Consultation gigs

[bigbeardvo]

I’m currently working with a client that presented a consultation opportunity, and of course, I want to help. After some time reading the forums, I opted to contact support prior to requesting information.

This morning, they responded to my ticket, stating that this sort of work isn’t allowed on Fiverr due to the TOS forbidding contact outside of the platform.

I see consultation gigs all over Fiverr and I’m greatly confused here. To whose who provide these services, what has been your experience?

[paulmaplesden]

There are a few ways to do this:

• Provide consultation answers through the Fiverr messaging system.
• Gather questions and a brief from the client, do the work, put the answers in a document, and share it with the buyer.
• Ask CS if it is OK to contact the buyer outside the platform.

Contrary to popular belief, it is OK to contact a buyer outside the platform if, and only if you need to do so to complete the work. Here are the relevant parts from the TOS:

Communication for handling orders should be performed on Fiverr, through the order page. Users who engage and communicate off of Fiverr will not be protected by our Terms of Service.

Requesting or providing Email addresses, s***e/IM usernames, telephone numbers or any other personal contact details to communicate outside of Fiverr in order to circumvent or abuse the Fiverr messaging system or Fiverr platform is not permitted.

The key here is " in order to circumvent or abuse the Fiverr messaging system or Fiverr platform" - essentially Fiverr needs you to communicate, accept, and get paid for orders on the platform for a few reasons:

• To see the communications between you and the buyer in case of dispute resolution or questions.
• To ensure you and the buyer are protected by the ToS.
• To ensure Fiverr gets its commission.

However, you’ll notice if you type a word like email or s***e into a message box, you get the following warning:

Providing email, s***e, or phone number is only allowed if it is needed as part of the service. Otherwise, all communication must go through Fiverr.

What this means is that you can communicate outside the platform if you need to do so as part of the gig. A good example of this would be a consultation service. However, this comes with some important caveats:

• You should check with CS ahead of time that it would be OK for you to contact the buyer outside the platform.
• You should copy any important information and messages about what has been agreed to the Fiverr messaging system, so CS has access to it, and it is protected by TOS.
• You must always deliver work through the Fiverr platform.
• You must always request payment through the Fiverr platform.

If you can follow those four areas, then you can provide a consultation gig, but it is essential you follow those four points.

The key takeaway is this: Any time you want to do something and you’re not sure of Fiverr’s position, always contact CS and ask them. They will be able to provide clarity on what you are, and are not allowed to do.

Incidentally, I am speaking from personal experience here, I frequently have s***e and phone conversations with Fiverr buyers outside the platform, mainly because they have complex requests that are not easy to communicate in text. I received permission from my Customer Success Manager to do so.

I hope this helps.

[bigbeardvo]

There are a few ways to do this:

• Provide consultation answers through the Fiverr messaging system.
• Gather questions and a brief from the client, do the work, put the answers in a document, and share it with the buyer.
• Ask CS if it is OK to contact the buyer outside the platform.

Contrary to popular belief, it is OK to contact a buyer outside the platform if, and only if you need to do so to complete the work. Here are the relevant parts from the TOS:

Communication for handling orders should be performed on Fiverr, through the order page. Users who engage and communicate off of Fiverr will not be protected by our Terms of Service.

Requesting or providing Email addresses, s***e/IM usernames, telephone numbers or any other personal contact details to communicate outside of Fiverr in order to circumvent or abuse the Fiverr messaging system or Fiverr platform is not permitted.

The key here is " in order to circumvent or abuse the Fiverr messaging system or Fiverr platform" - essentially Fiverr needs you to communicate, accept, and get paid for orders on the platform for a few reasons:

• To see the communications between you and the buyer in case of dispute resolution or questions.
• To ensure you and the buyer are protected by the ToS.
• To ensure Fiverr gets its commission.

However, you’ll notice if you type a word like email or s***e into a message box, you get the following warning:

Providing email, s***e, or phone number is only allowed if it is needed as part of the service. Otherwise, all communication must go through Fiverr.

What this means is that you can communicate outside the platform if you need to do so as part of the gig. A good example of this would be a consultation service. However, this comes with some important caveats:

• You should check with CS ahead of time that it would be OK for you to contact the buyer outside the platform.
• You should copy any important information and messages about what has been agreed to the Fiverr messaging system, so CS has access to it, and it is protected by TOS.
• You must always deliver work through the Fiverr platform.
• You must always request payment through the Fiverr platform.

If you can follow those four areas, then you can provide a consultation gig, but it is essential you follow those four points.

The key takeaway is this: Any time you want to do something and you’re not sure of Fiverr’s position, always contact CS and ask them. They will be able to provide clarity on what you are, and are not allowed to do.

Incidentally, I am speaking from personal experience here, I frequently have s***e and phone conversations with Fiverr buyers outside the platform, mainly because they have complex requests that are not easy to communicate in text. I received permission from my Customer Success Manager to do so.

I hope this helps.

I’d buy you a beer if you lived nearby. Thank you for your thoughtful answer.

[fonthaunt]

I’m currently working with a client that presented a consultation opportunity, and of course, I want to help. After some time reading the forums, I opted to contact support prior to requesting information.

This morning, they responded to my ticket, stating that this sort of work isn’t allowed on Fiverr due to the TOS forbidding contact outside of the platform.

I see consultation gigs all over Fiverr and I’m greatly confused here. To whose who provide these services, what has been your experience?

this sort of work isn’t allowed on Fiverr due to the TOS forbidding contact outside of the platform.

I see consultation gigs all over Fiverr and I’m greatly confused here.

Fiverr usually only approves consultations if they feel the issue is something that cannot be handled within the message system. For example, if you were teaching conversational English you would need to have a conversation. One part of @paulmaplesden’s post reflects this with

if you need to do so as part of the gig

If Fiverr says no, they have decided yours is not an exception to the “contact inside Fiverr” rule. Now that they have told you no, you could appeal it, but if you do anything without getting Support to okay it, you are risking the loss of your Fiverr account.

[bigbeardvo]

I’ve decided to play it safe and not travel down this road. These restrictive policies are a serious bummer, but I understand why they’re in place.