Star Seller does not accept personally delivered/picked up orders

[BeggarsTombSilver]

Hello Folks,

I just learned that Star Seller status gets reduced if you deliver or have an order picked up, meaning there is no tracking number.  The Star Seller Delivery metric uses orders that have been shipped ONLY. I am a very small business, as most Etsy businesses are.  My stats are effected by one "bad" order for 3 months!  A whole quarter of a years business is effected bc Etsy does not have the metrics for Star Seller figured out.  Etsy, please correct your Star Seller metrics to include orders that are delivered or picked up in person.  This is a valid delivery option, it is listed in the delivery options on the order page, so it should count towards Star Seller.  If Etsy does not include personally delivered/picked up option bc it is hard to verify, have the buyer verify that it was received.  

[JJewellerySuppliesUK]

Yes it is for shipping only and hand delivered items do not count. 

How to Become a Star Seller – Etsy Help

[ImpossibleMoth]

There are almost no Etsy staff in the forums if you were hoping to request a change, you are mostly talking to other sellers.

I am not aware of any practical benefits from having Star Seller or not. That may change, but for now I wouldn't worry about it. I doubt many buyers notice it's even there. Sellers who have paid more attention to this than me have said sometimes their shop has it and sometimes it doesn't, but they haven't noticed any difference to sales etc.

[michellepatterns]

One of the points of Star Seller from etsy's perspective is to have sellers ship everything with tracking.

Etsy and the company processing the payments have a financial stake in every order that takes place here so they want orders shipped with tracking.  

It's not likely this will ever change. It makes sense for everyone involved in an order (buyer, seller, etsy, payment processor) to have delivery confirmed by a third party using tracking whenever possible. 

[hopeandjoystudios]

They do not because hand delivery is unverifiable  either which way. Someone could say they delivered it and didn't or could say they didn't get it but did. But really in the case system it makes zero difference as even if it says delivered with tracking and even if signed for, if the customer says they didn't get it, they are getting a refund. From Etsy or the seller is dependent on the case details. Also in person delivery can be dangerous. There have been sellers attacked over the years. Also..they make no money off hand delivery..no shipping charged fees. Pick your reason(s).

[PrimFun]

That's the way it is.  

Etsy cannot make exceptions.

Home deliver means no seller protection at any level.  It is too risky really.  If you know the person, I would simply remove and sell to them outside of Etsy.  I do that with friends and family.  Everyone else I ship.

[BagmakerSupply]

@BeggarsTombSilver: "This is a valid delivery option ..." While delivery and pickup are valid options to complete an order they always negatively impact Star Seller which is a separate metric. If you have not yet done so, you might want to read https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000338067-How-to-Offer-Local-Pickup-or-Delivery?segment=s...

[PWOriginals]

One other reason that Etsy requires shipping with tracking: shilling

I know a seller who, when she first started up her Etsy shop several years ago, was "selling" to friends and family with free shipping to get her shop looking better. BUT, she'd reimburse them directly for their fake orders and, since this was before Star Seller existed, she'd just mark them as complete/delivered (whatever it used to say). It was like 10 sales. She was out the processing fees, but felt it was worth it. I was trying to help her get started ... until she did that. She didn't last long, tho, for other reasons.