Warning signs of a potentially troublesome seller

[Guest multisync3]

As a buyer, you have plenty of opportunities at Fiverr for your needs but be careful who you choose to provide you a service. It seems some sellers think by offering their gig for a minimum fee of $5 they don’t need to deliver as described or in time as it’s just $5! WRONG!

First of all as a buyer you can demand the service offered as described is delivered & fulfilled. Don’t except excuses! The seller has to deliver what is described and in time. If he doesn’t you have the right to express your experience of its service in the evaluation.

I strongly believe a seller should “DO IT RIGHT AT THE VERY FIRST TIME”.
That’s just a basic business rule for any business! Period!

But some sellers get sloppy as they think asking just $5 for their service they don’t need to deliver what they promoted. No matter if the gig is $5, $15 or more - he has to deliver what is described - not more but also not less.

Choose your seller wisely and check his ratings but be careful, the vast number of sellers displays a 5 star rating. To get more in-depth details look at the negative ratings only.

Some sellers write a lot in their gig but saying nothing. Make sure the seller gives you a proof (verification) of what he is doing, of the result. So you can follow up.

Also, you need to know that Fiverr sends you a message “Gig delivered” and asks you for an evaluation. But be careful - again!

A gig delivered doesn’t mean necessarily the gig is executed. Especially when it comes to web services like SEO, traffic, followers etc. the execution and true delivery of a result can take up to 30 days and even more (according to seller description). So, do your evaluation based on facts not assumptions and always after the RESULT is delivered.

Example: Seller offers 20k clicks on a weblink within 7 days. You deliver the input he asks for (weblink) and you get very soon a message from him - gig delivered. The gig is not delivered in fact but started. WAIT 7 days then act & evaluate!

It looks for me that many buyers evaluate instantly after a gig was delivered (without results), at this stage a evaluation is too early.

I ordered 10 gigs within one month but was happy only with hardly the half, so we are talking about a failure rate of 50%! Which is of course not satisfying.

But how to choose the right seller? As said before it’s not that easy as almost all sellers look like they all 5 star. For me this is somehow suspicious.

It’s the seller’s duty to return to you if he can deliver your gig or not in time. Precondition is always you delivered him the data in a correct way as he asked before he started the gig.

Therefore I stick to the “do it right at the very first time”-rule and if he doesn’t deliver I surely not rate him with 5 stars.

Personally I write also a bit more details on my experience with the seller in the evaluation, not just “not good”, “bad” etc. that says nothing. Be fair and accurate and do your evaluation based on FACTS!

Should you give the seller a second chance? So, sellers offer limited or unlimited revisions. It’s up to you how you handle this. I already expressed my opinion.

Again it doesn’t matter if the gig is $5 or $25. It has to be delivered as described. Once the seller accepts your order he has to fulfill it. On a legal standpoint you have a binding contract! You as a buyer pay in advance - always. Some sellers offer a refund if not satisfied. And here is a problem as well…

Some buyers use this “possibility” to get a free gig. Don’t do so as this would be very unfair towards the seller. If he delivers what was agreed you have no right claiming a refund.

On the other hand some sellers “fear” the buyers evaluation and offer also a refund for a better (5 star) evaluation. This is also not ok. Report such sellers!

Bottom line: If a seller doesn’t delivers what he promoted and in time it’s your RIGHT to evaluate him less or much less than 5 stars - based on the facts you have.

[catwriter]

As a buyer, you have plenty of opportunities at Fiverr for your needs but be careful who you choose to provide you a service. It seems some sellers think by offering their gig for a minimum fee of $5 they don’t need to deliver as described or in time as it’s just $5! WRONG!

First of all as a buyer you can demand the service offered as described is delivered & fulfilled. Don’t except excuses! The seller has to deliver what is described and in time. If he doesn’t you have the right to express your experience of its service in the evaluation.

I strongly believe a seller should “DO IT RIGHT AT THE VERY FIRST TIME”.

That’s just a basic business rule for any business! Period!

But some sellers get sloppy as they think asking just $5 for their service they don’t need to deliver what they promoted. No matter if the gig is $5, $15 or more - he has to deliver what is described - not more but also not less.

Choose your seller wisely and check his ratings but be careful, the vast number of sellers displays a 5 star rating. To get more in-depth details look at the negative ratings only.

