Star Seller Messages

[DecorAndWicks]

I had my Star Seller removed because another shop owner sent me a generic message (aka Spam) about shipping my order.  My order, I placed as a customer, for something completely unrelated to my business. 

Apparently because I did not mark it as spam I have lost my Star Seller badge I have held continuously since the first day it started!  This is not right.  They need a way to separate out the business and personal Etsy pages, this message wasn't even intended for my business.  I had set up the auto respond but apparently that has an expiration time on it and if you don't remember to update it constantly its a waste.  Every customer has had a quick response, every CUSTOMER.  This is not right nor fair.  The response of "its an algorithm" really needs to change.  This should be a case by case basis, especially when it affects the individual and not the business yet the business is punished for it.  Work too hard for this to not be fixed or looked into farther. 

[WitticismsRus · Accepted solution]

Etsy is pretty clear about how the message response rate is calculated in help center here https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/4403058372503-How-to-Become-a-Star-Seller?segment=selling

There is a highlighted bit under message response rate info that says "The Message response rate only applies to the first message in a thread. Initial messages from both buyers and sellers on Etsy are counted towards the Message response rate. "

That means ALL messages. It also means each individual message thread so if someone sends you 5 different messages with 5 questions instead of putting them in the same message chain you need to respond to all 5 of them.

The system is completely automated and doesn't know if the message is from a buyer or another seller. It isn't reading every message and making a decision if it's from a seller or a customer or what it's about. It's a computer program that calculates data. It just sees a message and calculated the response time. That's just how it works.

The info is also right there on the Star Seller page in shop manager. Just go to shop manager > star seller. Once there scroll toward the bottom until you find "Questions? We've got answers." Then click messages. The very first question there says

"What messages count toward the message response rate?

Your message response rate is based on just the first message in a conversation, not ongoing conversations. This means you just need to respond to the first message within 24 hours. This applies to messages both from buyer and seller accounts. Messages from Etsy staff do not count toward your response rate, and neither do messages that you mark as spam..."

If the star is important to you then it may be a good idea to read or review all the info Etsy provides about the star seller program.

Bottom line...you have to either reply or mark as spam.

It takes just a few seconds to send a simple 'Thank you'. Or you can set up an auto reply every 5 days. Etsy provides tools for sellers to use , it's up to us to use them.

[Former_Member]

They need a way to separate out the business and personal Etsy pages.

Open a separate account for buying.

[vintageNCtreasures]

The rules have been clear for almost 3 years now for the SS program. There's nothing to fix.
You either MUST reply to all NEW messages or mark as spam.

Etsy has no way of knowing if the message is from a buyer, a seller, a friend or spam.
The program only sees you didn't reply to a message.

If you had marked as spam the message wouldn't have counted against you. 

Would you really want Etsy monitoring your messages? 
I wouldn't. 

If you don't want to respond to messages from sellers you've bought from, then you can always open a buyer only account. 

[ChillwolfArt]

Sorry you were caught by this.  The Star Seller Metrics require that any time you are not the Initiator of a Message, you must Respond or Mark as Spam.  This could include receiving a Message from a Seller whom you are friendly with ("How's it going"? for example).  

I've always used the same account for both buying and selling.  When I have received a Message about my Order, I just Respond 'Thank You".

I hope this helps.

[BagmakerSupply]

@DecorAndWicks: "This should be a case by case basis" If this were implemented you know it would be done by a bot not a human. Do you want some bot reading every one of your messages and guessing if it is a buyer or seller or personal message? How many threads would there be in this forum that "some bot incorrectly classified my message"?

A message about your order shipping, while you may find it annoying, is not spam because it is a transactional message. Etsy themselves say that one of the 'Dos" of messaging is to "Take the extra step to let your customer know you have shipped their item, ..." https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook/article/26590492608

Additionally,

- A message from a seller is an opportunity for you to convert them into a buyer.

- A (replied to within 24 hours) message from a seller can be insurance in case you miss a new thread since it takes 19 answered on time new threads for every 1 not answered on time new thread

- For low message shops, this insures that you have some positively counting new threads for your Star Seller calculation.