Would Etsy Staff please contact me to resolve?

[GameFoundry]

Sorry to spam everyone, but apparently the only way to get a hold of support staff at Etsy is to post an issue publicly here in this technical forum. My shop was dinged on my message response rate this month when someone reached out to me to cancel an order. Within a few hours, I canceled the order and included a message to them through the "Do you want to include a message?" field on the cancellation & refund screen (the message stated "Canceling this order per your request!"). So I did send them a timely message about their inquiry, to the same account, within hours of their request; the two messages *literally* show up one on top of the other in my message feed. however, since the Etsy system doesn't link their help request to the cancellation portal, it didn't register me as having responded to the original message. Missing a single message could cost me my Star Seller badge for the next three months, as I don't receive substantial direct message volume. So I need Etsy to remove that from my stats as it's causing me to unfairly be removed from the Star Seller program.

[BirdsongEmporium]

Etsy won't remove it. Sellers have been dinged in the star seller for not responding or not quickly enough to messages they received when they are the buyer. Etsy has stated repeatedly that every message has to have a response within 24 hours. Etsy had said that multiple messages received would be linked together but it does not seem that messages that are originated from other areas, like the refund screen, get the same treatment. When we have received requests for cancellation, we do send a message from the cancellation area but we also respond to the Etsy message request either to say we will do the cancellation or to let them know it has been done.

I feel for you about how one missed affects the metrics. We have the star seller badge and the one for reviews and shipping but do not have the badge for messages because we have gone 3 months without anyone sending us a message. No messages aren't counted as a negative but do keep a star seller from having a speedy message response badge. So one new missed message for us now would completely tank our message response rate and cost us the star seller badge. 

[SupplyEmporium]

I have the same issue with a message from a customer, which I answered minutes later.   then she said thank you.  so I figured I'd stop the madness.  Got dinged a % point.  I'm not going to even try anymore.

[BagmakerSupply]

@SupplyEmporium: You should check the applicable CSV file to see which message(s) Etsy thinks were not answered on time because only the FIRST message of a NEW INCOMING THREAD counts for Star Seller so not replying to a reply will not ding you.

[JackisJustVintage]

Yes, this is how it has worked. You have to respond to all initial messages or mark them as spam. If the message needs a response, it should have a blue highlight at the top. You can respond with "already addressed on help request" or something like that. It has happened to many, but at least you now are aware. Sorry, Etsy will not remove.