Warning! Messages within a "refund" do not count as a response to buyers - according to Etsy!

[OnJaysWings]

FYI... Not sure if anyone has ever had this issue, but I discovered that if I respond to a buyer's message directly within the "Refund" message area, it apparently doesn't count as a response - at least according to Etsy!  So I have to wonder, why do they even have that option?! 

I had a customer message me that she wasn't happy with an item she purchased, so I issued her a refund and issued my response to her within the box that says, "message to customer" directly within the refund tab.  Well apparently, Etsy doesn't count that as responding to the customer's message as two days later, I received a message from Etsy stating that if I don't resolve or respond to the customer, they will take action.  I was like, WTF???

I had already responded within 2 hours of receiving her message and issued her a full refund, no questions asked!  Confused, I messaged the customer in the regular "Messages" email section, and asked her if she received the refund and she said yes.  But Etsy had no record of it???  Again, I was thinking, WTF???  Why did Etsy send me those messages like I never responded to the customer, when I had done so within 2 hrs! 

Not to mention, because of that stupid glitch in their system, I lost my star seller status as it dropped my message response rate down to 83% - all because of that one glitch...that I actually did respond to within 2 hours! 

I will admit, I have had issues with Etsy's star seller review, as sometimes things just aren't calculated correctly - but what can we do?!  It's like when your kid asks, "Why?" and the parent says, "Because I said so!".  I really don't care anymore about the star seller badge, as even when Etsy is the one at fault, nothing can be done to get it back for the next couple months!  

Anyway, I wanted to make everyone aware of this glitch in Etsy's system and to be careful when responding directly within a refund.  Best to CYA and do a response in the regular messages!   Happy selling y'all.   

[PoochandTabby]

This isn't a glitch. You have to respond to the message itself that was sent. Messaging within the refund doesn't cancel out that original message. Learned that the hard way too.

[After9Marbles]

While it is a response Etsy cant seem to sling code to figure that out so it counts against us. Personally if I was getting a refund and received a message with the refund that would be enough. I wouldnt need a additional message letting me know the same information. I get where etsy is coming from but its more technical than realistic.

[BagmakerSupply]

@After9Marbles: While agreeing with you, the difficulty is how to  know which message to match the refund to. The message in the refund (if you did a <cancel order>) does get attached to an existing thread. Remember a customer could have sent you ten messages, nine of them as Help Requests each of which created a new thread. 

[FeltOnTheFly]

Respond to a message with a message.  In the message box. 

But I guess you know that now....  

[WitticismsRus]

Etsy likely reasoning is because they are two different systems or whatever they call them. One is financial system and the other is their messaging/convos system. They work separately.

[CraftyCornishMaids · Accepted solution]

Etsy says you have to reply to each new message thread, and they highlight it in blue, so that's what you have to do,
reply to the message thread

adding a note on a refund, is not replying , and it's not a message thread.