Star Seller

[alliesvintagealley]

Recently I purchased an item on Etsy from another seller. That seller messaged me, my item had shipped and requested I leave feedback when I receive it. I did not reply to that message, saw no need to.

Now, my star seller is effected because I did not answer that message as a buyer to another seller.

I never realized my shopping buyer status would effect my seller status on Etsy. Does everyone realize this?

I feel this is not fair to sellers whom respond to all their store messages, provide excellent customer service and ship on time. Why should a message from another seller effect your star seller badge. Loose your star seller badge because you did not answer a message over an item you purchased being shipped. Not an item you sold, and item you purchase on Etsy!!

[BootifulLabels · Accepted solution]

The rules clearly state that all new messages require an answer or to be marked as spam within 24 hrs in order to qualify for SS.  It doesn't matter who they are from or what they are about, no-one reads your messages, the system is automated and simply compares the time-stamps for receipt and response to determine compliance.  If you mark that message as spam now, it should update your stats within a day or two, but it will not help with the badges already awarded.

If you don't want your purchases to affect your SS status, you have a couple of options.

1. You can use Auto reply to send a "thank you" or an "I'll get back to you shortly" message. This counts as a response for SS, but needs to be reset every five days.
2. You can create a few snippets with various messages and send quick responses that way in just 3 clicks, Snippets/Select/Send.
3. You can create a new, buyer only Etsy account and keep all your purchases separate from your shop.

[ColdwaterBleauStudio]

I have an auto response, and it looks as though I am was charged with not responding to an email?  How do I check that?

[alliesvintagealley · Accepted solution]

I  now understand the message as buyer/seller response. Sometimes I forget what I read!!! Still feel buyer/seller should be separate as really defames the seller ratio.

I truly appreciate your input of creating a new, buyer only Etsy account and keeping all my purchases separate from my shop, because I have been pleased with the unique items I have purchased on Etsy. Be sad for other sellers and myself to simply not, because...

Coin side, still don't feel I should need to respond to silly things such as your order shipped, please leave feedback, or marking such as spam. I am a courteous person, but it should be my choice to respond or not to such a matter. Wa wa wa, if you can't beat it, join it, despite right is right and wrong is wrong.

[Quest4Treasures]

The phone app will not let you do that!!  I never new I had to log to your site through a browser to get to where you can mark as spam.  All tools should made available and easy access if you are going to Judge us on your Greatness.

[vintage4creations · Accepted solution]

Yep, nearly everyone realizes this.  A lot of sellers set up an auto-reply which takes care of that portion of the star seller program.  When I'm shopping on etsy, I don't buy solely from star sellers and very rarely even look at that.  Since I don't use that as a guide for purchasing, I can surmise that others don't either and for that reason I don't get stressed when I miss getting a badge.  I have a life to live and have relegated this is as a non-important issue.    

[alliesvintagealley]

True: Perhaps I should not stress so badly over the five star seller badge. I know the service I strive to give my customers, so should not matter what a computer decides......

The worst for me to let go of what is wrong is wrong and what is right is right. I always believed a voice can make a difference, but perhaps the world has changed so, perhaps that theory is vintage or antique!!

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

Does everyone realize this?

Yes, that is everyone that read the rules when this started almost two years ago.

If you read the rules, it plainly states first message from both buyers and sellers.

[alliesvintagealley]

I read the rules, I also read the updates to rules, but sometimes don't always absorb 100% of everything I read, despite I truly try.

My whole issue was, right is right and wrong is wrong and one voice can make a difference. Still believe personal and business should not be mixed. The rating using my personal for my business replies defames my business character. Just was saying.

[mommawhazelsquilts]

Well, since the messages are not read by Etsy (Thank Goodness for that!) there's no way to know if it is business or personal so we have to go by the rules set up whether or not we agree with them.

I think most people get few messages (I do at least) so I find it easy to answer all that come my way.  I consider that to be just common politeness for lack of a better word.

If Etsy started reading the messages I guarantee that a lot more people would be screaming "stay out of my business".  

Not to mention the time involved in determining the reason for the messages.  They would get nothing else done.

It only takes a moment our of our day to reply to a message (in my opinion) so I am willing to do that.

[OmasFabricStash]

@alliesvintagealley  The easiest fix for that is use your business account for business and get a buyer only account for personal. 

[BootifulLabels · Accepted solution]

@alliesvintagealley  wrote:

 Still believe personal and business should not be mixed.

Precisely, which is why it is a good idea never to use your shop account for personal purchases.  No-one can control that but you.  Create a buyer only account for purchasing and it won't be an issue.

[VINTAGEbytheMAGPIE]

and here's a link to the policy help.etsy.com/How-to-Become-a-Star-Seller 

If you need to refer to it again you can find this info via the help section at the top of this page 

[OmasFabricStash · Accepted solution]

You say that no response was needed so you didn’t send one. I think wanting the SS would be reason enough to reply. At the beginning of each month there are many many threads about this so you aren’t the only seller not replying to all messages. 

