This sucks--

[#1]

Got dinged for not answering a "thank you" for ordering from an etsy buyer.  I had 100% all along for answering my messages quickly. Never in a millions years did I think I had to answer this kind of message....

So, thank you to the Etsy seller that had to thank me for my order. Sorry, but I consider this kind of message SPAM. Guess I should have marked it as such.

[ChillwolfArt]

@Former_Member 

You should have seen the amount of "spam" I received last year, after filling out the "Where is my pkg. Form" from USPS.  Packages were taking longer; sitting at sorting facilities at times.  Or going on a scenic route.  I didn't want my Customers to think I took their money; my job is done. I'm not saying Sellers SHOULD track pkgs. (they can operate as they wish).  I want to and I want to inform my Customer of the problem (if it occurs), and let them know who is taking care of it and what has transpired.

But there were many "We want your Feedback".  And there was one or two Reps or Managers who actually helped.

[BirdsongEmporium]

@Former_Member  yes the totality of messages is what gets to be too much. I don't actually get a lot of messages from sellers because I think a lot of sellers have become aware that the increased volume of messages that Etsy sends is pushing the limits already for many buyers. 

As a buyer here, I'm ready to start purchasing as a guest so that I can reduce some of the Etsy messaging since guests cannot leave reviews. 

[SugarTaffySoap]

It's not an adequate program in some regards, it definitely needs tweaking in my opinion, but Etsy wants an "excellent customer experience" for the buyer even if it means excessive.  @Former_Member sums it up accurately and it makes me wonder if buyers are just going to start sending all Etsy emails to spam. 

[mommawhazelsquilts]

I don't think buyers are concerned with this.  It's sellers that are going to send messages to spam to avoid losing the purple star thus losing common courtesy in a lot of cases.

[mommawhazelsquilts]

Just re-read the post - apparently seller saw the message and deemed it not important enough to answer.  I "missed" a message once when this first started (multiple purchase, partial cancellation, requests, etc.) but I would never ignore one thinking it not important enough to respond to.  That's just common courtesy.

[GlassCat]

I'm the buyer, not the seller. I answer all my messages. Guess I didn't think I needed to say "you're welcome" to this message. Lesson learned.

[YarnShop4U]

Agree - mark it as spam. It will be removed. Lesson learned. 

[ColorfulCastAndCrew]

What sort of repercussions are there to the seller if their messages are marked as spam?  I would assume there's a threshold one must reach before some sort of negative action occurs? I tried finding the answer to this in the seller handbook but couldn't. I would hate to see someone get dinged in some way for just being a polite seller. Seems like this could be another unintended negative consequence of the SSP.

[ChillwolfArt]

@ColorfulCastAndCrew 

A while ago in another Thread, a Seller explained there are none because it's not reported as Spam to Etsy.  (But I always thought if you reported any Message as Spam, it automatically goes to Etsy).  But I don't know; maybe the person wouldn't receive any more Messages from that Seller (I'm really not sure).

But in any event, just the thought of considering a Seller's Thank You Message as "spam" really galls me.  It would take me 2 seconds to say Thank You (just as  Buyers have done prior to this SS Program).  And even afterward. 

[ZehOriginalArt]

@ColorfulCastAndCrew 

It does not affect the sender according to Etsy and the sender will not know it is marked as such. But there may be a negative to marking as spam especially if the message is not spam.

According to Etsy, any message threads marked as spam will no longer show up in the inbox of the receiver. If the sender sends another message on that same thread, the receiver will not see it. So if I mark a seller 'thank you' message as spam and then later that seller has a question about the order or an important update and uses the same thread, I will never see it.

Now. That said, I just looked this up and one Etsy article says you "may" not receive other messages. Another article says you will. Which it is, I'm not entirely sure. But this is what that second article says about reporting:

How to Handle Harassment on Etsy

Etsy doesn’t tolerate harassment of any kind. If you’re experiencing harassment on Etsy, let the other member know that you don’t want to hear from them anymore. We recommend that you don’t respond to them if they reply.

If their behavior continues, click Contact support at the bottom of this page and Etsy can help.

How to report a Message as spam

You can report a Message as spam to remove it from your Message inbox. However, you will continue to receive emails about new replies in that Message.

This doesn’t send a report to Etsy. If you’re experiencing harassment, you should Contact support.

To report that a Message is spam:

1. On Etsy.com, click Your account.
2. Click Messages.
3. Click the checkbox next to the message that you want to report as spam.
4. Click More.
5. Click Report Spam.

Learn more in Etsy’s communication policy and anti-discrimination policy.

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360018966753-How-to-Handle-Harassment-on-Etsy

[NoFrogsAllowed]

Just marking a message as spam does not hurt or block anyone's messages.  You have to report it as spam to Etsy and then you no longer receive messages from that person.

To me, it is still wrong to mark as spam as it really isn't spam but courtesy, especially to preserve a stupid, useless star.

[ChillwolfArt]

@NoFrogsAllowed 

May I ask you a question?  I don't understand how you report a Message as Spam to Etsy.  I looked and didn't see anything on Messages that has that option.  I only see "Mark as Spam."  So that is why I thought when a Message is Marked as Spam it automatically goes through Etsy as well.

Thank You in advance.

[NoFrogsAllowed]

@ChillwolfArt 

Haven't a clue.  Never even marked anything as spam.  All I know is that is the way Etsy says it works.  I'm going to assume you have to contact support to report it.  Maybe someone else knows for sure.

[ChillwolfArt]

@NoFrogsAllowed 

OK, Thanks.  Last year I reported one Message as Spam.  It was not from a Seller, nor anyone from Etsy that I could see.  Something about a group (not an Etsy Team Invite).  So that was my first Message which I Marked as Spam.  Never on a Seller though.

[LastCentury]

Marking any Thank You message from a buyer as spam is just asking for bad karma.

Dumping your cares about the Star Seller Program is 100% good for your mental health.

Ps, I'm not a doctor or voodoo priest.

[StreetwoodDesign]

I stopped doing the "you hang up" - "no you hang up first" - "I won't hang up until you do" - "come on hang up first" thing in grade school. And I don't want to start doing it with "thank yous to the death" back and forth with buyers, because of Etsy's idiotic purple star for good kids. An absolute waste of mind space, and stress for some, to have to worry about that. If there were betting odds in Vegas, I would bet Etsy changes these purple star flaws that are abundant. It simply can not continue fairly, nor efficiently, nor accurately, as is. But it will take some time for them to recognize the real world.

And I will never mark a true buyer as spam. Not fair nor respectful to them, just for my own gain? no. But, this is what Etsy has created. The free market will find a way to work around inadequate and flawed "things." So, it simply can not survive as is, they eventually will have to make changes.