Star Seller Messages Custom Listing

[LadyTrouse]

Hiya, 

I have been marked as not responded to one of my messages on star seller. When in fact I had been conversing with this customer in isntagram. I asked them to message me on Etsy for me to reply with a custom listing which I did do. I didn’t write anything because I didn’t need to discuss further and she ordered the listing near enough straight away. So I technically replied to the message within minutes with a custom listing but it’s staying I didn’t respond. Did I find a loop hole? I guess next time I will just have to write a quick line in there also to make sure. I believe I’ve done this twice this month so now will loose the star seller badge which is annoying. As I think I’ve actually given great service and sent custom listings. 
Anyone know anything about this? 

[CryzalisDesigns]

It is set up that you have to reply by saying something even if it does not require a response, just a Thank you or have a good day!

You could try putting the Etsy message in Spam to see if it updates your stats 

[CraftyCornishMaids]

you have to reply, etsy's bots check,

they have no idea what you are doing in instagram

do not try to game the system by putting it to spam, it's not spam, and it would be a policy violation - and if the customer comes back with another message - or help request - you won't see it.

[CryzalisDesigns]

How is it a policy violation?

There is no gameplaying when you replied with the custom order link. If they can't program the bots to check properly if messages require a reply or not what are you supposed to do?

I am sure Etsy can double check every message in the dashboard, so not sure why anyone would "try and game" the system or even suggest this is what is being suggested nor can see the point in it as you get sales by replying to your customers.

Even when receiving unsolicited messages in Etsy or even messages from possible hackers you have to reply or spam them.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

policy

To qualify for Star Seller, you need to respond to the first message on a thread within 24 hours.

It's a real customer, who asked for a custom order, sellers need to reply to the message, or get dinged

only spam messages should be marked as spam,

they are only marking a real customers message as spam, because they failed to reply in time, and they are doing it, to fix their score

that's gaming the system

[CryzalisDesigns]

but she did reply with the custom order link

[OmasFabricStash]

But did she respond to the message? She can respond through Facebook, instagram, and email but if she doesn’t respond to the message then she gets dinged for it. I’ve read the “there was no need to reply” many times. There is no need to reply unless you want the SS badge. If you want the badge then respond to messages like you are supposed to. 

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@CryzalisDesigns 

they created a custom order from the message, they did not reply to it

[CryzalisDesigns]

oh! my apologies I understood that wrong, I thought the customer messaged her after she brought the customer to Etsy from Instagram and then messaged her through Etsy with the order link but was still dinged for not replying 

[SVGRox]

You have to reply/ autoreply  to or spam a  new message  within 24 hours for it not to be counted negatively against you . If you replied with the link in the message this would have been a reply.

[BagmakerSupply]

@LadyTrouse: Just to clarify - if you are creating a custom listing based on a new incoming thread, you still need to reply to that message. Etsy is now putting a blue text warning / advisory on those messages they consider to be a "new message" but should semantically be called a "new thread".

Also, Help Requests always start a new thread,  and Cancellation Requests in a new thread must be replied to in the actual message - replies using the cancellation form do not count as a response.

Basically the FIRST message of EVERY NEW INCOMING thread must be replied to 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.

[ThePurplePuppy]

@BagmakerSupply 

This is exactly how I understand it also. I just do not understand how this is so difficult to understand.

And hopefully  people understand all my understands. LOL

[Former_Member]

@ThePurplePuppy 

I understand your understanding. 

[LadyTrouse]

Thank you all for your responses to my question. 
I understand that you need to reply within 24 hours to every new message. Which I have been doing for months with no problem. My question was wether sending a custom listing request counted as a response or not as I personally felt it was slightly unfair to mark as not responded when I responded immediately with a custom listing fully detailed with all their requests and delivery info etc and other info they needed to know. Nonetheless, I now know for next time. My other none response mark was when I ordered something from someone else and they sent me a message that my order is on the way and I didn’t reply at the time as it wasn’t my direct customer it was someone I ordered from. But you live and you learn. 

[OmasFabricStash]

I think the big thing is responding in messages even if you already responded elsewhere.