Not being a STAR SELLER for 2 months because of ETSY. Can someone solve the problem?

[sethajewellery]

Hello.

I spoke with “Lovely” on ETSY Chat for about 30 to 45 minutes. And he told me to write my problem in this forum. I am writing my problem here too.

ETSY automatically moved a customer's message to the SPAM folder. Probably because he perceived it as an attack. The date is April 1, 2024.

I couldn't see this message because it was automatically sent to ETSY spam.

On April 29, 2024, I saw the message in the spam box and sent a message to the customer.

Since receiving this message I have lost my STAR SELLER badge on ETSY. And I haven't been able to become a Star Seller for 2 months. Because of this message. And my sales have dropped incredibly for 2 months. And ETSY is responsible for this. And it still doesn't solve the problem. I haven't been a Star Seller for 2 months. And my sales have been very bad for 2 months. When will ETSY solve this problem?

When I entered the Star Seller section on ETSY; It says that I lost my Star Seller because I did not reply to this message. OK, but ETSY moved this to the automatic spam box, not me.

I wrote this in the ETSY Chat section about 1-2 months ago. They received my e-mail and was told that a call would be made. But it wasn't done. I have been a victim for 2 months. ETSY should solve my problem. And he must compensate me.

I cannot assign "IMAGE" to this section. I also posted my evidence in the ETSY Chat section.

If someone checks my private message section, the problem will be solved.

I removed the message in the SPAM box from SPAM. Then I wrote an answer to my customer.


Yes, I know too. Messages in the SPAM box do not affect STAR SELLER. But it affects.

 [This content has been removed by Moderation. We ask that you please review Section 1, Item 1 of our Community Policies prior to posting.]

See, "NO" is written in this message;

 [This content has been removed by Moderation. We ask that you please review Section 1, Item 1 of our Community Policies prior to posting.]

ETSY automatically sent this message to the SPAM box on April 1, 2024.

I saw this message in the Spam box on April 29, 2024. And I immediately wrote back to my customer.

I removed it from the spam box. And I wrote again.

But because of this message, I have not been able to receive my STAR SELLER Badge for 2 months.

When I go to the Star Seller section on ETSY

Message response rate

89%

It appears.

Message breakdown

Download message history

When I download this file; "NO" is written next to the message in the SPAM box.

Last review period

When I examine this section;

Message response rate

91%

It appears.

It says here that I cannot become a STAR SELLER because I did not reply to that message. So, I haven't been a STAR SELLER for 2 months because of this message.

PLEASE let this problem be solved now.

[sethajewellery]

Also when I wrote on ETSY CHAT last month. I explained this problem. And 5-6 days after we talked, my Star Seller badge came back. But after 5-6 days it disappeared again...

[TandemElementsShop]

hello, to keep the Messages Badge you need an average of 95% or higher within the last 3 months.

hopefully you can answer messages promptly this month and raise your average ♥ good luck!

[MokuMokuPens]

We are only sellers here we can't help. Also Etsy seldoms fix anything Star Seller related. They have but RARELY.

[howtobooksandmore]

You have repeated numerous times in your post that this is Etsy's fault and they must fix it.  They can fix it but they won't.  If they did it for you, they would have to do it for everyone and they would get nothing else done.  And not having the star seller badge has nothing to do with your sales.  Buyers rarely notice the stars and Etsy doesn't really give your shop a boost in search because of it.  I would think the banner that says you are running a Christmas sale has more to do with not getting sales than not answering one message.  It makes it look like your shop is not busy and you are not working on it.

[BootifulLabels]

The Help Staff refer you to the forums when there is nothing they can do for you, so that the forum dwellers can sympathise and offer suggestions for coping with your situation.  That is all we can do, we are all just sellers like you.  

Unfortunately Star Seller, like most things on Etsy, is an automated system that is based on a yes/no result.  Either you met the criteria or you didn't.   In this case you didn't and that mistake will continue to affect your score until the August 1 badges are awarded, when stats from April are no longer counted.  I suggest you use this as a learning tool and make a habit of checking your Etsy mail AND your spam folder at least once a day so that you don't miss any messages that require an answer.  

As far as not having the badge affecting your sales, I wouldn't worry too much, I have only managed to get the badge four months in the 2 1/2 years it has been in existence and it hasn't boosted, nor has it hurt, my sales.  

[mommawhazelsquilts]

@sethajewellery  We can't help you - just your peers.

But I think if you had moved the message back to spam after you finally responded, it would have been okay.

If that's not right, someone will let us know.

Star Seller doesn't help that much with sales - sales are down for a lot of us.  I have it and my sales are really down in this shop.

[sethajewellery]

I think 2 friends sent me a private message right now. So, if 5-10 people send me private messages right now, will my problem be solved? Did I understand correctly?

