Star Seller

[BrooklynStVintage]

I was looking at my stats for the SS and noticed my response rate has dropped from 100% to 88%. The only message I can see that I didn't respond to was from a seller that I had purchased something from and she was sending me care instructions. Really? Did I have to say Thanks or something, how silly. Please look into this. Thanks.

[leinweberstudio]

Yes, you needed to reply to it. ALL messages have to be replied to or marked as spam. Their program is not set up to determine what kind of message it is and/or if it was buyer or seller originated.

[VintageRescueSquad]

Etsy has made it absolutely clear that you have to respond to ALL initial messages. They don't look at them to see who they are from.

Mark it as spam, and maybe that will up your percentage after a few days. 

[designsbydieter]

You have to respond to EVERY message. 

[PillowDetails]

@BrooklynStVintage No one will look into it - these Forums are your fellow Sellers, and I'm sure if you were able to reach Etsy Support, they would tell you that all first messages must be replied to, or marked as spam - as was stated in the rules since day one.  But yes, it is silly.  The whole thing is, in my opinion.

You should be able to mark it as spam, and have the Star Seller metric update in time for tomorrow!

[WitticismsRus]

@BrooklynStVintage 

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 a 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."

If star seller is important to you it may be a good idea to review all the info etsy has provided about the program.

You can try marking that message as spam now and it should be removed from the calculation in a day or two. Unfortunately since it's almost the 1st in UTC time zone (star seller is based in UTC time) it may not update in time for it to be applied to the numbers that determine if you get the star for June or not.

[Former_Member]

Yes!! The system is horrible. I answer folks in my regular email (they send to) and if I do not copy and paste or answer from there..... Etsy counts as a problem. ETSY IS THE PROBLEM!!

[Former_Member]

ALSO, IT IS VERY UPSETTING HOW ESTY HOLDS US TO GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND THEY HAVE THE WORST!! 

[BrooklynStVintage]

Thanks everyone, I thought it would be common sense I would not have to reply to someone I purchased from. But .. it's in keeping with other things here. 

[timelapse]

Common sense....Etsy....?

[CupidFalls]

mark it as spam. it will go away

[BrooklynStVintage]

I did mark her message as spam but so far it has not increased my percentage, actually decreased it by 8%. LOL I guess it was my fault for not reading the rules thoroughly but what a waste of time for both me and the seller to have to send a message to a seller just sending me info on my purchase. As with so many things here, I just will have to shake my head ... and not care.

And to rub salt into the wound, Etsy sent me an email saying I was a Star Seller this month, NOT.

[leinweberstudio]

@BrooklynStVintage 

Marking it as spam yesterday was probably too late for todays' update but it will matter for the next one.

As to the number dropping even more by 8%, remember that the info from March fell away today, so all you have to work with is April, May, and June.

[BrooklynStVintage]

@leinweberstudio  I wondered if it would be too late. Oh well not really that big of a deal, just frustrating. I only have one message that I didn't respond to due to it being from a person I purchased from, but it was in May so if the spam thing doesn't work I will have that one for awhile.