Non-Customer Message - Star Seller Messaging Error

[AcclaimStatusCo]

I responded to every single buyer message within 24hrs (and all other metrics) to get Star Seller but did not receive it this month because I received a message from another shop that I had ordered a product from. That message was sent to me unprompted because I was a customer of that shop. 

I have received the Star Seller badge consistently since it was launched and work really hard to continue to receive it each month. Not having this badge could cost my shop thousands of dollars this month.

How is this fair that because I didn't respond to a message to a seller when I was a customer supporting another shop? So now I don't have a Star Seller Badge??! 

This needs to be corrected immediately and my badge needs to be reinstated ASAP. It completely goes against what the whole purpose of the Star Seller is. I did my part as a seller. We shouldn't be obligated to be the seller when we are a buyer. It's not called the "Star Buyer" Award it's called "Star Seller" for a reason.

Someone from support please contact me asap to fix this. 

[LynnsLittleShop]

The message boards are a peer to peer site, although sometimes support looks in on here, they can't fix your problem either. The rule is you have to answer the first message no matter who it comes from. You could try sending it to spam now and see if that helps. I don't know if there is a time frame on doing that. 

[FallenAngelBrass]

The requirement is that we must respond to every message within 24 hours.  Reply to the sender or mark the message as spam, but a response is necessary if we want the star. 

From the "Messages" part of our Star Seller page:

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.

[AcclaimStatusCo]

Thanks! Support sent me here to try and get someone to fix it so I am trying whatever avenue I have. 

[PlatypusDream]

@AcclaimStatusCo 

No one in the Forum can "fix" it for you. They sent you here for hand holding and sympathy.

Etsy won't adjust your metrics.

Take it as a lesson and do better next time.

[TROPICALBREEZECANDLE]

If you do a search there are 100's of the same question

[AcclaimStatusCo]

I figure! It was a total shock to me to find out that that's how it's being measured right now. It's the complete opposite of what the star seller badge is meant to measure. 

[AcclaimStatusCo]

It absolutely needs to change and be fixed immediately. So many shops support each other as buyers we should still be able to purchase from one another but not have to be subject to seller standards as a customer. 

[MyOverstuffedAttic]

I sent a similar message to spam and got my Star Seller back. It was a message from another shop owner. She had started a whole new message instead of continuing with the same conversation we had been having for days. It is worth a try.

[AcclaimStatusCo]

Thank you! To clarify did they reinstate it for that month? Or you got it back the next month? 

[MyOverstuffedAttic]

I got it back the same day.

[BagmakerSupply]

@AcclaimStatusCo: If the underlying data changes, your Star Seller stats will auto update but not retroactively.

[audreytherese]

Did you know that if you start getting items removed from your shop for infringement you can lose the ability to earn the star permanently? Forget one month, you will become ineligible to ever get it again. 

I didn't see any mention of your products being fully licensed, so I would rectify that immediately. 

[SugarTaffySoap]

@AcclaimStatusCo  What a bummer. Chat Support sends everyone to the forums re the Star Seller. They cannot make changes and there isn't a flaw in the SS system. You made the error. I'm sure you worked hard to achieve Star Seller but didn't you look at your stats before the 1st of the month and notice your Message had a lower percentage? When this happens download your message history to view it.

I don't know what kind of data you have that could support you saying not having the badge "could cost your shop thousands of dollars." The bottom line is you did not follow Star Seller criteria and therefore you did not get the badge this month but you still have opportunities in the future to get it back.  You now know to respond to all messages or send certain ones to Spam. Spam does not count toward Star Seller.

Lots of sellers in the forums mention the same issue as yours. The automated system does not determine who is a buyer and who is a seller it just knows all messages have to be responded to. Good luck next month!

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

This is one of those shops that so far are getting by with selling things that they shouldn't.  Sadly, they generally have a lot of sales until they get taken down.

I always look at the shop before I offer help or encouragement.  They usually have a ton of sales until they don't.

[PiecesOfMePaperCraft]

1,000's of dollars in sales would amount to at least 200 orders a month, considering the majority of their items are $10 or less. It doesn't look like they get that many orders a month based on the number of sales displayed in their shop.

[maggiemaybecrafty · Accepted solution]

As we have been told by Etsy and in the chats about a million times, we have to respond to the first thread in EVERY MESSAGE as a buyer or as a seller. Try marking the message as spam, that might help. Did you read any of the Etsy messages or emails about this? Star Seller works exactly as Etsy intended it to. It's hockey puck, but that is the way it is.

[maggiemaybecrafty]

Infringing could cost you a lot more than losing your SS badge, unless you have the proper licensing from the IP owners. It could cost you your shop and get you sued by the IP owners you are "borrowing" from and infringing is against the law and so is counterfeiting. Etsy will shut your shop down for good if you get many infringing reports from the IP owners. You may see gazillions of other sellers infringing but they just have not been caught yet. Any buyer that complains your items are not legit can file a case and win, and get to keep your product too.

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

@AcclaimStatusCo  Don't think I would be demanding support to "fix" this for a couple of reasons:

1.  There is nothing to fix.  Reading the rules would explain how SSB really works - not how you perceive it to work.

2.  It calls attention to your shop that you really don't need.