I think I've been blocked?

[AnimalHeadVintage]

I placed an order with a shop, had what I thought were very pleasant business related exchanges with the owner (I asked about the weight of the fabric I was ordering, and if would be possible to combine shipping for multiple items purchased). I placed my order, got my products, no problems. 

I then placed another order this week, and went to send the shop owner a message about when she could ship my items, and was unable to send a message and an error popped up telling me that I'd been blocked. If I go to the Help Center and try to open a case or request a resolution to a problem, it won't send the message. I've tried multiple ways to contact the seller about my current order, and am unable to reach her at all. 

The seller even sent me a message via Etsy to tell me that my address needed correction, and I've been unable to reply to that message at all to offer a solution. 

I feel quite at a loss. I've been blocked from messaging the seller, but not blocked from purchasing from her? And now if I have any issues I am unable to communicate them or open a case of any sort? Honestly I'd rather just cancel my order and take my business elsewhere, but apparently I can't even cancel my unshipped order without her consent, and am unable to communicate with her at all to request it.

[NanaLetha]

Only the seller can cancel. 

[PlatypusDream]

If you've ordered from the seller before, you should have their email address.

Contact them that way.

[PillowDetails]

@AnimalHeadVintage the Seller 's direct email is at the bottom of your order- and at the bottom of your transaction email. 

[AnimalHeadVintage]

@PillowDetails thank you for that solution! I've actually emailed them there as well and also had no reply either. And I'd rather keep things on Etsy anyway, but don't have that option.

I guess I feel stuck because I can't contact the seller directly because she's blocked me, and can't open a case. I don't totally understand how the blocking system works, because it feels broken in this case. 

[Marmalady]

Sellers cannot block someone from sending them messages

Etsy can and do block a seller from sending any message to anyone if they have mis-used the message system.
Have you been sending unsolicited messages to prospective buyers (eg sending messages to people who favourite your items)?

All you can do is either wait until Etsy decide to re-instate your messaging ability or try to contact Support via the Help System to resolve the problem

[GroundZeroCreations]

@Marmalady Yes they can! I posted a thread about this once. Here it is:

https://community.etsy.com/t5/Marketing-Your-Business/YES-you-can-block-a-person-from-sending-you-me...

[Marmalady]

@GroundZeroCreations 

That seems to be a new "feature" that I was unaware of

[ThePurplePuppy]

@Marmalady 

This started last Thursday--so less than a week old!

When all of these buyers who can't contact their seller start leaving bad reviews I bet Etsy will rethink this!

I was thinking it might be Etsys way to slow down the spammers sending messages pretending they are
Etsy support, etc"

[audreytherese]

I think this new blocking was part of the change they implemented last week about who you could message (just guessing)

[GroundZeroCreations]

It sounds like this may be a case of the seller not responding to the last comment from you in a previous message. And because they weren't aware that they only had to respond to the first message in the thread, they sent it to spam so it would not affect SS rating. And they may be totally unaware that when it goes to spam, you are blocking that person.

Here are the rules for opening a case:

2. Case Eligibility

In order for a case to be opened with Etsy, an order must meet the following criteria:

1. The order is within the eligible time frame to open a case, based on an order's estimated delivery date (if applicable) or processing time and “ship by” date. This Help article explains case time eligibility.
2. The buyer has reported the order issue to the seller by selecting Help with Order within the Purchases and Reviews section, and has given the seller 48 hours to resolve the issue.
3. The buyer wants to open a case because the item never arrived, arrived after the estimated delivery date window, arrived damaged, or does not match the listing description, as described below.

[audreytherese]

I agree, my first thought was that the seller thought they had to respond to all messages, not just the first one, and after the last one just sent it to spam. 

It's really scary if there is not an option to open a case because you can't send a help request at that point. 

[CraftyCornishMaids]

Sellers can't block you sending messages

only etsy can

and they are reducing loads of ways to stop people creating messages, because of the current wave of scammers

.....

buyers can mark messages as spam, future messages should go to their spam folder

sellers have started to mark non-spam messages as spam, if they forgot and did not reply to them in time

[vintageNCtreasures]

@CraftyCornishMaids 
Did you see the 2 posts with the info posted above from GroundZeroCreations ?

Yes sellers can BLOCK someone from sending them a message. 
If another seller or buyer marks that message they got as spam, it will BLOCK all other messages from that person.

