Star Seller

[MKennedyDesigns]

I'm frustrated with the Star Seller shipping rating that has disqualified me from "my badge."  When I fulfill an order it says that Etsy requires tracking on order $10 and over. Why am I docked when I don't do tracking on items that are $2.50? No one will buy the item if the shipping costs more than the item. It's not worth tracking when someone orders one sticker.  I would like these removed from my qualifying orders. How can this be remedied?  Customer service was no help on the matter.

[CappuccinoLace]

Etsy require tracking on US orders over $10. This is as standard. Unless you indicate that "this order doesn't require tracking", which you can do.

Star Seller requires all orders in US$ to have tracking. There is no $10 threshold if you want Star Seller.

These are 2 different things on etsy.

[MKennedyDesigns]

Thanks for responding. I understand the criteria. I just disagree with it. One comment mentioned FC Letter rate to appease the Star Shipping requirement. I'll be looking into that for my low priced items.

[NanaLetha]

You are required to have tracking on ALL orders not just those $10 and over.

[UniqueGiftOrnaments]

Star seller states that all shipments must have tracking.

[MKennedyDesigns]

Thanks for responding. I understand the criteria. I just disagree with it. One comment mentioned FC Letter rate to appease the Star Shipping requirement. I'll be looking into that for my low priced items. 

[audreytherese · Accepted solution]

You are in the US. That means that if you are selling a sticker that would ship out with a stamp, you can purchase a FC letter rate label through Etsy labels to send that. It will cost you $.60 and you just need to print the label. Currently stamps are $.63, so that $.03 you save can go towards the label printing costs. This is not actual tracking through USPS, but does meet the tracking requirements for Etsy. 

[MKennedyDesigns]

This is super helpful. Thanks!  I'll have to look into this more.

[audreytherese]

I have it saved as one of my label profiles for when I sell patches, it's actually super convenient. 

The biggest problem people have is even though it says it's a USPS tracking number, it's not. It can only be sort of followed through the Pitney Bowes site, or you can see the updates in your Etsy sales history. It's also always marked as delivered when it arrives at the local post office, so most people don't physically receive it until the following day from when it's marked as delivered. I've probably sent 200+ orders out this way and have never had a customer complain or question it, but I have seen others in here saying their customers have questioned it, saying it was marked as delivered but they hadn't received it. That's the biggest thing to be prepared for, which just requires telling them to give it 1 more day, they should see it in their next mail delivery. 

[SugarTaffySoap]

@MKennedyDesigns you can read this in your Shop Manager dashboard under "Star Seller - Questions and Answers":

"Adding tracking to all physical orders is one of the criteria for Star Seller if you’re in the US. If you mark an order as complete without adding tracking, it does not meet the requirement for Star Seller"

[MKennedyDesigns]

Thanks Sugar I understand the criteria - I just disagree with it.  If an item is less than $5, it's not worth paying for tracking. It would take all my profits to pay the tracking (as I have shipping included in the price). And it wouldn't entice customers if they had to pay the shipping to be more than the item itself.  

[PrimFun]

@MKennedyDesigns  Put on the flip side not having tracking automatically means you are on the hook for any missing items.  There is no seller protection for you.  

In the US tracking is easy to get and easy to use unlike other countries.

Use the letters/flats option.  It is not tracking but delivery confirmation through Pitney Bowes.

(And it might be a good idea to see if you need a license for some of your designs.  The candy makers may not be happy) 

[MKennedyDesigns]

@PrimFun  Thanks I'll look into that. Still pretty new and learning.

[SugarTaffySoap]

@MKennedyDesigns  I agree with ya. If there's still a survey for it you should consider giving them your feedback. 

[TwoGiraffesAndCo]

I'm in Canada, and I too disagree with the shipping requirement!

We're a little different in that we have a 15CAD minimum order before tracking or an Etsy label is required - but Etsy only offers parcel labels here, which are a minimum of $12CAD and go as high as $25CAD for something I can send lettermail for $2.19-$4.00CAD.

I wouldn't mind paying a little more to be able to print Etsy labels instead of using stamps, but there is zero interest from Etsy to offer postage this way for Canadian sellers.

For me, meeting the $15CAD threshold would mean I would have to raise my prices by 50% to afford it.