Unable to send messages to my potential buyers

[Blnkcompany]

Hi everyone, I hope all of you are doing well.

I am unable to send messages to my potential buyers. Every time I try to send a message it says " Your message reply has been deactivated, Contact support to reactivate". I have mailed Etsy support numerous times but I haven't received any help so far. Does any one faced this same issue? and can anyone please help me out with this problem?

[CraftyCornishMaids]

Etsy does this if they think you are spamming people, which is illegal in most countries.

You can't just contact them, if they have not contacted you first,

First time etsy blocks messages for 2-4 weeks, second time people report their shop has been shut for good.

[Blnkcompany]

They contacted me first, I know some of them are genuine customers but I cannot reply to solve their query. 

Please do not say that there is a possibility of my shop getting closed. I did not message anyone in the first place. I just want to reply to the potential customers.

[BootifulLabels]

You are not allowed to contact "potential" buyers unless they contact you first.  Uninvited contact is against privacy laws in many jurisdictions. Etsy will suspend your messaging privileges if they believe you are sending unsolicited messages, and you just have to wait for them to lift the ban (usually around 2 weeks).   Repeat offenses can see your account closed, permanently.

[Blnkcompany]

They are contacting me first, and I cannot make any reply to them & I did not send any message to anyone in the first place. I don't know why this is happening. 

[SVGRox]

You should only be responding to messages not contacting customers who haven't contacted you

[Blnkcompany]

They are messaging me regarding my products, I cant reply to them. I did not contact anyone in the first place.

[JHFWBeadsAndFindings]

If they were "potential buyers" that have contact you first, they might be scammers. Etsy may have deleted their accounts. 

Most messages from scammers are:" Hello, i was trying to purchase your lovely item but, i need to have the sellers emailaddress." Or something like that.

This is scam and Etsy is deleting those accounts.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

This is the message the OP has, and you get, when etsy deactivates your messages for spamming others, not for when they have deleted a spam account, that no longer exists

"Your message reply has been deactivated, Contact support to reactivate".

The message you get, when trying to reply to a deleted scammer account is

The username you entered is not a valid Etsy user.

[JHFWBeadsAndFindings]

@CraftyCornishMaids 

Thank you for clarify. My thought it might be possible it was a closed account. Good to see the difference in messages between them. 

[Blnkcompany]

Yes, I do get some of those messages. I was well aware that those were scammers, even some of them were even offering me scam-type shop promotional things. I ignored those messages. But recently, 2 genuine buyers wanted to buy my products, They messaged me first as my shop discount was over and they were asking for the same discount, I have started the sale again but now I can't reply to them.  

[PillowDetails]

Etsy considers all users to be THEIR customers.  They don't become your customer until after they purchase.  Please do not contact people who fave your shop or items, or any other random user, for the purpose of promoting your shop.

[Blnkcompany]

No, I never do that. I never message anyone in the first place. I just cannot make any reply to those who are messaging me.