Star Seller

[Dotlikesred]

Does Etsy have any plans to reevaluate message responses for Star Seller status.  They are including messages from people who are not customers/potential customers.  Unless an item is referenced, the message should not count toward response time!!!  I see others have a similar issue.  I received a thank you from a seller I purchased from and left feedback.  My not responding ie: thank you for the thank you... eliminated me from star seller for the second time.  Please fix this Etsy!!! Unfair to some very good sellers.  Friends also message me sometimes on Etsy because it's convenient. Star seller response times should only included messages referencing an item. 

[NanaLetha]

The program is automated and has no way of knowing the difference.

[NoFrogsAllowed]

Highly unlikely.  They already tried to revamp the message system to stop the complaints.  All that did was make more problems.  They don't really think there is a problem and it works exactly like they said it was going to work.  You have to respond to the first message in every new thread no matter who sent it.  They give you 3 choices.  Answer it, spam it or ignore and screw up SS.

[UppNorthCo · Accepted solution]

People don't always reference an item when sending a message.  and actually a message from a seller to you would reference an item.  The message metric is the simplest to keep at 100%.  A no brainer. 

[bradgoodell]

I would say most of the time people don't reference a specific item.  I get lots of requests about Custom Orders, and those buyers seldom do.  

[bradgoodell · Accepted solution]

Etsy doesn't read any messages.  They don't know if it's a buyer contacting you, a seller discussing your purchase, your best friend wanting to chat, or spam.  Etsy's criteria is clear and easy to follow.

1. Answer the message within 24 hours.
2. Send it to spam.

Both options take seconds.  If you've had this happen before, you know this.  Etsy is updating the message system and how it integrates with Star Seller, but one basic requirement remains:  All new messages must receive a response within 24 hours.  If the message qualifies as spam, mark it as spam.

This may not be the way you feel it should work, but this is Etsy's sandbox.  Etsy is aware of the complaints and still stands by their requirement: "Every new message needs a response within 24 hours."

Sorry, I know this isn't what you want to hear.

[PurityGems]

Just make sure you always get the last word in, you'll be fine LOL 

[bradgoodell]

You don't need the last word, you need the 2nd word.  Once you've replied, it doesn't matter who ends the conversation.  

[UppNorthCo]

@PurityGems - you have said this in other posts and been corrected.  You don't need to have the last word. You just have to reply to the initial message.  Stop spreading this rumour.  It's not true.

[maggiemaybecrafty]

@ PurityGems What you are saying is not true and you need to quit saying it. We do not have to get in the last word, just respond to the first message in every thread or mark as spam.

[CarpetCollectionAU · Accepted solution]

How difficult is it, really, to type "You're Welcome" to a "Thank-you" message

It is up to a Seller to make the most of the (limited/flawed) tools Etsy provides if they want to maintain SSP Metric Ratings

Etsy "Bots" are not very intelligent and, personally, I would not trust them to scan my messages for "mention of an item" to determine if it needs a reply. I prefer to do this for myself. You know, the old saying "If you want a job done perfectly, do it yourself" is relevant where most Etsy actions are concerned.

[PersonalizeStation · Accepted solution]

I wonder about the difficulty level of this as well..."you're welcome" or an emoji...heck, even a period. 

Many people spend their days on and off of their phones (some are on them while they sleep). I can guarantee they are texting and chatting it up along with sending 248 emojis. 

Easy breezy but I guess it's just incredibly inconvenient for some sellers or sellers who are buyers. 

The end : )

[HouseofWhisperingFir · Accepted solution]

YES ^^^

It never ceases to amaze me that people have the time to  read their messages, but don't have a minute to reply with a thank you, ?, get back to you,etc.

This is the only requirement that you, the seller, have complete control over. 

[SugarTaffySoap]

@Dotlikesred  There's been many threads on the same exact topic. I would say if you want your voice heard fill out the Star Seller Survey. 

 our survey 

[Dotlikesred]

I have

[blue510patterns]

I have filled out the survey many times....Etsy just doesn't care if what they come up with is harmfully unfair to sellers or not.

[bradgoodell · Accepted solution]

It's Etsy's sandbox.  Etsy makes the rules, and they are easy to follow once you know what they are.  

With over 8 million sellers and one Etsy, it makes more sense to adapt to Etsy's expectations than to expect Etsy to adapt to yours.

[CatsBeadKitsandMore]

@blue510patterns  , How is it unfair? The rules are posted on the star seller dashboard. Set up auto reply if it's such a hassle to type 'TY' in reply to a message .

[PersonalizeStation]

I'm going to be an Etsy defender for a second...

Etsy has made a few changes to the SSP based on a million threads in the forums and surveys along with probably the bazillion emails they've received. 

Here's the bottom line...nothing will ever be good enough for some sellers. But it seems the ones who are most unhappy are unhappy with things that are completely simplistic. 

[OneEyeCatStudio]

Nothing's going to change.
It was rolled out badly done, and continues badly done.  They don't care.  I got a message in my shop that said ...

"Starting June 30, messages from the same buyer will be combined into one thread—so you'll have fewer conversations to keep track of, and can easily track your relationships with buyers."

... when, guess what? it isn't going to be just buyers.  Because they cannot tell the difference.
So why can't they get a handle on their verbiage? 
Why can't they simply say 'messages from the same person'?

[DesertChains]

I also questioned that terminology when I did my write up about the the new metrics and changes.

[maggiemaybecrafty]

There is no fix for this, the Star Seller is working the way Etsy intended as we have been told over and over and over. I guess many sellers do not read their Etsy messages or the forums much or they would know how it works.

[PurityGems]

I'm simply speaking from experience, I've lost points by not responding to a third part in a convo... so no I'm not trusting the 2nd point of contact rule 

[PersonalizeStation]

That may very well have happened to you as a glitch. I just wouldn't be telling other sellers that they must have the last word.

They should go by what Etsy puts as a requirement. That requirement is not to have the last word but rather to respond to each initial message within 24 hours. If something goes glitchy, they can take it up with Etsy, even though they likely won't get anywhere by doing so. 

[OneEyeCatStudio]

I'd say it's a either glitch or a simple misinterpretation of the facts.
I convo with people everyday. And don't always have the last word.

Think about it. Conversations between sellers would never end.