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Floor plan creators advertising $5-25 packages, then ask for 10x that?

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#1

I’m new to Fiverr, so forgive me ignorance, but I came to this site because I’ve read reviews on how you can get various design work, architecture work, etc for a reasonable price being offered by people at an agreed upon offering. My experience so far has left me thinking it’s a bait and switch marketplace (but I’m willing and would love to be corrected). Here’s my exact experience:

I need a floor plan created for a small, 1-story 1,347 SqFt, 2 bed/2 bath home. I sketched one by hand, but want something better to work with. I search for “floor plan” on Fiverr, which brings up dozens of people offering to create not only a 2D, but also a 3D floor plan for anywhere from $5-$25 (many at $5). Some offering various package tiers, that are well explained. Because I’d like to find someone to work with more projects in the future, I decided to order the basic floor plan package from 4 different people. All 4 of them have responded saying that the cost will be anywhere from $100-$250. When I tell them that I only want their basic offering advertised, they say something to the effect of, “that’s just a number Fiverr makes us write in to get communication going to better understand what you want.”

So, I clarify that I want exactly what they list in the package I ordered, and nothing more, and they all try to negotiate down from their initial number, but nowhere near what they agree to when I pre-purchased their package.

Can someone explain to me if this is acceptable and customary Fiverr practice? If so, how can that be ethical when they sell nothing for their price that I already paid for? These are the packages I ordered (at the lowest amount):

#2

Sellers are now allowed to advertise prices higher than $5 if they have access to packages. Sellers who want to offer something that costs more should specify that in the package. If a seller refuses at the price stated, you need to report that to Customer Support as bad seller behavior. That’s assuming the seller did offer the size, colors and type you wanted at that price.

Even a small change or addition can rightfully cost extra. It may or may not be common practice but if it is, it needs to stop. Packages are new, and perhaps some sellers misunderstand. That’s still not allowed. You may want to send screen shots of the messages that clearly shows you asking for the $5 package and them refusing. Even though Fiverr can see your messages, it’s best to show it clearly.

To be clear to buyers and sellers, this doesn’t apply to ever case for an upsell. This applies to what is stated in the gig description. Sellers need to be specific whether using packages or not about what is offered at the minimum price and then they need to honor it. Buyers do sometimes try to negotiate clearly priced items to a lower price and it is the seller’s right to refuse a negotiation as long as the description is clear.

#3

Hi,
It is difficult to know if the sellers are right or wrong here.
As I understand it, all sellers must have a basic offering for their basic price (either $5 or their lowest package price). However, what you are asking for does not sound like something that can be delivered for $5. A custom designed floor plan, based on your sketch sounds like something that should cost more than $5.
I suspect you may be doing what a client of mine did. He sent me a 5000 word file and expected it to be translated for $5 as I offer translation for $5. However, I offer translation of 500 words for $5, not an unlimited service! When I explained the situation he accepted it and my custom offer of $50.

The kind of work you are looking for is quite specialized, I would suggest that you will need to do your homework on sellers and while I admire the fact that you “tried out” 4 different sellers at $5 each, for what you want I would imagine it will not work out like you hoped. It may be possible for you to get them to do a sample of their work for $5, eg one or two rooms - whatever seems reasonable to you both.

#4

I think buyers need to remember that most honest freelancers are not trying to scam you, but a 6-7 hour project that takes a lot of computer time (ie graphic design, floor plans, website design) just isn’t fair for 5 dollars. I offer a total of 500 words for 5 dollars, which in essence is still only a wage of $5/hour.

No one is trying to scam you, and my apologies if you they were actually pulling a “bait-and-switch” but if you want a highly specialized project you’re going to want to pay that little bit extra to make sure you are getting the quality that you need, especially if you would like that to be an ongoing thing.

#5

I can’t do my best job for $5 but still offer gigs for that much so I have to suggest more extras to buyers and it can get difficult to do it so that buyers understand. I give exactly what I say in my gig descriptions though.
It sounds like you are getting sellers who will not do anything they advertised for $5.
You are entitled to a refund in this case.

#6

Exactly right. You are taking human dimensions into account.

#7

There are a lot of sellers who violate Fiverr terms and don’t actually delivery anything for $5 as their gig advertises. But there are lots who will do with they say and deliver a great product for even their basic gig.

Try using a buyer request to get some bids.

#8

maybe it cost extra to do floor plane on sketch
I think you should post it on Buyer request

#9

I don’t believe anyone from the western world could offer any kind of quality service for $5. Fiverr takes 20% from that, so sellers are really only earning $4.

That’s about £2.81. For reference, minimum wage here in the UK is £6.70 per hour (£7.20 for those aged 25 or over). So “$5” worth of hours work translates to about 20 - 25 mins of work at the bare minimum wage.

You can’t even buy a decent t-shirt for $5 where I live, so how can you expect a professional service/product from a freelancer for the same price?

Fiverr’s previous pricing model (before introducing the packages feature some categories) was basically a joke, with only those living in countries with extremely low living costs (compared to countries such as the UK, US, Canada, etc.) able to use it as a viable source of income.

The new packages feature now re-opens it as a serious freelance platform and a genuine market for potential clients/customers from western parts of the world, which is great.

#10

Granted. However, the OP’s complaint appears to be that sellers were offering the service he’s seeking for $5-25 dollars, but then refuse to actually deliver what they offer for that price. They attract the buyers with low prices, and then insist on a higher price once the buyer contacts them. That’s the very definition of a “bait and switch”.

1 Like
#11

It is a serious problem that is reducing Fiverr’s reputation and trustworthiness day by day.

I have purchased many gigs and the price was as advertised. However, more recently, it seems that I am getting quoted anywhere from $50 to $180 to do a simple rendering that is offered for anywhere from $5 to $15.

Nothing more than bait and switch.

1 Like
#12

I dunno, can you bait and switch a quote? If you got lowballed with a quote for $15 and upon ordering it suddenly became $50, sure, that’s bait and switch. But if you requested a custom offer and got quotes between that range that presumably took into account all the variables you needed done, I can’t see it being a bait and switch. That others offer the service elsewhere/anywhere from $5-15 seems irrelevant.

I quoted someone $115 to proofread a 500 word article today. Sounds expensive, doesn’t it? Well, they wanted it done within 2 hours, and I have an extra fast charge of $100. The actual work itself was just $15.

I imagine they ran away tutting about my “bait and switch” tactics, despite the fact that if they had taken the time to read my gig and offerings, they would have expected nothing less. In all fairness, I reckon I could have added an extra $50 onto that for the extra extra fast, but then that really would be price gouging.

OP should have just cancelled as soon as the seller couldn’t do what they wanted and found someone more amenable to their budget and expectations.

#13

@graymoment <<<< If you think it’s so easy to do a 3D floor plan for your home, then do it yourself…nuff said.

#14

100% of the Buyers who order my Gig wrongly do so in their favor. In the US if they switched tags in a store they would be arrested for shoplifting…just saying.

#15

For quality you have to dare to buy in a reasonable price.

As you buy fried chicken at KFC.

If you are a new buyer, apapah you know the quality and deliciousness.

Similarly, in fiverr.
If you are a new buyer, do you know the quality of the seller.

#16

For quality you have to dare to buy in a reasonable price.

As you buy fried chicken at KFC.

If you are a new buyer, if you know the quality and deliciousness.

Similarly, in fiverr.
If you are a new buyer, do you know the quality of the seller.

#17

[Spam removed]

#18

Dude. Stop with this awful spam. You look like an idiot.