Incorrect Star Seller - message response rate

[LuckyLupineCo]

I am getting dinged on my star seller message response rate for a message on 11/12 from Lily.  It was something I personally purchased from another store and the seller sent me a message about the item's shipping. I didn't respond to this message and didn't know it would count against me if I purchase something under my account. Can someone assist in taking this record off my shop? 

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

Etsy will not change this.  The rules have been (for about 1-1/2 years) that you have to reply to the first message from either BUYER or SELLER. As Etsy doesn't read the messages (thank goodness!) the system doesn't know if the message is from a buyer or seller.

[LittleCreekCardCo]

You could mark it spam and it won't count. I just make sure I respond to every message. They all count, even from sellers. 

[thePaperFramer]

And yet another seller that hasn't read the policies or looked this up in this forum. This is the 7 zillionth thread on this exact same issue. You have to reply to all first messages. Like it or not, this is what you have to do to keep from getting dinged for your Star Seller. Every body does this once. Hopefully to learn from this and not do it again.

[BagmakerSupply]

@LuckyLupineCo: Probably everyone in this forum can sympathize with you but a quick search would show you the innumerable threads about the exact same issue in this forum. How is Etsy supposed to know the nature of a message? Do you want some bot reading every one of your messages and guessing if it is from a buyer or a seller or your best friend inviting you over for coffee? How many threads would there be in this forum that "some bot incorrectly classified my message"?

Etsy has been very clear and consistent about messages / convos from the very beginning of the Star Seller program. The Star Seller metric is that the FIRST message of a NEW thread must be replied to within 24 hours. It does not matter who sent it, the subject matter, if it is a duplicate or blank or anything else. If it is SPAM then it should be marked as such. Those have always been the rules.

Subsequent messages from the same account (a buyer may have multiple accounts) are supposed to be combined into a single thread. Etsy is now putting a blue text warning / advisory (blue banner on desktop, and a blue dot on mobile) on those messages they consider to be a "new message" but should semantically be called a "new thread".

Help Requests always start a new thread.

If you are creating a custom listing based on a new thread, you still need to reply to the message.

Cancellation requests in a new thread must be replied to in the actual message - replies using the cancellation form do not count as a response.

At least for the time being, it appears that marking an unanswered message as SPAM (even after the 24 hour deadline has passed) will cause your reply percentage to change in a day or two if the original message was within the current star seller period. Note that subsequent messages from that account may go directly to the SPAM folder.

If you have not yet done so, you might want to read https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/4403058372503-How-to-Become-a-Star-Seller?segment=selling

[TonsOfPaper · Accepted solution]

Hello @LuckyLupineCo,

Please know that the Message response rate counts initial messages in new threads from all Etsy members, both buyers and other sellers. You may want to create a Saved Reply in order to quickly and easily answer messages from other Sellers. Using a Saved Reply within 24 hours will count as answering the message. 

If the message you've received is not a spam message, it requires a response within 24 hours. If it is a spam message you can mark it as such and it won't count towards your score. Marking a message as spam will remove it from your inbox.

While it is not possible to retroactively remove this message from your score, we do understand your concern, and really appreciate you sharing your experience with us. We've gathered your feedback and will be sure to share it with the appropriate teams. 

Thank you very much!