Buyers want samples before they order a gig

[Guest domodee]

Hi all

Is it fair from buyers to ask a sample of a logo in buyers request (sometimes they write that your offer wont be looked if you dont show a sample)? So, he/she puts a request and he/she gets for example 25 offers with 25 different samples from which he/she can choose. I think thats unfair because 24 people will do a free work. That basicly becomes a contest and I think thats something thats not suitable for service like Fiverr. My personal opinion is that Fiverr should put that in “Against the rules” section or just unable sellers to send files in offers and inbox.

What do you think?

[frank_d]

No seller should do that.

It is free work.

The only situation were a seller would be inclined to provide a sample, would be if said seller had zero sales, and therefore no public portfolio showing samples of past work.

And even then sample would be provided with some sort of watermark, or draft resolution so it cannot be used without an actual purchase.

Sometimes a buyer may actually need a sample of something specific.

So I personally just provide a proof of concept sample, i.e. not a completed piece, but a some core proof of what I can do in a specific scenario, and even then I watermark it.

But that’s a rare case.

Most of the times if someone asks for a free sample, it means they are looking for a free project.

Just my two cents on the matter.

[pr_junction]

@domodee, you can gently ask them to check your existing portfolio of completed work.

[tarnia]

I agree I do not do free samples. I have plenty of work in my Voiceover portfolio in many styles. And I can always part record an order to get the pitch right for a client. But they would be able to hear first if my voice was suitable.

Be polite but stick to your guns x

Tarnia

[Guest domodee]

Yea I do never provide samples in offers, and I can see now thats completely wrong from real buyers and scammers. It would be great if we can somehow affect on Fiverr to do something about it. Fiverr should remove requests like that or completely remove option of sending files in offers and inbox.

[finsemi]

I did made job request for logo. I described my needs and I did get 30 replies. All of them had 5/5 review.
I selected 4 of them, and I replied I’m ready to order 5$ ‘sample’ from them to look if I’m ready to continue with them.
Try guess did I get what I wanted? 3 of them started to work quickly, but I was not happy even one of them. Few days later that last one repied with preview and it he was just nailed it, on first preview … I did request few revisions from others and we did made few modifications.
Problem is that I’m not really satisfied with their job, but I’m ready to pay that 5$ for sample I did request… All of them requested from me to give highest review score to them, and that’s why I made them to work that logo little more to get it even ‘nearly acceptable’.

Now I know more, and now there is dilema.
How to find those who has REAL great reviews? I wish I could find someone with bad reviews too, then I would know he is not manipulating reviews.

This was my second try on fiverr (first order was only from one ‘random’ designer), and because I didn’t had so great experience on that time, I did it like this now.

It is true that you should not do samples without pay, but as buyer problem is to find that good one from all those who have manipulated their rating.

After this experience, I noticed that maybe if they get bad review, they ditch their old account and make new one. Because quite many of those had less then 3 month old account.

Or what you think about this: “If you didn’t liked my work then please don’t rate me less than 5* just ask me I’ll refund your money”

Fiverr is great concept, but how could buyer find those REAL talents?

Just use google and you could it too:
google.fi

Google

Zhou Youguang’s 112th birthday #GoogleDoodle

• Semi

[Guest domodee]

If you order a sample, thats much better than just asking for sample in offers. But in the end you paying only $5 you can expect something like that. You can pit some of your to get what yoi want or hire a pro designer and pay way more. Im talking in genereal.

[kingland]

Tell them to check your portfolio.

[shounak10]

I would suggest that when you are looking for reviews, try to see if the reviews are just the automated ‘outstanding experience’ or if the buyers have really described the seller’s work. Now some buyers will go for the default automated reviews and I don’t blame a few of them. Especially when english is not their first language, it is difficult for them to review the seller in detail in proper english. I even have a couple of reviews in other languages lol. But I’m totally ok with that as long as the buyers take that extra effort to describe my work in a little more detail.
But if the reviews are more detailed than the generic ones, it would be easier to filter a few sellers. I understand that this isn’t something that would work 100% but just a point to consider.

