Star seller: message response

[AuRevoirDesignCo]

Star seller: why am I being dinged for not responding to a seller who sent a coupon? That’s ridiculous! Had I known I would’ve responded, that should be changed!

[AutumnHollowStudio]

All new messages must be responded to within 24 hours regardless of who it came from. If you receive an unsolicited message, mark it as spam and not responding won't count against you. If it's from a seller you purchased from, just reply "thanks".

You may also want to consider opening a 2nd account just for buying. If you do, be sure to disclose it in your current profile per etsy rules

[CatsWhiskersCurios · Accepted solution]

The information on what messages count has been on the star seller dashboard in shop manager for 2 years:

"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."

[ChaosCoordinatorsCo]

Yes, but that info is buried. Why isn't it on the "Know What Counts" information on the dashboard upfront?

[CatsWhiskersCurios]

@ChaosCoordinatorsCo it isn't buried at all. The checklist just gives the headlines but if you care about the star, wouldn't you read the rules in full to ensure you understood the criteria?

[dippeldiundscribble]

@ChaosCoordinatorsCo 

The information is on the same page.

You just have to scroll down a little further.

[FallenAngelBrass]

Many sellers have separate buying accounts from their shops. This way, your buying activity does not impact the shop. 

[OmasFabricStash]

You’re being dinged because you don’t respond to a message. It doesn’t matter who sent it or why, you got a new message and ignored it. 
Customer says Thank You, I love it. You respond.  
customer says I hate it.  You respond.  
cousin says Hi, how ya doing.  You respond.  
another shop sends you a coupon.  You respond.  
Please note, if you don’t respond then send it to spam.