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Sun Nov 17 2019 21:50:51

Etsy Seller Standards ODR Warning Causes Uproar

By: Ina Steiner

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Some sellers are in an uproar over Etsy's "Order Dissatisfaction Rate" (ODR), part of its Seller Service Level Standards. One seller wrote us, "Have you heard or seen Etsy's new policy? Many sellers are outraged, Etsy is being inundated with calls, they even agreed some of the new seller rules are ludicrous."

This is the section from the Etsy help page titled, "Seller Service Level Standards," that has sellers so upset:

What happens if a shop doesn’t meet these standards
We recognize that, despite a seller’s best efforts, some orders will not go as expected and may result in a low review or case. 

If a shop exceeds the acceptable ODR threshold or displays a pattern of customer service issues, Etsy’s Trust & Safety team may reach out with a Customer Service Warning. For shops otherwise compliant with Etsy’s policies and expectations, warnings will only be sent if a shop meets all of the following criteria:

- Has an Order Dissatisfaction Rate that is 1% or higher

- Has at least three orders with a case or low review since the shop's first sale

- Has two or more orders placed within a 60 day evaluation period that resulted in a case or low review

Shops that receive a Customer Service Warning will have access to a complete summary of their customer service performance to help them improve their shop's Order Dissatisfaction Rate with future orders.

If a shop's Order Dissatisfaction Rate rises or falls dramatically before a 90 day evaluation period is complete, Etsy may reevaluate performance sooner.

If a shop continues to exceed Etsy's allowable Order Dissatisfaction Rate or otherwise fails to demonstrate the level of customer service we expect, we may investigate and take action, including permanent revocation of buying and selling privileges in any account they may hold. Shops that have never provided strong customer service are eligible for permanent suspension at any time.

Pointing to one criterion, "Has at least three orders with a case or low review since the shop's first sale," a reader told us that it was "pretty harsh for a seller of long tenure or one with a lot of sales."

Sellers have been buzzing about it this weekend, presumably because some have been receiving Customer Service warnings; a seller linked to the help page on Etsy titled, "Why Did My Shop Receive a Customer Service Warning?

In one thread on the Etsy boards, a seller shared their thoughts and wrote, "In some ways, this isn't a change, just clarification on what is most likely to get you in trouble. The confirmation that Etsy still blames you for cases closed in your favour, or reviews changed to 5 stars later once you reach out to the buyer is by far the worst part of this, in my eyes."

Please share your thoughts!



Comments (42) | Permalink

Readers Comments

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This user has validated their user name. by: Bad Hair Day

Sun Nov 17 22:16:01 2019

Welcome To eBay :)

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by: eBay Shill Buster This user has validated their user name.

Sun Nov 17 22:24:57 2019

They are as dumb as eBay in copying everything Amazon does thinking their market cap will follow as Devin Wenig did if he made eBay a clone of Amazon.

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by: BargainzBabylon This user has validated their user name.

Mon Nov 18 02:03:21 2019

Josh keeps dragging out old, failed eBay ideas and trying them out on Etsy. That's the problem with these rent-a-CEOs. The man hasn't had a single original idea since he started his 'leadership'.  

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by: hawk This user has validated their user name.

Mon Nov 18 04:43:46 2019

it's always the same. let's have ideas to destroy small business and reputations , NEVER ideas to help small business to be better and more profitable. more of ebays CEOS destroy the seller mentality and education. where do they dig up these overpaid rejects ?

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by: FeelingFroggy This user has validated their user name.

Mon Nov 18 06:33:25 2019

Ya all are invited to move your store to Ebay. OH DARN didn't you move your store from Ebay to Etsy cause you didn't like Ebay antics. Well maybe you would want to try some other site.

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by: Flying Childers This user has validated their user name.

Mon Nov 18 06:58:52 2019

Hawk-you just nailed it.  I have never been a big seller on Etsy but I used to make a few hundred dollars a month without a lot of expense or effort which was fine with me.
I have never depended on Etsy for a living like some unfortunates who are now getting crushed.
Thanks to all the censorship issues we are finding out about with Google as well as the stranglehold they have on search, it is only going to get harder for everyone.
Etsy is a willing partner in crime as Google is helping them rip off their customers with the ad scheme.
Selling on line has ALWAYS been pay to play.  I never saw any platform that was free.
What I don’t expect is to be forced to pay for services that I don’t receive.

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by: cvsharkey This user has validated their user name.

Mon Nov 18 07:05:46 2019

Wait. Don't you think this will affect those Chinese sellers of junk more than the makers of hand-made goods, genuine vintage items or truly good supplies?

Isn't this what was wanted? A way to curb the bad elements selling on Etsy and get rid of them?

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by: Sierra This user has validated their user name.

Mon Nov 18 07:17:15 2019

@cvsharkey - GMTA! This was my 1st thought too!

I've been reading on FB that some sellers plan on simply opening a new Etsy shop before Etsy can shut them down. I think (and hope) that won't work out in their favor.

