Messages splitting on orders

[TheGeekGalleria]

I had a customer message me about an order. I responded but it split it into a whole new message. So now I have 1 message showing that I never responded but yet I did. Is this happening to anyone else? I got a notice to reply to the message and I did it again and this time it stayed with that message line but it was already outside the 24 hour mark. Now I won't get my star seller rating next month. First i had to deal with Etsy not populating my processing time on orders and now this!

[ChillwolfArt]

I'm sorry you got hit with that.  Yes, on any string of Messages where you are not the Initiator, you must respond or Mark as Spam. When the Message split, did it happen to go on a "Help Request"?  (Reason I ask, that happened to me once.  I did respond, but the Buyer already purchased, then sent a Help Request to inquire if I had more of something).

[DKVintageandBeyond]

@TheGeekGalleria happened to me as well the other day. Confused the buyer as well.

[TheGeekGalleria]

At the top it says Help with order ######.

I went to the order and I replied from within the order. I guess the messages did not tie together so that is very frustrating.

[ChillwolfArt]

@TheGeekGalleria  Ah, that's it then.  The new Message string was a Help Request.  You're right, it doesn't tie together; rather comes in on a separate string.  I've only received the one, so I'm not too familiar with them.

[VogueVixens]

Help Requests are not the same as regular messages. 

Worst of all,Help Requests do not show on the connected order, unlike regular messages. I now write "Help Request" in the private note area on an order, so I know there is MORE history to my correspondance with the customer. 

Help Requests appear both in Inbox, and it's own "Help Requests" folder, at least on my account.

[BagmakerSupply · Accepted solution]

@TheGeekGalleria: "I responded but it split it into a whole new message." A new thread you initiated should not count against you.

The customer must have responded by starting a Help Request. Help Requests always start a new thread (since they start the clock ticking on a possible claim) and the first message must be replied to, even if only to say "see other thread". Our experience is that Help Request threads do not appear on an order, particularly if there is another message thread with that account.

[TheGeekGalleria]

That is pretty messed up since it is a help request for that order. I clicked the order link that it put on the side of the message and then replied once I had looked at their order since it was asking for a shipping address change.

[GlassyFields]

just mark the message you didn't respond to in 24 hours as spam. It will not count against you in star seller stats. Takes a day or sometimes a couple of days to update.

Be careful though - when you mark a message as spam other messages from that person might automatically go to the spam folder. So for an active buyer, keep your eye on the spam folder.

[BagmakerSupply]

@GlassyFields: Never had to do it, but according to others Help Requests  cannot  be marked as spam.

[GlassyFields]

ahhh - I forgot about help requests. It makes sense that those can't be marked as spam.

I feel for you. Losing star seller in spite of responding is frustrating. But I do appreciate the lesson learned. 

[VogueVixens]

Then that is NEW, because I have marked a couple of help requests as Spam in Kuly & Aug 2022 (buyers had also sent convos at same time. Which I did reply to), and then moved them back to Inbox a few months later.