star seller message from someone I bought from is affecting my status!!

[CopperBeechCompany]

I am so frustrated that it is nearly impossible to get help from Etsy. My current problem is that I bought rugs from another Etsy seller and I want to return them as they do not match the photo. This shop messaged me after I received the rugs to ask how everything was and I delayed answering because I needed to get photos and tell them it was wrong. NOW ETSY is counting off my star seller for not answering messages even though it had NOTHING to do with my business sales and orders. aaaaaargh!!! Cannot even get a email to them now. It is just a loop and they keep sending me back to seller help topics. Nothing happens other than that when I ask for support.

[UniqueGiftOrnaments]

Etsy won't do anything. It doesn't matter if you are a buyer or seller. Every new message must be answered or put into spam

[audreytherese]

They're sending you back to the star seller help topics because it explains in there that all messages, whether from a buyer or another seller, are all counted as the same. They don't know what the message is about, and every seller you buy from has the potential to become a buyer in your shop. It's literally happened to me - I had an issue with an order I placed, and after messaging back and forth the other seller checked out my shop and made a purchase. 

[hopeandjoystudios]

Mark it spam and it should come off in a day or 2.

[GlassyFields]

as @hopeandjoystudios says - mark as spam. It works - including retroactively. SS for messages is the one thing sellers have total control over.

[JudyStalus]

Etsy doesn't read every message...most sellers are also buyers.  How would Etsy know that your seller wasn't actually a buyer inquiring about your shop.  The rules are clear every message that starts a new thread needs an answer of some kind even if it is just being marked as spam.

[PillowDetails]

Yes, this has been the rule from the beginning, and I got caught not answering a message with me being the Buyer. Once.  Now you know.  Look for the blue banner in messages,  and blue dot on mobile, for any first-time message that requires a response / mark as spam.

[TonsOfPaper · Accepted solution]

Hello @CopperBeechCompany,

Please know that the Message response rate counts initial messages in new threads from all Etsy members, both buyers and other sellers. You may want to create a Saved Reply in order to quickly and easily answer messages from other Sellers. Using a Saved Reply within 24 hours will count as answering the message. 

If the message you've received is not a spam message, it requires a response within 24 hours. If it is a spam message you can mark it as such and it won't count towards your score. Marking a message as spam will remove it from your inbox.

While it is not possible to retroactively remove this message from your score, I do understand your concern, and really appreciate you sharing your experience with me. I've gathered your feedback and will be sure to share it with the appropriate teams. 

Thank you very much!
 

[maggiemaybecrafty]

It works as it is supposed to, nothing to fix. We have to respond to messages or mark as spam within 24 hours as a buyer or seller, just like we have always been told by Etsy and in the forums.