How to deal with non-professional bargain to get good review

thedata_boy · February 23, 2021, 3:22am

Hi, I am thedata_boy. I have been using this forum for over a month. I have been looking for orders here since then. While following all suggestions, tips, and instructions shared here on this forum, I am still without my first order. I have been sending buyer requests, keeping myself online 24/7, and working on tips as shared by seniors over here. I am still hopeful; I will keep working and be waiting for a good day to come.
I would like to share an instance that came across during this course of time on an online freelancing forum. A few days ago, I received a message in my inbox with a query asking for my willingness to work on a project. I asked for the details but I was told that if I was agreed then it would be shared. Anyhow after some deliberation, I came to know that the guy has an online product selling business and he intended to get my positive feedback on his products as a customer. In return, he would offer me the “data entry” work along with a good review. I have turned down his offer as I considered that an unethical act to do that.

In the end, I seek suggestions from seniors regarding getting my first order.

(I have evidence of his chat trails with him as well.)

thatwordchick · February 23, 2021, 3:59am

You chose correctly. Not only is this unethical, it’s also against the TOS on Fiverr.

First thing I’d suggest doing is to use original writing on your gig. I put your gig text through a program called Copyscape and it came up with 16 other sellers using the same description. That hurts your search engine rankings:

Same thing with your biography:

benedictrm · February 23, 2021, 4:03am

So that is two in one day where the OP came to complain about someone being unethical with them and ran into a wall of being unethical themselves.

Methinks: pot calls kettle black is appropriate here

thatwordchick · February 23, 2021, 4:08am

I know I’m a broken record with the Copyscape (I’m self-aware enough to realize, at least) but jay-sus it drives me batty. I’m sure graphic designers feel just as exasperated seeing obviously-stolen work making the rounds in new “seller’s” profiles.

The fact of the matter is, I’m rounding the corner on 1,000 orders here inside two years because my work is 100% original, as are my gig descriptions, bio, etc. I don’t fault my overseas peers one bit for making a go of it here, but it pains me that it’s starting to feel like they have one giant Google doc making the rounds they just awkwardly cut and paste from when they hop on Fiverr.

benedictrm · February 23, 2021, 4:23am

I had a third too: Plesa can someone help me? - Your Fiverr Experience / Improve My Gig - Fiverr Community Forum

He sent me PMs asking me to remove the post. Not at all seeing he just proved that I was right.

teramangala · February 23, 2021, 5:25am

He deleted his account?, but I had the time to see the post Well done!

benedictrm · February 23, 2021, 5:41am

I did feel it wise to report him based on that conversation. I thought carefully, not only for the sense of professionalism but also seeing he has indicated a level of behavior that might escalate. I would rather there is a clear trail of what happened if he decides to do anything even more silly than that.

I see the thread has disappeared which I am sad about as it was a very good object lesson. Apparently, he is still there as a seller.

I do hope any customer who encounters him gets a better run with him than what happened in that now missing thread.

nik_eckerlebe · February 23, 2021, 7:39am

Wow! I’ve never heard of that tool before.

genuineguidance · February 23, 2021, 3:00pm

So, does this mean you have not slept in a month or you are using an auto refresh to appear online?

GG