Buyer Request Problem - Need Help!

[douge1]

Hello all,

I responded to a buyer request in which a customer wanted a voice over. The size of the project was not indicated on the request so I submitted an offer using my per 200 word rate.

This morning, I just received the order from this buyer and he submitted to me a script containing 1,632 words using one 200 word order. I should be getting paid 8 times what the order is for.

What is the best way to handle this situation so I don’t have do to the work for free and also have a negative impact to my stats.

I am concerned because I’ve worked very hard to have outstanding stats but I am still new, so any cancellations would kill my ratings. Please kindly advise.

Thank you!

[jenny_fiver]

Hi there,

Sorry this happened to you. I recommend messaging the buyer in a subtle manner informing him about the price and sending him an updated offer to complete the project.

Let me know how it goes.

[calexharalson]

Hi there,

Sorry this happened to you. I recommend messaging the buyer in a subtle manner informing him about the price and sending him an updated offer to complete the project.

Let me know how it goes.

Yeah, I’d politely explain the concern and send an offering of gig extras to make up for it.

The “Buyer Requests” section is a double-edged sword. It can be a great place to get some good gigs, but it is also rife with people looking to buy the world for $5. I do find it frustrating that there’s no function in that area to ask questions before submitting an offer.

As a matter of practice, I pass over anything that gives little or no detail on the project. The less information they give, the more they’re trying to hide what they actually want. I may not get as much work out of Buyer Requests, but I get a better average quality of buyer.

[douge1]

Thank you for your responses. I requested an order modification and explained the situation within. If the buyer doesn’t accept the modification, does it turn into an actual cancellation that will negatively impact my stats as a seller? Or is it like the order was never placed?

It doesn’t seem very fair, particularly since I was crystal clear in my original offer, I literally said “my rate is per every 200 words” and it is also spelled out in the order itself.

[calexharalson]

Thank you for your responses. I requested an order modification and explained the situation within. If the buyer doesn’t accept the modification, does it turn into an actual cancellation that will negatively impact my stats as a seller? Or is it like the order was never placed?

It doesn’t seem very fair, particularly since I was crystal clear in my original offer, I literally said “my rate is per every 200 words” and it is also spelled out in the order itself.

That’s the gamble you take on submitting an offer to a Buyer Request: either they accept the offer and it immediately begins as an order, or they decline the offer and take someone else’s. There’s no way for the buyer to adjust the offer if their project is beyond what is offered.

If they decline the extras, you have a choice. Complete it for the lowball price, or request cancellation (in which you note that the buyer wanted more than was priced in the order). Yeah, cancellation can affect your stats but… sneezing the wrong way on Fiverr can affect your stats. So it’s really down to which one is the bigger headache for you in the long run.

[legacine]

If your offer specified 200 words and the rate you charge for 200 words, I’d deliver those 200 words (to the nearest completed sentence) and deliver it. I’d also inform the Buyer in your delivery that the remaining 1,400+ words will require additional payment…

[jenny_fiver]

That’s the gamble you take on submitting an offer to a Buyer Request: either they accept the offer and it immediately begins as an order, or they decline the offer and take someone else’s. There’s no way for the buyer to adjust the offer if their project is beyond what is offered.

If they decline the extras, you have a choice. Complete it for the lowball price, or request cancellation (in which you note that the buyer wanted more than was priced in the order). Yeah, cancellation can affect your stats but… sneezing the wrong way on Fiverr can affect your stats. So it’s really down to which one is the bigger headache for you in the long run.

Well said. Let’s be hopeful that the buyer accepts the offer or bargain a better price better than $5. IMHO, cancellation is not the solution to your situation. Even after getting tons of reviews and sales. A cancellation can affect me. I’ve just recovered from 2 cancellations 60 days ago. That’s a danger zone!

[uk1000]

Thank you for your responses. I requested an order modification and explained the situation within. If the buyer doesn’t accept the modification, does it turn into an actual cancellation that will negatively impact my stats as a seller? Or is it like the order was never placed?

It doesn’t seem very fair, particularly since I was crystal clear in my original offer, I literally said “my rate is per every 200 words” and it is also spelled out in the order itself.

It doesn’t seem very fair, particularly since I was crystal clear in my original offer, I literally said “my rate is per every 200 words” and it is also spelled out in the order itself.

You could also have said something in the offer like “Offer is on the condition that the total words in the script is no more than x”.

