Etsy recently launched the star seller program, and its craze is increasing over time. This badge is an indication of excellent customer service. Having a badge definitely affects the purchasing decision of customers because they’re likely to buy products from a seller with a history of good reviews. It gives them the confidence they need to make a purchase and helps establish credibility for the seller. You also get more chances to get featured on marketing campaigns by Etsy if you’re a star seller. All these benefits of the star seller badge will help increase your sales and profits.
Eligibility criteria:
There is an eligibility criterion for this coveted award and a three-month review period in which you’ve to meet these requirements:
- Speedy replies badge
Your response should be greater than 95% which means that you should respond to initial messages within 24 hours. If you’re unavailable at the moment, you can set auto-replies, and it’ll count towards your star seller badge. Moreover, the messages you marked as spam will not be considered for the speedy replies badge.
- Rave reviews badge
You’ll get this badge if 95% or more of the reviews on your order are 5-star reviews. Reviews provide social proof to new customers and are critical for your shop’s success.
- Timely shipping
Timely shipping is crucial for a satisfactory customer experience. 95% or more of your products should be shipped on time, including a tracking number or postage label for your customers. You don’t need to worry about this condition if you’re selling digital products.
- Minimum ten orders & at least 300$ in sales
Your shop should have at least 10 orders during the three-month review period, and the sales should be more than 300$ in value to earn the star seller badge.
If you fulfill these criteria, you will earn your star seller badge, which will help you stand out from your competitors. Even though the star seller badge doesn’t help you in search rankings, it helps customers to identify stores with a proven success record. Getting a star seller badge isn’t as easy as it seems, and there are many hurdles on the way. Let’s see how you can cope with all the challenges in the way of becoming a star seller.
How to tackle hurdles along the way?
If you’re selling physical products, delivering 95% or more products on time with a tracking number becomes a hassle as many shipping services don’t generate a tracking number. In this case, make sure that your shipping service provides you with tracking numbers, even if it costs you a little extra to work with this shipping agency. Moreover, give yourself enough time and set realistic shipping times in your shop policies to have room for a bit of delay.
Receiving 95% or more 5-star reviews becomes a challenge even for digital product sellers. This Etsy requirement also discredits 4-star reviews, which indicate good customer service and quality products. In this case, ensure a seamless customer journey and be in contact with your customers throughout the process. Even if you get a bad review, reach out to the customer and try to solve their issue, even if you’ve to issue a refund to get that review altered. If all your efforts to get a bad review re-considered didn’t work out, you could try to offset its effect by increasing your 5-star reviews. Requesting customers for honest reviews is always a good idea.
What will happen if you don’t qualify for this star seller badge?
There is nothing to worry even if you don’t qualify for it at the moment. You just have to stay patient and work harder to achieve it. Sometimes, things like reviews or shipping profiles get out of your hand, and you just have to wait for them to pass. A Star seller badge is an incentive for you to provide top-notch customer service, and it won’t directly affect your sales. Focus on your SEO and streamline your processes to ensure a seamless customer experience, and you’ll earn your badge in the meantime. You can learn about
It also happens that sometimes you’ve met the criteria, but your star seller badge isn’t visible. It indicates that your shop is violating some of Etsy’s policies. That’s why you need to resolve it for your badge to be visible.
At the end, this star seller badge can be pertinent to your shop’s success. You should be making efforts to achieve it. Even if you’re unable to achieve it, don’t get disappointed. Being a star seller should be your motivation, and you should be making efforts to provide excellent customer service.
