star seller ranking lost for a frustrating reason

[CoolRainGauges]

Hi

Last month, I responded to all customer contacts (total of 5) within 24 hours. But my star rank was pulled for what I think is a really unfair reason. I purchased something from another seller and left feedback. Loved what I got then I ordered the same items again and got an automated "thanks for your order, please leave feedback" kind of thing from the seller. Since I already left feedback on the first order, I didn't respond. But it counted towards my response rate!! Here's what the Etsy rep told me: "As per the concern you are having, please know that any message either from another seller or a buyer, a request or from a purchase you made, as long as it is an initial message must be responded because they are counted. The Message response rate shows the percentage of all initial messages, meaning replies must be within 24 hours and this includes Help Request messages."

I'm bummed that I lost my star seller rating over this. Has this happened to anyone? Has anyone managed to get their rating restored or reconsidered? Thanks!

[UniqueGiftOrnaments]

Star Seller is quite clear that we have to answer EVERY message whether buyer or seller, or put them into spam

[Debsellstoyou]

It still is mean.   it had nothing to do with selling, but it counts?  The only good new I can see is at least it doesn't affect your money like some sites do.

[cutebutton]

mean? Not sure it's mean LOL.

Etsy has no way to distinguish who is sending a message.  sellers are buyers too and they don't read the content of the message.

Plus it's not that hard to say you're welcome.  It takes only about 5 seconds to do.

[OneEyeCatStudio]

If you mean 'mean' in the British sense, then very likely it is.

Etsy does not want to spend the money to make the program smart enough to differentiate.
So we must deal with ALL the messages.

[FallenAngelBrass]

---

@CoolRainGauges wrote:

I'm bummed that I lost my star seller rating over this. Has this happened to anyone?

Welcome to the Etsy sellers' forum!   The first day here is always exciting!

[UppNorthCo]

I always think that now when I read these posts.  Welcome to the forums.

[cutebutton]

Yes this has happened to others.  You can read the 10,000,000 forum threads about it.

Etsy has made it VERY clear in the information that they have about how to earn the star seller badge that you have to answer ALL messages.

if you click on the info under star seller there is a place that says "what messages count toward message response rate" and it clearly says there that you have to answer all messages unless it came from etsy staff (i've never gotten one of those).

[DesertChains]

Wish I had better news for you, but…

It doesn’t matter whether or not you answered questions or provided information. It doesn't matter if a message doesn't need a response. It doesn’t matter if you’re the seller or the buyer. It doesn't matter if the message you received is a duplicate. The system only determines whether or not you replied to an individual message. If you didn't respond or send a message to your spam folder, you are going to get rated down. That's how it works.

Right or wrong, the program has worked this way for a year! The instructions for meeting this metric are clearly stated and easily accessible. Daily posts in the forums also discuss this exact topic.

Send the missed messages to spam. Your stats will update in a day or two.

[VintageRescueSquad]

Honestly, there are a bazillion threads about this. 

Wait until you lose it for something completely out of your control, like bad ratings, or not enough sales/money in the 3-month period. Messages are something wholly within your control.

Don't worry about it. It doesn't affect anything yet, and most buyers don't know about it.

[cutebutton]

at least they changed the star metric.  Now it seems more achievable for most people because the 4 star actually gives you some credit LOL.

But yeah the things that are fully in a persons control there's really no excuse for not doing.  i get maybe not realizing it the first time it happens, even though it's been said so many times.  But once you know you know and if you want the star you gotta do it. hahaha.

[AAANativeArts]

The only two options to keep a perfect star seller score for messages are to answer ALL messages, regardless of what they are about or who sent them, or mark them as spam. If you mark them as Spam, the seller won't know you did it, if no reply is needed. This has been discussed in the forums for months now and Etsy has told you that in your Dashboard more than once. I see this senario addressed on the forum at least once a week.

[NoFrogsAllowed]

Sorry, can't feel any sympathy.  You have choices and control.  You can answer all first messages, spam them or ignore them.  There are lots who can't achieve star seller, because they can't make the $300.  Those sellers have no options and no control.  It all depends on what happens to sell in their shop.  Plus, how much money one makes has no bearing on customer service.  If you don't make the $300 you can't even get any of the individual badges.

