Penalized for No Tracking for Pickup order

[ColorfulCrowns]

A friend ordered an item from my store and in the notes she asked if I could drop it off.  Having a pickup order versus shipping wasn't straight forward and hence I called ETSY for support.  The first advice wasn't accurate so I called back a second time.  There is a record of me calling correct?  When you walked me through this a second time, low and behold I am penalized for no tracking information and ETSY support can't help resolve this.  ETSY guided me through this and I should not be penalized for this error that was a result of your customer support.  

I'd highly recommend that at a minimum this should be more straightforward and/or your customer support should be able to correct a wrong on their part.  

When things at ETSY are great, they are great but there customer support is lacking on little things like the above, it's disappointing.  My STAR Seller attributes were affected by this, and as sellers, we pride ourselves on unprecedented customer service.  

REMEDY: Please remove that NO TRACKING error and restore my seller star status.  

[PlatypusDream]

"REMEDY: Please remove that NO TRACKING error and restore my seller star status.  "

Etsy Admin rarely comes here, and even more rarely offers assistance.

Etsy has said they will not manually adjust Star Seller metrics. They will not fix this.

The Star Seller is NOT set up for pick ups (and never has been) - there is no way to prove the customer received the item.

If you are in the United States:

Next time the customer wants to pick up, send their receipt to them via Tracked Lettermail (Pitney Bowes) through the Etsy shipping system. This counts towards your precious Star.

[Marmalady]

Etsy Chat is outsourced and the representatives do not always understand a query --or give correct information.

If you do not ship with tracking or an Etsy label, you will be dinged for Star Seller metrics.
It has always been this way, and it is clearly stated on the Star Seller page

Etsy will not "fix" this as it has worked as they intended and so they consider there is nothing to fix.

[FallenAngelBrass]

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@ColorfulCrowns wrote:

The first advice wasn't accurate so I called back a second time. 

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How did you get a customer service rep on the phone - twice???

[WitticismsRus]

@ColorfulCrowns 

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/4403058372503-How-to-Become-a-Star-Seller-?segment=selling

"What if I offer local pick-up or delivery for my items?

At this time, orders that don't have tracking because they are delivered or picked up in person will be considered shipped without tracking, and will not meet the Star Seller criteria for shipping. "

[bradgoodell]

THIS.

Simply put, In Etsy's Star Seller rules, Etsy warns sellers that local pickup and delivery will not meet the criteria for Star Seller.

There is no fix.

Sorry.

[hopeandjoyhome]

It says right on the star seller page on your dashboard 

Ship on time, with tracking

Every order should include tracking. 

There is no loophole for hand delivered. 

[ColorfulCrowns]

HI, apparently this is an issue as there is an option for hand delivery but it's not intuitive how to earmark it as that.  The fact that Etsy didn't know this is even more disappointing.  

[hopeandjoyhome]

You can hand deliver, ,mark the item completed and state hand delivered but it will count against your SS as a non tracked package. If you do not care about SS it is not an issue. If you DO care about SS it will be an issue.

[SparkleGlassJewelry]

No, I did click on "hand deliver" but I still got demoted in Star Seller.  I think they don't care.

[WitticismsRus]

@SparkleGlassJewelry 

That's because the star seller criteria/meteic is for 'shipping on time with tracking' not just 'shipped' or hand delivered.

The with tracking is pretty clear.

If it didn't have tracking then it doesn't meet the star seller criteria. 

Not sure how much more clear they can be. With tracking literally means with tracking.

[BagmakerSupply · Accepted solution]

@SparkleGlassJewelry: There are two separate and distinct metrics at play here - an order can be properly completed as a pick up / delivery and Etsy allows that. but for Star Seller the order requires verifiable tracking.

[Thoreg]

For a order, exactly the same here :((, have send them a Mail. Yes the don't care sadly, the System should have a upgrade !!!!!!!!

[ArtDollsbyJD]

The star seller program is quite clear on this.  Etsy does not accept hand delivery for star seller status.  Etsy has never liked hand delivery but accepted years ago that it would happen.  Still with star seller they demand tracking.  It is the only proof of shipping.  Sending a receipt via the mail won't work.  The buyer can still claim not to have received and there is not seller protection for hand delivering,

Do read the information on the program.  It is quite useful.

Hand delivery is not good customer service.  For one thing it reduces profit made on the order.  It doesn't mean the buyer will return for further purchases and it can have an unhappy ending.  There have been reports of being robbed, hurt and even killed.  It's just not a good move to make.  

[TastefulArtisan]

Hand delivery has never counted for SS evaluation. It's quite clear on the SS page and there are a mind-boggling number of posts in the forums about this very issue available with a 2 second search.

Everyone runs their business how they see fit but hand-delivery or pickup is so risky. Personal safety aside (though important to consider) there is just no proof that it was actually "delivered". You could have your buyers sign in blood that they did indeed pick up/get their package and Etsy will still not consider that adequate. Even with tracking/delivered proof, it's questionable if Etsy will protect a seller.

Some have used the letter rate flat just to get that "tracking" number but there is still risk. A buttload of risk. Say I buy a table locally, I go get it or have the seller deliver and I get the receipt in the mail. Fine. But if I was a dishonest so and so I could claim that I bought a 300lb table and the "tracking" shows it as a 1oz package. Even if Etsy protected their sellers as much as they do our buyers, it's obvious that I didn't get a 300lb table in a 1oz package. I'd get a refund and a free table and the seller is SOL. 

It sucks but I look at the tracking as for my protection (such as it is) vs. a means to get the SS badges.