Tips from a 500+ Buyer

[timmbbo]

I’ve probably purchased from you! For me, Fiverr has become a great assisting resource to help market my small business and website, and have a bit more fun in life. I’ve never been on your end of the transaction, so I’m not experienced with your daily challenges, but from my cumulative experience, my advice on how to operate better:

1. Adding details after the purchase. It burns me when I fully read a gig description, purchase, and then the seller places additional parameters on the gig. For instance, a gig describes running a banner ad on his website for a week. Then, after I order, the gig details specifies the banner must be in skyscraper format. Or, another gig will perform a 30 second video testimonial, which I order. Then, the gig details specifies no more than 50 words. Well, my talking rate is 120 words per minute, so 30 seconds works out to 60 words for me, not 50 words.
   
   
2. Not responding to negative feedback properly. I see sellers go one of two ways, either ignoring it, or thrashing back with insults and accusations. Instead, just the high road and just let me know that you care, i.e., “Despite reasonable efforts, I was unable to satisfy the buyer.” I can read through the context and realize this translates into, “The buyer is a butthead who made a bunch of unreasonable demands after purchase, and wanted the work of four gigs for the price of one. I wasn’t going to let him extort me on threat of negative feedback, so here we are…”
   
   
   
3. Delaying without warning. I get it that life is busy and shit happens. What I don’t like is when a gig is close to expiration, or just after. Then, the seller gives me a sob story and requests the extension. If you’re going to be late, let me know as soon as possible. Also, as a bonus, offer to give me a little something extra for agreeing to the delay. Once, I purchased a gig for a black-and-white sketch, but since I agreed to the seller’s delay, the seller provided the sketch in color instead.
   
   
   
4. Lame samples. I get it that your gig is new and you haven’t built up an inventory of work samples, but if you need to, create a portfolio of samples of your time to bring life and persuasion to your gig.
   
   
   
5. Soliciting me after a gig is complete. If you’ve created a new & related gig, then I don’t mind one email, “Hey, I created this neat gig you may find useful - go check it out.” I do mind getting more than one email, or emails toting unrelated gigs.
   
   
   
6. Creating a bunch of gigs with minor variations. It seems like you’re only doing this to dominate the search results, which just hacks me off to sort through. Make sure each gig offers distinctive value.
   
   
   
7. Bad mouthing Fiverr to me. I get it that Fiverr takes an unpleasant cut of each purchase and their policies are really not seller friendly. However, I really don’t care - that’s your own relationship with Fiverr that you voluntarily engage in. Also, for sellers, I do think it will get better. As an example, when Ebay first started, they also had rough policies for buyers. But, as Ebay matured and was able to refine its policies, and the sellers grouped together to find their common voice, life gradually got better for sellers on Ebay. I’m sure Fiverr will also go through a similar evolution. I sympathize, but keep your complaints away from me.
   
   
   
8. Watch your keyword terms. For instance, I needed to get an object that came in 6, 7, and 8 sides. Well, I saw the common word usage in this domain was “6 sided”, “7 sided”, but at eight, it became “octagon” Apparently, folks are smart enough to use “octagon” in their vocabulary, but not hexagon or heptagon. Make sure the terms in your gig match to the terms people search upon, instead of how you describe it.
   
   
   
9. Accommodate English dialects in gig descriptions. Since this is a great world-wide audience, I’ve seen the nationalism in the item descriptions, from the Yanks, Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, and elsewhere. This is the subject of comedian performances, of hood vs. bonnet, eraser vs. rubber, french fries vs. chips, and so on. We may speak the same language, but we certainly don’t speak it alike!
   
   
   
10. Promising too much. I sympathize that you’re competing in an active marketplace, but jeez, I know there’s no way your going to make my vintage 2003 website mobile ready, do a couple of hours of image editing, or get my website to rank #1 on Google on a competitive term.
    

[Guest mcromano]

Very good and informative post, thanks for taking the time to write this out! 🙂



May I ask in what areas you bought the most?

[voiceoverwork]

timmbbo said: 6) Creating a bunch of gigs with minor variations. It seems like you're only doing this to dominate the search results, which just hacks me off to sort through. Make sure each gig offers distinctive value.

Thanks for that one. :) Newbs just don't believe it.

[frank_d]

great post!

[kasmersensei]

It annoys me that some fiverrs sell gigs at a 2 gig price. Should the new name be ‘tennerr’?

[kasmersensei]

example - Facebook coupons

[Guest smartwebcontent]

Thanks for the post Timmbbo.



I definitely suggest all sellers reading this as it’s directly from the horse’s mouth (you’re no horse Timmbbo).



Warm regards,

Jaymes



PS. If you need a press release Timmbbo, I’ll be happy to help 🙂

[Guest nicred]

Great post, informative and extremely helpful. Thank you!

[timmbbo]

Reply to @mcromano: Oh, I own a small business, so I purchase gigs for online marketing, video testimonials, and graphics. Every now and then, I’ll get a fun gig, such as holding a sign with my name somewhere around the world.