Incorrect on time shipping

[StephanosAlchemy]

I got docked points because I hand-delivered an item. It took away points because I didn’t provide a tracking number. There was no tracking number. I hand-delivered the item to her. Is there a way to get around this from happening in the future?

[NanaLetha]

Mail it with tracking.

[WitticismsRus]

The metric is actually "On time shipping & tracking" not just on time shipping.

Etsy is pretty clear in the Help Center info about star seller here

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

"What if I offer local pick-up or delivery for my items?     At this time, orders that don't have tracking because they are delivered or picked up in person will be considered shipped without tracking, and will not meet the Star Seller criteria for shipping".  

[KraftyHomeStudio]

Unfortunately, if you do not write a tracking number for the order, the criteria will not be met the Star Seller criteria for shipping.

[ArtDollsbyJD]

Hand delivery does not count for star seller.  Tracking is needed.  Etsy has always, even before star seller, considered that the only way they knew sellers posted their items.

You could send a receipt in a letter but that metric will only meet star seller for it will not cover if the buyer says they did not receive item or there is another issue.  Hand delivery removes any possible seller protection. 

[BagmakerSupply]

@StephanosAlchemy: "Is there a way to get around this from happening in the future?" While delivery and pickup are valid ways to complete an order, for Star Seller the shipping metric is very simplistic - either you marked the order as complete on time with a verifiable tracking number or you did not.

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 and https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000338067-How-to-Offer-Local-Pickup-or-Delivery?segment=s...

[CraftyPharmdGoods]

I wish Etsy would fix that! If hand delivery is an option it would help us out so much, but so guess that’s for accountability. Unfortunate we get dinged for it! 

[LeLightFantastique]

it's crazy that Etsy hasn't come up with a way to deal with this.  Even a small (compared to Etsy) French/Belgian site has a way of confirming local pick-up/delivery, as long as one has a smartphone.

[BagmakerSupply]

@LeLightFantastique: "it's crazy that Etsy hasn't come up with a way to deal with this" Reading between the lines of Help articles and posts in this forum, this appears to be a deliberate design choice and not something which Etsy feels needs to be addressed.

[TheHomespunLoft]

@LeLightFantastique  Maybe so-- but not everyone has a smartphone- let alone any cell phone at all. I do-- but I know more than a few people who just don't have one or care to have one.. it is more common maybe in the USA not to have a cell phone at all.

For me- I have always made a customer sign the receipt. At least that is some proof that they actually have the item. ( I do this on another venue and not on Etsy).