Star Seller using my messages as a buyer?!

[FeindtFamilyFarm]

I’m posting here because Etsy directs me to “report the issue in the forum” but then acknowledges it’s a peer support group???

My message response rate was calculated on a message I received as a buyer and NOT even a seller! It was not even a message that requires a reply! I wish I could figure out how to attach a screen shot to this. 

A seller informed me they did not have the color item I ordered. I chose a second option and thanked them. They replied “you are welcome ” This message is in the zip file with the response time marked “NO.” 

Seriously Etsy?  Other similar messages have been marked in previous months. I dread contacting buyers now! Heaven forbid they thank me and we’re stuck in an endless loop of last messages. 

[hopeandjoystudios]

ALL incoming first messages count. It has always been that way. You can either spam a seller message or reply. One or the other needs to happen.  You can spam it now and it should come off your shop total in a day or 2.

Etsy's " message bot" can't tell a seller message from a buyer message and many sellers are also buyers. It just times/counts your reply to that first message. 

[WitticismsRus]

@FeindtFamilyFarm 

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 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. You can also now find a breakdown of your message response rate score by downloading a CSV."

You can try marking the message as spam now and it should be removed from the calculation in a few days.

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.

[maggiemaybecrafty]

No need to attach a screen shot, it is working exactly how Etsy and all the chat messages has told us it would over and over and over again for months. We must respond to the first thread in EVERY message within 24 hours, whether as a buyer or seller or mark it as spam. Try marking it as spam and see if it helps.

[SugarTaffySoap]

If no verbal response is required to the message I end it with a smiley face.  Move the message to Spam. 

[ChillwolfArt]

@FeindtFamilyFarm  Hold it; I'm almost with you on this one.

"A seller informed me they did not have the color item I ordered. I chose a second option and thanked them. They replied “you are welcome ” This message is in the zip file with the response time marked “NO.” 
_____________________

- The Seller informed you they did not have the color of item you ordered (when they informed you, they became the Initiator of the Message (the first person to begin the Message).  
- You did respond to the Initiator of the Message by Thanking the Seller (after choosing another option). *You responded to the FIRST Message (exactly as you are supposed to do according to the SS Metrics).   The Message could have been from Santa Claus, whomever; you DID respond.
- The Seller responded "You are Welcome".  *This should not have required a response from you (and you did not respond).

What the H am I missing?  From what I am understanding, you should NOT have been dinged for this.

ETA:  I don't know if all of these Messages were from the SAME Message Chain.  If they came from different Message Threads, you must respond to all Messages.  (I  know Etsy has been planning to "bundle" Messages to make it "easier" for Seller).  There is that.

[cutebutton]

@ChillwolfArt 

maybe they started a new thread to say you are welcome?

Otherwise I'm not sure why the OP would have been dinged for that?

[ChillwolfArt]

@cutebutton 

Exactly right.  In my "ETA", I posted this very thing as an afterthought.  Thank You.

[FeindtFamilyFarm]

Exactly! All in one thread.  I did not initiate the conversation.  The time stamp on the zip file shows this message from that specific seller. I don’t sell much on Etsy anyway, I only had 4 messages for the entire month of June. It wasn’t hard to find. But that is not my understanding of how it should work and the entire star seller system is already on my bad side. 

I will stop contacting buyers unless absolutely needed. The idea they may be marked down in some way as a seller, because I wanted to be nice, it very off putting.  Thank you all for the input.   

[ChillwolfArt]

@FeindtFamilyFarm 

Well He-l....that is not how it's supposed to work.  I'm very sorry.  Metrics are in place and we try to follow them.  Yes, Messages can come fr. different strings, but you  verified yours did not.  And I explained about the "bundling" of Messages Etsy plans to do (for the "ease" of Sellers).

In my first post, I stated "I'm almost with you on this one."  I retract that statement; I AM with you on this one (from what I am understanding, every step which you explained).
_______________

Before & after this SS Program, I would send Thank You Messages to Buyers; w/ additional details re: their Order (which items get shipped together; how much of a Partial Refund they receive; when I will take it to the P.O., including monitoring Tracking (I'm not debating whether or not to do this; everyone has their own preference).
The thing is Buyers would just say "Thank You", "Thanks", whatever BEFORE the Metrics came out.  I did nothing differently after they came out with the exception of answering every Message when it appeared in a "different string" (which you explained was not the case with you).

It was never a problem.  We all strive for optimal Cust. Service (fr. start to finish).  There is way too much unnecessary angst over the SS Metrics (everyone knows you can have it one month & lose the badge the next.  And this can and does happen to excellent Sellers). 

Now from what I see posted, Sellers are posting that Messages are being linked to older purchases (there is an Announcement fr. Admin top of Tech. Issues about this).

(Sorry for the lengthy post, but I'm with you all the way on your situation).

[FashionDollPhotos]

Mine was as well. The reason I did not make seller was because of a message sent to me as a reply to a question I had as a buyer & the seller responded in a new thread. Etsy will not budge.  This is so ridiculous