Cancellation policy MUST change

[roberthazelton]

I have a gig that has been seriously abused enough that I’m about to take it down–and it kills me because it’s helped DOZENS of people. However, just now someone bought the gig which is a critique and they want me to write them a story. That’s not what it’s for. And now, I’m going to have to cancel which will hit my rating…and effectively remove me from my position as a top rated seller.

This is dramatically unfair. He didn’t read it and I get penalized. People can be trolled.

I am writing to Fiverr to propose that if a gig is cancelled within an hour or some other period of time, it doesn’t count against someone.

Thoughts?

[humanissocial]

Within an hour of what?

[roberthazelton]

Within an hour of what?

Them placing the order. It’s an arbitrary number. I’m open to whatever people think is fair. I’m going to make the suggestion to customer service.

[humanissocial]

Them placing the order. It’s an arbitrary number. I’m open to whatever people think is fair. I’m going to make the suggestion to customer service.

I agree with you, but I’m not sure why Fiverr would do this or why they would deem an hour to represent something. Why an hour?

[roberthazelton]

I agree with you, but I’m not sure why Fiverr would do this or why they would deem an hour to represent something. Why an hour?

Again, the time can be whatever.

Let’s say someone places an order by mistake (I’ve seen this before with a voice actress). Why should they be penalized for that cancellation if the person tries to cancel immediately?

What if someone, like my current client, chose not to read what he was buying? It literally said ‘This is a critique gig’ then he bought it and demanded a book. Why should I be penalized for a cancellation on something he bought that isn’t the gig?

That’s where I’m going with this.

[micafernandez]

The same thing happened to me today, it’s not fair at all. I think that at least, they should consider cases like this one, and cancel without affecting your completion rate. It’s so unfair because it’s literally not your fault at all and there’s nothing we can do to avoid these situations.

[roberthazelton]

The same thing happened to me today, it’s not fair at all. I think that at least, they should consider cases like this one, and cancel without affecting your completion rate. It’s so unfair because it’s literally not your fault at all and there’s nothing we can do to avoid these situations.

I have spoken to customer service. They say they are working on the cancellation policy. There’s no ETA they could give.

I presented a scenario to them:

I’m a voice actor and someone sends me a script in a language I don’t speak. Does that impact my cancellation? Yes.

I offer story critiques and someone buys my gig, requiring me to do it in video format which I can’t do? Yes, effects my rate.

Maybe they should just not weigh them so heavily.

However, they did tell me to contact them for assistance with this type of stuff.

In any event, I believe they are working on it. Many people talk about this issue.

[sherkhanshani]

There is a post suggesting seller should have the option to accept the gig or something like that plus we also have similar posts talking about cancellation policy and how it effects seller gig.
We have buyer who order by mistake.
We have buyer who order a wrong service that seller doesn’t provide.
We have buyer who order a basic $5 gig and asking for $100 of work.
and more

[insects44]

I think this might cause some problems and that’s why sellers have no such an option. I still agree with you.

[misscrystal]

Hello, you can send a message to customer support and tell them the buyer has asked for something different from what the gig is for. They might be able to help possibly.

[tharvid]

Agree with you. I think there should be option to approve order. Sometimes buyer place order by mistake or order a different package (Happened lot’s of time - Mostly buyer says I read in GIg description that you will do that…) that is not sellers fault but he still face issue. Fiverr should take care of this.

[junaid_ahmad92]

Order accept/Reject policy must be made. I know some people who place order just to ruin the reputation of gig. I got in these kind of troubles a while ago. Here is what i did to reduce cancellation.

1. Highlighted some key requirements and services.
2. Increased the prices of gigs on which I was getting order by mistake or order by just the negligence of buyer.
3. Added a line in the description “please contact me before placing order”.

These things helped me a lot. But this worked just in my case I don’t guarantee that it will work for others as well.

BTW I agree with you. Fiverr must do something about it especially for those who just want to ruin the gig repo.

[micafernandez]

Hello, you can send a message to customer support and tell them the buyer has asked for something different from what the gig is for. They might be able to help possibly.

Sadly, they are not. That happened to me yesterday, they asked for something I don’t provide, so I contacted CS and they told me the only thing we can do is cancellation, and that it will affect my orden completion

[humanissocial]

I have spoken to customer service. They say they are working on the cancellation policy. There’s no ETA they could give.

I presented a scenario to them:

I’m a voice actor and someone sends me a script in a language I don’t speak. Does that impact my cancellation? Yes.