[BootifulLabels]

You need to maintain a 95% response rate.  That means for every message you answer late, you need to answer 19 more on time to make up for the one you missed.  Messages from buyers and other sellers count, but if Etsy thinks you are manipulating the system by having friends send you messages just so you can get the badge,  you may well find yourself banned from the program forever for manipulation.  I would not advise it, despite all the hype about the badge, it really doesn't matter to most buyers.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@sethajewellery 

Etsy really won't like that

if they find out -and you have now said what you will do in the forums

you may not get it back, or worse

don't fiddle the figures

.... star seller , or not, has never affected my sales, it's not worth the risk

[sethajewellery]

Yes I understand that. But I never responded to any messages late. Essentially, that's the problem. That's what's wrong.

[BootifulLabels]

I'm sorry, but this passage from your original message confirms you did miss replying to the message in your spam folder. 

ETSY automatically moved a customer's message to the SPAM folder. Probably because he perceived it as an attack. The date is April 1, 2024.

I couldn't see this message because it was automatically sent to ETSY spam.

On April 29, 2024, I saw the message in the spam box and sent a message to the customer.

You need to check that folder regularly in case the Etsy filter has picked up a legitimate message with the spam.

[sethajewellery]

I think you misunderstood @CraftyCornishMaids.

I didn't ask for a message from anyone. I didn't tell anyone to text me. I didn't ask my family or friends to send messages either.

When I opened this topic, I received 2 private messages. I asked if he had anything to do with this incident.

That's why I don't do anything illegal. I haven't done this in all these years. I won't do it anyway.

[StreetwoodDesign]

ooof.

[CarpetCollectionAU]

@sethajewellery Sevim, When Etsy introduced the automatic "spamming" of suspicious Messages an part of measures taken to limit / prevent the "hacking "attempts, there were many Shops reporting legitimate Messages being "spammed". Most of those Shops lost their "Speedy Replies SSP Badge. It was known issue and some people were able to reply from the "Spam" Folder and others moved the Message to "Inbox"  to reply and then moved it back to "Spam". From all we have read here, not all actions worked the same way for everyone because Etsy continued to make corrections and changes in the background.

I understand your concern as you have a successful Shop and obviously take pride in your product and Customer Service.

The good news is that rhe April Message will drop off for the Badge to be awarded 01 August.

However, I would caution you agains getting friends and family to send Messages so you can improve your Messaging result. This is from the ETSY TOUs. Please look at the last point

Etsy has can and will permanently remove your right to any SSP Badges if you break the rules for SSP. One of these rules would be manipulating the Messaging metric

• your shop no longer meets the qualification criteria
• your shop has an overdue bill
• your account privileges were limited
• your account violated our Terms of Use, including and not limited to our Seller Policy
• we have reason to believe you attempted to falsely inflate your Star Seller stats

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407191123607-Why-Was-My-Star-Seller-Badge-Removed?segment=s...

[StreetwoodDesign]

oooof.

[StreetwoodDesign]

just glad I'm not involved with stuff like that. I had to add and extra "o" to my 2nd ooof post in order to post the same word again. good grief. wow!

[CarpetCollectionAU]

@StreetwoodDesign If Etsy sets this as a condition then, one would assume, they have measures in place to monitor where messages come from?

Or, perhaps, like most things, they rely on others reporting?

Either way, appealing for messages in a Public Forum monitored by Moderators is most unwise

[sethajewellery]

Yes, I did not ask for private messages from my family or friends. I wouldn't do such a thing. It's already prohibited.

[EccentricHandbags]

Don't spend anymore time on this.  Buyers don't care about star seller and it makes no difference to your search placement or sales.  Having it isn't even really a good indication of customer service or not, as you have now found out from this happening.  It's just a game for sellers to play.  There are parts of it you can't control, so it will come and go regardless of what you do.      

[After9Marbles]

Dont stress the star seller. I dont see any improvement in traffic from it. In fact the few months that I didnt have it in the beginning were some of my most profitable months. While I wont go out of my way to lose it. I also wouldnt be bothered if it was missing. I cant control what etsy does. I can only control how I run my shop and interact with my customers. At the end of the day the majority of my sales here are repeat customers and the random off site ad sale.  

[SapphireVine]

If you are a fairly new shop you could start a new one, unfortunately in the last 5 years I have had my fair share of Etsy not having my back over the customer, I have seen small changes that protect the seller now but I started back when customers could complain about anything and get their money back without even returning the product.

[audreytherese]

This post is almost a year old and the OP has the SS back.

Not sure why it was revived.

And not sure what customers getting their money back has to do with the original post of automatically Etsy sending messages to spam. 

[MrsDsHandKnits]

self-deleted..no longer relevant for an old thread

[OneEyeCatStudio]

This thread is a year old.