How to deal with and abusive customer

[nicospinaci]

Hi everybody! Im Nicolas from Argentina. First post here. I have spent an year selling my services as a Session Musician in Fiverr and I´m actually a Level 2 seller. Ive been dealing with some customers who found the way to obtain different tracks only asking for revisions. For example: Once a guy hired me to play an strumming acoustic guitar. I recorded the track and delivered in the order page. Once he received the final track, He asked for a revision, and told that he didn´t realise that he needed the guitar making arpeggios, not the once I sent. So, he already had an strumming guitar and, by asking for a revision, he was gonna have a different version for the same price. I worked twice, but I got paid for one.
The first idea I had, was to upload the prices and take them higher, and that was gonna be a way to feel that they were not cheating me, but it didnt result.
A few months ago, I decided to work sending demos with clicks over (A kind of water shape) till the costumer says its ready in the orders chat. Once it`s ok for them, I deliver the final track in the order page.The truth is that it worked really good and I was starting to have fun again working here.
My last order, same situation, started to send demos, till the 4th was ok for the client.

“Thanks Nico, This will work fine, thanks my friend! Sounds great!!”

Well… I decided to send the 4th demo, without the click in the order page.
Once he received it, he told me that he realised that he preferred the 3rd demo. I really tried to keep calm but It was impossible. I finally told him that I was not gonna deliver anything else, that it was unfair and abuside.

“Then call it done. I’m not trying to abusive or unfair, Nico. I don’t time to argue… I can use the middle only. But let’s call it done, OK. Thanks for the work.”

So, he told me it sounded great and that will work good, but then “I can use the middle only”.
Obviosly he marked the order as complete and left a 4,7 start review (Thought it was gonna be worse), but I decided to contact the resolution center, cause I really felt unprotected by fiverr.
Cause, a 4,7 start review is not a problem, the problem is the private mail he receives after the order, asking about me, and then Ill obviosly dissappear from the first pages for a time (Or ever). In the resolution center, the first answer was that the client was able to ask for unlimited revisions (Obviously, the one who answered, never read my story). So, how can we protect from these kind of cheaters, who not only make you lost time and money? I already know that the resolution center wont be the answer, but anyone has tips or experiences to improve here and avoid this problems?

[humanissocial]

You can’t download Delivery files as a seller unless you’ve paid for it, so I don’t see how he could be scamming you (“different version for same price”), unless you think he’s recording the audio via his computer (which would be suboptimal quality) instead of downloading the file via the order. It looks more like the issue is unreasonable revisions than scamming. And that is certainly a lot of unreasonable revisions.

It’s important to remember that unreasonable revisions doesn’t always mean a scam. A lot of buyers are just really inconsiderate, entitled and indecisive and that’s why they go so far out of scope.

In any case, there are things you can do to make your work unsuitable for scammers, leaving only the purchased file ideal.

As for protection against unreasonable revision requests, blackmail, etc., the best thing you can do is to make yourself look as professional as possible and have a very clear scope of work in your descriptions. I took a look at your Seller Profile and you are charging far too low. Low rates like this encourage shady buyers and discourage professional buyers.

Also, your scope of work is very vague and leaves much up for interpretation, including your suitability for certain projects, industries, styles, etc. A clearer scope and explanation of who is a good fit for you would probably help, plus more appropriate rates. Bad sellers prey on people with rates that are inappropriately low in relationship to the delivered work.

[nicospinaci]

Hi! Thanks for your help! What do you mean with “You are charging too far”? I don`t know wich low rates are you talking about.

[humanissocial]

Hi! Thanks for your help! What do you mean with “You are charging too far”? I don`t know wich low rates are you talking about.

You’re welcome! It’s “You are charging far too low.” In other words, your packages are way too cheap.

[nicospinaci]

You’re welcome! It’s “You are charging far too low.” In other words, your packages are way too cheap.

