Help Messages no longer link to orders...so no orange alerts!?

[ReImagineBrewing]

I've been noticing that HELP request messages are no longer linking to orders and no longer generating the orange alert dot. I've now had 7 like this due to a USPS mess of scanning things wrong and not scanning them a different time.

I also noticed it does not matter if this is the first or second or 10th new message from the customer. No alert. No linking of "help messages".

Aren't these the MOST IMPORTANT messages because they are about that order. A customer just sent a change of address, personalization change etc and now you miss it because well, you were working that or other orders? Shouldn't these be the ones that LINK NO MATTER WHAT!?

Is this going to be the future forever? If so, again, the new message system is broken and missed the mark. All messages should generate that alert dot meaning "HEY HEY LOOK AT ME BEFORE YOU START OR SHIP ME!" Not, check all of your messages prior to starting, while working on it, after getting done, before packaging and prior to shipping to make sure nothing was missed.

-Solution:

-Nest all messages under orders. On the orders page you see the dot and might see 1-4 message threads started by that customer. You don't have to go back to the message section and search to insure you didn't miss any. Any NEW message/response creates that orange alert too. 

-This helps customers and sellers be more efficient and will increase satisfaction levels among all of us. Please fix the current tool and update it to make it function like a true message/email system...one you would want to use when communicating with co-workers or your boss.

[DianesK9Creations]

I have the same problem. I don't know unless I check my messages and see a new message from the customer. I get no orange dot either. Were getting set up to fail.

[PrimFun]

The last Help message i had came through messages and had the order information attached to it.  It worked for me.  I always assumed the Help messages come through messages and not orders from the information I read.  

I honestly can't say if they were ever in the order area.  Anytime I get a Help request it is in messages.

I can see what you are saying but as I have never experienced the help request showing up in orders maybe you need to ask Etsy directly about including it or restarting it. 

[ReImagineBrewing]

The Help message on the message page does have the order attached. HOWEVER, when you are working on orders should you have to search the message page prior to making the item, after it is done, before packaging and when making the label to insure the customer didn't send any change requests as "Help Messages"

OR

Should a "Help Message" create the alert next to the order. We work from the "Orders Page" and not the "Message Page" don't we? So, logically, alerts about changes should happen on the "Orders Page". NOPE. The message doesn't even show up with the order if you click on messages and check there. You have to go to the message page and search those 4 times to make sure you don't miss anything.

Why did this happen!? STAR SELLER STUFF! ETSY needed a way to track that BOTH Help Messages and General Messages are responded to within 24 hours. So, they unlinked Help Messages from the orders to be able to do this.

THE RESULTS...more issues for sellers and dissatisfied customers due to changes being missed all due to a "pet project". Come on Etsy! Figure out the programming and do it right.

[BlackSheepDyeworks]

I agree, the new "improved" message functionality is a mess.  My help requests seem to show the most recent order over on the right side, and if a customer has only ever ordered from me once, the help request & order seem to correspond.  I have LOTS of return customers, though, and some have dozens of orders; help requests from repeat customers never seem to show the correct order.  The only way I can be sure which order the message is about is to copy/paste the order number from the top of the message & search my orders for it.  And if I need to go back and try to figure out what order/listing a past message is about (any message, not just help requests), the new all-in-one-thread system is a tremendous fail.

As far as the dot alert, I think I get them most of the time.  Fortunately I always seem to get the email when I have a new message (I know this can be problematic too for some sellers, so I'm lucky in that respect), so I haven't had to completely rely on the dot.

[ReImagineBrewing]

Again, I had a customer request a change to an order via "A HELP MESSAGE". I didn't see it and completed the order. Now, I'm either having to THROW OUT what I made and re-make the order OR explain to the customer the Etsy Message System. Due to the SUDDEN 70% drop in sales my shop is experiencing I can't afford to remake the item at a full loss. I'm opting for explaining the system and tell the customer that Etsy tends to make changes based on customer feedback not seller feedback. So, please please contact them.

Help messages do not link to orders. One would think they should because they are IMPORTANT AND RELEVANT. They don't. So, sellers do not get alerts when they are created. These messages just mix in with all the other ones and get addressed when a seller is hopefully finished with their current orders and then gets back to messages about future business. Current orders should always be a priority. Please contact Etsy and tell them that you feel they should change their message system and LINK HELP MESSAGES TO ORDERS thus creating an alert. Without this sellers can't make changes buyers request.

Etsy PLEASE fix this illogical message system. Alerts SHOULD ALWAYS occur next to an order if a HELP MESSAGE is CREATED ABOUT THAT ORDER. It is just common sense!

[ReImagineBrewing]

I think I figured out why this is happening...lack of being able to figure out programming.

STAR SELLER STUFF! ETSY needed a way to track that BOTH Help Messages and General Messages are responded to within 24 hours. So, they unlinked Help Messages from the orders to be able to do this.

THE RESULTS...more issues for sellers and dissatisfied customers due to changes being missed all due to a "pet project". Come on Etsy! LINK EVERYTHING especially the most important HELP RELATED stuff!

[ReImagineBrewing]

Old issue but starting to get worse again. Messages are not linking to orders. However, customers did send a message on the message page.

I even sent the customer a message from an order and they responded but neither message is linked to that order. It is only visible from the message page and not the order page. Frustrating.