star seller doesnt keep accurate record of message response

[LeafLee]

star seller stat was dinged by not replying to a harassing blocked account after I was told it wouldn't be, or it's just never accurate on response times to messages. I'm confused if it has to do with different time zones or what, but it is not accurate. who else is having issues with the star seller stats being accurate?

[vintageNCtreasures]

Did you mark that message as spam?
If not, that is why you were dinged.

You can still mark as spam, might take a few days for stats to update.

All new messages must be replied to or if spam, mark as spam.

[PiecesOfMePaperCraft]

A blocked account can still contact you (blocking only means they can't follow you). You need to respond or mark the message as spam in order for it to count towards star seller. You also need to respond to messages from sellers you've purchased from (or mark them as spam).

[BootifulLabels]

If you get a harassing message, you need to spam it and then you shouldn't receive any more messages from that user.  However, harassers are quite clever at getting around spam labels and blocks, so if you do get further messages from them you need to continue to mark them as spam.

Etsy uses an automated system to determine the time lapse between receipt of a message and response (or spam action).  No-one reads your messages to see who they are from and what they are about (and would you really want them to?).  It is up to you to keep on top of your inbox.  Etsy marks new messages that require a response or spam action with a blue notation under the message header.  If a message has that blue notation, or is otherwise an unsolicited message you need to either respond or mark it as spam within the 24 hr window.  

Etsy gives you tools like Autoreply or Snippets to make it easier to maintain response times.  Communication is part and parcel of running a business, and the one aspect of SS that is entirely within your ability to achieve.

[audreytherese]

If you marked the message(s) as spam, then they wouldn't count. If you just blocked the person, then it would have no effect on your message rating. And really the blocking would have almost zero effect on anything else as well. 

[FableJournal]

My reply rate is also wrong. I lost star seller in late November when my son was in the hospital and I got several messages over that 2 day period. Since then I've been replying to everyone within 24 hours, but somehow my response rate has gone down according to the star seller dashboard. It's really weird. I wonder if it has something to do with the new year / new month. Not sure how they're calculating this but it's inaccurate. 

[BootifulLabels]

Your rating will often drop at the beginning of the new month, as the data from the first of the previous 3 months drops out of the equation and the new assessment period begins.  This is because there is now only two months of data to count, as the current month is just beginning.

[TheArtfulTwig]

It also important to note that when a buyer reaches out to you through the help request, it opens a new message thread.  So, even if you reply within minutes to the order convo or a previous thread, your reply will not count towards the SS statistic.  This happened to me.  I thought that messages and convos were merged, and replied within the order convo thread.

Also, I learned that Etsy operates on UTC time, and doesn't count message replies in the last few days of the 3rd month of the calculation.   window.  In another thread someone linked to where this is noted in Etsy's Help section. 

It makes no sense to me, since the star seller stat page clearly states that it includes messages and orders through the last calendar day of the third month in the period.

[BootifulLabels]

The message criteria requires a response within 24 hrs of the message.  If a message is received in the last 24hrs of the month, Etsy will not see a response in time for the badges to be awarded on the 1st of the month, so they don't count that message.

Likewise, orders with ship-by dates that fall in the last 24 -48 hrs of the end of month may have been sent on time, but the tracking numbers may not yet be showing as in transit, so they don't get counted.  

Now imagine if Etsy decided not to assess the badges until the 2nd or 3rd of the month, so that those orders affected by the points above could be included?  We already see a surge of "why haven't I got my badge" posts on the 1st of each month.  That volume would triple and continue for 3 or 4 days.

[BagmakerSupply]

@LeafLee @FableJournal : You should look at the applicable CSV file available on your Star Seller page - all of the first message of new threads during the corresponding three month period will be included. Remember that the dates / times are in UTC not in your time zone.

[AAANativeArts]

If you don't answer, you still have to mark it as Spam. Sometimes you can do that rectroactively and your score will improve after a few days. My message rate is never right. I answer convos 6 times a day during the week and once on weekends, and my score has hovered between 85-91% for months.

I've also noticed when it says an order is due tomorrow, if I don't pack it today, then tomorrow it will say it is late. 

[TonsOfPaper · Accepted solution]

Hello @LeafLee,

We've double-checked your Message response rate, and we can confirm that the message you're referring to isn't affecting your Star Seller. We strongly recommend that you download the CSV file of the messages that are affecting your Star Seller. You can download a CSV by going to your Shop Manager > dashboard > Star Seller dashboard page > select the Message response rate tile > select the Export link called "Download Message History".

On the other hand, in regards with this message, you can contact us directly so we can assist you further. You can contact us by choosing the appropriate topics on this link.

Thank you very much!

[LacyReneeVintage]

My messages are doing the same thing. I have two that are still showing up as unanswered, when in fact they were answered immediately. It is definitely affecting my star seller as well. How do we report this?

[ArtDollsbyJD]

@LacyReneeVintage   Contact Etsy and ask them to check your messages.

Where these messages in spam?  Did you accept to answer these messages?,