Response time error

[MeltHD]

Hello, I make sure that I keep a perfect response rate, however a customer sent me duplicate messages one from a help request and via one direct message.. I did respond to the customer and did remedy her issue… I didn’t not respond to the customers duplicate message that was sentbecauae I solved her help request. Now it’s showing that I never responded to a customer. I marked the duplicate message as spam and it’s still ruining my star seller status . 

[CryzalisDesigns]

The system can not distinguish between messages, it can only see a new message coming in which requires a reply, even if a reply is not necessary.

All initial messages need to be replied to or your stats will be affected.

[BootifulLabels]

Even if the customer accidentally sends two copies of the exact same message, you still need to respond to both, or send one to spam.  The system is automated and only sees an unanswered message, it doesn't read messages, just checks the time codes for receipt and response to determine if it was responded to within the 24 hr requirement.

A Help request will always be duplicated in the message area so there is less chance of the seller missing it.  I always send a quick message via the Help Request to let the buyer know that I will take action on the request and then once I have taken that action I send a final "done" message through the general message.

[BagmakerSupply]

@MeltHD: With all of the changes to Messages we are not sure that the 'send to spam' (after the 24 hour reply window) workaround still works and if the Message is a Help Request that never worked. Remember that it can take up to days for the stats to update if it did work.

Unfortunately the Star Seller metric for messages is very simplistic and binary - either you replied to (or marked as SPAM) that first message of every new incoming thread within 24 hours or you did not.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

You have to reply to each new message thread

That's it, etsy highlights them in blue and says this, so you can't miss it

It is not an error, it is the way it works

....

It's not a good idea to wrongly mark real messages as spam, when they are not, it dings the sender, and blocks them