Star Seller Error

[UandEFlyShop]

Star Seller for shipping is all messed up for my account. I have 2 “missed” tracking numbers but 1 of them was purchased through Etsy the day after the order was placed and has been sent to the customer from day 1 and the other one was sent and delivered in 2 days but it was sent with a stamped envelope. I know it says this can’t be changed but one is a technical error and the other is just policy and chance. I had a book of stamps, I’m going to use them for the .002 ounce item I was sending. This has kept me having star seller for 4 months. I don’t really need the pat on the back that is given with a star seller icon but I earned it and it is a shame something so trivial messed it up. Kind of stinks. Hopefully this is a lone issue because I know for higher volume sellers, this could be a blow to their revenue. 

[vintageNCtreasures · Accepted solution]

If you used a stamp to mail an item you're going to get dinged because you don't have tracking.
It's not a technical issue.

You can print 1st class flats/letter rates on Etsy, they have a confirmation # that is supposed to qualify for tracking.

I looked at your items and I wouldn't think you could ship any of them in an envelope with a stamp.
1st class letter rates are supposed to be flat like for postcards, stickers, decals, flat items.

The flies are not flat and the fishhook could easily pierce through an envelope or worse get destroyed by the sorting machinery at USPS.

At $2 with free shipping, you're hardly making any profit by the time you pay shipping (even if using a stamp) and you pay all the Etsy fees.

You have to have tracking on ALL orders since you're in the USA.

How to Become a Star Seller – Etsy Help

All other currencies (inclusive of USD)

Tracking or a shipping label purchased on Etsy required for all orders.

[UandEFlyShop]

Thank you for your reply. How much my items cost and how much money I make is irrelevant. Nobody has ever ordered just one, try 4 dozen at a time. For the letter one, I get it is a dingable offense because I didn’t use Etsy shipping, I can accept that. Some of my flat items can be shipped at a letter rate. I sell some fly tying materials which weigh almost nothing. I have sent plenty of these items at letter rate. It is the shipping rate, not a greeting card. I guess I am more chapped for the one where I purchased the label through Etsy, with tracking and it was delivered well within my  shipping times and I got knocked for it. The information has been on the sale record since the beginning. I guess oh well. 

[BootifulLabels]

If you use your own stash of stamps, it will always count against you for SS as Etsy has no way of knowing the item was sent or received.  As you are US based you can use Etsy letter rate labels and satisfy the tracking metric for SS.  Those of us outside the US are not so lucky, lol.  I appreciate the frustration, I will rarely qualify for SS, not because I don't offer great customer service, but because I refuse to penalise my customers by charging them more than the item cost (and with some overseas orders more than twice the item cost) to ship UNNECESSARILY with tracking.  The badge is a false idol, based on spurious and in many cases unattainable metrics.  Ignore it, and keep doing what you do naturally, your buyers will only care about what you do, not what Etsy thinks you should do.

[UandEFlyShop]

Thanks! Yeah I pretty much agree with you. I ship all my items for free so maybe I was just looking for the star seller to tell me I’m doing well. I hope you continue to find enjoyment in what you do. Thanks again for the encouragement.  Capitalism, amirite?

[BootifulLabels]

Maybe, but then again, I have no issue with capitalism.  We are all in business to make money so we are all capitalists and I don't consider Etsy any better or worse than the rest of us, just because they are bigger.  Bigger means more fingers in the pie and more people screaming for profits.  I only have me to please when it comes to profits, I can't imaging having shareholders to worry about.  

That doesn't mean I am prepared to compromise my own customer service practices just to gain a flawed badge from Etsy.