Star Seller Messaging Score Issue

[BaddMarx]

I had a customer message me with an issue about a product but it was sent in two separate threads. I replied to one of them and had a conversation with her and ultimately fixed her issue within that thread. Now my message response score is sitting at an 85% because I didn't respond to the other thread that arrived at the exact same time as the first. Am I really required to respond to BOTH? It didn't make any sense to have two conversations in two threads with the same exact person regarding the same exact issue. Does any one else get two separate threads from the same customer (simultaneously) and do you reply to both? Is that weird or am I just new here...

[NanaLetha]

Yes, you must reply to all messages or mark as spam 

[BaddMarx]

Alright, thank you for your response. 

[BagmakerSupply · Accepted solution]

@BaddMarx: The Star Seller metric is that the FIRST message of a NEW 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. Those have always been the rules. Subsequent messages from the same account (a buyer may have multiple accounts) are supposed to be combined into a single thread.

Help Requests always start a new thread. By the way, if you are creating a custom listing based on a new thread, you still need to reply to the 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".

Cancellation requests must be replied to in the actual message - replies using the cancellation form do not count as a response.

At least for the time being, it appears that marking an unanswered message as SPAM (even after the 24 hour deadline has passed) will cause your reply percentage to change in a day or two if the original message was within the current star seller period. Note that subsequent messages from that account may go directly to the SPAM folder.

[BaddMarx]

Okay so I'm just new here lol Alright thank you. I'll know next time.

[OmasFabricStash]

There have been a number of sellers that have had a problem with this. All messages need to be answered, even if it’s a duplicate message or from a.seller and you are the buyer. 

[BaddMarx]

Well I guess I had to learn the hard way, huh? XD Sucks, but I've accepted it. I know what I need to do from now on.

[simplysparkledesigns]

You should hear my crazy response...and with quick responses thereafter, the percentage has not been going up...I missed ONLY (1) message (UNSOLICITED MESSAGE) that I ignored and my 100% drops to 86%. Every month since that UNSOLICITED CONVO, I then replied to multiple inquiries since then and the percentage is still at the same low 86% and NOT even bringing me back to 100%. 

[BagmakerSupply]

@simplysparkledesigns: Are all of the messages that you replied to the FIRST message of a NEW thread ? That is all that counts for Star Seller.

[FabioMcMustache · Accepted solution]

Hello, and welcome to the Etsy Community Forums!

We suggest using the Forums' Search function prior to posting (just be careful to not bump an old thread that hasn't seen any activity in the last months/years), as questions regarding the Star Seller Program have been extensively covered by our fellow members since its launch, as well as our official Star Seller Guide, which contains in-depth answers to some of the more common questions regarding Message Response Rate, Shipping, Local Pick-Up, Digital Orders, and other topics. You can check it out here:etsy.com/starseller.

Having said that, and since this thread does not pertain to a technical issue, it will be closed to prevent it from going off-topic.

Thank you!

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