Questions on contacting Customer Support, Chat and Email

[AmoreTreasure]

I don't contact customer support often. This morning I did a successful chat with them.  A while later I needed to chat about something else.  I entered my question and received a reply thanking me for contacting Etsy support followed by them asking for last four digits of my account, credit card, and business identification which I provided then received a message that they are connecting me with a customer service support agent.  No reply after that.  I have no ability to end chats any more (and haven't for awhile) so can't end this one and start over.  It's been several hours and I've sent more messages via chat (on same chat thread) but get no response.  So this appears to be a problem and I don't know what to do about it.

So, I followed the "Help" from shop manager and emailed them.  I have received no email saying that they received the help request.  When I created the request, it was assigned a request number.  Is it normal not to receive an email saying they have received my request?  Suggestions anyone?

[catfluff]

hmmm, I have contacted chat numerous times they have never asked me any of those things just my name so they can call me by that.  were you asking about something financial or account hack?  thats the only time they ask those kinds of questions

[AmoreTreasure]

Yeah, I thought it was weird too.  No it was for advise on how to handle customer first saying package wasn't delivered then saying it arrived but had been cut open with contents missing.  I believe I chose "Shipping" for the reason for the chat.

[NanaLetha]

@AmoreTreasure  I doubt that is something Etsy support can help you with. You need to work it out the the buyer. Advise the buyer to file a stolen mail report. Does the tracking say delivered?

[AmoreTreasure]

Yes, tracking is showing delivered and customer, now, isn't saying it wasn't delivered but that the bag was left at door cut open with contents removed.  I was trying to take @cindylouwho2 good advice that I reach out to customer service BEFORE a customer opens a dispute.

[hopeandjoystudios]

Etsy will tell you to tell them to open a case. You can refund or not but they can then open a case if you don't refund. Etsy doesn't get into the truth of the thing.. If it is under $250 Etsy will cover it if you are qualified for coverage. Otherwise they will refund from your account. I would rarely say to tell them to open a case and just cover it myself out of a "self insurance slush fund". Etsy says they don't hold "occasional cases" against the seller, but who really knows. In your case if you don't wan to cover it, I'd tell them to open a case for reimbursement by Etsy (if qualified). Otherwise yes you are NOT LIABLE for delivered stolen packages. Your insurance won't cover delivered stolen packages. You can of course tell them that your responsibility as a seller stops at delivery. That they need to have a safe place for deliveries. That porch theft should be reported to the Police and the USPS as it is a felony to steal via the mail. Depends what path you want to take. If you deny refund they can still open a case. Etsy covers porch theft on their dime or the sellers (which I cannot see how that is legal) I think their point is if you sell here you agree to that. Boo. PS if they bought as a guest they can't open a case without getting an account and importing the sale or some such that most will not know or do. If the buyer contacted you about this via the I need help button your 48  hours to a case opening clock is counting down, 

Long story short..trying to contact Etsy about this is a waste of time. @AmoreTreasure 

[catfluff]

well that is odd indeed, cause its none of chats business to ask those things. ANd then to have no reply.   Well to answer your question its a tough one you have to either trust your customer is telling the truth or they are lying, anybody can show a package slit open.  Depending on the dollar amount sometimes its not worth fighting over. But I do not reship in these instances I just refund, and quite a few times I have had the response Ohh I didnt want a refund I wanted you to ship again, and I tell them well you have been refunded so you can buy again, they never do.

[AmoreTreasure]

Yes, to me it seems like chat is broken for me with no way for me to "refresh" it.

[ChillwolfArt]

I haven't contacted Support in ages (only once when I first started here in 2011). But something recently changed within the Chat System.  I remember seeing Threads about this (asking for the last 4 digits, etc.). Also, some were suddenly having trouble closing out of their Chat.

It seems like you should receive an email stating they received your request for help.
In the Help Pages, I filtered to "For Selling". Then scrolled to the bottom, "Contacting Etsy." This article came up, however it appears to be for both buying and selling.
https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/115013375488-How-to-Contact-Etsy-Support?segment=selling

In my opinion, Etsy needs to revamp their Support system. Too many people struggle to find the correct pathways in order to receive help. And it shouldn't be this difficult.

[AmoreTreasure]

Thank you for your insight, ChillwolfArt.  Perhaps I will try another email as chat is clearly broken for me.

About chat not closing out, months ago, when I went to chat it would show the old thread from previous chat though I could still reach someone.  I asked them about it and was told that that is how it works now.  Never know whether customer support person you get really knows or they are just throwing something out there to get you off the chat.

[ChillwolfArt]

@AmoreTreasure  I've been searching for something re: Chat asking you for last 4 digits, and so forth.
Here is a Thread from May.  This Seller was asked pretty much the same as you were.
https://community.etsy.com/t5/Managing-Your-Shop/Etsy-Chat-Support/m-p/142330981

I think I would forgo Chat and use email thru our Shop Dashboard (I believe it's Community & Help > Contact).

[hopeandjoystudios]

When I contacted chat (changed email and had no access to old email to get any codes) I was passed on to a team..told to look for an email from that team.. and THEY asked me for last 4 of bank account, last 4 of social attached to the account and my last deposit amount via their email. They want to make sure I am who I say I am and are the legal person to change account info.

[ChillwolfArt]

@AmoreTreasure  Just wanted to clarify my above post.  "Community & Contact" (in our Seller Dashboard), was recently changed.  It now reads as "Help" > "Contact Us" (this is one option. It also has Help Center as well as Forums). 

[nineteen27 · Accepted solution]

etsy support is so... unsupportive.

the best place to see your help requests is here:

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/requests?segment=selling

and yes... chat just stays open for eternity and cannot be closed out.

when etsy asks me those questions... i give random numbers.

and chat answers me anyway.

maybe try logging out... clearing your etsy cookies... and then log in again.

that helps most of the time.

[AmoreTreasure]

Thanks so much!!!  I just checked the help request and there was a response (though still haven't received an email that they even received my request)!  It was generic and looks like they never completely read my question but there is a response.

Also good idea to log out/clear cookies to see if chat gets "reset".

[hopeandjoystudios]

Worst part is if you have someone start the 48 hour case clock, the chances of you getting an answer from Etsy in 48 hours is questionable.

[cindylouwho2]

Etsy Support does ask those questions sometimes, so that isn't odd. It's unfortunate that they haven't fixed the Chat bug. Can you ask for a callback? 

As @nineteen27 mentioned, you can always check to see if your emails have been logged, and add to that thread if necessary. 

[catfluff]

why would they ask those questions? can't they see you are chatting from the shop, your name should be enough. I have never had them ask me these things just my name.

[cindylouwho2]

@catfluff I protested a few times, saying if my account was hacked that the hacker could already look up all the answers, but Support insisted this had helped protect accounts overall. 

They do seem to use it if you file quick subsequent tickets, or keep a ticket going a long time, but I don't really have enough data to verify that.  

[nineteen27]

i wanted to add this.

in order to find the page that i linked you to:

go to your dashboard.

then scroll on the left hand side to *help*

click on that and you will see *etsy help center*

click on that...and in the upper right hand corner...

you will see your avatar  { if you do not see your avatar... you are not logged in and you need to be logged in, so click there and log in }

and then click on your avatar and it will say * my support requests*

once you click on that... you will land on the page i linked you to.