SPAM MESSAGE RUINED MY STAR SELLER STATUS

[rareofferings]

I received a solicitation spam message. in my inbox, and because I didn't respond, now my star seller status is blown. This is so irritating all the way around. has this happened to anyone else? How did you get it corrected?

[NanaLetha · Accepted solution]

Why didn’t you mark as spam?

[mommawhazelsquilts]

"Has this happened to anyone else?"  Yes, it has happened to a lot of people that didn't read the rules for getting and maintaining the SSB.

There is nothing to correct.  The rules are clear and explicit.

[bradgoodell]

All new messages need either:  

1. a reply
2. sent to Spam

[BootifulLabels]

Try marking it as spam now, it should update your stats within 48 hrs (no guarantees, but it usually works).  Next time, don't ignore spam messages, mark them as spam so Etsy can deal with it.  No-one but you reads your messages, if something is spam you have to tell Etsy it is spam, otherwise it will be treated like any unanswered message.

[BagmakerSupply]

@rareofferings: This forum is full of threads on your exact question.

"... because I didn't respond, now my star seller status is blown." The Star Seller metric for messages is very simplistic and binary - either you replied to (or marked as SPAM) that first message of a new incoming thread within 24 hours or you did not. You did neither and your Star Seller score was affected.

As it says right on your Star Seller page and elsewhere, you need to reply to the FIRST message of EVERY NEW INCOMING THREAD within 24 hours. It does not matter who sent it, the subject matter, if it is a duplicate or blank or anything else. If it is SPAM then it should be marked as such.

A controversial workaround : if the unanswered new thread is not a Help Request, at least for the time being, it appears that marking an unanswered new thread as SPAM (even after the 24 hour deadline has passed) will cause your reply percentage to change in a day or two (but not retroactively) if the original message was within the current star seller period. Note that subsequent messages from that account may go directly to the SPAM folder.

[hopeandjoystudios]

Mark it spam now. It should come off your % in a couple days. But the sooner the better when you are at month end-ish.

[NancyQstudio]

As @hopeandjoystudios and @BootifulLabels shared it may resolve in the next few days if you send it to spam now.  I forgot to send a spam contact message with intent to do harm to spam on an overly busy week.  A few days later I sent the message to spam without responding to it and my rating updated to 100% again.  

If this doesn't readjust  it shouldn't impact your shop.  I've lost the star when delivering in-person local purchases for a short time.  I didn't notice any change in traffic and the badge soon returned again in the next month.  

[ZenCatPottery]

@rareofferingsTry marking it as spam now before this month ends.  Sometimes Etsy retroactively re-adjusts it's calculations.

[rareofferings]

Thank you