Message Response Rate Incorrectly Calculated

[bigstickpins]

Hello, 

I have reviewed my message response data because suddenly I'm not receiving Star Seller badges which I qualify for. The messages marked as "no response" were from June and were from the same person trying to sell me things (like stamps for my own mailing instead of using Etsy shipping). I'm not sure why my not responding in June to a sales pitch is effecting my response rate numbers in July, August and September. The other messages marked against me were from a customer reaching out on different accounts of her own, also in June effecting my score in July, August and September. That particular customer placed an order after lots of messages/conversations between us on Etsy. I'm not sure why these are negatively effecting my score now and of course, I can't fix it by responding now. I've negated this problem in future and since by responding to all messages immediately even if they are from the same person using different accounts. I feel strange addressing this in a forum instead of contacting Etsy seller services. I feel like there should be a contact for seller customer service in regards to this. 

[WitticismsRus · Accepted solution]

@bigstickpins 

The current review period is June 1–August 31, 2022 so that's why it's counting messages from June. 

Did you mark those messages trying to sell you something as spam? If not then that is the issue. You need to mark spam messages as spam. Etsy provides the tool to do so, it's up to you to use it. 

As far as the other messages...you have to respond to every initial message. It doesn't matter if it's from the same person using a different account. It's still a new message that you need to reply to. If you failed to reply then that is the issue with those messages and why they are being counted against you. 

If the star is important to you then it may be a good idea to read or review all the info Etsy provides about the star seller program.

Etsy is pretty clear about how the message response rate is calculated in help center here https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/4403058372503-How-to-Become-a-Star-Seller?segment=selling

There is a highlighted bit under message response rate info that says "The Message response rate only applies to the first message in a thread. Initial messages from both buyers and sellers on Etsy are counted towards the Message response rate. "

That means ALL messages. It also means each individual message thread so if someone sends you 5 different messages with 5 questions instead of putting them in the same message chain you need to respond to all 5 of them. The system is completely automated and doesn't know if the message is from a buyer or another seller. It just sees a message and calculated the response time. That's just how it works.

The info is also right there on the Star Seller page in shop manager. Just go to shop manager > star seller. Once there scroll toward the bottom until you find "Questions? We've got answers." Then click messages. 

You can try marking the message as spam now and it should be removed from the calculation in a few days. Keep in mind that it may be too late for it to count for the badge awarded on the 1st as they seem to stop calculating a few days before the last day of the month.

Bottom line...you have to either reply or mark as spam.

[bigstickpins]

Thanks for the informative, quick and quick witted response. I've gone through and marked these as spam and, as I mentioned in my post, corrected the issue from that point on by responding to ALL messages. I also went through my response rate data before I posted and noted that. You're correct that all that information is clear in Etsy's FAQ's and I exhausted those possibilities prior to reaching out. My problem went beyond these options as marking them as spam did not change the status. Do you have any other thoughts on handling this?

[WitticismsRus]

@bigstickpins 

When did you mark them as spam? Was it yesterday or today? It can take a couple of days for things to recalculate. Unfortunately nothing is instant on etsy .

[bigstickpins]

I marked them yesterday so I'll give it a while especially knowing that has worked for others. I'm equipped for the road ahead.  Thank you for your time.

[Former_Member · Accepted solution]

Star Seller uses the last three months of data.  For the September SSB it will look at June, July, and August.  If you mark those messages from June as spam now, your score should go back up in a day or two and it may help you for September.

eta, or what @WitticismsRus said.

[bigstickpins]

Hi Zinnia! Thanks for the input. I wish that marking them as spam now made a difference but I've exhausted these possibilities. I'm aware of the range Etsy bases their status on and am reaching out on the forum to get it sorted. And I mistakenly clicked that my problem was resolved. Ho-Hum. Cookie crumbles and all that.

[DesertChains]

Not incorrect. You didn’t respond to all message threads. If you don’t want to comply with the terms, that’s your prerogative but you won’t get the badge.

[bigstickpins]

Understood, and marking sales pitches as spam didn't do the trick either. 

[BagmakerSupply]

@bigstickpins: Any recalculation will not be immediate. It may take several days, and this is also end of month which can be problematic.

[bigstickpins]

Good to know. I appreciate the time and input. I definitely feel ready for the next round of submissions.

[NoFrogsAllowed]

I feel strange addressing this in a forum instead of contacting Etsy seller services. I feel like there should be a contact for seller customer service in regards to this. 

Etsy made it clear from day one what the response rate options were and also made it clear shortly after that they weren't going to change response rates no matter what the story.  I can totally see why they have opted out of dealing with message response rate queries.

[mommawhazelsquilts]

Every minute they spend on trying to appease sellers that don't comply with the rules and want things made right (when it's their fault for not reading the rules) is a minute that they can't work on "real problems".

I've said this for the whole 12 or so years that I have been on Etsy that if sellers used common sense to work out their "problems" instead of going to Etsy with minor things then we just might have better customer service for the REAL PROBLEMS.

I don't blame Etsy for not making a phone readily available.  Can you imagine the phone calls they would get?  Just the ones about SSB messages alone would flood the phone lines!!

[bigstickpins]

Yes, they've made it perfectly clear they won't respond or assist a seller who has exhausted possible proposed solutions. And I feel completely founded in my hesitancy to address any issues on this forum. Thanks for all the clarity!