Client wants to send me a shirt?

[saragatland]

TL;DR: My client wants to send me a branded shirt, am I allowed to send them my address?

I have a singing gig on Fiverr, and a client is looking for someone to send them regular singing videos for their FB page so I did a test gig for them. Woke up this morning and I had a message from them saying that they were hoping there would be a video as well as audio even though I’d checked with them beforehand and they confirmed they only wanted a vocal track. I said I’d need to charge more for video since it is additional work, which they said was fine.

Then they said that they wanted to send me a branded t shirt (edit: so I could wear it in the video), but it looks to me like you’re not allowed to give out personal information like email addresses to clients so I’m guessing that covers actual addresses as well. I told them this, and they messaged back saying “It is not against fiver company policy. Everyone is doing this and more than thousands advertisement that they will be wearing customers branded T shirt” which I don’t know why but it rubbed me the wrong way. It’s gone from what I thought was a simple singing gig to a video as well to making me feel like I’m being pressured into sending my address. Maybe I was wrong and I am allowed to send over my address? Am I overreacting!?

I just wanted to ask some advice because I’m not sure what to do at this point, I feel embarrassed to reply!

[knight_design]

I’m not sure if its againsts the rules or not since its job related, but rather than sending them your real adress, you can share a nearby post offices adress and get the cargo from there.

[uk1000]

I agree a PO Box number would be safer. But it would need to be set up in the gig requirements before the order.

But the OP could instead offer to just add (overlay) their logo onto the video. That would be a lot easier and safer. So it might be best to do that instead or just refuse.

[saragatland]

Ok, so I reread the thing. I skimmed over it the first time. I will try and be a bit more thorough.

It is not against fiver company policy.

This is incorrect. You are not allowed to give out personal information as a buyer or seller, with the sole exception for something like a business card where the client’s details are necessary to complete the Gig.

However, what I read between the lines is this: The client wants you to record a singing video with their brand t-shirt.

What you could do is talk to Customer Service and get written confirmation that you are allowed to exchange details for this Gig. But I’d also advise you, same as the guy before me has said, to not give out your personal address, but to use a nearby postal office.

And lastly, make sure to do your research. It’s easy to fake this kind of thing. And you can always decline while referring to Fiverr’s policies and say that this isn’t how it’s done on Fiverr and you decline.

Yes, sorry I didn’t articulate that clearly! They wanted me to be wearing the shirt in the video. Nothing wrong with that in theory, it’s just that the whole conversation has me feeling a bit off.

I’ve found the part in the TOS that confirms this (I couldn’t find it before because I was looking in the privacy policy not the TOS) and am going to quote that to them. Thanks for your help and advice! 🙂

[saragatland]

I agree a PO Box number would be safer. But it would need to be set up in the gig requirements before the order.

But the OP could instead offer to just add (overlay) their logo onto the video. That would be a lot easier and safer. So it might be best to do that instead or just refuse.

Thank you, I’m going to suggest this to them!

[lenasemenkova]

Not to knock $5 gigs, but $5 gigs should be a smooth experience. Spending your time on trying to find out if it’s acceptable is already doing too much for the budget.

Your gig description also doesn’t mention wearing a client’s merchandise at any point so that’s good. I’d just tell them that it wasn’t possible and as for other sellers doing it, other sellers also draw NSFW art and claim to be practicing therapists with zero proof, among other things. It’s not our job to figure out why and how they manage to pull that off.

[saragatland]

Not to knock $5 gigs, but $5 gigs should be a smooth experience. Spending your time on trying to find out if it’s acceptable is already doing too much for the budget.

Your gig description also doesn’t mention wearing a client’s merchandise at any point so that’s good. I’d just tell them that it wasn’t possible and as for other sellers doing it, other sellers also draw NSFW art and claim to be practicing therapists with zero proof, among other things. It’s not our job to figure out why and how they manage to pull that off.

Totally agree, by the time it gets to me it’s only about £3 and when I remember that it always puts things in perspective! I don’t mind doing work for $5 on Fiverr but it’s gotta be smooth running as you say.

I’ve sent them a message, just waiting for them to respond but they haven’t always been the quickest at getting back to me (I delivered the original singing gig two nights ago and they just replied this morning).

[kometbeats]

You could charge extra and an extended delivery date to buy a t-shirt and print the logo on yourself, maybe?

[uk1000]

Another thing that might be possible (if a normal overlay of the logo onto the video (eg. in the corner of the screen) isn’t what is wanted) is to track the buyer’s logo onto an existing t-shirt (using Mocha or something for the tracking) if you have software for it and if the money is worth the time needed. So there would be no need for the buyer to send a t-shirt.