Messages from other sellers count towards message response rate for Star Seller?

[NatKatCraftsCo]

Hello,

I noticed recently that I lost my star seller badge due to a couple of missed messages. While I always respond to my buyers within the 24 hour window, and the only messages I haven't replied to are from other sellers where I have purchased something.

I feel this really doesn't make much sense, especially when the message from other sellers where just copy/paste info dumps about my order that didn't require a response.  

Will this be changed in the future? It's really frustrating to have my message reply score go further down in this case.

Bests, Nat

[WitticismsRus · Accepted solution]

@NatKatCraftsCo 

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."

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. It's been this way since the program started.

[NatKatCraftsCo]

Appreciate your response, but is the condescending tone necessary? I have read the star seller rules, and I just happened to miss that one piece of info. 

Seems like a bad user experience to include sellers in that count if they haven't purchases from my shop, no?

[WitticismsRus]

@NatKatCraftsCo 

It's unfortunate you read a condescending tone in my text, that was not my intent nor was it typed with any specific tone. I was simply trying to provide information and included the relevant links and bits as I usually do when I try to help in the forums. It was just a saved macro that has been posted many times in the forums in regard to the star seller messages issue. 

And yes, I totally agree that the entire program is a bad user experience.

[NancyQstudio · Accepted solution]

It is very unlikely this will be changed as this concern has been shared by many Etsy sellers for some time.  Etsy's Star Seller Program is a very basic one.  It can't decipher one type of message from another.  You can send these messages to spam which should correct things.  Etsy has also introduced some new options with messages.  These should be highlighted on top of the message page.  Or, they can be viewed in announcements.  

[NatKatCraftsCo]

Thanks Nancy. I'll just have to get into the habit of marking those types of messages as spam in the future.

[kokxxxRope]

I have problem like thi. Message to me as a buyer from another seller, that did not need to be answered counts as me not replaying on time 🤦‍

[mommawhazelsquilts]

Sadly, according to the rules, that message "Did need to be answered."

[mommawhazelsquilts]

It always pays to read the rules of the game.  In this case, they have been in effect for about 1-1/2 years.

[BagmakerSupply]

Do we really want some bot reading every one of our messages and guessing  if it is a buyer or a seller message? How many threads would there be in this forum that "some bot incorrectly classified my message"?