[jenny_fiver]

If your offer specified 200 words and the rate you charge for 200 words, I’d deliver those 200 words (to the nearest completed sentence) and deliver it. I’d also inform the Buyer in your delivery that the remaining 1,400+ words will require additional payment…

This is also an option for you. If you don’t get a response from the buyer within 24 hours. Withdraw the modification request and do this. I think that makes sense.

[douge1]

This is also an option for you. If you don’t get a response from the buyer within 24 hours. Withdraw the modification request and do this. I think that makes sense.

When you have requested modification from the buyer, what happens to the time to deliver? The clock is still ticking on my end. Is that truly the case or does the clock reset once the buyer accepts or declines the modificaiton?

Like yourself, I’ve just recovered from a cancellation where the buyer stole my work. Fortunately, my other buyers have been great to work with.

[calexharalson]

Well said. Let’s be hopeful that the buyer accepts the offer or bargain a better price better than $5. IMHO, cancellation is not the solution to your situation. Even after getting tons of reviews and sales. A cancellation can affect me. I’ve just recovered from 2 cancellations 60 days ago. That’s a danger zone!

Even after getting tons of reviews and sales. A cancellation can affect me. I’ve just recovered from 2 cancellations 60 days ago. That’s a danger zone!

Just playing devil’s advocate here: an order cancellation cyles out of your stats after 60 days. A 1-star review is there to stay.

[maitasun]

Even after getting tons of reviews and sales. A cancellation can affect me. I’ve just recovered from 2 cancellations 60 days ago. That’s a danger zone!

Just playing devil’s advocate here: an order cancellation cyles out of your stats after 60 days. A 1-star review is there to stay.

an order cancellation cyles out of your stats after 60 days. A 1-star review is there to stay.

Playing cancellation vs. bad reviews will depend on the user’s level and on how many reviews (s)he’s got. For someone with not many reviews and no level, the best would be to cancel.

[douge1]

Even after getting tons of reviews and sales. A cancellation can affect me. I’ve just recovered from 2 cancellations 60 days ago. That’s a danger zone!

Just playing devil’s advocate here: an order cancellation cyles out of your stats after 60 days. A 1-star review is there to stay.

That’s exactly why I want to be so careful. I definately don’t want a 1-star review, but I’d rather not be penalized with a cancellation either. If I only deliver 200 words as suggested prior, I feel like I am asking for a 1-star review. Hopefully the buyer was expecting a modification based on the clarity of the offer to begin with. Another issue is that the script has a number of issues with poor english where it doesn’t quite make sense. Within my modification request, I indicated I would help with the re-write at no charge as a way to comprise a bit.

[douge1]

an order cancellation cyles out of your stats after 60 days. A 1-star review is there to stay.

Playing cancellation vs. bad reviews will depend on the user’s level and on how many reviews (s)he’s got. For someone with not many reviews and no level, the best would be to cancel.

So I have an interesting question. My modification request that I sent to the buyer was declined by the buyer, now I am requesting cancellation. What happens if the buyer refuses to cancel the order, what are my options? I feel like I am the owner of a convinience store being held up by a customer at gun point. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[maitasun]

So I have an interesting question. My modification request that I sent to the buyer was declined by the buyer, now I am requesting cancellation. What happens if the buyer refuses to cancel the order, what are my options? I feel like I am the owner of a convinience store being held up by a customer at gun point. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

My modification request that I sent to the buyer was declined by the buyer, now I am requesting cancellation. What happens if the buyer refuses to cancel the order, what are my options?

Hi @douge1,

First, let’s hope your buyer doesn’t refuse to cancel but if he does, I would insist requesting to cancel one more time. If your buyer still refuses to cancel, then I would say to contact CS requesting them to cancel the order. In your ticket to CS, please explain all the reasons that have driven you to request cancellation through CS.

[douge1]

My modification request that I sent to the buyer was declined by the buyer, now I am requesting cancellation. What happens if the buyer refuses to cancel the order, what are my options?

Hi @douge1,

First, let’s hope your buyer doesn’t refuse to cancel but if he does, I would insist requesting to cancel one more time. If your buyer still refuses to cancel, then I would say to contact CS requesting them to cancel the order. In your ticket to CS, please explain all the reasons that have driven you to request cancellation through CS.

