Star Seller Message Response Time Error

[KMJDesignsShop]

I am a seller on Etsy and I frequently purchase from other shops. I had a recent shop reach out after a purchase thanking me for my order. I didn't respond because there was no need to and I was a buyer, no acting as a seller. Well, my star seller response time went down because of that which I don't think is right because it had nothing to do with my shop or being a seller. How do I got about fixing this? 

[NanaLetha]

Read the star seller criteria. It’s an automated program.

[ChristmasIsLove]

There's nothing to fix. ALL messages count.

[DesertChains]

It doesn’t matter whether or not you answered questions or provided information. It doesn't matter if a message doesn't need a response. It doesn’t matter if you’re the seller or the buyer. It doesn't matter if the message you received is a duplicate. The system only determines whether or not you replied to an individual message. If you didn't respond or send a message to your spam folder, you are going to get rated down. That's how it works.

Right or wrong, the program has worked this way for a year! The instructions for meeting this metric are clearly stated and easily accessible. Daily posts in the forums also discuss this exact topic.

Send the missed messages to spam. Your stats will update in a day or two.

[bradgoodell]

No point contacting Etsy.  

Your choice right now:  

1. Mark the message as spam, and in 24-48 hours it will be removed from the count.
2. For the future, respond to those messages.  "Thx" takes less than a second to complete.