Oh, I understand now. Yes, thats why I uploaded the prices a time ago, and it works as a kind of filter to avoid that kind of abusive clients, but theres a limit I suppose, and I dont wanna get to the other extreme of not receiving orders cause of a high price. Its a very thin line!

[mariashtelle1]

Hi everybody! Im Nicolas from Argentina. First post here. I have spent an year selling my services as a Session Musician in Fiverr and I´m actually a Level 2 seller. Ive been dealing with some customers who found the way to obtain different tracks only asking for revisions. For example: Once a guy hired me to play an strumming acoustic guitar. I recorded the track and delivered in the order page. Once he received the final track, He asked for a revision, and told that he didn´t realise that he needed the guitar making arpeggios, not the once I sent. So, he already had an strumming guitar and, by asking for a revision, he was gonna have a different version for the same price. I worked twice, but I got paid for one.

The first idea I had, was to upload the prices and take them higher, and that was gonna be a way to feel that they were not cheating me, but it didnt result.

A few months ago, I decided to work sending demos with clicks over (A kind of water shape) till the costumer says its ready in the orders chat. Once it`s ok for them, I deliver the final track in the order page.The truth is that it worked really good and I was starting to have fun again working here.

My last order, same situation, started to send demos, till the 4th was ok for the client.

“Thanks Nico, This will work fine, thanks my friend! Sounds great!!”

Well… I decided to send the 4th demo, without the click in the order page.

Once he received it, he told me that he realised that he preferred the 3rd demo. I really tried to keep calm but It was impossible. I finally told him that I was not gonna deliver anything else, that it was unfair and abuside.

“Then call it done. I’m not trying to abusive or unfair, Nico. I don’t time to argue… I can use the middle only. But let’s call it done, OK. Thanks for the work.”

So, he told me it sounded great and that will work good, but then “I can use the middle only”.

Obviosly he marked the order as complete and left a 4,7 start review (Thought it was gonna be worse), but I decided to contact the resolution center, cause I really felt unprotected by fiverr.

Cause, a 4,7 start review is not a problem, the problem is the private mail he receives after the order, asking about me, and then Ill obviosly dissappear from the first pages for a time (Or ever). In the resolution center, the first answer was that the client was able to ask for unlimited revisions (Obviously, the one who answered, never read my story). So, how can we protect from these kind of cheaters, who not only make you lost time and money? I already know that the resolution center wont be the answer, but anyone has tips or experiences to improve here and avoid this problems?

So, he already had an strumming guitar and, by asking for a revision, he was gonna have a different version for the same price.

Fiverr does let them request a revision but it’s always up to you to push back. Some clients doesn’t realise changes that will have to done are going to take huge amount of time.

But you can always reply something like “unfortunately your request doesn’t fall into a revision but it will be a new order as this wasn’t the part of the original requirements but I’m happy to work on minor changes for this track such as bla bla bla. However if you still want a version with a strumming guitar i can send you a custom discounted offer for x$ (and here attach a screenshot from their requirements that they agreed that all info is correct and all changes needs your approval or extra charge)

[humanissocial]

Oh, I understand now. Yes, thats why I uploaded the prices a time ago, and it works as a kind of filter to avoid that kind of abusive clients, but theres a limit I suppose, and I dont wanna get to the other extreme of not receiving orders cause of a high price. Its a very thin line!

I’d argue that you’re on the opposite extreme. I’m not saying you have to charge a high price, for the reasons you describe. But that doesn’t mean you have to charge an extremely low price. Charging just slightly about the minimum rate isn’t going to deter any sketchy sellers because it’s still not appropriate for the skill and value you provide, on top of the time and energy spent.

With creative work, when you undercharge, you’re lowering the amount of money you make in an hour. You don’t have to stoop to that to get work. If you are skilled and you have targeted your work well and there is a demand for it and not massive competition, you will probably still get sales.

Anyway, it’s better to get fewer sales that pay properly than a lot of sales that don’t. Aim for better buyers. You’ll have a higher income and a better quality of life.