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This user has validated their user name. by: Life During Wartime

Mon Nov 18 08:00:40 2019

Several sellers of made in China "handmade" and brand new made in China "vintage" that I have featured (called out) in my blog have at least 3 one star reviews.  So far, none of their shops have been closed since this was added to the handbook.  I will keep checking, but I don't expect that to happen.  Now CASES is another thing because opening a case, and processing it, costs Etsy staff time -- which is $$$$.  

Chinese factory shops, which of course ship from China, most often have all 5 star reviews.  As do sellers of counterfeit products, and resellers generally.  

I've actually seem more unfavorable reviews left for  shops that appear to be entirely honest, left by shoppers who didn't bother reading the Descriptions and convos or (most often) are just plain weird (not in the cool way).  Knowing Etsy, I expect sellers who have done nothing unprofessional or dishonest -- who are themselves the victims -- to get hit with the warnings and closures more often than deceptive resellers of pretend handmade and fake vintage.

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This user has validated their user name. by: The End

Mon Nov 18 08:05:01 2019

JOSH :
YOU'RE FIRED !

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by: Etsy Seller This user has validated their user name.

Mon Nov 18 08:07:19 2019

Holding a grudge against a seller that could be ten years old is not a ''new'' thing. Promises from management that if a mistake was rectified, it would be struck from your record, aka clean slate,  only to have every incident rehashed at every yearly review, is as old as time. Control. Intimidation. Carrot and stick.
The truly frightening thing? A customer can open a case of their item ''wasn't as black as the picture in the listing''.
I do hope it weeds out some bad competition from obvious resellers. Complaints to Etsy and Amazon have done nothing.
I also hope that it weeds out some sellers that used to be good sellers but grew an attitude that they are queen bee in their niche, threatening legal action if another seller makes, by hand, with different technique and finer materials, an only similar item.
Hiring a CEO from eBay was only going to bring eBay problems to Etsy. The board and controlling stockholders have no clue what they are doing.
May the CEO's golden parachute be made of cheap resellers crap.

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by: maxmad This user has validated their user name.

Mon Nov 18 09:10:10 2019

Here we go,,,,,

Full time etsy sellers,,, first off, let me say, I am truly sorry this disgraceful act is happening to you,

Your entire business, financial well being, your employees, or anything that count on you for a living, will now be determined by the actions of a few mental buyers.

Get ready for a life changing event, you will never forget, or forgive

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This user has validated their user name. by: The End

Mon Nov 18 11:13:47 2019

ETSY MUST BE INVESTIGATED AND RECTIFIED BY THE US ATTORNEY GENERAL NOW ! NOW ! NOW ! ! ! ! !

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by: eBay Shill Buster This user has validated their user name.

Mon Nov 18 12:59:49 2019

The End, have you filed your online complaint with the FTC yet?

https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/Information#crnt&panel1-1

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by: Sparklesalot2 This user has validated their user name.

Mon Nov 18 13:37:20 2019

This is so ironic -- could Etsy leadership stand up to this standard -- I don't think so!

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by: SammyCat This user has validated their user name.

Mon Nov 18 13:40:53 2019

Ha ... well you know that this basically nullifies each individual shops policies, and that means that some idiot can come along, not read, buy something and want a return.  Or, try to extort you for a partial refund for any damn reason they choose and use a review as the weapon and keep the item.  

I sell antiques and I don't except returns because I've had unscrupulous buyers, which the internet is full of try to pull crap on me;  1)  people have tried to pass of their wreck of a vintage watch claiming its what I sent, 2) had people claim things didn't arrive wanting a refund when I could prove they had, 3) same person in example 2, losing case filing another one claiming it wasn't as described, 4) claim something didn't arrive, then miraculously it was left at a neighbors, but oh wait, its not what I ordered - soooo many more examples.

People I know who sell very expensive and rare European pottery have started using invisible ink on their items because there again, people try to pass off their broken, chipped pieces as what was shipped, and others have rec'd returns with carbon on them -- yes, they buy, copy the pattern so they can produce knock-offs.  Most will just not accept returns at all.

Good clean, clear photos, detailed descriptions including exhaustive condition should be the only thing we need to worry about.   Buyers actually do have a responsibility to do their own due diligence and that's enlarging the photos and reading the damn description, asking questions if something isn't clear.

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by: Fahrenheit451 This user has validated their user name.

Mon Nov 18 14:41:34 2019

One of the many reasons I don't use Etsy or Ebay to sell my wares. No point in hashing this out. If you are not satisfied with the way you are treated, close your shop and try elsewhere. Rob them of your inventory and they will capitulate to your demands for fair treatment.

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This user has validated their user name. by: The End

Mon Nov 18 19:50:01 2019

eBay Shill Buster :
Yes....THREE TIMES IN ONE YEAR ! ! !
They're asleep at the switch.......

For our enjoyment : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqlFcPyAFLU

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by: Lisa This user has validated their user name.

Mon Nov 18 22:49:06 2019

what is josh hoping to achieve by doing this?

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by: maxmad This user has validated their user name.

Tue Nov 19 00:32:29 2019

This is a very sad day for etsy sellers, because this action by etsy indicates only one thing, ,,,,,

etsy now views buyers as their real customers and sellers are disposable.

Your etsy selling future will be judged by a few wacko buyers,

if there was ever the right time to leave etsy, I would say, this day has arrived,

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