Some sellers write a lot in their gig but saying nothing. Make sure the seller gives you a proof (verification) of what he is doing, of the result. So you can follow up.

Also, you need to know that Fiverr sends you a message “Gig delivered” and asks you for an evaluation. But be careful - again!

A gig delivered doesn’t mean necessarily the gig is executed. Especially when it comes to web services like SEO, traffic, followers etc. the execution and true delivery of a result can take up to 30 days and even more (according to seller description). So, do your evaluation based on facts not assumptions and always after the RESULT is delivered.

Example: Seller offers 20k clicks on a weblink within 7 days. You deliver the input he asks for (weblink) and you get very soon a message from him - gig delivered. The gig is not delivered in fact but started. WAIT 7 days then act & evaluate!

It looks for me that many buyers evaluate instantly after a gig was delivered (without results), at this stage a evaluation is too early.

I ordered 10 gigs within one month but was happy only with hardly the half, so we are talking about a failure rate of 50%! Which is of course not satisfying.

But how to choose the right seller? As said before it’s not that easy as almost all sellers look like they all 5 star. For me this is somehow suspicious.

It’s the seller’s duty to return to you if he can deliver your gig or not in time. Precondition is always you delivered him the data in a correct way as he asked before he started the gig.

Therefore I stick to the “do it right at the very first time”-rule and if he doesn’t deliver I surely not rate him with 5 stars.

Personally I write also a bit more details on my experience with the seller in the evaluation, not just “not good”, “bad” etc. that says nothing. Be fair and accurate and do your evaluation based on FACTS!

Should you give the seller a second chance? So, sellers offer limited or unlimited revisions. It’s up to you how you handle this. I already expressed my opinion.

Again it doesn’t matter if the gig is $5 or $25. It has to be delivered as described. Once the seller accepts your order he has to fulfill it. On a legal standpoint you have a binding contract! You as a buyer pay in advance - always. Some sellers offer a refund if not satisfied. And here is a problem as well…

Some buyers use this “possibility” to get a free gig. Don’t do so as this would be very unfair towards the seller. If he delivers what was agreed you have no right claiming a refund.

On the other hand some sellers “fear” the buyers evaluation and offer also a refund for a better (5 star) evaluation. This is also not ok. Report such sellers!

Bottom line: If a seller doesn’t delivers what he promoted and in time it’s your RIGHT to evaluate him less or much less than 5 stars - based on the facts you have.

When delivering, sellers are obliged to either deliver the product (for example, a logo), or the proof of the work done. “Empty delivery” is forbidden by Fiverr’s Terms of Service, and repeat offenders get banned from the site. You should never leave a review before the work is completed, and if the seller “delivers” without actually doing the work, you can either request modification (and demand that the seller finishes the work) so that the order remains open, or contact Customer Support with the proof of the “empty delivery”.

“Sellers must deliver completed files and/or proof of work using the Deliver Work button (located on the Order page) according to the service that was purchased and advertised on their Gig.”

“Using the “Deliver Work” button when an order was not fulfilled may result in a cancellation of that order after review, affect the seller’s rating and result in a warning to seller.”

Also, sellers shouldn’t offer anything that takes more than 30 days to deliver (if they do, it’s a violation of the Fiverr’s ToS).

"Gigs may be removed by Fiverr for violations to these Terms of Service, which may include (but are not limited to) the following violations and/or materials:

Services that extend beyond 30 days of service duration."

Fiverr.com

Fiverr's Terms of Service

One marketplace, millions of professional services. Browse. Buy. Done.

Edited to add: buying and selling followers is forbidden by the Terms of Service of various third parties, so neither the sellers nor you should engage in that kind of activities.

Especially when it comes to web services like SEO, traffic, followers etc.

[eoinfinnegan]

There are some good points in this post for buyers to consider. I think your “Do it right first time” rule is a little unfair in terms of some gigs. If someone manages a problem well, responds in a timely manner etc - basically, just shows a good degree of customer care then I would still rate 5 stars when appropriate. This is a personal opinion and others are free to rate as they see fit.
Regarding the legal standpoint - I am not sure how accurate you are on that and even if you are, trying to initiate litigation on someone who’s name you do not know, who could live anywhere in the world and all over what will be a small amount of money - is it worth it? I’d forget the legal standpoint and just try to make a job work with a seller, if it doesn’t then I’d move on to a different one rather than waste my time.