Immediately upon discovering there was an issue with the order, I opened a ticket with CS in parallel to my resolution attempts with the buyer. I opened an additional ticket immediately upon the buyer declining the modification and spelled out all of the details in each. Such a frustrating situation. There should be a better balance of power with the orders to prevent this sort of thing from happening in the first place. The way it works now, in theory, anyone can simply make an order for 200 words, and submit a multi-thousand word script and force the seller into this situation. Hopefully CS intervienes and does the RIGHT thing here.

[maitasun]

Immediately upon discovering there was an issue with the order, I opened a ticket with CS in parallel to my resolution attempts with the buyer. I opened an additional ticket immediately upon the buyer declining the modification and spelled out all of the details in each. Such a frustrating situation. There should be a better balance of power with the orders to prevent this sort of thing from happening in the first place. The way it works now, in theory, anyone can simply make an order for 200 words, and submit a multi-thousand word script and force the seller into this situation. Hopefully CS intervienes and does the RIGHT thing here.

Please, don’t continue opening tickets, you have already opened 2. Has CS answered any of them?

Did your buyer refuse to cancel? If so, insist in cancellation while you await for CS to respond.

[douge1]

Please, don’t continue opening tickets, you have already opened 2. Has CS answered any of them?

Did your buyer refuse to cancel? If so, insist in cancellation while you await for CS to respond.

The buyer has not responded to the cancellation request yet. I don’t plan on opening any additional tickets, I only opened them as a result of major events taking place in the order and wanted to ensure it was well documented.

[maitasun]

The buyer has not responded to the cancellation request yet. I don’t plan on opening any additional tickets, I only opened them as a result of major events taking place in the order and wanted to ensure it was well documented.

Try to be calm and wait to see what the buyer will do for you to take action upon it.

[douge1]

Try to be calm and wait to see what the buyer will do for you to take action upon it.

Calm as a cucumber. It’s out of my hands completely for the time being. Hopefully everyone does the right thing here. That’s the best I can hope for.

[douge1]

New update. This customer has declined the cancellation of the order and both my tickets have been closed by customer service with a status of “solved” when clearly the problem hasn’t been solved. What should my next step be now?

Thank you for your help.

[maitasun]

New update. This customer has declined the cancellation of the order and both my tickets have been closed by customer service with a status of “solved” when clearly the problem hasn’t been solved. What should my next step be now?

Thank you for your help.

Hi,

As I said before, please contact CS and request cancellation.

Good luck 😉

[douge1]

Hi,

As I said before, please contact CS and request cancellation.

Good luck 😉

The buyer finally gave in and accepted the cancellation request. I had created a ticket to CS also for cancellation. Now it has impacted my completed stats which CS should remove, but I am worried they won’t. This is not fair to honest sellers but at least I managed to avoid a bad review or theft of my services.

[maitasun]

The buyer finally gave in and accepted the cancellation request. I had created a ticket to CS also for cancellation. Now it has impacted my completed stats which CS should remove, but I am worried they won’t. This is not fair to honest sellers but at least I managed to avoid a bad review or theft of my services.

The buyer finally gave in and accepted the cancellation request.

Great, I’m glad for you! 🙃

I had created a ticket to CS also for cancellation.

Please contact CS letting them know you have solved your issue and ask them to please close your ticket.

Now it has impacted my completed stats which CS should remove, but I am worried they won’t.

You’re right, they won’t. All cancellations count :frowning_face:

This is not fair to honest sellers but at least I managed to avoid a bad review or theft of my services.

I your case, you’re better having canceled rather than having a bad review! 😉

You don’t have enough reviews to absorb the bad one and the cancellation won’t impact on your level for the time being. When you really need to be careful on whether to cancel or not, is once you get leved. 😉

[douge1]

The buyer finally gave in and accepted the cancellation request.

Great, I’m glad for you! 🙃

I had created a ticket to CS also for cancellation.

Please contact CS letting them know you have solved your issue and ask them to please close your ticket.

Now it has impacted my completed stats which CS should remove, but I am worried they won’t.

You’re right, they won’t. All cancellations count :frowning_face:

This is not fair to honest sellers but at least I managed to avoid a bad review or theft of my services.

I your case, you’re better having canceled rather than having a bad review! 😉

You don’t have enough reviews to absorb the bad one and the cancellation won’t impact on your level for the time being. When you really need to be careful on whether to cancel or not, is once you get leved. 😉

Agreed. I just wish Fiverr would address this issue as the sellers shouldn’t have to worry about being penalized by unscrupulous fraudsters on the platform. They should actually review the information and make a human decision. It’s concerning the CS did nothing to help in this situation. I’d like to know that the platform has my back.