Message response score

[MossEnd]

I have just been marked down for my message response score because I didn’t reply to a dispatch notification message from someone that I purchased from. Surely this shouldn’t affect my seller star rating as it was only a dispatch notification from another seller that I have purchased from, not from a customer. That doesn’t seem fair! 
Also why does Etsy Seller keep logging me out randomly so I don’t get notifications unless I go into the app and sign back in. How am I supposed to see messages if it keeps signing me out? 
Thank you 

[CraftyCornishMaids]

You have to reply to each new massage thread

etsy highlights then in BLUE, so you don't miss them

The message from the seller, they specifically wrote and sent to you - it's not etsy's dispatch notification.

don't buy from them again, and mark it as spam

and read the rules, they are very clear

...

you can always set up a separate buying account, or buy as guest

[BagmakerSupply]

@MossEnd: There are many, many threads in this forum about issues with the apps. The consensus seems to be to manage your shop via a browser.

Probably almost everyone on this forum can sympathize with your issue about messages but a quick search would show you innumerable threads about your exact issue.

The Star Seller metric is that the FIRST message of a NEW thread must be replied to (or marked as spam) within 24 hours. Subsequent messages from the same account (a buyer may have multiple accounts) are supposed to be combined into a single 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.

Etsy is now putting a blue text warning / advisory on those messages they consider to be a "new message" but should semantically be called a "new thread".

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. But be aware that doing so may cause other messages from that account to do directly to the spam folder.

[WitticismsRus]

@MossEnd 

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. The very first question there says

"What messages count toward the message response rate?

Your message response rate is based on just the first message in a conversation, not ongoing conversations. This means you just need to respond to the first message within 24 hours. This applies to messages both from buyer and seller accounts. Messages from Etsy staff do not count toward your response rate, and neither do messages that you mark as spam. You can also now find a breakdown of your message response rate score by downloading a CSV."

You can try marking the message as spam now and it should be removed from the calculation in a few days.

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.

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

[audreytherese]

"Surely this shouldn’t affect my seller star rating as it was only a dispatch notification from another seller that I have purchased from, not from a customer. That doesn’t seem fair!"

Surely you've read the program rules if you care about it! It doesn't seem fair that you wouldn't, then get upset when things that have been clearly spelled out are working as they are designed. 

[SugarTaffySoap]

@MossEnd 

Many have done the same thing you did (not respond). Here is what Etsy Staff says: 

"The Message response rate counts initial messages from all Etsy members, both buyers, and other sellers. This is because fellow sellers could be potential buyers for your shop. If it's 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."

Here's what a Community Specialist has posted in several threads recently regarding Star Seller:

"We suggest using the Forums' Search function prior to posting (just be careful to not bump an old thread that hasn't seen any activity in the last months/years), as questions regarding the Star Seller Program have been extensively covered by our fellow members since its launch, as well as our official Star Seller Guide, which contains in-depth answers to some of the more common questions regarding Message Response Rate, Shipping, Local Pick-Up, Digital Orders, and other topics. You can check it out here:etsy.com/starseller. "