How disappointing is to compete with fake sellers?

[xuntes]

One of my biggest concerns was the new algorithm. Then a few weeks ago, it changed again and the best rated buyers are in the right place. In other words, the best sellers are in the best placement (on TOP).

I noticed my gig Impressions went up, and as consequence my sales too. I think it’s fair because I went to top not because I had a chance, but because my hard work here.

Till here everything seems to be getting normal again, like always should be (in my opinion).

What does it had to do with this topic?
Because after this change, I saw an action that is becoming usual, in a category I sell (VECTOR TRACING). I see some sellers that seems to be “manipulating” orders to give their selves a lot of reviews, and as consequence growing up in ranking placement.
Some sellers clearly seems to be using a secondary account (as buyer) to buy them A LOT of orders and give A LOT of 5 stars reviews.
Other seems to be asking to real buyers do 10x $5 orders, instead doing 1x $50 order.

Why I’m thinking this?
These sellers I’m watching, they have similar gigs, similar descriptions, similar user names, same country, similar number of consecutive orders (by the same buyer), similar reviews, similar placement, some of the same buyers, similar behaviors.

“So why dont you report to fiverr support”?
I done this hundreds of times, till I got a TOS warning, because spamming support. I’m afraid of getting a new warning, so I’m not reporting anymore.

I dont know how fiverr doest to get these kind of sellers, but as far as I understood, same IP addresses are one of them (which could be easily masked with a VPN service).

When something seems to get fixed, other thing start to goes wrong.

Now imagine if this behavior starts to become usual in the whole fiverr?

It’s becoming harder to compete at fiverr if you are a honest and reliable seller. But isn’t the world the same?

[gina_riley2]

One of my biggest concerns was the new algorithm. Then a few weeks ago, it changed again and the best rated buyers are in the right place. In other words, the best sellers are in the best placement (on TOP).

I noticed my gig Impressions went up, and as consequence my sales too. I think it’s fair because I went to top not because I had a chance, but because my hard work here.

Till here everything seems to be getting normal again, like always should be (in my opinion).

What does it had to do with this topic?

Because after this change, I saw an action that is becoming usual, in a category I sell (VECTOR TRACING). I see some sellers that seems to be “manipulating” orders to give their selves a lot of reviews, and as consequence growing up in ranking placement.

Some sellers clearly seems to be using a secondary account (as buyer) to buy them A LOT of orders and give A LOT of 5 stars reviews.

Other seems to be asking to real buyers do 10x $5 orders, instead doing 1x $50 order.

Why I’m thinking this?

These sellers I’m watching, they have similar gigs, similar descriptions, similar user names, same country, similar number of consecutive orders (by the same buyer), similar reviews, similar placement, some of the same buyers, similar behaviors.

“So why dont you report to fiverr support”?

I done this hundreds of times, till I got a TOS warning, because spamming support. I’m afraid of getting a new warning, so I’m not reporting anymore.

I dont know how fiverr doest to get these kind of sellers, but as far as I understood, same IP addresses are one of them (which could be easily masked with a VPN service).

When something seems to get fixed, other thing start to goes wrong.

Now imagine if this behavior starts to become usual in the whole fiverr?

It’s becoming harder to compete at fiverr if you are a honest and reliable seller. But isn’t the world the same?

real buyers do 10x $5 orders, instead doing 1x $50 order

I’m a real buyer and I would never agree to this. This is extremely time consuming - having to place order 10 times, filling requirement 10 times - I would suspect fraud. I’d move onto another seller.

Your assumptions on this is just that. I don’t think any real buyer would do this.

[xuntes]

real buyers do 10x $5 orders, instead doing 1x $50 order

I’m a real buyer and I would never agree to this. This is extremely time consuming - having to place order 10 times, filling requirement 10 times - I would suspect fraud. I’d move onto another seller.

Your assumptions on this is just that. I don’t think any real buyer would do this.

There are some who do this. Why? I believe in exchange of discounts, because I don’t see any other reason why.

My real concern is if this become a trending behavior, which I believe it already is becoming, after taking a look in other categories.

That’s why I support the idea of doing 10x $5 orders and getting 5 stars reviews, should have the same weight of a 1x $50 orders with the same rating.

[asimhamzagraphi]

Yes,
I agree. It is becoming now a days comman. Sellers use tricks to compete. I think it is ethics issue not fiverr issue. As Buyers and sellers are agreed upon this type of deals so no one can stop them. As far as most of the buyers are concern they donot think this far.