[Girlfriendnecklace]

Did you really noticed a better ranking when you were Star Seller? I lost mine for a recent 4 stars but in reality I didn't see an acceleration in sales? Of course it's nice to have it.

[CraftyCraftsCorners]

New Up dates to Star Seller badges something you need to read as far as message go you NEED to answer ALL of them not matter who they are From. @CoolRainGauges The last one you got and was not necessary, mark as spam and it will not count at all it will update within a day or 2 after sent to spam. 

https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook/article/exciting-updates-to-the-star-seller/1085067202187?campa...

[GothamBBC]

Right, wrong, mean, insensitive, all true. I don't expect them to be perfect but I'm disappointed to see that ETSY still has not learned how to moderate the obvious errors and the frustration it causes. They're not getting better at managing their own processes fast enough. Star Seller status is probably missed more often by ETSY's ineffective calculations rather than a Seller missing an actual objective. 

[TonsOfPaper · Accepted solution]

Hello there,

The Message response rate counts initial messages from all Etsy members, both buyers, and other sellers. This is because fellow sellers could be potential buyers for your shop. If it's 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 for the current review period. It will take up to 24 hours for this to be reflected in the Response rate score.
 

Thank you very much!

[maggiemaybecrafty]

It isn't mean at all, and I don't feel very sorry for sellers who don't know because they should, we have been informed over and over and over again. It is exactly as Etsy and the forums informed us it would be about a gazillion times. Read your Etsy messages to keep informed and the forums are a wealth of knowledge to help us know what we need to know. We have been told a lot be Etsy messages or emails and in the forums how messages work.

[BirdsongEmporium]

This is one way that the star seller ratings have tripped up so many sellers since the start a year ago. I have lost count of the number of threads about this. Fair or not fair, the rating has been set up to count the response rate to all incoming messages, even ones where the seller is a buyer. A response does not need to be much, thank you or message received will meet the requirement since only a message response within 24 hours is required. Unlike reviews, there is nothing that says a certain amount of words or even words at all are needed, an emoji as a response should work. One option for sellers when making purchases on Etsy is to sign out of their account and use the guest purchasing option. Purchasing as a guest, there are no worries about any messages they make as a buyer then coming to the seller's shop account.

[TonsOfPaper · Accepted solution]

Hello there,

The Message response rate counts initial messages from all Etsy members, both buyers, and other sellers. This is because fellow sellers could be potential buyers for your shop. If it's 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.

Thank you very much!

[BagmakerSupply · Accepted solution]

@CoolRainGauges  At least for the time being, it appears that marking an unanswered message as SPAM (even after the 24 hour deadline has passed) will cause your reply percentage to change in a day or two if the original message was within the current star seller period.

For all we complain about Etsy they have been very clear and consistent about messages / convos from the very beginning. Just to clarify so people don't think they have to respond to every message and it will be a never ending loop: the FIRST message of a NEW thread must be replied to within 24 hours. It does not matter who sent it, the subject matter, if it is a duplicate or blank or anything else. If it is SPAM then it should be marked as such. Those have always been the rules. By the way, if you are creating a custom listing based on the message, you still need to reply to the message. Etsy is now putting a blue text warning / advisory on those messages they consider to be a "new message".

[CraftyCraftsCorners]

The $300 is in US funds for sales monies. I am in Canada and in Canadian funds its add up to $350 and minim sales is 5. So the way I look at is pitting every country against the other and more focus is on the USA. Not worth the aggravation of playing games, as selling is not a game, it is serious business involving treatment of our customers and not keeping Etsy playing with toys of their choosing. 

[HtoHdesign · Accepted solution]

Hey There! @CraftyCraftsCorners

The star seller sales minimum is based on the 300 USD. For sellers using EURO, AUD, CAD, or GBP it will be based on the average conversion exchange from USD to shop currency. Learn more about becoming a star seller here.

Thanks!