Shady Buyer - Not enough gigs or extras to cover what was ordered

[knuthingsreal]

I’ve had some problems recently with a buyer ordering my gig, but requesting more work than is covered by the basic gig, and not including the extras required for it.

This is their third attempt to do it. The previous two times, I delivered up to what they paid for, and they accepted it, but this is the third strike, so I’m just going to take the cancellation hit, and I sent this message in the request:

This is the third time that you have requested work without ordering enough gigs and/or gig extras to cover your request. I’ve attempted multiple times to contact you to correct your error, this and the previous two times, and you never respond before deadline. These appear to be attempts to abuse the Fiverr system to try to get work you did not pay for, and I request that you cancel this order and no longer order any gigs from me in the future. This and previous cancellation request posts and times are on record, and will be referred to as proof to remove any negative feedback, in the event that any is left as retaliation for refusal to do work that you did not pay for.

Can anyone weigh in on this?

Is this too harsh, or is this a good way to handle and try to keep a shady buyer from ordering again?

[capitalquality]

Too harsh.

Don’t make accusations you can’t prove, tempting though it is. Try something much simpler such as:

“Thank you for your repeated custom but you have again requested work without ordering enough gigs and/or gig extras to cover your request. I am a perfectionist who likes to do quality work, and I can’t do that with your requests as I know I can only give you less than you ask for. Because of this I ask that you don’t order from me again. I think you will find working with another seller more satisfying.”

[Guest offlinehelpers]

Agreed - too harsh.

You’ve sent them what they’ve paid for twice, just do it the third time, again with no added extras or unpaid stuff.

When you deliver, just say that you noticed they’d added some extra requirements which weren’t part of the gig they’d paid for. Maybe next time, they’d consider adding the appropriate gig extra?

[misscrystal]

I like it. Sometimes the direct approach is the best. I get people who do this repeatedly too and they are not going to stop without an approach that tells them in no uncertain terms to give up. I see no reason to sugar coat it in these kinds of situations. This buyer is repeatedly being annoying. If you are trying to be overly pleasant they think it shows weakness and will keep doing it.

[knuthingsreal]

Too harsh.

Don’t make accusations you can’t prove, tempting though it is. Try something much simpler such as:

“Thank you for your repeated custom but you have again requested work without ordering enough gigs and/or gig extras to cover your request. I am a perfectionist who likes to do quality work, and I can’t do that with your requests as I know I can only give you less than you ask for. Because of this I ask that you don’t order from me again. I think you will find working with another seller more satisfying.”

My previous messages were a lot less harsh and they just continued to ignore them. I was tired of wasting my time trying to contact them every time they put in an order.

I guess I might have gone too hard after seeing a few bad retaliation review stories. And they hadn’t rated some of the previous work, yet. I just wanted to cover myself, in case they tried. They were also trying to contact outside of Fiverr, and I wanted to get away.

Thanks for the suggestion! I should probably try to be a little less harsh, in the future.

[thewriterfiver]

You’re running a business, and customer service must be considered, but you’re also a real person, and you cannot be a pushover in some situations.

Plus, you said you have sent previous messages. At this point, they’re just being willfully ignorant.

[misscrystal]

Usually when you tell them you won’t cooperate with them they leave and move on to the next victim.