[alliesvintagealley]

Got ya, just never rang a bell in my mind and over looked seller vs buyer issues. Still feel mixing buyer with seller defames seller's character. Nor, do I feel I should have to respond to my order shipped please leave message. So, if you can't beat them, join them!

[PersonalizeStation · Accepted solution]

You can open a buyer account, spam such messages, or reply with whatever you're feeling at the moment. 

[alliesvintagealley · Accepted solution]

Good advise.

[PriddeyThings]

From the information on the star seller page in your shop manager:

"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."

[alliesvintagealley · Accepted solution]

I understand now, but just feel not a purpose in life to respond to an item shipped to me and asking me to post feedback. I never had a customer reply my shipping confirmations. Just saying buyer account should not be part of seller accounts, it defames seller character.

But, I understand now I can reply TY to a buyer sending me a shipping message, or just not purchase items on Etsy, then my seller account cannot get jeopordized.

[BootifulLabels]

Just saying buyer account should not be part of seller accounts

I tend to agree, but only YOU can resolve this.  YOU need to create a separate account for buying, it is not Etsy's job to do that for us, and many of us would not be happy with them doing that.  It is YOUR responsibility, if you want to keep your purchases separate from your buying, YOU need to open a buyer only account.  There are enough features on Etsy where, as sellers, we have no choice, But this one is 100% YOUR choice.  

[ColdwaterBleauStudio · Accepted solution]

Background, we have never, ever shipped late.  That's success.

Recently the USPO's printer for the tracking number did not print out the entire tracking number.  The clerk caught it on one of my shipments and wrote on my receipt the corrected number.  When I typed in another shipment I noticed what I though was a missing a number 3 based on the other number and I included that in the tracking number.  ( I know this gets silly).  

I checked with the buyer that's very happy with and received her order, shipped within 2 days, including insurance and tracking.  Esty likes to say let's keep the Human in Commerce.  I so agree with this, so if a human listened to this set of events, don't you think the human would have some way to review the circumstances and change the "ding" on our Star Seller account?

I am waiting for the USPS to contact me with the correct tracking number, I went in yesterday to obtain it but their computers were down, and she said she would call me today, sometimes you just can't believe the chain of events.  So now I am waiting on a call from the Post Office.

I'd like to show a picture of my original receipt from the post office.  Is there a way to insert a photo into this forum?

Our sales didn't make it for February so this may not matter in the long run for  Star Seller, but right is right, right?

[alliesvintagealley]

You can work through customer service, despite, I have not received solutions in the past from them.

I had a  similar issue a while back as well, updating ship date, showing date changed, but the next day, showed I did not update the ship date and got late shipment. If I ever do it again, I will take a picture showing the change, just in case.

Another issue. I use Etsy shipping labels. a multiple item purchase order, made the customer purchase two shipping labels. The labels did not say which items went to which labels so had no idea how to pack. The two labels doubled the shipping cost. I tried to to delete the labels by checking on the box to remove them, but that did not work. I the combined items box size and weight and made a tried to print label for that size box, but went to print page and had two shipping labels customer paid for, not the one I created. I had to cancel one, and put the other with the wrong size box box/weight label on the package and ship it. I am waiting to see what the post office adjust and then give my customer a  refund. Customer service had no resolution except to put in for label refund. and....... when I list item to just put the item and packing material size and weight not the box size? That solution makes no sense to me as a box is what say 1/4 give it credit 1/2 inch? Postage is figured to the nearest inch, so for the life of me, that response made no sense to me.

Finally: One other seller responded to me with this and I take it to be the absolute best advise!!!! She said.... She don't get stressed when she miss getting a badge.  she has a life to live and has relegated this is as a non-important issue.    I really, really think this is hurting multiple orders.

I second her theory as I know I strive for customer satisfaction and the type of service I give my customers!

[ChillwolfArt · Accepted solution]

@alliesvintagealley   Just wanted to add something if I may.  I've had the same account for both buying and selling.  When a Seller Messages me (anything about my Order, etc.), I've replied, "Thank You" (even before the Star Seller.  Should I receive a Message, "Buy my gems 30% off" for example into Spam it goes.

You may receive a Message from a Seller, "How's it going"?  Just remember, that counts also.  Any time you did not Initiate the Message, you must Respond or Mark as Spam.  Hope this helps.

(If I mis-type "Initiate" one more time, I'm going to punch the computer:)

[CuriosAnCollectibles · Accepted solution]

I don't think Etsy intended to torture sellers like this, they seemingly saw it as a reward.

I think it's quite worthless to buyers and sellers. 

[alliesvintagealley]

If you look at the ratio on feedback, I only have 1/4 of customers leave feedback. Perhaps you are correct as many people do not read descriptions etc., so perhaps ratings are not as important as I took them. Just like I have been told by customers they feel harassed to leave feedback. Perhaps my feelings of degrading my business over personal responses, defames my business, as responding to order shipped - please leave feedback, should be my prerogative and has nothing to with my seller character. But, since this seemingly only matters to myself, I will let this roll off my shoulders and give it no more thought! 

Thank you for your input.