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Customer is trying to get free work using a threat of bad review. Can I just refund?

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#1

Hi, I’m selling art on Fiverr.

Recently a customer bought a portrait from me. The sale went well, was closed after three days with no review left, and they later returned to order a second piece of art. Then things turned weird … I don’t think my customer read the gig closely, despite my asking clarifying questions and prodding them to do so.

So when they found out their piece needed to include another 10$ extra to get what they wanted they became irate. They’ve started asking me to do that portion of the work for free, and (I believe) implicitly threatening to leave a very negative review if I don’t comply.

This is unpleasant behavior, and I can’t afford a bad review so early. Even though I’ve already thrown a few hours into this new job I would like to simply refund their current order and cut ties with them. However, if I do this will the customer be able to leave a 1 star review on either the refunded order or the earlier one that was closed automatically? Thanks for your time.

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#2

Hello Pulpjuice,

what was the requested extra?
I see that there is a difference of 15$ between the Basic package and the Standard package.
However, I don’t find any mention of a $10 extra.

#3

Hello, thanks for your reply. Color is a 10$ extra for all three packages; that should show up when ordering. The buyer also should have been aware of this because they ordered a color portrait using the same extra before.

#4

The problem is that the extra is not included in the descriptions of the packages that appear on the page of your Gig.

Moreover, this:

The buyer also should have been aware of this because they ordered a color portrait

does not match with this:

I don’t think my customer read the gig closely, despite my asking clarifying questions

Alternative 1: since this is one of your first customers, and also a returning one, you can consider to complete the order at no extra cost, as a kind gesture, but remarking the fact that color inking must be considered as a paid extra, and that this will be the last time that you will provide color at no extra cost.

Alternative 2: confirm that the extra costs $10, reminding to the buyer that threatening a seller to obtain free work is again the Terms of Service. Then contact CS. The point is that you are talking of "implicitly threatening", that is different thing from “threatening”.

After this, in any case, edit the description of your packages to avoid confusion.

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#5

I am not doing free work as a “kind gesture”. My prices are already set to come out at less than minimum wage, so that suggestion more than a little unhelpful. If I sound cross, it’s because you’re implying I’m at fault that a customer may be blackmailing me for free work. I hope this suggestion is that of a forum user, and not a Fiverr representative.

The gig page also is perfectly clear. If you click order the first thing you see is a checkbox with a bolded caption that says “Include colors in your illustration.” No one can order without seeing this. I may as well edit the package description also, but that only means people will see it twice.

Finally, your comment does not answer the question, which is if I refund can the customer still leave a negative review?

#6

It’s up to you. Good luck.

#7

No, if you mutually cancel the order with the client, he will have NO opportunity to leave a public review.

However, any order that is auto-completed, like your previous one, a buyer has 30 days to leave a feedback review on it.

Also, if the buyer ever writes that they will leave a negative review if you do not do extra work, simply take a screenshot of it and open a ticket with Customer Support as that is not allowed on Fiverr’s Terms of Service.
So consequently, if the buyer does end up leaving a negative feedback, that feedback will be removed by Customer Support as it violated the Terms of Service.
*Given that the buyer actually wrote that to you.

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#8

Unfortunately the buyer only wrote that if I didn’t do the extra work they would be “very unhappy” with the order, etc. (Which I think has a clear implication on an e-commerce site, but I doubt would get me far with Customer Support as I’ve experienced it so far.) But this was a very helpful response, thank you.