STAR SELLER issues - - - AGAIN!

[RainbowCrossings]

I had a customer make a purchase of two items, then went back and made a separate purchase. It was for an engraved item and she didn't send all the information. I reached out to HER - first - and nearly immediately, I might add - and then continued to work with her throughout at least 15 additional messages. 

Unknown to me, since the emails are forwarded from Etsy to my inbox, she was opening a new thread each time she was sending a message. I contacted Etsy and she could SEE on her side, that I had indeed responded to every one of this customer's emails, but said since it was on a separate thread, it was being counted that I DID NOT RESPOND! I got zapped TWICE from Etsy for this. This is absolutely unacceptable. The last email she sent was thanking me and saying to have a nice day. Since I had just communicated with her over 15 times, there was no reason to respond to the last comment. However, since it was sent on a new thread, Etsy penalized me.

Your operator basically told me too bad for me. This just irks me beyond belief. How would Etsy like it if we sellers treated our customers that way? If they contacted us because there was a problem and we just told them, "Oh, well! That's the way our rules work, even if it isn't right!" You really need to do the right thing here and remove the last two penalties I was given as EVEN YOUR AGENT could see I had responded! This is just so wrong. How about THANKING me for the hundreds and hundreds of emails that I do respond to on time, all the shipments that ALWAYS go out on time, and for ALL THE ETSY customers that come to your site to buy my products and leave 100% POSITIVE FEEDBACK. It's like you are looking for ways to penalize the very ones that make your money for you.

Your agent told me you will respond to the issue. It will be interesting to see if you do it within 24 hours like you demand of us. And not so much as ONE MINUTE later!

I hope you will do the right thing and remove those last two penalties you zapped me with as I DID respond to her, multiple times, and well within the 24 hour time limit.

[ChristmasIsLove]

You're addressing Etsy in your post, but this forum is peer support from other sellers. You need to email Etsy directly with your request.

[RainbowCrossings]

I spoke with Etsy on the phone. The agent sent me this link and told me this was where I needed to post for technical issues. She told me they would look into the issue as she was not able to do anything about it. She sent the link to my email and specifically said this was where Etsy Tech would look into the matter. What a joke!

[KablooeyFineNerdery]

all fine and dandy, but I'm here because etsy sent me over for a very similar issue. 

I'd imagine etsy sent the poster as well. 

So, Etsy feels this is the place to deal with this, then they are correct. 

[JDTotesnDolls]

In messages, does it look like you answered every single message from her on all her threads?   Message system is not email,  It is a message system that can get forwarded to your email.  Did you check the message system at least once that day?

Yes, Etsy will not automatically change when contacted and yes, they are a bit abrupt for some people.  That is normal for them.

You can email back asking for further help and clarification but if the message system shows she opened numerous new threads which didn't get answered then Etsy won't change.  If the message systems shows that you answered each new thread she opened then let them know.  Answering via email can create problems.  It is best to answer within Etsy rather than using email.  Sometimes the emails don't get linked up properly.     

[LittleGemsJewells]

@RainbowCrossings Send any messages you did not reply too to spam and in a couple of days your message response rate should go back up. If you do it now there is still time before it goes against you for June's Badge.

You must answer all messages within 24 hrs, or send any messages that don't require a response to spam.

If customers keep opening new threads, copy and paste their question back onto the original message give them your reply and ask them if they need any help to reply to this one message and send the other messages to spam that way all correspondence is in the one place.

[TastefulArtisan]

@LittleGemsJewells

Perfect response! I don't think I've read email in years. I use only messages here on Etsy to communicate with my clients. There is a record of the conversation even if one party deletes. That could protect the shop in the future. Can't hurt, that's for sure.

And yes, many send one question after another opening a new thread each time. I just copy and paste my response from the first one with a note at the top informing them that it is a copy and they are free to respond to any one of the messages. 

If that was all that I had to concentrate on in a day, I'd call it a good day for sure!

Beautiful shop by the way!!

[RainbowCrossings]

Do I do this in Outlook or on Etsy? Not sure how this works. I do think it is ludicrous to penalize a seller when they can absolutely see that all communication was responded to. And then to tell me the only way to have the issue resolved by Etsy was to post my situation here. The agent I spoke with gave me this link. Only to find out it isn't even read by Etsy. Such a poor way to treat the sellers that bring in their money for them. Thanks for the suggestion. I will send the emails I received in Outlook to my spam folder and see if it does anything.

[RainbowCrossings]

Hi again. I saw where i could mark the emails as spam on Etsy and did so. We'll see if it does anything. Thanks for the info! Quite pathetic that this even has to be done, really. Appreciate your help!

[CatsBeadKitsandMore]

@RainbowCrossings  , You have to answer every message you get on etsy to be counted for the star seller badge. Even if it is the same buyer and they start a new message. Even if it's a seller or buyer.  All the info is on your star seller page. Scroll down to see how it works.

[LittleGemsJewells]

@TastefulArtisan I find it incredible that years ago we used to get junk mail through our letterbox and nowadays it is in our inbox instead.