[gogugmg]

Is a dirty technique used by many sellers, two of my gigs are in the same situation.
The first with 250-300 orders in just 30-40 days from a single buyer, the other with 90 orders from a single buyer within 30 days level1 seller with only 100 reviews. Probably it’s just a matter of time until it’s caught.

[gina_riley2]

Is a dirty technique used by many sellers, two of my gigs are in the same situation.

The first with 250-300 orders in just 30-40 days from a single buyer, the other with 90 orders from a single buyer within 30 days level1 seller with only 100 reviews. Probably it’s just a matter of time until it’s caught.

That is horrible.

I would turn them in as being a fraud. 300 orders from a single buyer screams “fake.”

I’ve ordered like half a dozen or so orders from single sellers before - but, that was different. I know sellers have slow weeks/months where they only had one repeat buyer.

90 orders, 250 orders, 300 orders - all within 1 month is completely different. They could at least try to cover it a bit better.

Ridiculous! :roll_eyes:

[xuntes]

That is horrible.

I would turn them in as being a fraud. 300 orders from a single buyer screams “fake.”

I’ve ordered like half a dozen or so orders from single sellers before - but, that was different. I know sellers have slow weeks/months where they only had one repeat buyer.

90 orders, 250 orders, 300 orders - all within 1 month is completely different. They could at least try to cover it a bit better.

Ridiculous! :roll_eyes:

The most ridiculous is that even these sellers/buyers being reported, nothing is being done actually. It’s really frustrating

[xuntes]

Yes,

I agree. It is becoming now a days comman. Sellers use tricks to compete. I think it is ethics issue not fiverr issue. As Buyers and sellers are agreed upon this type of deals so no one can stop them. As far as most of the buyers are concern they donot think this far.

It is fiverr issue, when these users are reported and nothing is done.

Fiverr can stop them for sure, but my question is if fiverr is concerned about this.

or if fiverr knows the impact in it’s own image/reputation, because these kind of sellers are also representing fiverr’s name.

[gogugmg]

That is horrible.

I would turn them in as being a fraud. 300 orders from a single buyer screams “fake.”

I’ve ordered like half a dozen or so orders from single sellers before - but, that was different. I know sellers have slow weeks/months where they only had one repeat buyer.

90 orders, 250 orders, 300 orders - all within 1 month is completely different. They could at least try to cover it a bit better.

Ridiculous! :roll_eyes:

300 orders from a single buyer

This is true, curiosity is that the buyer has not returned, probably will come back after I will overtake it again. It is very difficult to compete with such competitors.

[gina_riley2]

The most ridiculous is that even these sellers/buyers being reported, nothing is being done actually. It’s really frustrating

/buyers

I promise you, they are not real buyers. I don’t have time to play around like that making $5 purchases, or do I want to throw my money away.

Those are unscrupulous, scam sellers who are pretending to be buyers to boost their own or ring of others sellers participating. I’ve never had a seller ask me to do such a thing - but then again, I doubt they would ask any real buyer to help them cheat the system.

[xuntes]

/buyers

I promise you, they are not real buyers. I don’t have time to play around like that making $5 purchases, or do I want to throw my money away.

Those are unscrupulous, scam sellers who are pretending to be buyers to boost their own or ring of others sellers participating. I’ve never had a seller ask me to do such a thing - but then again, I doubt they would ask any real buyer to help them cheat the system.

I understand what you mean, but every seller here is susceptible to commit mistakes. People can do things that most of us would never imagine.

Actually I don’t know if I’m more frustrated for seeing this kind of sellers being able to freely sell at fiverr, or if I’m frustrated by seeing fiverr team does nothing when such behaviors are reported.

[rahulkajla1]

I agree with you. In animation category, I’ve seen some fake sellers here and there. Report a guy few years ago, his account was banned after a few days. But now there are so many that I do not care anymore. I’ve seen 3-4 guys from same country, selling same thing and they all are placing orders on each others account. As of now, they are not making any profit. I hope they get caught by the time they get some real orders.

[gina_riley2]

I agree with you. In animation category, I’ve seen some fake sellers here and there. Report a guy few years ago, his account was banned after a few days. But now there are so many that I do not care anymore. I’ve seen 3-4 guys from same country, selling same thing and they all are placing orders on each others account. As of now, they are not making any profit. I hope they get caught by the time they get some real orders.

they are not making any profit

Nope, they are losing money because they have to give 20% to 5r! 😛

If they are really good at what they do, they will eventually succeed; but if they are bad at it, the 1st real client they get will nail them.