None response to seller message has impacted my own star seller rating message response rate

[PolesApartLydia]

I purchased something as a buyer through Etsy and received an automated message from the seller. I did not respond to this message as it was literally just thanking me for my order. However, Etsy has now included this as a message I didn't respond to so has marked me down on my star seller rating. The message response rate should be when you are acting as a seller, not a buyer.

[UniqueGiftOrnaments]

It doesn't matter if it's a buyer or seller. The bots don't know. Just put it into spam

[PillowDetails]

Hopefully you can still spam it retroactively today - it's the last day of the month!

[Arcalliq]

it has been working like this since the beginning

[PiecesOfMePaperCraft]

Responding to 95% of all your initial messages within 24 hours will earn you the Speedy replies customer service badge.

How to Become a Star Seller 

We need to come up with a standard, copy & paste response to these daily threads.

[Arcalliq]

@PiecesOfMePaperCraft I like the response below from @DesertChains.

Now only if the morderaters could pin the thread!

[PiecesOfMePaperCraft]

@Arcalliq 

Nah, they'd never do that because they have us minions to answer repeat questions for them.

[DesertChains]

It doesn’t matter whether or not you answered questions or provided information. It doesn't matter if a message doesn't need a response. It doesn’t matter if you’re the seller or the buyer. It doesn't matter if the message you received is a duplicate. The system only determines whether or not you replied to an individual message. If you didn't respond or send a message to your spam folder, you are going to get rated down. That's how it works.

Right or wrong, the program has worked this way for nearly a year! The instructions for meeting this metric are clearly stated and easily accessible. Daily posts in the forums also discuss this exact topic.

Send the missed messages to spam. Your stats will update in a day or two.

[ByVanillaMintDesigns]

I had my message rate drop to 88% this week too. Here on the forum I got a message from someone I don’t know inviting me to a team. I thought just in case I would answer him because I was afraid of the non response hit. He answered back again, but because I had already answered I thought I was good. Apparently not, as it started a new conversation which I didn’t answer (because hello don’t know the guy, didn’t buy from him and he didn’t buy from me. Poof, gone was my 100% rate. This was 3 days ago, only noticed now. 

I marked it spam quickly today, but don’t know if that will improve my rating as I was about to get star seller for the first time as I finally had tracking for all orders. 

this system sucks. 

[TheDelicateStitch]

I think so, too.  I don't have an issue with the premise, but it is ridiculous that I have to send a thank you to a seller who sends me an thank you coupon or have my star SELLER (not buyer) rating docked. I would like it if it were a fair, sensible system, but it feels like you have to play too many stupid games.  Like leaving a thank you for a thank you. 

[maggiemaybecrafty]

This is exactly how it is supposed to work, as we have been told over and over, we all must either respond to the first message in EVERY message thread or mark it as spam. If you mark it as spam now it may help your problem.

[ByVanillaMintDesigns]

I marked mine as spam, and indeed it worked and my message rate is back to 100%.

Definitely keeping an eye out on conversations even after the first reply, since I was hit with a second message... in a new topic.

[TheDelicateStitch]

I agree with the original post. You should not be docked as a seller for not responding to a thank you for something you bought.  If something has been this way from the beginning, but makes no sense, it should be changed.