The Star Seller badge is a way to show Etsy shoppers that you offer a fantastic customer experience consistently. We know that reviews, quickly responding to messages, shipping, and tracking are important to customers.
Etsy determines if a shop deserves a Star Seller badge every 1st day of the month, and it will be based on the last three months of your performance.
Let’s look at the checklist one by one.
Quickly Respond to Messages
Response rate is an important criterion for the Star Seller badge.
When customers message you about your products, they want answers as soon as possible. You can set aside a particular time every day to respond to messages. It would help if you targeted to answer messages in 24 hours or less. You will also need to reply to at least 95% of initial customer messages within 24 hours.
To make responding to messages easier, you can download the Sell on Etsy App on your mobile device. This way, you can answer messages even when on the go.
You can also start using saved replies for frequently asked questions about your products, saving a significant amount of time.
Set Up Your Returns and Exchanges Policy
Shop policies don’t have a direct impact on being a Star Seller. However, it will help promote positive reviews because it will set a clear expectation with your customers. Reviews are also another essential criterion for Star Seller. You will need to have an average of 4.8 rating to qualify.
Your shop policies should contain clear guidelines on whether you will accept returns and exchanges. In case a buyer messages you about a return or exchange, you should work with your customer to decide:
- Where your customer should send the item for return
- The time window in which you want the item to arrive
- Who will be paying for the cost of return shipping, if it’s not stated in your policies
Ship On Time
You will need at least 95% of your orders to ship within your specified processing time and with tracking, or you bought an Etsy shipping label to qualify for Star Seller. Please note that digital items will not require tracking information.
- Ship within your specified processing times – The ship-by date is determined by the processing timeframes you provide for each listing. Update your processing times to reflect your operations appropriately and to create clear expectations with customers.
- Use Etsy shipping labels or add tracking – If you live in the United States, ordering shipping labels on Etsy can save you up to 30% off retail postal prices. Plus, if you buy a USPS mailing label on Etsy, you may save time at the post office by scheduling a free pickup from your USPS postal carrier or taking them to a USPS postal drop-off station in your region if one is available.
Australian, Canadian, and British sellers can also save time by ordering shipping labels on Etsy and printing them at home. Buying shipping labels on Etsy aids in the automation of critical processes in the fulfillment process. When you purchase a domestic or international label on Etsy, we will immediately fill in the buyer’s address and stamp the order as sent.
Furthermore, when you buy an Etsy label with tracking, Etsy will instantly share the tracking information with the customer. You need to do nothing further to certify the order as complete. Customers may relax knowing that their orders will be delivered on time.
Include Thoughtful Touches
With a handwritten thank-you card and branded packaging, you can show your consumers how much you value their business. You may also create a thank-you coupon to automatically send an email with a promo code to your clients once their order is complete. It’s a thoughtful touch that could entice them to submit a positive review—and to make another purchase in the near future. Those small details that indicate you went above and beyond will make them happy and may affect their assessment.
Communicate Delays
If you discover that an item is delayed in transportation, notify your buyer as soon as possible, so they are not left wondering why their purchase did not arrive on time. You may notify your customers about delays and when you expect to send their items via messages and your store announcement. Proactively communicating any changes can assist in creating a great experience and more consistently favorable reviews for your store.