Here's the link to the HELP pages that state this:
How to Handle Scams and Suspicious Messages – Etsy Help

[ThePurplePuppy]

@CraftyCornishMaids 

Etsy started this last Thursday

[MyOrganisedHome]

@VintageNCtreasures

You’ve linked the US Etsy page on How To Handle Scams And Suspicious Messages.

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000343128-How-to-Handle-Scams-and-Suspicious-Messages 

The UK page for the same topic doesn’t have that section.

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360000343128-How-to-Handle-Scams-and-Suspicious-Messages 

I’ve gone back and looked at the scam messages I sent to spam - there’s nothing about ‘unblocking’ the sender, just classifying it as ‘not spam’.

I wonder if this is region specific, or simply a slow roll-out?

[vintageNCtreasures]

@MyOrganisedHome 

I'm in the US so that's the only page I can see that states sellers can block other sellers/buyers if they mark a message as spam.
The OP is in the US, and that is why I posted the link.

Maybe Etsy hasn't gotten around to updating the UK link??

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@vintageNCtreasures  @MyOrganisedHome  @ThePurplePuppy 

does it block messages, or help requests too????

etsy treats them differently, as they even have different message threads

and you didn't used to be able to spam help requests, though you could spam messages

they have always called the two things different names, and treated them differently before

so when they say "messages" do they also include help request threads?

[MyOrganisedHome]

@VintageNCtreasures

Possibly. Etsy do state that not all of the info in the seller handbook may be correct!

However, I see that on this thread @BriarMoonBeads stated “I had a scammer send me a convo and I dumped it in my Spam folder, then I clicked on their user name to find out if they were still around and it said 'unblock this person'.”

I don’t have that listed as an option, just the original ‘not spam.’

It’s either a timed roll-out, or region specific possibly due to differing consumer laws.

[MyOrganisedHome]

@CraftyCornishMaids

It’s looking like it’s ALL messages, including Help requests.

However, I’m not sure we have it in the UK.

[ThePurplePuppy]

@CraftyCornishMaids 

The posts last week (I saw 2 of them) only said their messages were blocked--nothing about help requests, but with the OP here it sounds as if it is both.

[MyOrganisedHome]

@VintageNCtreasures

Right, I’ve checked again.

I can send a Help message (or any other message) to Spam. I get no notification that the sender is blocked and from the  Spam message folder I only have the option to mark as ‘Not Spam’ the message.

However…

If I click on the sender’s name in the Spam folder it brings up the sender’s profile page. At the bottom of this page is the option to ‘Unblock this person.’

If I click on the sender’s name for any of the messages on my inbox (so people who haven’t been sent to Spam) I have the option to ‘Block this person.’

If I unspam a message then click on the sender’s name to bring up their profile, I have the option to ‘Unblock this person.’

So, presumably, spamming a message then unspamming it still leaves the sender blocked from contacting you,

It’s a bit concerning that this feature isn’t listed on the UK seller pages, only the US ones. I didn’t think we had the feature enabled because of the difference in the info pages, but it appears we do.

Edit: I’ve never sent, nor received a message from you. However if I click on your name and bring up your profile page I have the option to Block This Person. Presumably a seller can therefore block ANY buyer, even if they’ve never sent a message. Fake shops are going to love this.

[WendyShrayDesigns]

Oh, very interesting. Their strategy to try to outsmart the stats for Star Seller status could certainly backfire on them when their customer can't get in touch with them.

[audreytherese]

 @MyOrganisedHome The block button you are seeing in anyone's profile has always been there, it just doesn't do what most people think it does (like actually block anyone, because why would a block button actually block anything...). By blocking someone at that spot all it does in mean they can't follow you and see your favorites. 

[MyOrganisedHome]

@audreytherese

Ah, I see. I've never used that function so not familiar with it.

I do wonder though if something has changed. When I spam a message and go to the sender's profile page it offers me the option to Unblock This Person - and that seems to be the same link that you mentioned previously which only blocks someone from following you. When I click on this from someone whose messages I haven't spammed I am informed that, as you say, if I block the person they can no longer follow me.

So now I have questions...

Are those of us in the UK (and possibly EU) seeing something  different from those in the US? If we spam a message does it block the person from connecting us? The UK  seller handbook link still doesn't mention anything about blocking people - unlike the US link.

Has the blocking system changed and it now blocks messages too but the pop up hasn't been updated? 

Only one way to find out I guess...

I have now blocked you (it's nothing personal, I promise!) from your profile page - would you mind trying to send me a message from my shop contact?