My Star Seller Stats are WRONG and Etsy Does NOTHING!

[EclecticTrashPanda]

I have one order that Etsy is dinging me for not shipping on time -- it is one order, the customer ordered three of the items (3 sets of 4 glasses).  I deleted two of the shipping labels, consolidated the ordered into one box, changed the carrier to Fed Ex (an option stated in the listing when a customer purchases multiples and I messaged the customer, proactive communication from me, that ends up hurting my stats!).  I purchased the label through Etsy and it is saying that the order shipped late.  The order shipped on time.  This dropped my on time shipping to 98% even though I have a perfect score.  There is a glitch that Etsy is missing and there is no human that gives a rat's butt!  I wrote that as feedback last week, no response! 

Further, I'm getting dinged on Messages.  I didn't respond to  this same customer who thanked me for my previous two messages (same order that supposedly shipped "late" but I saved him over $20 in shipping) so that will haunt me for three months.  Yes, we need a never ending thread because Etsy only counts certain messages as messages.  My proactive messages count for nothing -- which they should, but Etsy separates messages into buckets in a way that no customer would ever would, so my not responding to a Thank You -- I got your message and the refunt -- killed Star Seller for me!  Further, a message from a returning customer who bought another item doesn't even count as a message -- sorry this is absolutely WRONG! What is measured under messages defies logic -- all the proactive messages from sellers don't count (wrong -- that is real customer service -- the flaw is Etsy's metric)  and if the customer responds to an actual "conversation" with the seller but because of how Etsy is structured messages from sellers don't show or count, that hurts message stats.  Meanwhile,  auto-replies to messages count but real messages that are proactive, do not.  Yeah -- that's customer focused -- NOT! 

And, even though the evaluation period for Star Seller for October is through September 30, two messages that were received and responded to on September 29 were not counted in my message stats at all and neither was a message on a new order from a repeat customer.  If they were counted and standard rounding were applied I would have 95% for message stats.  Really, didn't want to lose Star Seller going into the holiday season, especially since I delivered stellar service but I'm screwed because Etsy's metrics are not only flawed in terms of what they measure but they can't even get the dates correct! Clearly, Etsy failed on how to include entries for the date period that they specify and they certainly do not delilver on updating stats every 24 hours either!  But again, ZERO support from Etsy and no ability to fix things when the metrics are wrong (or change the metrics so they make sense).

I'm past fed up with Etsy! There is no CUSTOMER SERVICE for SELLERS and they have completely forgotten that we are customers and Etsy would not exist without sellers. Etsy is failing epicly in terms of keeping commerce human -- there isn't a HUMAN at Etsy who can fix these glitches that Etsy creates.  There should be a human over ride because their metrics are not correct and I'm past sick of the seller being penalized when Etsy's metrics are wrong and the answer is "oh well" pay your seller fees and get no service in return!

[PoochandTabby]

When you combined the shipping of three sets of glasses, were they separate orders? Did you then apply the tracking number from FedEx to each order?

With messages, the requirements of star seller and replying to messages hasn't changed. Each NEW message requires a response. I've had customer message me 3 different times for the same thing and I just reply to each one that they need to look to their first thread for my answer, or something along those lines. It may be annoying to have to reply to everything new, but you know that is the requirement.

With regards to the message on the 29th, again, if you have read the star seller requirements, it states: 

Messages sent on the last two days of the 3-month review period may be excluded from the current review period and counted towards the next period instead. This is to allow Sellers a full 24 hours to respond and not be penalized for messages received late on the final day of the review period.

Here is a link to the Star Seller program incase you need a refresh on the requirements:

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/4403058372503-How-to-Become-a-Star-Seller?segment=selling

[EclecticTrashPanda]

The glasses were on one order, three items all one order.  I deleted two of the three shipping labels and shipped everything in one box -- one label, one tracking number.  It all looked 100% correct in Etsy on my end and the label was purchased through Etsy.  It was a programming glitch that didn't pick up on deleted labels.  There was no place for me to add a tracking number -- the section for the label had the tracking number, it was complete and there was nothing I could add! I've done that numerous times with USPS labels, so it is probably a FedEx related glitch (I use FedEx once or twice a year, generally for oversized items). 

As for messages, I escalated and reiterated that what Etsy counts as messages does not measure real communication with the customer, nor does it measure great customer service.  Their metric and their programming is flawed because they are not measuring the correct things! It does not measure what a customer counts as communication -- if it did, it would include messages sent on the order page and messages sent if there was a refund of some kind.  Both of those things are real, proactive messages and they do not count as communcation.  If I send the customer a message that their order ships through messages -- it counts as a message, but if I send the same message on the order page -- it doesn't count as a message.  Etsy's own set up does not work together! And, their system of excluding reviews penalizes people who did respond during the given month.   How about fixing the program to reflect reality and real time (it is automated with no human thought or intervention) -- If a message is not responded to at the end of the month and it is within the 24 hour period to respond (as in not late), it counts for the next month.  That actually makes sense, but that is not what they are doing.  

[weekendjewelry1]

I can only give my opinion - I wish I had a good answer for you. Etsy has messed up my Star Seller badge more than once. As far as I can tell it didn't make a single bit of difference - buyers don't care, most never see your front page anyway, they go directly to a listing. 

I don't have a good "contact Etsy HERE and you'll get a live human will will listen" link.  So far as I know there isn't one, really.  Pursue this as far as you are able - but don't let it keep you up at night, please. 

You've got lots of good reviews and happy customers. That is much more important! 

[ChillwolfArt]

Hi, I'm sorry you were dinged on SS Metrics. I just want to address the Message part.  Whenever a Message comes in, and you are not the Initiator, you must either Reply or Mark as Spam. It can even be a Message from a Seller whom you are friendly with ("How's it going"? for example). Same thing. And if a Buyer is the Initiator on two separate Message Threads, you have to Respond to both, "I'm heading on over to your other Message", for example. But that is how the SS Metrics were set up. Any time you are not the Initiator, Reply or Mark as Spam.

Hope this helps.

[weekendjewelry1]

PS You guys are great - I'm glad to read your comments on Messages, myself! (And I've been here a l-o-o-o-n-g time...) 

[CraftyCornishMaids]

when you combine the orders to 1 shipment

you have to mark the other two orders as complete, and enter the tracking number, by the ship by date, if you enter them after the ship by date, they will be late and count against you.

Messages don't count for the last couple of days for that month, as etsy gives you the full 24/48 hours to respond, they will be counted in the next month

same for shipping, if the latest ship by date is 2nd October, it will be counted in october, even if you ship on 29th September.

It all evens out, because the ones for end June, will be counted in Julys.

basically, they are all counted,  just offset a few days

....

you have to respond to each new message thread once, if the customer contacts you in 3 different message threads, you have to reply to all three.
It is not new, we have always had to do this

Messages you initiate don't count, it is about responding to messages customers initiate

[GrandGear]

I appreciate how upset you are. This Star Seller routine of Etsy's is very strange at times.

However, please don't stress out as when I checked out your shop, you have all 3 badges and are a Star Seller. 

[CatsWhiskersCurios]

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