That is also a very good suggestion for dealing with multiple threads what you do -

 "I just copy and paste my response from the first one with a note at the top informing them that it is a copy and they are free to respond to any one of the messages. "

Customers like this need extra patience and for us to be on the ball and on top of things so we don't miss anything, the easier we can make it for ourselves and the customer the better.

Tnks for the compliments and your support, I'm working on it as I speak. Lisa.

[KablooeyFineNerdery]

I can attest that this will not work. I was in a similar pickle. 

Etsy messaging was down, I couldn't respond.  Etsy too their sweet time fixing the problem. over ten days. 

Luckily, when I ws able to respond, the customer bought, a lot.

But... I'm still being labelled as  a tardy responder. 

Replying simple won't do the trick. 

[RainbowCrossings]

I know how it works. What I didn't know is the buyer was starting a new thread when she emailed me. I usually go to the Orders and Shipping page in Etsy and respond there. Since all communication is forwarded to Outlook from Etsy, I had no idea there were multiple threads being started. The emails do not come in stating they are on a new thread, nor am I sent a copy of any responses I send to the customer. The bottom line is they can SEE that I responded to each and every one of the 15+ emails that I received from the customer, which I had no problem with. I encourage all of my customers to communicate with me as we are dealing with a very emotional time in their lives (I sell pet memorials). If Etsy knows I responded, then they should be willing to fix the problem instead of penalizing me. JMO. Doesn't hurt to work with the people that make your money for you. I take excellent care of my customers as I appreciate them. Etsy should try that.

[KablooeyFineNerdery]

I had similar problems, the official Etsy response is that it's the program, and they cannot change it. As well as star seller really being nothing. (then why have it). 

Interesting....

[LittleGemsJewells]

@RainbowCrossings Yes do it on etsy, If you have sent them to spam today, give it a couple of days to update and then check your message response rate again and it should go back up once updated. ( Hopefully )

[RainbowCrossings]

Thanks for that information! I sent them to spam, now will wait and see. Such a pain! I wonder why that agent couldn't have shared that little tidbit with me. Especially when she acknowledged that she could see I had responded. Not to impressed with Etsy's CS. Especially when they demand so much from us. Thanks again!

[RainbowCrossings]

@LittleGemsJewells - Wow! That did work! I just checked and I have my Star Seller status back. Thank you again for sharing that!

[SarahsSalvageShop]

Well honestly a lot of Etsy support are outsourced hired help who are of no help just reading the rules/script given. I’m not surprised 

[TonsOfPaper · Accepted solution]

Hello there,

Since all incoming message threads count towards your Response rate, we'd recommend replying to duplicate message threads with a response along the lines of "I'm responding to all questions in the original message thread." This will help to keep correspondence in a single thread. Just be sure to respond to each thread within 24 hours so that they count positively towards your score.

Sellers are re-evaluated on the 1st of every month, so even though you did not obtain the Star Seller badge, your shop will have opportunities in the coming months. We understand that multiple or duplicate message threads can be challenging to manage. To help with this, in June 2022, we introduced a new-and-improved Messages experience that will start to combine messages from the same buyer into a single thread. You can learn more about that and some other exciting changes here.

Please remember that Etsy Support can’t make changes to your Star Seller data or manually award Star Seller badges. But do know that we will take note of this and will share it with the right teams here. We value the feedback we receive from sellers and use it to make improvements over time.

Thank you very much!

[HalleHillDesigns]

I know for a fact that I replied to a message. All the sudden, I was out of the running for Star Seller because Etsy said I didn’t respond. I remember responding to this specific message because it took a few minutes to look up information for this person. However, the message must have failed and was not delivered. I think this happens so you will raise your advertising budget from time to time. Something that I have paid more attention to over the past few months. This is very unfair, as well as buyers being able to leave unfair feedback ( leaving feedback before trying to reach out to seek a resolution first). My Etsy fees total over $1500 per month with advertising and all the other fees. I know that I am small potatoes compared to others, but I will be leaving once my inventory is depleted. Sellers, not buyers are what bring Etsy in their revenues. If they didn’t have Sellers, there would be no buyers and no revenues. I have always treated my buyers with the best of respect, gave refunds and replaced orders when I knew it was no fault of mine. Etsy will never support their sellers. I have been a seller on here since 2016, it’s never changed. I am just one seller, but soon others will follow.  You can keep giving refunds and replacements just to keep up in the algorithm and in the good graces of Etsy for so long until you start to see all of your hard work and profit being taken away. Sorry, I am not working for free any longer so Etsy can make a huge profit. There are so many other options and platforms. I am so over Etsy. 

[JDTotesnDolls]

I guess you don't come to the forums or you would know not to append to old posts.  Did you read the post from Admin above?

Others have always left for various reasons and others always come in to replace so Etsy will be fine always.  Loss of sellers never makes a difference.

Etsy as a platform has its good and bad side as every platform does.  It is one of the least expensive actually.

And if you plan to escape Plaid, many other venues use Plaid.

So I wish you success in the future.  Etsy will be just fine. I'm not leaving just because I lose the badge or anything else.  I can handle that as there are much bigger things in life to be concerned with than the badge. So unless Etsy kicks me out, I will sail right along with her.