Message response %

[HaynesTinkering]

I'm a new to Etsy seller and was unaware of the metric for responses within 24hours. I had one person contact me with a question about the bracket accessory that I sell was the entire Wonderfold wagon, of course not for less than $20. I disregarded the message for a couple of days until I saw the stats about star sellers.

I now have this 1 message that is hurting my score. I get a very low volume of messages and I fear that I will soon drop below the 80% threshold and my search visibility could be impacted. I will not be able to have this removed until September (June-Aug review). 

Mind you I'm a 5 star seller and everything has shipped on time. 

[NanaLetha]

You must reply to all messages or report as spam.

[BagmakerSupply]

@HaynesTinkering: Not sure what your actual technical question is, but as it says right on your Customer Service (Star Seller) page and elsewhere, you need to reply to (or mark as SPAM) the FIRST message of EVERY NEW INCOMING THREAD within 24 hours. It does not matter who sent it, the subject matter, if it is a duplicate or blank or anything else. Etsy will not make any Star Seller stats adjustments and there is no incorrect underlying data to fix.

Currently, your search visibility is probably impacted more by virtue of your shop being incomplete (no location, about, incomplete policies, etc).

[HaynesTinkering]

Yeah like I said I'm now aware of this star seller metric. It's just the review period is 3 months so it will be awhile to get it off the record.

I see the location was not showing because I did not select from the drop down, I thought I had a short about message so I've updated that. However where do you set your policies? 

[BagmakerSupply]

@HaynesTinkering: "However where do you set your policies?" https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/115014372467-How-to-Set-Up-Your-Shop-Policies

[HaynesTinkering]

Thanks! Also I'm just looking to see if there is someone else with a less than 80% message rate but perfect for the other 2 metrics and how that has effected their store performance. 

[BagmakerSupply]

@HaynesTinkering: "... how that has effected their store performance" There are so many variables and so much tinkering / testing by Etsy that the best anyone will be able to provide is an opinion. Concrete, provable cause and effect is very difficult on Etsy when looking at sales increases and decreases.

"...the wagon I have pictured that I sell accessories for ..." Be careful with this. Unfortunately a shop almost has to assume that the buyer will not read the title and description and will expect to receive whatever is in the primary listing image.

[PristinityJewelry]

Etsy has stated that it will not "adjust" star seller metrics "retroactively".  No exceptions.

Yeah, its a bummer, but it is what it is.  Their sandbox, their rules.

[TagTeams]

Did I just read that a customer messaged you about a product you sell (or sold) & you disregarded it?

[HaynesTinkering]

The person was looking to buy the wagon I have pictured that I sell accessories for, even after I informed him it was not for sale he still insisted to buy it...

[mommawhazelsquilts]

That's what I read also.

[TagTeams]

@HaynesTinkering

Since you already informed him of the not for sell info, you should have a previous connection with him, so I’m wondering if another message was overlooked, affecting your rating?

[michellepatterns]

There isn't really anything to do now other than take it as a lesson learned. As long as you start answering all messages in the 24-hour time frame your score will eventually recover.