My Star Seller criteria affected by message from a seller

[RakiTakiDesigns]

So I had 100% response rate and made sure to respond to all buyers. However, I purchased a file from a seller who wrote me a message with some Info. The seller was not looking for a reply, but this changed my message response rate to below the minimum. Is there a way to not get affected by a message from a seller? or to appeal that issue? 

[RakiTakiDesigns]

Sorry, I see this is a common issue and see my reply. So I eat it, or mark it as spam. 

[UniqueGiftOrnaments · Accepted solution]

You need to reply to all new messages, or put into spam and the rate should come back up. Instructions on the Star Seller are very clear on the subject. And no, there would not be an appeal.

[RakiTakiDesigns · Accepted solution]

Thanks, As I said I saw this is a common issue and saw the solutions. I will say it is NOT very clear. From the page.

Responding to messages quickly helps create a great experience for shoppers. To qualify for Star Seller, you need to respond to the first message on a thread within 24 hours.

I was not aware my seller and "buyer" messages were intermingled. So I was not aware I need to respond to a message that contained the file I purchased. 

However, It is what it is. Live and learn, but it is not very clear. 

[TheVintagePineapple]

If this happens in the future, you can answer with a quick 'thank you'.  Or you can open a buyer only account so that your purchases aren't connected to your shop account.  Spam, imo, should only be done when it truly is a spam message.

[nineteen27 · Accepted solution]

it sucks when that happens.

and yes etsy is clear about answering all messages.

so you have to be a star buyer who answers messages if you want to be a star seller.

[nineteen27]

if you click here to go to your star seller page on your dashboard:

https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/me/star-seller

scroll down to questions? we got answers.

click the *messages* thing.

it says.

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.

[BootifulLabels]

Etsy has never had separate inboxes for messages you receive as a buyer or as a seller.  There is one inbox for all messages, always has been.  The whole Star Seller Program is managed by AI, it does not read your messages, (and I for one would not want it to) it simply compares the time the message was received with the time it was answered and if it was longer than 24 hrs you get pinged.  

From the FAQs on the Star Seller stats page (scroll down):

What messages count towards 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.

[AsYouAreGifts]

I can't get past this being anything but lazy dev by Etsy, because I see no reason why these messages from sellers have to be answered. It's easy to set up a bit of coding that understands when a message is connected to a purchase rather than a sale - it even has the order number in the message pre-loaded. I, personally, do not want a reply saying "thank you" to every message I send out informing a buyer that their item has been dispatched. It's the Star SELLER programme, guys, c'mon!

[HazelsSewingSupplies · Accepted solution]

Sellers can be (and often are) also buyers.  The rule is very clear.

It's the only thing we can control in the SSB program and so easy to do.

Take the time to answer or send to spam.  We don't have control over sales, revenue, reviews, etc., but we do have control over messages.  

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

@AsYouAreGifts  I just noticed one thing about your post..if you don't want replies to "every message I send out informing a buyer that their item has been dispatched" - Then don't send that message.

Etsy already sends them a message that their item has been sent so you don't need to send one.

No message sent - no message to be replied to.

[BootifulLabels]

Exactly, it is a Star Seller Program.  If you want to be a Star Seller, you have to work within the rules as set, Etsy is not about to change them to suit you.  If you don't want your purchases interfering with your SS aspirations, there is an easy solution.  Stop using your seller account to make purchases.  Open a separate buyer only account and use that for your buying, then the messages you get from sellers you have purchased from will not affect your SS score.  

[VintageNomadBeads]

I absolutely agree.  I lost my star seller status for a month- hard to get back quickly, for sure.  It was for the same stupid reason.  No response was required.  Poor policy in my opinion.  I always answer buyer and other NECESSARY messages.  Others shouldn't be required.  VERY Frustrating!

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

@VintageNomadBeads  You are replying to a thread that is almost a year old.

The fact that the rules state - FROM BUYER AND SELLER accounts makes it necessary to answer first messages from sellers, friends, etc.  The blue border is a good reminder of what needs to be answered.

Etsy (thankfully) doesn't read our messages like eBay does, so they don't know if it's from a buyer or a seller - just that it's a message.  It's always good to read the complete rules and go by them.

The rule always rules.

[OmasFabricStash]

I see this “no response was needed “ excuse often and you are right. Not all messages require a response, unless you want the SS badge. For many sellers the SS badge is a good reason to respond. You chose to not respond like the rules required so you lost the badge. 

[KayBejeweled]

I responded to ALL my messages within 24 hours using auto-reply, yet Etsy still dinged me for it. Their stats showed I had 0% message response. I posted a message on the "Technical Issues" forum and it was fixed later that day. The downside, however, is though it was corrected, the badge for quick replies is still not visible as it was after Etsy had posted their badges for the month. Hopefully next month, I will get full Star Seller status back. 

[AsYouAreGifts]

@BootifulLabels Chill out with the bolding, you come across like an Etsy "Yes man" that made these decisions and is sticking to them no matter what!!! (I can use bold, too). I haven't asked Etsy to change anything, but it seems quite a few people would like a change that benefits their workflow. Just because they have rules (that make no sense), it doesn't mean I/anybody have to like them. IN MY MOST HUMBLE OF OPINIONS, IF YOU WILL ALLOW IT (caps AND bold is even more impactful) the Star SELLER program should contain criteria related to SALES only. As for creating two accounts; nobody should have to...it's a silly work around....just like being made reply to messages from sellers.

@HazelsSewingSupplies - Yes the rule is clear, it doesn't make them right or good or perfect. And thanks for the tip on not sending the messages, i get it, but I do like to send a message. And I like to receive them from sellers, too. It's a nice thing...being made to reply isn't.

The Star Seller programme, if you choose to be part of it, ensures that we, the sellers, are prompt, punctual and offer excellent service in the name of Etsy so that we keep ours AND their buyers happy. I'd like to think we'd all act in the best interests of our customers regardless, without the need for additional little unnecessary hurdles.