Missing Message Button

[FlowMotionsCreations]

When someone favorites an item, I usually message them with a coupon code. Now the message button is missing which disappeared sometime late yesterday afternoon. Is there a resolution date for fixing? It is missing for everyone else also?? 

[ChillwolfArt]

Hi, Did you perhaps send out too many Messages? We're not supposed to Message someone who Favs are items, with a Coupon Code. It's considered spamming. And maybe Etsy took the button away for that reason.

Hope this helps.

[RockNRollSoulDesigns]

The button appears to have been taken away for everyone. Messaging people who favourite your items is considered to be spamming by Etsy so you shouldn’t have been doing it. You can set up coupon codes that Etsy will automatically send out for you so there was never any need for you to do this.

[PieceByNumberQuilts]

Just to be clear that Etsy only sends the coupon codes to those folks who have agreed to receive email notifications from Etsy. They don't go out automatically to everyone who favorites an item.

[ChillwolfArt · Accepted solution]

In this Thread on Pg. 1, see the post from Seller PillowDetails. Stating the button has been taken away on everyone's Profiles, so no one can Message that way.
https://community.etsy.com/t5/Managing-Your-Shop/Can-t-Message-Portential-Customers-Anymore/td-p/144...

ETA: She says, "I think the point is there no longer even seems to be the ability to contact users through their profiles - this is new.  There is also no longer a people search option - that page comes up as invalid.  I imagine these changes are in response to the rampant scam emails."

[FlowMotionsCreations]

Oh my goodness. I did not realize what I had done was not allowed. Thank you all for the feedback. It makes total sense! 

[GlassyFields]

in response to the rampant spam and scam complaints.

Might also be in response to privacy laws.

[UppNorthEh]

Sounds like it is fixed.  Maybe enough buyers complained to etsy about receiving spam from sellers that they had to do something about it.

[PlatypusDream]

"When someone favorites an item, I usually message them with a coupon code. "

You are breaking Etsy's Terms of Use, and the law in many countries.

It looks like Etsy changed access because of sellers like you.

https://www.etsy.com/legal/sellers/

"i. Messages

With Etsy's "Messages", you have the ability to communicate directly with your buyers or other Etsy members. Messages are a great way for buyers to ask you questions about an item or an order.

Messages may not be used for the following activities:

1. Sending unsolicited advertising or promotions, requests for donations or spam;
2. Harassing or abusing another member or violating our Anti-Discrimination Policy;
3. Contacting someone after they have explicitly asked you not to;  
4. Interfering with a transaction or the business of another member;
5. Exchanging personal contact, financial or other information for the purposes of evading the checkout process on Etsy, including phone number, address, email, social media handles, external URLs, instructions for money transfer, etc."

[wierclock]

Yes, I read that yesterday in forums and apologized.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

you sell worldwide,

it is illegal to do that in many countries, the EU/UK have privacy policies, and as you sell to them, you should have a gdpr policy which says you can't do that, more info from etsy here

https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook/article/59160674124

there are also "can the spam" laws in USA, so t is illegal there

and states like California also require you to have a privacy policy

....

etsy has done someething right at last, it should never have been an option for a worldwide site with two contract locations, USA and EU

[audreytherese]

"Is there a resolution date for fixing?"

This is the fix. 

Allowing you to spam potential buyers before was what was broken. 

[BagmakerSupply]

@FlowMotionsCreations: "When someone favorites an item, I usually message them with a coupon code." You do realize, don't you, that not only are you violating Etsy Terms Of Use by doing this, you are also breaking the law in most of the world?

[wierclock]

Same here.

I just found out we're not supposed to sent coupon codes because it's considered 'spamming'.  

When we were given the coupon codes to hand out we were told to give to potential customers.   We'll, I thought what better potential customer than one who favorites my shop!  

I handed out regularly and many folks used them.  I was down 15.00 but gained a customer.  Treat them right and they'll be back!

[BagmakerSupply]

@wierclock: What you will never know is how many potential buyers you drove away (and how much in sales you lost) by spamming them.

[wierclock]

I highly doubt that.  Had many 'thank you's' and wonderful conversations.   No hate over here.

[wierclock]

However I have apologized numerous times, I misunderstood when I was given the codes.

[audreytherese]

Some people that replied 'thank you' may have also only been doing so if they had a shop and didn't want to mess with their Star Seller metrics, not that they were actually thankful. While some people may have actually appreciated them, others may have only responded because they felt obligated to because of how the system works. Just a thought. 

[wierclock]

Good point.  Thank you. your comment.

[ARSIXDESIGNS]

I sent out a code and in one year it was used almost 200 times and I've had the automated email from etsy for almost three years and its never been used. 

Personally, I never even check my emails for anything besides something business related. 

[wierclock]

Good point.  Thank you.  your comment. 

[AAANativeArts]

Etsy will fix it in their own time. Or not. There is no predicting when they will get around to it.

You could just set up a coupon under the Marketing tab, and Etsy will automatically send them a discount whenever someone favorites one of your items. There is also an automated coupon for Abandoned Carts and Repeat Buyers if you are interested in those.

[funkydreamsmosaics]

As stated above, this IS the fix.