I offer story critiques and someone buys my gig, requiring me to do it in video format which I can’t do? Yes, effects my rate.

Maybe they should just not weigh them so heavily.

However, they did tell me to contact them for assistance with this type of stuff.

In any event, I believe they are working on it. Many people talk about this issue.

Great examples! Thank you for your advocacy.

[micafernandez]

I have spoken to customer service. They say they are working on the cancellation policy. There’s no ETA they could give.

I presented a scenario to them:

I’m a voice actor and someone sends me a script in a language I don’t speak. Does that impact my cancellation? Yes.

I offer story critiques and someone buys my gig, requiring me to do it in video format which I can’t do? Yes, effects my rate.

Maybe they should just not weigh them so heavily.

However, they did tell me to contact them for assistance with this type of stuff.

In any event, I believe they are working on it. Many people talk about this issue.

It’s so good to know that they are working on this, thank you for contacting them!

[pixboconsulting]

I have had 7 orders in less than 4 weeks for outrageous amounts of work, for $5 gigs. Not only can I not fulfill because I am too busy, but in software development, you can set boundaries in the gig. The cancellations have trashed my completion rate. I don’t know if they are mailcious, or just idiots, but my gig makes it very clear to contact me first.
I cannot understand why there is any justification whatsoever that an order can be placed without any contact with me first, and why I do not have to expressly accept it first. It is simply nonsensical.

This is a ridiculous system. I am online as I type this with support, and they are basically saying “nothing they can do”.

[roberthazelton]

Hello, you can send a message to customer support and tell them the buyer has asked for something different from what the gig is for. They might be able to help possibly.

I talked to them and posed some hypotheticals. Like…someone asks me to do a video when I offer writing services. All cancellations count against you. That’s what they’re working on.

[roberthazelton]

I have had 7 orders in less than 4 weeks for outrageous amounts of work, for $5 gigs. Not only can I not fulfill because I am too busy, but in software development, you can set boundaries in the gig. The cancellations have trashed my completion rate. I don’t know if they are mailcious, or just idiots, but my gig makes it very clear to contact me first.

I cannot understand why there is any justification whatsoever that an order can be placed without any contact with me first, and why I do not have to expressly accept it first. It is simply nonsensical.

This is a ridiculous system. I am online as I type this with support, and they are basically saying “nothing they can do”.

Yes, that’s beyond frustrating.

I think that they will change the way cancellation works. Much as I like the idea of an ‘approve’ order, I fear they’d look at it as a potential loss of revenue on their side. Plus buyers wouldn’t have as much protection as they do.

I’m all for it though. I intend to write a feedback letter to offer some suggestions.

Thanks!

[pixboconsulting]

I still don’t get it @roberthazelton . I am only ever going to complete a gig that I believe is fairly priced, and that I can complete. If I accept a gig and then cancel it, I wholeheartedly believe that should be reflected in my score, because, if I accept a gig, I have agreed to deliver it, but if I haven’t accepted it, I am never going to deliver it, and I have news for fiverr - they are never going to earn any commission from it, or me, in that instance.
The underlying point here is, that as I have no contract with fiver, and I work when, and how I choose, and have no obligation to work any specific hours for fiverr, this situation is on a par with slave labour, beacuse I am forced to work when someone else chooses and for a wage that someone else decides.
I am no legal expert, but I would suggest this breaks every labour law in almost every country in the world.

Please do let me know how you get on, and reach out to me if I can help in any way. Best Wishes, Paul

[catwriter]

I have had 7 orders in less than 4 weeks for outrageous amounts of work, for $5 gigs. Not only can I not fulfill because I am too busy, but in software development, you can set boundaries in the gig. The cancellations have trashed my completion rate. I don’t know if they are mailcious, or just idiots, but my gig makes it very clear to contact me first.

I cannot understand why there is any justification whatsoever that an order can be placed without any contact with me first, and why I do not have to expressly accept it first. It is simply nonsensical.

This is a ridiculous system. I am online as I type this with support, and they are basically saying “nothing they can do”.

I cannot understand why there is any justification whatsoever that an order can be placed without any contact with me first, and why I do not have to expressly accept it first.

Because that’s how Fiverr is meant to work, with the slogan Browse-Buy-Done.

You can write in your gig description that you want to be contacted first, but buyers are not obliged to actually do it.

One way to solve that might be to considerably increase the price (the way it’s now, it might look to some like you would do anything for $5), and state in the gig description to contact you first for a great discount.

It might reduce the number of buyers willing to look at your gig, but it would probably reduce the number of those who buy without contacting your first, too.

