Introducing: Star Seller

Editor’s Note: In May 2022 we announced some changes to the Star Seller criteria we made based on feedback from Etsy sellers like you. Check out what’s new here.

Today we’re introducing Star Seller, a way for Etsy to reward shops that consistently offer an excellent customer experience in the areas we know are important to buyers—responding to messages quickly, shipping, and 5-star ratings.

It’s important for shoppers to easily identify sellers who will meet their expectations, so starting in September of this year, sellers who consistently perform well in these areas will earn a special shop badge. Read on to learn more.

What’s new

Starting today, sellers will see a new Star Seller section in their Shop Manager dashboard. Here you’ll find how you’re performing in these key areas: responding to messages, shipping, 5-star ratings, sales, and orders.

In September, we’ll start rewarding sellers with a Star Seller badge—making it easier for shoppers on Etsy to know you have a proven record of providing an excellent customer experience. Don’t worry! You’ll have time to become a Star Seller before we start showing badges to buyers ahead of the holiday shopping season—with customized tips to help you along the way.

On the 1st of every month, beginning in September, we’ll determine if you’ve earned Star Seller by looking back at the last three months of your shop's performance. Here’s what we consider:

Response rate: You respond to 95% or more of initial messages from buyers within 24 hours (just the first message, not ongoing conversations).

Shipping: 95% or more of your orders ship within your stated processing time and with tracking* or you purchased a shipping label on Etsy. Digital orders will not require tracking information.

Tracking is part of the shipping criteria if you’re a seller in the US or your shop currency is set to USD. If you’re outside of the US or use a shop currency other than USD, find out how we determine the shipping data for your country here.

5-star ratings: 95% or more of your reviews have 5-star ratings.

Orders, sales, and shop tenure: You’ll also need to have at least 10 orders and $300 in sales (before shipping and taxes) within the three month review period, and have been on Etsy’s platform for 90 days since your first sale.

This data is updated daily and is only based on factors you can control. The following will not count against your chances of becoming a Star Seller:

Carrier or post office delays
Canceled orders
Messages you’ve marked as spam

The cutoff time for your expected shipping dates is based on your timezone. Providing valid proof of shipping on time is also one of the criteria you need to meet to qualify for Etsy's Seller Protection Policy. If you qualify for Seller Protection, Etsy works with you to resolve cases, investigate chargebacks, and helps you deal with any other issues that come up with your Etsy shop.

Why we chose this criteria

We know from buyer research that these areas are important in providing a positive customer experience. Performing well in these areas could also help you become a more successful Etsy seller. Here’s how:

Buyers are more likely to come back and shop from you when you ship your orders on time, than if you ship late. Based on same-shop repeat purchase rate data between Jan 2020 and Dec 2020.
Sellers who respond to buyer messages within 24 hours are four times more likely to make a sale than sellers with a longer response time. Based on conversion rate data from initial buyer messages between Jan 2020 and Dec 2020.
Buyers that leave a 5-star rating are more likely to come back and shop from you than buyers leaving lower ratings. Based on same-shop repeat purchase rate data between Jan 2020 and Dec 2020.

What’s next

Starting today, sellers will begin to see their personalized Star Seller dashboard. In September of this year, we’ll introduce the Star Seller badge as a way for shoppers to easily identify sellers who have a proven record of consistently offering an excellent experience in the areas outlined above. Star Sellers will also have increased chances of being featured in Etsy marketing to buyers.