Once again, I'm screwed by a multiple message conversation with a customer

[LostSparrowJewelry]

I was messaging back and forth with a customer and apparently she started a new discussion and to say "thank you." I didn't notice it was a new thread and now I'm screwed out of start seller. This is ridiculous. I was going out of my way to customize an order for her and now I'm penalized. Why aren't they fixing this problem?

[SugarTaffySoap]

Oh no, sorry to hear. What I do is check my messages 2 times a day to make sure I didn't overlook one. It doesn't make sense to have to focus on messages so much but this has worked for me.  Did you reply to the message or mark as spam so it can adjust the percentage? 

[YbyYFabricsandCrafts]

Where do you mark as spam?

Carole

[hopeandjoystudios]

@YbyYFabricsandCrafts On the message page, click the box next to the message then up top click Mark as Spam. You can do this later too. If your spam message lost your star this month you can still spam that message and take it off so you don't have to fight it for the next 2 months too. It may take a day or 2 to update.

[LostSparrowJewelry]

There was no reply necessary since we had already been messaging back and forth and she was just thanking me for agreeing to do some customization for a piece. I guess I need to be creepy and always have the last word. My understanding was that if the message is part of a thread, you don't have to have the last message. I didn't check to make sure she didn't start a new tread, which she did.

[FallenAngelBrass]

@LostSparrowJewelry 

No need to be creepy and always have the last word.  The reason you got dinged was because star seller saw her "thank you" as a new message thread, not because you didn't get in the last word in an existing thread. 

[YbyYFabricsandCrafts]

Lost Sparrow Jewelry, I hear you.  I received a spam message notice and didn't know that I needed to response to that a business was closing their shop and opening a different name one.  Hence, I received a penalty for not at least marking it a spam message.  I am with you about customer service.  I do my very best to take care of my customers and I am offended with this hit and keeping me from star seller too.

[NanaLetha]

@YbyYFabricsandCrafts  Next to the message 

[BootifulLabels]

It won't be fixed, simply because Etsy doesn't consider it a problem. The rules quite clearly state that ALL messages require a response within 24 hours or marked as spam, even if they are duplicates, or from another seller regarding a purchase.  Your title suggests you have experienced this issue before so I am not sure why it has come as s surprise this time.  

[LostSparrowJewelry]

Because Etsy says that if there are a number of messages in the thread you don't have to have the last word. You must not have understood my post.

[LostSparrowJewelry]

I have run a business with excellent customer service for many years. I don't need Etsy to babysit me. If there are poor sellers on the site, they need to be weeded out, not coddled.

[mommawhazelsquilts]

We understood your post.  You don't have to get in the last word.

According to your post, you didn't check to see if she started a new thread - which in your words, "which she did."

In this case, you do "need" to get in the last word.

[LostSparrowJewelry]

So, because there are sellers with poor customer service, I need to take extra time out of my day to double check messages to simply satisfy Etsy website code. That is my beef.

[Adorabilities]

Are new threads not highlighted with bold text when you open the messages tab? I've never had a new message not shown in bold text, but maybe there are different displays for different devices. You're not the first to have missed a new thread.

In any case, those threads should have been merged if they were from the same buyer. Maybe that buyer has two accounts, and wrote from both of them. Or, if one was a "help request," those will be shown as separate (new) threads.

[Kufi2Scarves]

I just lost a point on messages because another seller messaged me with a coupon because I brought something from them. How is it my fault when there was nothing for me to respond to about my items in my store???? Who do we contact about problems like this? 

[SeasideRoseCreations]

No one

[mommawhazelsquilts]

There is one thing that we have complete control of regarding the star seller badge.

We can't control the number of sales.

We can't control the amount of the sales.

We can't control the shipping services.

We can't control customer reviews.

WE CAN CONTROL WHETHER OR NOT WE ANSWER MESSAGES IN A TIMELY MANNER.  ALL IT TAKES IS FOR SELLERS TO LOG INTO THEIR SHOPS AT LEAST ONCE IN 24 HOURS TO SEE IF THERE IS A NEW MESSAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH.

Etsy has made these rules quite plain - if you think you don't need to thank someone or reply to what you consider an unimportant message, don't blame Etsy for your not getting the SSB.

[delightworthyn]

I think you have missed the point. Nobody is arguing that you shouldn't communicate promptly. We are now compelled to answer things just to have the last word to avoid getting dinged by Etsy. This must also be annoying to the customer.

[LeLightFantastique]

I thought that they were supposed to be re-grouping ALL messages from one person into one thread, whether or not they start on a new one.

[BagmakerSupply]

@LeLightFantastique: Subsequent messages from the same account (a buyer may have multiple accounts) are supposed to be combined into a single thread. Etsy is now putting a blue text warning / advisory on those messages they consider to be a "new message" but should semantically be called a "new thread".

Help Requests always start a new thread.