by example and NOT restrict this to Star Sellers only.

Star Seller is supposed to be about giving exemplary customer service, yet it excludes many shops with impeccable customer service from attaining the badge simply because of the size of the shop, the location of the seller (and the limitations of the postal system in that location), or the nature of what they sell.  You apply the same rules to all for Star Seller, despite the inequity of the model.  To then offer a customer service model for sellers that is restricted to only those who can meet the Star Seller requirements is not a good example of the great customer service you expect from us as sellers.  After all, we can't pick and choose which customer enquiries we deal with, we are supposed to offer the same high level of customer service to all, it is only fair that Etsy do the same.  It is not good enough to only offer support to Star Sellers and not those who, despite going over and above for their customers, are unable to meet the spurious requirements for SS.

Please pass this on to management.

[FineVintageMelbourne]

@TonsOfPaper Ok great, for my two cents then, I agree with @BootifulLabels .

I strive hard to provide excellent service to all of customers, but whether or not I get SS almost always comes down to how many sales I get. And as a seller of higher value luxury/discretionary items, this can be a very difficult feat in the current climate - I often miss out through no fault of my customer service.

I think live chat with Etsy is a fantastic initiative and I would love to have it on my dashboard, but it really should be available to all sellers who are in good standing, not just those who can tick the right boxes.

Fingers crossed we can all enjoy this service in future.

[CarpetCollectionAU]

@BootifulLabels I do not think the SSP "Chat" service is any sort of "special hot line" to Support. I think it is just a "quick access" link which saves people time when accessing the Help Centre Contact page.

When I did have the "Chat Bubble" showing, all it did was take me to the same page in Help Centre that I can access through Shop Manager > Community and Help > Contact us.

I do not think Etsy is excluding non SSP Badge Holders from Support, just giving them an easier way to access the same page/s as non Badge Holders.

We have all experienced different contact options presenting depending on time of day and Support workload. If people are not getting a Contact option, it is probably just a consequence of the usual "switching on/off" which occurs all the time

@FineVintageMelbourne I am in exactly the same position as you re price points and sales volume. Currently, this Shop does not have the SSP Badge even though the Sales $$ are many times greater than the minimum required and all other metrics have been satisfied. But I have never had difficulty contacting Support through "Chat" / "Email" / "Request a Callback", so it is apparent that non SSP Badge Shops are not being excluded from access to Support.

Perhaps @TonsOfPaper could return to elaborate on the specific nature of the SSP "Chat" and confirm if, in fact, it is a "special" service or just, as I have witnessed, an easier way to access the same service which is available to all.

[BootifulLabels]

@CarpetCollectionAU 

I am just going on what @TonsOfPaper wrote.

We’re testing out this new way to support our Star Sellers 

Support should be for all sellers, not just those who jump through Etsy's hoops.

[CarpetCollectionAU]

@BootifulLabels That is why I asked TonsOfPaper for clarification.

When I had the "Chat Bubble" in another Shop last Month, the only thing that was different was the "Bubble". The actual link took me to the same Contact Page as I could access via the Help Centre.

"We’re testing out this new way to support our Star Sellers" could mean

1) We are implementing a "special hot line" Contact Chat option for Star Sellers 

OR

2) We are making it easier to access "Chat" services for Star Sellers by putting direct links / bubbles throughout their Shops

[BootifulLabels]

@CarpetCollectionAU 

Yes I understood what you were saying, and I agree with the two alternative connotations.  However, I do not believe Customer Service should only be available to (or even easier to access for) a specific group of sellers.  They don't allow us to offer different levels of service to our customers.

[CarpetCollectionAU]

@BootifulLabels I am only referring to my experience and have no reason to believe that anyone is being "excluded" from support or that anyone is being "fast tracked", albeit they may have one or two less clicks to make if they have the "Chat Bubble".

The options come and go all the time.

But I have experienced no difference when accessing Support from either SSP and non SSP shops

But I do agree with you that even giving the "appearance" of "perferrential treatment" to Shops which have the SSP Badge for something as important as Support is not a good thing.

[nineteen27]

my chat bubble is actually for live online chat with some one from etsy in less than a minute.

i have used it a few times.

it never links to a help page.

[CarpetCollectionAU]

@nineteen27 Thanks for your input and information.

When I had the "Chat Bubble" it worked differently, but there may have been changes.

So, it does appear that Etsy is now trialling "fast track" Contact for Shops with SSP Badge, allowing them to access "Chat with us 24/7" with fewer action/s than non SSP Badge Shops.

But not all SSP Badged Shops have this service.

HMMMM??

I still maintain that everyone can contact Etsy by "Chat with us 24/7" via the Help Centre, so no one is being denied assistance. But it looks like it is being made easier for some than for others.

That does not make for a harmonious community.

Efficient and effective Support should be offered to all.

Let us hope @TonsOfPaper reads this discussion and "passes along" the feedback

[nineteen27]

@CarpetCollectionAU 

the live chat on the star seller dashboard only works during business hours of etsy.

they connect with live chat support.

the 24 hour chat is in the help section.

[Former_Member]

I agree with @BootifulLabels 

Please stop these divisive initiatives.

[LoraShelleyArt]

I have the live chat box on my screen but it doesn't function.

Every time I try to live chat over the past three days it just pulsates and never connects.

This is the first time I have achieved the Star Seller Status and I would love to Live Chat.

Frankly I believe that the Live Chat function function should be there for all Etsy sellers 24/7. A functional Live Chat!

Thank You.

Anyone else having problems with the Live Chat?

[CarpetCollectionAU]

@FineVintageMelbourne Catherine, I am also in Melbourne and, like you, do not see any "Live Chat" bubble in my Shops which do have the SSP  Badge. I have looked during busines hours Brooklyn time, so am sure that this "feature" is not, st this time, universally offered to all Star Sellers

[FineVintageMelbourne]

@CarpetCollectionAU Thanks for the reply - I was too tired to stay up last night and check if I had it, but when it initially appeared as a test last month I had it during our business hours anyway.

Fingers crossed it will become available to all of us!