I think I've been blocked?

[#1]

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.

[audreytherese]

@MyOrganisedHome I replied to your message here, but just in case the block covers here as well and just doesn't tell me, I can't message you through your shop! It is actually blocking me from contacting you, but it's not telling me that as some people seem to be seeing. It just came back with 'message failed'.

It appears that I can still purchase from you though (as long as I find a UK address to ship to). 

Just adding that as far as I know I still have messaging abilities in general. I had a potential buyer send a question this morning that I was able to respond to with no issue. 

[MyOrganisedHome]

@audreytherese

Thanks!

There was no notification on my dashboard that anyone had tried to message me so I had no way of knowing you tried.

When I used the same block/unblock link at the bottom of your profile it generated the following pop-up

You are about to unblock Audrey

Once they are unblocked, they will be able to follow you or message you from your profile.

There was nothing in the original pop-up when I blocked you about messages at all.

[MyOrganisedHome]

I assume this is the result of sellers complaining about scam messages and Etsy deciding to do something about it.

There was another thread recently* where someone said they appeared to have been blocked from contacting a seller. Unfortunately Etsy appears to have got its ear round its elbow.

For the last few years sellers have advised one another to send messages to spam if they are at risk of losing Star Seller due to late replies. Couple this with spam now appearing to be a blocklist too and that’s a recipe for disaster.

If buyers cannot even open a case if their messages have been classed as spam, so they have literally no way of starting the process of getting their money back in the event of iffy goods and a shoddy seller, this is an absolute disaster. And a godsend to resellers and scammers.

Did nobody at Etsy think this through?

* Edit: The one by @GroundZeroCreations, linked above! Also: https://community.etsy.com/t5/Technical-Issues/Vendor-blocked-me/m-p/144763895 

Cross posted because I type too slowly!

[vintageNCtreasures]

This ^^^^^
It sure seems like NO one at Etsy thought that through at all which isn't surprising at all. 

ETA: On my message page that mark as spam button is there for any new or existing messages. 

[Adorabilities]

Wait, before I get too deep in the hypotheticals...
Can you spam a reply to a message, or just the original message?

Looks like you can spam an entire message thread started by yourself. I didn't actually do it, but the "mark as spam" can be checked.

[Amaradorn]

@MyOrganisedHome unfortunately I think the problem started when sellers started marking innocent messages they forgot to reply to as SPAM just so they could retain their star seller status - because that is somehow now more important than actually providing great customer service. Now Etsy have fixed the messaging system so it works as it always should have, it's come back to bite them - but it's actually affecting the innocent buyers. I suppose it's the usual story of 'fix one thing and break another in the process'. Nothing surprises me here anymore.

[MyOrganisedHome]

@Amaradorn

Yes, sellers sending messages to spam just to up their Star Seller message response rate was always a bad idea.

As Etsy’s spam folder didn’t actually do anything useful until recently it will probably come as a shock to sellers who routinely do that as they may not frequent the forums and Etsy haven’t exactly announced this change prominently.

[NanaLetha]

@CraftyCornishMaids  Yes, they can - it's a new Etsy feature. If the seller marks the message as spam that block the sender from sending anymore messages.

[Adorabilities]

Wow, they can't even send a Help Request. So there's a way to prevent buyers from opening cases, if they've ever contacted you for any reason. What a mess.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@NanaLetha 

does hat just stop messages, or help requests too?

..... you didn't used to be able to mark help requests as spam

[MyOrganisedHome]

@CraftyCornishMaids

If I’m understanding this correctly, the Seller hasn’t sent the Help message to Spam, it was one of the regular messages.

This then blocks the buyer from sending any more messages, including Help messages.

So a buyer with an issue about their order who has used the regular messaging system can effectively be blocked from opening a Case for a refund as that requires a Help message to be sent first.

I would hope that Help messages cannot be sent to Spam, but, looking back at one I received some time ago, the option to Mark As Spam does seem to be there.

* * * Ok, I’ve just tried this with a Help message from 2022. Yes, you can send Help messages to Spam! Now left wondering if that prevents a customer from Opening a Case, or if it would somehow prevent the seller from being notified… *  * *

[audreytherese]

I also just checked. I now have the option to send all former help requests to spam. That definitely was not a possibility before. 

From the sounds of it, this will also make it so customer's can not open cases (going back to the OP's original concern, "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 lost track of how many times I've said it before, but Etsy is not known for their programming skills or thinking through new processes. This is now just another example of a poorly thought out and executed plan of theirs. 

[Adorabilities]

If message threads can be sent to spam, it also allows sellers to write to all new buyers, who need to answer due to the SSP, and then spam all their replies, avoiding any cases in the future.

[audreytherese]

Well that's one way to inflate the numbers on here... can't open a help request, no returns/refunds granted, Etsy's numbers will go way up.....

[Adorabilities]

Actual chargebacks would increase, though, so it would backfire.

[audreytherese]

Maybe it should backfire. 

Maybe that's what needed for some people involved in making these changes to look at it with some common sense perspective. 

[PlatypusDream]

@FabioMcMustache 

@thatregina 

"If buyers cannot even open a case if their messages have been classed as spam, so they have literally no way of starting the process of getting their money back in the event of iffy goods and a shoddy seller, this is an absolute disaster. And a godsend to resellers and scammers."

We need Admin clarification. 

Is this REALLY how this works???

[vintageNCtreasures]

@AnimalHeadVintage 
Since you've ordered from this shop before, you should have their email address on the order detail page to contact them.

I'd also let them know about this new feature that anytime they mark a message as SPAM, that person will be blocked from sending any messages to them at all.

[AnimalHeadVintage]

this does make me feel better, that maybe marking me as spam was a mistake instead of the seller trying to block me on purpose. I’ve emailed her via the email on the receipt but haven’t heard from her there yet!

[GlassyFields]

this is what happens when Etsy makes changes w/o announcing them

I have a feeling the seller moved one of you messages to spam. Once upon a time that would do nothing. Starting yesterday it blocks you from sending them messages.

But you have their email so should be able to sort it out that way.

This hurts sellers and buyers ... unless they know about the change. Sigh.

[AAANativeArts]

Deleted 

[MyOrganisedHome]

@AAANativeArts

Etsy have changed the system. The info on the US pages has been updated.

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

How to block messages from a member

If you receive a suspicious message, you can block further communication from the sender by reporting the message as spam. Do not respond to the message. Etsy does not recommend engaging with suspicious messages for any reason. Responding will encourage the scammers and cause you to receive further scam messages.

The mark as spam feature is not currently available on the Etsy Seller app. 

If you receive a suspicious message, you can block the sender by:

1. Sign in to Etsy.com and go to Your Account.
2. Go to Messages. 
3. Select the suspicious message from your inbox. 
4. Choose Mark as Spam.

This will move the message out of your inbox and into your Spam folder. You won’t receive any new messages from that member, and they’ll be unable to reply to messages in an existing thread. However, blocked members can still purchase items from your shop.

To send it back to your inbox, go into your Spam folder and select the message, then choose Not Spam. This will unblock the member and allow them to message you again.

[cutebutton]

@MyOrganisedHome 

say what!?!?!?!

So you can block someone from messaging you but they can still buy from you?

That makes absolutely ZERO sense HAHAHAHA. 

So to stop scammers they opened up a new door for scammers on the selling end to take advantage of.  NICE. 

[hopeandjoystudios]

There is a HELLA difference between a spam message and a SCAM message.If they are going to do this they should differentiate..have a SCAM folder and a spam folder.

[LeLightFantastique]

what a disaster!! I know it was meant to help cut out scammers, but honestly.......