[Guest domodee]

Thanks for the replys guys. We know what we can do, we can tell them to check our portfolio, reviews etc. but I think we cant do anything with that because that buyer comes to Fiverr with atention to get as much as he can for just $5 and thats not fair to seller. If you dont like the idea to order a gig and then see what will you get with option to refund your money…go to other service and post a contest. This is not “almost free contest” service. My opinino is that … ### Fiverr should remove an option of sending files in offers we make in Buyer requests. Also, they should remove an option of sending files in inbox to buyers you had not been communicating before. ###

[pinkymou941]

You can submit your portfolio to the client .

[tharu_arch]

This has happened to me as well.
I believe, seller should be confident enough not to deliever free work for mere expectations.

[finsemi]

After I did send my message from fourth request. And guess what, it was spot on! Right on the target, first try.
Now I’m planning to continue to make that logo even better, I’m ready to spend at least 50$, but I’m ready to go even 100$ for ‘full suite’ …

Btw, I didn’t ask FREE sample. First I mailed all I selected and asked if could give me logo for 5$, it would be sample from them. And if I’m satisfied, I will continue with them.

Just look these 2 submits. How could I get real professional logo from these? Or would these be better if I pay 50$? … I doubt it… I’m glad that I did find out that one by asking for 5$ gig.

Am I terrible person? (Ps. I promised and paid 5$ to submits I requested, even I didn’t ‘loved’ these.)

[Guest domodee]

I understand what you trying to say and if you pay $5 or any other price that’s perfectly fine. But there is so many buyers who do not want to pay for that. They just want free samples so they can pick the best one and pay it (in most of cases amount is just $5). That’s not fair.

[anointedballa]

I agree with Pr_junction. All of my samples would be in my portfolio. There are exceptions and loopholes to every rule but you don’t have to do free work for everyone. There’s been a few times where it might be necessary but it is ok to decline work. THere are plenty of buyers out there.

[Guest domodee]

Yea but than some sellers can always provide samples in their offers and thats not fair either because they have more chance to get order.

[emmaki]

Nothing fair or unfair about what individuals choose to do. If you want to provide samples, go ahead–but be aware that you might get scammed. If you don’t, go ahead, but be aware that you might not get the job (because all the free sample people did it…for free).

This is not an example of fairness…

[eoinfinnegan]

There are 2 problems here. 1 buyer problem and 1 seller problem.
The buyers who were too weak to leave an honest review because a seller “manipulated” (asked for) a 5 star review. If the buyers leave an honest review then the next sellers can see it.

The second problem is the sellers offering to cancel instead of taking less than 5 stars. The obsession with 5 stars is such a joke, I wish people would quit it and just take an order, do the work, get paid, get an honest review.

[Guest domodee]

Yea but for someone from India a potential reward - payment of $5 is much bigger than for someone from USA. The Indian guy will put some time to make free sample that will incrase his chance of getting hired and getting paid $5. The USA guy wont do that cos his potential prize isnt that big for him.

[psychicbunny]

I think showing examples of what you have done on your gig would suffice to be honest. Blessings!

[emmaki]

Yes, which is where risk:reward comes in. It really doesn’t matter. I don’t work with people who insist on free samples, end of story. I don’t care if he gets it for free somewhere else. I’ve lost nothing.

[kaushik01]

Yeah agree with emmaki later.

[Guest domodee]

Yea I know, just saying there even shouldnt be that option for buyers, but anyway…

[topaz_muse]

@emmaki That pretty much happened to me when I was just starting out on the site. Have learned my lesson from those experiences.

Those particular offers of buyers wanting samples before ordering or even stating that they will only consider those who submit ‘free sample’ are starting to surface more and more in the BR section.

Hopefully some moderation will come into play.

[Guest domodee]

Hopefully they will see all this and do something about it…we can say …I dont care, I wll just skip requests like that…Bit still that doesnt look right to me