Messages

[CalendulaHandmade]

For some reason I am unable to respond to a customer in Messages. We’ve had a running conversation about an order she wanted to add some custom work to (which she initiated with me  last week). I don’t like the Custom Order Form and so posted her completed order as a regular listing and would like to send that link to her with a photo of the items but I cannot because the Messages won’t allow me to add my response to her last message. She is Guest and a new customer and so I have no way to contact her other than use the Custom Order Form. Is anyone else having problems with their messages? Also I have noticed that Etsy STILL hasn’t fixed the glitch with the frozen “Core Details” section on adding a new listing after weeks of complaints from many of us annd anlso contact with Etsy Support that assured me the engineering crew was working on it. This is inexcusable.

[NanaLetha]

From what I read in the help center, a guest can't buy a private listing.

[CalendulaHandmade]

Thank you @NanaLetha but I still don’t understand why I am not able to continue my conversation with her. I have no way of contacting tomlet her know her order is done other than with the Custom Order form which I don’t like because I cannot attach a photo and also have no idea what to charge for shipping because I don’t know where she is located.

[ThePurplePuppy]

@CalendulaHandmade   I do not use the custom order option also. I just make a reserved listing for that buyer and pay the 20 cents. It sounds like that is what you are attempting to do but cannot message her to tell her the item is ready to list.

It could be if you and she have been having a running ongoing  bunch of messages Etsy "thinks" you are spamming her and has disabled your message function. If that is the case you will have to contract them (thru the help option) and ask them to reinstate it for you.  There is nothing else that you can do if that is the case.

[vintageNCtreasures]

@CalendulaHandmade 
A guest can't use Etsy messages until after they purchase an item so she has to have an Etsy account to use messages.

Since she has to have an account to use Etsy messages, maybe this shopper, by mistake (or not) marked your messages to her as spam or either Etsy put your messages in her "Spam" folder in either case you won't be able to contact her unless she notices your messages in the spam folder and marks as "not spam".

How to Check Out as a Guest on Etsy – Etsy Help

What’s the benefit of having an Etsy account?

While you can still purchase items on Etsy, and track the shipping status of your item without having an account.
You still need an Etsy account in order to do certain things:

• Purchasing a custom item 
• Contacting the seller before you purchase an item (you can only contact a seller as a guest after you’ve place an order)

[CalendulaHandmade]

Thank you all for your input. I used the custom order form as a last resort and she has purchased it so all is well for now. We’ll see if I have any other problems with messages going forward.