Star Seller Badges for Shipping

[mallorysquarestudios]

I have been dinged lately for saving my customers money.  I have had some purchases that total less than 5 dollars and are very small and fit into flat usps shipping envelopes, which save my customers sometimes 4-5 dollars.  I have also combined 2 different orders that the same person placed on the same day, to ship together.  I have proven to Etsy my items were shipped the same day, but when you purchase first class flat rate, on shipstation, no tracking is provided.  I've shown them the refunds to customers, yet they do not care, and are unwilling to change my star seller status to actually reflect I shipped all items on time!  And the same day in all cases!  This is beyond frustrating!  

[audreytherese]

In order to not get dinged, you need to purchase the FC labels through Etsy labels, not shipstation. They are not technically tracking, but count for the SS metrics. As far as I know Etsy labels is the only spot that offers these labels that count towards tracking. 

[NanaLetha]

@mallorysquarestudios  If you use Etsy labels that won't happen.

[mallorysquarestudios]

thanks for that information, i prefer to use shipstation as I use it for my other businesses as well, and it seems like a shame that etsy would basically force you into using them in order to get ratings.  but that's good to know

[PinkBirdCottage]

Etsy would not have the manpower or interest to look into all the particular details. Their Star Seller metrics are very binary and we need to abide by the rules or we will get dinged. There are work arounds as stated above. 

[mallorysquarestudios]

thanks you for your response.  I have been a seller on Etsy for over 20 years and it just seems that it gets more and more frustrating.  So, I was dinged for shipping 5 items with no tracking, even though their own metrics say you have to have shipped on time and tracking.. so it shows shipped same day ,so you would think their metrics would give partial credit for items obviously being shipped and delivered.  

[JMOldeVintage]

@mallorysquarestudios  - For shops in the US, all packages must have tracking. Or as mentioned, an Etsy label for their First Class Flats & Letters:

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360039466434-How-to-Ship-First-Class-Flats-and-Letters-with-...

There are certain requirements for using these labels, so do be sure to read everything thoroughly, including the link to USPS. Again, this is not real USPS tracking, but using this class of service does satisfy Etsy & the star program.

For orders you combine, I'm sure you know that you need to check off complete on the "second" order & add the tracking number from the "first" order.

It sounds as if you are purchasing a "first class letter" stamp, literally a postage stamp though it may appear as a label, thru Shipstation? Almost as if you are sending out a greeting card, or something like that?? 
In which case there is no tracking, it's not an Etsy label, so you will get dinged. 

[mallorysquarestudios]

Yes, I understand what is required now.. basically use Etsy and pay them for shipping for these smaller orders.  This doesn't happen very often, as most of my sales are larger, but I was just trying to save customers money and I shipped flat and refunded shipping overage and am very frustrated that I was dinged for this, as it clearly shows shipped.  Thank you!