Star Seller calculated my messages wrong

[MagicPrincessWhitney]

For this month’s Star Seller eligibility stats, I had 94% on message responses, just below the 95% threshold. I downloaded the message history and saw that I missed responding to 2 out of 35 messages within 24 hours. One is legitimate, I missed the 24 hour mark. The second one is a duplicate message that a customer sent me. Etsy is supposed to be combining message threads from a single customer into one message thread. Etsy announced this recently and has been doing it, but they apparently missed this one somehow and their glitch/mistake has caused me to lose my star seller status and (possibly) caused me to lose income. A lady messaged me twice within 20 minutes, and the messages apparently were on two separate threads. I responded to only one thread and handled her questions there. I should have 97% message response rate and I should have my star seller badge for February. The only time I ever rarely lose this is when Etsy messes something up. Otherwise we are always very quick to respond, to send packages on time with valid tracking, and to receive 5 star reviews (nearly 100% for the past 12 months). And Etsy cannot manually change the rating

[Adorabilities · Accepted solution]

Was one of them a "help request?" Those do not get combined with the regular convo thread. 

[MagicPrincessWhitney]

Yes, that’s what it is. One was a help request followed by a separate message. I did not know they didn’t combine these. 13 weeks ago this happened, and now Etsy will punish me for quite a while for it. Ugh…Ultimately, I’ve been selling here since 2012 and it only gets worse rather than better in most ways, unfortunately.

[Adorabilities]

I agree, it makes no sense at all. Hopefully you'll get enough messages that this one will be insignificant after all. 

[BootifulLabels]

@MagicPrincessWhitney 

Etsy will punish me for quite a while for it.

Try not to look at not getting the badge as a punishment.  It really isn't.  Etsy may want you to think that having it makes a difference, but those of us who will rarely, or never, get the badge (because the criteria are loaded against us and we actually can't meet them without significantly reducing our customer service levels) can tell you it makes no difference at all.

Stop stressing over it and just keep doing what you do and look after your customers.  Etsy's idea of exemplary customer service is way off base.

[JackisJustVintage]

All initial messages need a reply or be marked as spam. Does not matter if it is a duplicate. If it is showing on a separate thread, it needs to be addressed. You are correct, Etsy will not change it.

[MagicPrincessWhitney]

Yes, I see now that one was a “help request” and so Etsy did not combine the two messages. Etsy helpless to help, as usual.

[NanasFakeCakeandmore]

I also lost my Star Seller because I messaged a response through my message button on the bottom of my phone app. I didn’t know was a different message thread. Etsy should recognize that!