Regarding ratings - honest ratings are best. It will help good sellers, hinder the bad ones and guide buyers on where to purchase.
I have quoted myself from another related post below in response to the beginning of the post regarding choosing a seller.

In theory, I agree with @multisync3, sellers should deliver what they offer at the price they offer. In reality, the concept of caveat emptor (let the buyer beware) is applicable on Fiverr and everywhere else. Can you successfully demand a refund from the coffee shop that says it has the best coffee in the world if you prefer another brand? Of course not.

I remember a post from some time back where a buyer was annoyed that they had got bad work done - it was article writing. When I checked out the seller’s name which they had mentioned (not allowed on the forum) the seller’s gig said “The number 1 copy writer in the USA” and their price was $5/500 word article.
Now, any buyer looking at that and thinking “wow - I can get the best copywriter in the USA for only $5” needs to rethink the idea of being in business before somebody takes all their money.

Are you entitled to complain if you go ahead and order from a buyer like the one above? IMO no, as it is clearly a ridiculous statement and you should stay clear of people who make ridiculous statements if you want quality work. If I ever need 50 articles of recycled garbage then I will definitely go to a seller like that as it will be cheap and will roughly match the description of what they offer.

Of course paying higher prices doesn’t mean getting higher quality but the following is almost always true - getting higher quality means paying higher prices. You may get lucky and find someone who charges less than the going rates for one reason or another such as they are new, they live in a place where costs are lower, or like one writer I know - he writes for fun/something to do and the money is not as important. However, this means you have got lucky and it should not be expected to be the case all the time.

PS: my advice/opinion comes from having ordered 147 times and spent thousands on this platform and having only 9 cancellations of which 5 were due to problems similar to yours.

[Guest multisync3]

There are some good points in this post for buyers to consider. I think your “Do it right first time” rule is a little unfair in terms of some gigs. If someone manages a problem well, responds in a timely manner etc - basically, just shows a good degree of customer care then I would still rate 5 stars when appropriate. This is a personal opinion and others are free to rate as they see fit.

Regarding the legal standpoint - I am not sure how accurate you are on that and even if you are, trying to initiate litigation on someone who’s name you do not know, who could live anywhere in the world and all over what will be a small amount of money - is it worth it? I’d forget the legal standpoint and just try to make a job work with a seller, if it doesn’t then I’d move on to a different one rather than waste my time.

Regarding ratings - honest ratings are best. It will help good sellers, hinder the bad ones and guide buyers on where to purchase.

I have quoted myself from another related post below in response to the beginning of the post regarding choosing a seller.

In theory, I agree with @multisync3, sellers should deliver what they offer at the price they offer. In reality, the concept of caveat emptor (let the buyer beware) is applicable on Fiverr and everywhere else. Can you successfully demand a refund from the coffee shop that says it has the best coffee in the world if you prefer another brand? Of course not.

I remember a post from some time back where a buyer was annoyed that they had got bad work done - it was article writing. When I checked out the seller’s name which they had mentioned (not allowed on the forum) the seller’s gig said “The number 1 copy writer in the USA” and their price was $5/500 word article.

Now, any buyer looking at that and thinking “wow - I can get the best copywriter in the USA for only $5” needs to rethink the idea of being in business before somebody takes all their money.

Are you entitled to complain if you go ahead and order from a buyer like the one above? IMO no, as it is clearly a ridiculous statement and you should stay clear of people who make ridiculous statements if you want quality work. If I ever need 50 articles of recycled garbage then I will definitely go to a seller like that as it will be cheap and will roughly match the description of what they offer.

Of course paying higher prices doesn’t mean getting higher quality but the following is almost always true - getting higher quality means paying higher prices. You may get lucky and find someone who charges less than the going rates for one reason or another such as they are new, they live in a place where costs are lower, or like one writer I know - he writes for fun/something to do and the money is not as important. However, this means you have got lucky and it should not be expected to be the case all the time.

PS: my advice/opinion comes from having ordered 147 times and spent thousands on this platform and having only 9 cancellations of which 5 were due to problems similar to yours.

I remain on **DO IT RIGHT AT THE FIRST TIME…**but for gigs which are measurable, as in my example. There is no excuse if a gig is not delivered as described. If it comes to creative resp. not direct measurable gigs then it’s different - I agree.

