Incorrect calculation for Star Seller program

[shopcleodesign]

Hello everybody!

Happy New Year 2025 in advance!

I lost my sales star on January 1st and have no idea why.

My data in the evaluation period from October to December is as follows:

Shipping and tracking: 100%
Ratings: 5.0
Message response rate: Here are two dashes before the percentage? Why? I had messages in October and responded immediately. And anyway: Etsy writes in the FAQs: “If you do not receive any new messages during a review period, this will not have a negative impact on your seller star status.”
Drop rate: 0%
Orders: More than 50
Turnover: More than 290 euros or 300 USD

Even if I download the message and dispatch history of the last evaluation period, everything is fine. Shouldn't I get the badges for ratings, shipping and tracking and message response rate in any case?

I have been trying to communicate with support for 3 days. I was also promised a solution and email on January 2. So far no answer and no email. This is really very sobering. Does anyone here have any ideas? Has anything changed in the criteria?

Many thanks and best regards!

[TheArtisanRow]

I can completely relate to how you're feeling. I’ve been in a similar situation with the Star Seller program. Despite meeting all the criteria—like maintaining shipping and tracking, 5-star ratings, and a perfect message response rate—I still haven’t received the “Speedy Replies” or “Smooth Shipping” badges either.

It’s super frustrating, especially when you’ve put in the effort to meet all the requirements. Like you, I’ve also reached out to Etsy support, but the responses have been slow and not very clear. It’s definitely disheartening when we rely on accurate feedback and recognition to keep improving.

I’m really hoping Etsy addresses this soon and clears up any glitches or inconsistencies in their system. You’re not alone in this—it seems like many of us are in the same boat. Let’s hope we get some clarity soon!

[shopcleodesign]

Have you heard anything in the meantime?

[CraftyCornishMaids]

check the $ amount again

with etsy exchange rate, it is likely to be under $300 (etsy converts every amount, on the day of the sale) .... if it's under that, etsy doesn't show any badges

if the amount is showing on your previous review period, you are under the amount, as it disappears when you exceed it

[shopcleodesign]

Thank you for your reply.
I have checked it several times and it is more than 300 in both euros and dollars.
I think something is technically wrong here. Since there are also two dashes in the message response rate? According to the statistics, it should be 100%.
I really hope that etsy will react soon. I have had no response for three days.

[BagmakerSupply]

@shopcleodesign: "... there are also two dashes in the message response rate?" ---% means nothing to calculate not 0%. This does not disqualify you from Star Seller, just the Speedy Response badge.

"I had messages in October ..." Keep in mind that the Star Seller metric is NOT all new messages but only the first message of all new incoming threads.

[ArtDollsbyJD]

So for Oct,Nove and December you had $300 (USD) amount in sales.  I'm not sure at the price point that you would have reached  $300. The cost of shipping and taxes is not included in the total. "This only includes the value of items you sold, not the cost of shipping or taxes—and canceled orders aren’t counted."  This is from the box on the customer service area. 

Message response rate?  Did you have messages during those 3 months?  Are you looking at the current?  THat would only be November and December.  The two dashes mean there is nothing for Etsy to count.  

[Girlfriendnecklace]

Same with me I had all the requirement 5 stars then because 2 months ago I had a 4 stars with a beautiful comment, I lost my star seller badge. Lots of people reported they can't on mobile give 5 stars, just 4 stars. But this doesn't prevent me to sell so no big deal.

[ArtDollsbyJD]

@Girlfriendnecklace   You have more than one with 4 star which is what lowers below 98%.  On the app, they can leave 5 stars as that was one issue that was fixed on the newer app.  The older one may still have the glitch.

[shopcleodesign]

Thanks to everyone for commenting. Ultimately, it's not really transparent how etsy awards the badges or what the terms and conditions are. It seems very complicated. Not the sales you see, but without taxes and shipping, only new messages, you only see badges if you have the corresponding turnover, even if it's about ratings and shipping, ...
there is room for improvement.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@shopcleodesign 

etsy is very clear, it is very transparent

go to your star seller stats, it says

Message response rate
Star Seller target: Reply to 95% of first messages within 24 hours

On-time shipping and tracking
Star Seller target: 95% of orders ship on time with tracking

Average review
Star Seller target: 4.8 or higher

.....

and if you haven't hit the 5 sales or $300, or whatever, there is a section that says

Complete more orders or sales to be eligible for Star Seller
To be able to earn Star Seller badges, you’ll need to complete at least five orders and make a certain amount in sales (based on where you live) in the current review period.

.....

and they have a click through, for all the information, you ever want on star seller or customer service
How to Become a Star Seller – Etsy

......

If you have less than 5 sales or the min $, then there is no point doing stats, based on such low numbers, it's a basic rule of stats

[shopcleodesign]

Thank you very much!
But why don't I see any more badges for high ratings and shipping and communication. In the last few months, as well as this month, I have always achieved 100% or a rate of 5.0? Surely this has nothing to do with minimum order quantities (which were always over 5 for me) or minimum sales? Unfortunately, I don't understand this.
Kind regards

[CraftyCornishMaids]

you only get the badges, if you have also sold at least 5, AND 250 euros, in the previous 3 months

It has always been part of star seller

etsy explains it very clearly, here

How to Become a Star Seller – Etsy

basically, you can't be a star anything, if you don't do very much

[shopcleodesign]

Thank you. I have fulfilled these criteria. That is exactly my problem.

[shopcleodesign]

Thank you for your efforts. But I don't think we can find a solution here. We're going round in circles here with your answers.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

this is what you say

this has nothing to do with minimum order quantities (which were always over 5 for me) or minimum sales?

however, it absolutely does

which is why you are going around in circles

[UppNorthEh]

@shopcleodesign - when you click on this page https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/me/customer-service-stats?ref=seller-platform-mcnav does it say Complete More Orders or Sales?  if it does that means you didn't sell the minimum dollar amount.

[SugarTaffySoap]

@shopcleodesign You may have been temporarily or permanetly disqualified if you haven't complied with Etsy's policies or if you have an overdue bill. Have you read the last part of this article to see if any of this applies to your shop? 

 https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-gb/articles/4403058372503-How-to-Become-a-Star-Seller?segment=selling