Star Seller Program --Message Response Rate

[KatiesCollectables7]

Hi Everyone,

I've never had to post on here before to receive help, but apparently this is all we are offered, which is all I will say to this because I want to remain a nice person.  Etsy did the current review of my store and I received perfect scores for the other two categories except for the "message response rate" (which I have always answered promptly).  It does not give me any details of what I did wrong--except for this strange symbol that looks like this:  

--%

I believe this is a true glitch.  Does anyone know what this means? 

To Etsy Support--can you please look at my account?  There is no other way for me to request any help per the options you currently provide.

[WitticismsRus]

@KatiesCollectables7 

--% means there is no percentage because there is nothing to calculate. Example - if it says --% for messages that means you didn't receive any messages during the review period for it to calculate. It can't give you a percentage if there is nothing to calculate so it displays as --%.

[WitticismsRus]

Also, I know that the phone support and live chat support folks tell you to post here for help but it's just us sellers here. The live chat and phone call back support people are just call center folks. They are very very limited in the issues they can help with and pretty much just repeat what's in the help center articles. Unfortunately the Help Center article says the same incorrect thing- to post here.

Here is the link https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/4403058372503-How-to-Become-a-Star-Seller?segment=selling

it says "Etsy Support can’t make changes to your Star Seller data or manually award Star Seller badges. If you think your Star Seller score was calculated incorrectly, you can let us know in the Technical Issues forum."

But they changed this to a peer to peer support forum a few years ago so it's just us sellers here sadly. Occasionally an admin will pop in if there is a major issue going on but generally it's just us sellers. I

f you need more help from etsy support you will need to contact them again but this time use the email option. That is the only one that will get you to an actual etsy employee vs the call center folks.

[KatiesCollectables7]

Thanks so much for letting me know.  So for this Star Seller Program, if I don't receive any messages this disqualifies me from the Star Seller Program?  Also I saw your 2nd message--how do I email Etsy?  Thanks again for your help!

[KatiesCollectables7]

@WitticismsRus

That response message was to you.  I'm not good at this message board.  But I do appreciate anyone else that lets me know how to handle these Etsy problems as well.

[WitticismsRus]

@KatiesCollectables7 

No , not receiving any messages doesn't disqualify you from the star. This help center article explains. 

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/4403058372503-How-to-Become-a-Star-Seller-?segment=selling

Specifically this bit "What if I haven’t received any messages in the current review period? -

If you don’t receive any messages during the review period, the message response rate won’t be counted towards your Star Seller eligibility. You can still become a Star Seller based on the other Star Seller criteria. Once you receive an initial message, the message response rate will be applied toward your Star Seller eligibility, so be sure to reply within 24 hours"

Did you meet all the other criteria? There are actually 6 criteria not just 3. Did you meet the # of sales and $ minimums? If not then that is the reason.  You have to meet the minimum number of sales and $ minimums first to be eligible for the star or the individual badges. 

[BlueDaffodilCrafts]

I used the email feature for a Message Response Rate issue as well, and their only advice was to post about it here. I’m not pleased, to say the least. 

[WhatsNewPussycat1]

Folks here think everyone should contact etsy support and read the sellers hand book I suppose that would work if you've got a couple months to waste,but its far better to ask a veteran thats in the trenches day in and day out if you're not into time wasting... 

[WitticismsRus]

@KatiesCollectables7 

How to contact etsy support for sellers

There is a direct link to the support ticket page in every shops shop manager - Just go to Shop manager > Community & help > Contact us

That will open the page to start a support ticket.

Once there select 'selling on etsy' then select issues.

Depending on the issue, they offer email, phone and/or chat support. Note that the phone support option recently changed to a request a call back system. There is no direct number sellers can call for etsy phone support. You can only request that they call you back.
You will need to click around a bit to get to the actual page with the contact options and at times it feels like endless maze loop of clicking and getting nowhere other than faq's that do not address your issues. You will need to get creative and click on options that may not match your issue completely. When you see 'I still need help' at the bottom of a page then click that....it will take you straight to the page with the available contact options.

Keep in mind that the phone support and live chat folks are just a call center and can only handle a limited list of issues. Everything outside of that they will bump up the support chain to someone who works for etsy proper to handle. Live chat and phone call back are only available sometimes it seems and the availability changes throughout the day.

Remember...the key is to click 'I still need help' when you see it. 

[KatiesCollectables7]

@WitticismsRus

Ok--thank you!

[NoFrogsAllowed]

@KatiesCollectables7 

The --% doesn't disqualify you from being a Star Seller.  I hardly ever get messages, so I have gotten the --% and it has said that I will get a % when I get a message and it has no impact on SS.  I've gotten the same thing on reviews.  I looked at your shop and you have the SS badge for messages.  The one you don't have is reviews and that is what is keeping you from SS.  You need at least one more 5 star review to counteract the bad review you got.

[KatiesCollectables7]

@NoFrogsAllowed

For the recent review period it says I got a perfect score for reviews and shipping--it says my messages is where I received the --%.