My suggestion to Fiverr is that seller and buyer will get an email once a rating is done as according Fiverrs policy you can only demand a review of a rating within 72 hrs.

[Guest phantompower]

If you wan something perfect, I always believe you should do it yourself. What do buyers really expect to get when they pay 5$?

[Guest multisync3]

If you wan something perfect, I always believe you should do it yourself. What do buyers really expect to get when they pay 5$?

Why is the discussion here always on the $5? It’s Fiverr who set this minimum amount, right? You are suggesting it can’t be quality if it is just $5? Then I guess Fiverr has to delete 99% of the gigs.

[Guest phantompower]

Why is the discussion here always on the $5? It’s Fiverr who set this minimum amount, right? You are suggesting it can’t be quality if it is just $5? Then I guess Fiverr has to delete 99% of the gigs.

The problem is that, not everything on fiverr is 5$. I had a buyer who asked me for custom drawn 2d characters + voice over for 5$. First thing buyers should do is evaluate the value of what they need then decide on how much they want to pay to get it done. If you have a 1million dollar company, then you want to pay someone peanuts and expect the wow factor you will automatically be disappointed. Another thing is, getting it right on the first try is almost impossible because we all have a different view of what right looks like.

[Guest multisync3]

The problem is that, not everything on fiverr is 5$. I had a buyer who asked me for custom drawn 2d characters + voice over for 5$. First thing buyers should do is evaluate the value of what they need then decide on how much they want to pay to get it done. If you have a 1million dollar company, then you want to pay someone peanuts and expect the wow factor you will automatically be disappointed. Another thing is, getting it right on the first try is almost impossible because we all have a different view of what right looks like.

The problem is that, not everything on fiverr is 5$.

You contradict yourself!

[Guest phantompower]

The problem is that, not everything on fiverr is 5$.

You contradict yourself!

How did I contradict myself?

[Guest multisync3]

How did I contradict myself?

You said what to expect at $5. Now I understood you want everything for $5 ? Not?

[Guest multisync3]

And here some tips for sellers who think they don’t need to deliver because their gig is just $5!

New Seller Policy!

Delivery

It goes without saying that the delivered work should be as described in the order, taking into account the buyer’s requirements and inputs resulting in delivering high- quality work. Only offer, and deliver, items that you can create on your own without violating other sellers’ Terms & Conditions. Ensure your Gig delivery time is within your current bandwidth. Aim to deliver high-quality work regardless of the order’s amount or delivery deadline and on time. If necessary, you can extend the order delivery time though the resolution center, but you should always remember that late deliveries harm not only your customer’s satisfaction but their own business needs, since they’re likely relying on your work to meet their own deadlines.

[uxreview]

Why is this thread under “Tips for Buyers”?
Mods, can you contain this endless rant under one category? There are at least 3 threads going on and on about the same thing under 3 different categories.

@multisync3 if you are not satisfied with the order then request a refund and be done with that. If you feel that you need to rant then do it under one single category “Ranting pot”.

[Guest multisync3]

Why is this thread under “Tips for Buyers”?

Mods, can you contain this endless rant under one category? There are at least 3 threads going on and on about the same thing under 3 different categories.

@multisync3 if you are not satisfied with the order then request a refund and be done with that. If you feel that you need to rant then do it under one single category “Ranting pot”.

How strange! Why you see it as a rant? The post is a “help” for buyers.

As a buyer, you have plenty of opportunities at Fiverr for your needs but be careful who you choose to provide you a service. It seems some sellers think by offering their gig for a minimum fee of $5 they don't need to deliver as described or in time...

Reading time: 4 mins ? Likes: 17 ❤

[eoinfinnegan]

Why is this thread under “Tips for Buyers”?

Mods, can you contain this endless rant under one category? There are at least 3 threads going on and on about the same thing under 3 different categories.

@multisync3 if you are not satisfied with the order then request a refund and be done with that. If you feel that you need to rant then do it under one single category “Ranting pot”.

It is borderline in places but there are some useful points in the original post so I felt it was worth keeping here.

[Guest multisync3]

It is borderline in places but there are some useful points in the original post so I felt it was worth keeping here.

Why is it borderline? Why is it rant? I don’t agree but you are the mod an I have to tolerate it.

[mary19791]

I see the point there but what I think all of that comes down to is that the gig needs to be what it is presented to be.