When does a Repeat Buyer no longer show as a Repeat Buyer?

[PWOriginals]

On an order last month, the buyer's name on the order did not show as a Repeat Buyer, so I didn't give it a 2nd thought. She ordered again a couple of weeks ago, and the Repeat Buyer star appeared. All good. But, then she contacted me a few days ago asking if I could make more in the size of a previous order (she didn't reference which order), but the only orders immediately visible were the 2 previous from this year.

During our back and forth, she sent me a picture of previous items, which I recognized. I thought "why aren't these orders showing up under her name on the new order?", so I did a search with her name in my completed orders and lo and behold, 5 or 6 previous orders popped up from 2022 and 2023, all showing Repeat Buyer stars including this year's.

Her name and address are the exact same as all previous orders but there's a different email on the 2024 orders. Does anyone know if this reason enough for Etsy to not recognize this as a Repeat Buyer on a new order, but does recognize the RB when searching through completed orders?

Hope I'm explaining this clearly! I think it's Technical, but perhaps not.

In a nutshell, none of her orders show up from 2022 and 2023 as a Repeat Buyer when clicking on her name from the order, only if I do a name search in my completed orders.

[Marmalady]

Maybe the ones that don't show as repeats were purchased as Guests?

[BoudoirPrive]

@Marmalady 

I've just had the same problem and your answer is correct.  My client has purchased her second item as a guest.

[DragonflyDreams1]

I can't remember specifics but this has also happened to me. Repeat buyer, I recognize the name, but no orders are shown as a previous customer until I search for them. I seem to remember for a while repeat customer symbols were not appearing at all, and then they came back. But it is possible as you stated it is limited by time. It could have something to do with the new limits Etsy is going to start with using coupon offers, I am only guessing they don't want customers from 2 years ago using a return customer coupon code. I want my customers to use them, I impose no limit. If they come back 2 years later, awesome!

[PWOriginals]

@DragonflyDreams1 

When you searched under Completed Orders, did the Repeat Buyer stars show up?

I have other repeat buyers and all their orders appear when clicking on their name on a new order - one I checked went back to 2016.

[VintagePussycatShop]

I had someone place an order two days in a row and not show as a repeat, because both times he checked out as a "guest".  I am guessing that any time they check out while logged in to an account, all purchases from that account would be linked.  So a new email address may show differently (if they created a new account with it) or of course checking out as a guest. 

[Amaradorn]

They either have 2 accounts or they purchased as a guest (not logged in).

[PWOriginals]

This buyer never checked out as a guest - that would have shown as such.

Now, if she had a second account, that may be it. I'll have to ask her.

But, it doesn't explain why the Repeat Buyer star shows under all her orders under "Completed Orders," just don't show the 2022/23 orders by her name on new orders.

[LynnsLittleShop]

I had a customer a month ago that her earlier order was from 2016, so I don't know what to say, glitch, checked out as guest or put their name in differently?   

[PWOriginals]

@LynnsLittleShop 

No guest checkout and name and address are the same, may be a different email at some point.

I got in trouble on this one, as she was wanting the "same size as a previous order." I only had immediate access to her previous two and I made them in the same size as those, which is not what she wanted.

Just wish Etsy could correct it on this buyer, as I'm afraid it'll happen again with her or someone else.

[JDTotesnDolls]

I see repeart buyer on all orders including ones from years ago.

Buyer can have two accounts or bought as a guest.

[PWOriginals]

@JDTotesnDolls 

As I've previously stated:

No guest checkout

Even if 2 accounts, Etsy recognizes as Repeat Buyer (with stars) in "Completed Orders," but doesn't show them all when accessing previous orders from new order page.

[LynnsLittleShop]

@PWOriginals I would have thought it would go by name and maybe address, but addresses can change. I'm sorry it caused you to make the wrong size, really through no fault of your own.    

[QuailCreekCreations]

Who knows ?????

[PotteryUrns]

@PWOriginals   I think you mentioned she had a different email address on the last 2 orders. I think that is probably why the older orders didn't show up till you checked orders by name. 

[PWOriginals]

@PotteryUrns 

Yeah - I was assuming she had just changed her email, which wouldn't mean having another account. But, it looks like she probably did.

[irmaKdesigns · Accepted solution]

The buyer might have more than one Etsy account with same name/address.

I had a repeat buyer ask me for custom order similar to something she ordered before. I couldn't find that item under her order history. She then told me she orders from different accounts, so I found all her orders by searching her name. All her orders had repeat buyer star, because she had multiple orders from each account making it look like one account.

@PWOriginals ask her if she has more than one Etsy account, or look up her profile in each order to see if it's same profile (account).

[PWOriginals]

@irmaKdesigns 

Bingo!

I can see only the buyer's favorites on her profile, and when they changed, along with her email address, she was no longer considered a RB on her order history. So, the same as what you observed.

Thank you for posting the same experience. It's strange, tho, how Etsy marks them as repeat buyers differently in 2 places.

I must remember her name ... I must remember her name.