[pixboconsulting]

I cannot understand why there is any justification whatsoever that an order can be placed without any contact with me first, and why I do not have to expressly accept it first.

Because that’s how Fiverr is meant to work, with the slogan Browse-Buy-Done.

You can write in your gig description that you want to be contacted first, but buyers are not obliged to actually do it.

One way to solve that might be to considerably increase the price (the way it’s now, it might look to some like you would do anything for $5), and state in the gig description to contact you first for a great discount.

It might reduce the number of buyers willing to look at your gig, but it would probably reduce the number of those who buy without contacting your first, too.

Nope. I still don’t get it. The fundamental ethos needs to be that both parties are happy to work together, on a topic that both parties agree with, for a fee and timescale that is acceptable to, yes, both parties. I do not see why it is unacceptable for both parties to agree before the start; that is the foundation of any contract - which is, incidentally, what this is meant to be

[vovkaslovesnyy]

I have spoken to customer service. They say they are working on the cancellation policy. There’s no ETA they could give.

I presented a scenario to them:

I’m a voice actor and someone sends me a script in a language I don’t speak. Does that impact my cancellation? Yes.

I offer story critiques and someone buys my gig, requiring me to do it in video format which I can’t do? Yes, effects my rate.

Maybe they should just not weigh them so heavily.

However, they did tell me to contact them for assistance with this type of stuff.

In any event, I believe they are working on it. Many people talk about this issue.

I totally agree about the period of 1-2 hours to cancel the order without any consequences.

Here’s an example just from yesterday… I offer translation services in Russian and English and one of my customers placed an order and attached a document in Cyrillic letters.

It turned out that the document was in Uzbek, which is simply different. We use the same letters, but that’s the only common thing.

I had to find a person speaking that language because I try to avoid cancellations at any cost (you never know when Fiverr decides to punish you for cancellations).

In addition, I had many customers, who placed an order just to tell me “It was a mistake” in about 15 minutes after finding cheaper services.

[humanissocial]

I cannot understand why there is any justification whatsoever that an order can be placed without any contact with me first, and why I do not have to expressly accept it first.

Because that’s how Fiverr is meant to work, with the slogan Browse-Buy-Done.

You can write in your gig description that you want to be contacted first, but buyers are not obliged to actually do it.

One way to solve that might be to considerably increase the price (the way it’s now, it might look to some like you would do anything for $5), and state in the gig description to contact you first for a great discount.

It might reduce the number of buyers willing to look at your gig, but it would probably reduce the number of those who buy without contacting your first, too.

I made such changes to my gig and it’s made a huge difference. I get far fewer bad inquiries and purchases.

Yes, it means maybe getting fewer gigs, but when you think of the time, energy and resources you spend dealing with bad buyers, it evens itself out, plus you make more money per order and may get more ethical, pleasant buyers.

[gamoss]

I have had 7 orders in less than 4 weeks for outrageous amounts of work, for $5 gigs. Not only can I not fulfill because I am too busy, but in software development, you can set boundaries in the gig. The cancellations have trashed my completion rate. I don’t know if they are mailcious, or just idiots, but my gig makes it very clear to contact me first.

I cannot understand why there is any justification whatsoever that an order can be placed without any contact with me first, and why I do not have to expressly accept it first. It is simply nonsensical.

This is a ridiculous system. I am online as I type this with support, and they are basically saying “nothing they can do”.

Yes it is frustrating, but that is how the system works and some people are very into exploiting the system. Good thing is you can give them 1 * ratings as a buyer and hopefully that has somekind of effect… Raise the price to get better money for your gigs and also set a Max orders in queue for the gig to lower number so you don’t get hit with multiple gigs at the same time before finishing the first ones on your queue.

[catwriter]

Nope. I still don’t get it. The fundamental ethos needs to be that both parties are happy to work together, on a topic that both parties agree with, for a fee and timescale that is acceptable to, yes, both parties. I do not see why it is unacceptable for both parties to agree before the start; that is the foundation of any contract - which is, incidentally, what this is meant to be

I do not see why it is unacceptable for both parties to agree before the start; that is the foundation of any contract - which is, incidentally, what this is meant to be

It’s not unacceptable. It’s just not mandatory.

There have been suggestions for Fiverr to implement a feature that sellers could turn on and off, and that would disable/enable buying without prior messaging, but for the time being, Fiverr works the way it worked from the start: buyers see something they like, and can place the order without discussing it with sellers.

$5 gigs seem to attract this type of buyers more than others.