First Interested Buyer - Help To Respond!

[kylieobr]

A week after posting my first gig, I finally made my first buyer offer yesterday, and low and behold, I’ve got a response. Of course, it has to be a difficult one and I’m not sure whether to take on the job or how to reply.

Basically, they’re saying they have paperwork they wish to send me via email because they’ve had issues with receiving files sent by other users and have said it’s glitchy when sending attachments. They said can have conversations on Fiverr, but don’t want to risk the chance of mislaid files since they’re on a deadline. They want it done by Sunday and are trying to convince me it’s okay to use email as long as it helps the project.

Now, I’ve done a bit of reading and understand that all communication should be made on Fiverr where possible and that sharing of emails can get you banned. There’s also an option of asking Customer Service for permission? Which sounds like a bit of a backwards way to go about it, and since permission is rarely granted, hardly worth the effort or risk. However, from what I understand it’s okay to send files via Google Drive links and other file sharing services on here? Do I skip straight to suggesting that seeing as they don’t seem to what to use the file upload here? And how do you go about checking these links before you click on them? Or do you refuse jobs that ask to send their files by other means? I want to create a video gig as well, and understand there are problems with sending the larger files across.

Can I offer them to try sending their files across in a message and see if I receive them all before they accept the gig or something? A kind of way to assure them that if I don’t receive all the files, they don’t have to accept the gig and can take their money elsewhere? Of course, this could all be on speculation, they might insist on the email and then I can say bye-bye. But naturally as my first request I want to get it right 😃 They also haven’t been 100% clear about what they want, despite my questions in the offer. How do you get them to relay concisely what you need? Because I thought I’d been quite clear in my questions which they’ve pretty much ignored. Might be another indicator of someone trying to scam? :thinking:

Advice appreciated, thanks! 🙂 From a newbie.

[vickiespencer]

A week after posting my first gig, I finally made my first buyer offer yesterday, and low and behold, I’ve got a response. Of course, it has to be a difficult one and I’m not sure whether to take on the job or how to reply.

Basically, they’re saying they have paperwork they wish to send me via email because they’ve had issues with receiving files sent by other users and have said it’s glitchy when sending attachments. They said can have conversations on Fiverr, but don’t want to risk the chance of mislaid files since they’re on a deadline. They want it done by Sunday and are trying to convince me it’s okay to use email as long as it helps the project.

Now, I’ve done a bit of reading and understand that all communication should be made on Fiverr where possible and that sharing of emails can get you banned. There’s also an option of asking Customer Service for permission? Which sounds like a bit of a backwards way to go about it, and since permission is rarely granted, hardly worth the effort or risk. However, from what I understand it’s okay to send files via Google Drive links and other file sharing services on here? Do I skip straight to suggesting that seeing as they don’t seem to what to use the file upload here? And how do you go about checking these links before you click on them? Or do you refuse jobs that ask to send their files by other means? I want to create a video gig as well, and understand there are problems with sending the larger files across.

Can I offer them to try sending their files across in a message and see if I receive them all before they accept the gig or something? A kind of way to assure them that if I don’t receive all the files, they don’t have to accept the gig and can take their money elsewhere? Of course, this could all be on speculation, they might insist on the email and then I can say bye-bye. But naturally as my first request I want to get it right 😃 They also haven’t been 100% clear about what they want, despite my questions in the offer. How do you get them to relay concisely what you need? Because I thought I’d been quite clear in my questions which they’ve pretty much ignored. Might be another indicator of someone trying to scam? :thinking:

Advice appreciated, thanks! 🙂 From a newbie.

Now, I’ve done a bit of reading and understand that all communication should be made on Fiverr where possible and that sharing of emails can get you banned.

Very true!

problems with sending the larger files

I have read that using DropBox is often a solution.

Might be another indicator of someone trying to scam? :thinking:

That was my first thought!

[looseink]

A week after posting my first gig, I finally made my first buyer offer yesterday, and low and behold, I’ve got a response. Of course, it has to be a difficult one and I’m not sure whether to take on the job or how to reply.

Basically, they’re saying they have paperwork they wish to send me via email because they’ve had issues with receiving files sent by other users and have said it’s glitchy when sending attachments. They said can have conversations on Fiverr, but don’t want to risk the chance of mislaid files since they’re on a deadline. They want it done by Sunday and are trying to convince me it’s okay to use email as long as it helps the project.

Now, I’ve done a bit of reading and understand that all communication should be made on Fiverr where possible and that sharing of emails can get you banned. There’s also an option of asking Customer Service for permission? Which sounds like a bit of a backwards way to go about it, and since permission is rarely granted, hardly worth the effort or risk. However, from what I understand it’s okay to send files via Google Drive links and other file sharing services on here? Do I skip straight to suggesting that seeing as they don’t seem to what to use the file upload here? And how do you go about checking these links before you click on them? Or do you refuse jobs that ask to send their files by other means? I want to create a video gig as well, and understand there are problems with sending the larger files across.

Can I offer them to try sending their files across in a message and see if I receive them all before they accept the gig or something? A kind of way to assure them that if I don’t receive all the files, they don’t have to accept the gig and can take their money elsewhere? Of course, this could all be on speculation, they might insist on the email and then I can say bye-bye. But naturally as my first request I want to get it right 😃 They also haven’t been 100% clear about what they want, despite my questions in the offer. How do you get them to relay concisely what you need? Because I thought I’d been quite clear in my questions which they’ve pretty much ignored. Might be another indicator of someone trying to scam? :thinking:

Advice appreciated, thanks! 🙂 From a newbie.

They also haven’t been 100% clear about what they want, despite my questions in the offer.

That’s my first Red Flag.

Wanting to send everything via e-mail is my second Red Flag.

My third Red Flag is that they have come to you, a new Fiverr member rather than someone who has been here a while.

I don’t mean that in any way other than scammers tend to seek out new, inexperienced Sellers.

I think if I were in your shoes, I’d pass.

[kylieobr]

They also haven’t been 100% clear about what they want, despite my questions in the offer.

That’s my first Red Flag.

Wanting to send everything via e-mail is my second Red Flag.

My third Red Flag is that they have come to you, a new Fiverr member rather than someone who has been here a while.

I don’t mean that in any way other than scammers tend to seek out new, inexperienced Sellers.

I think if I were in your shoes, I’d pass.

Yes, I also wondered if I’d even get a response seeing as I’m a newbie, but I like to think I impressed (don’t we all?) 😆 It is in a less common category and it’s showing that they’ve only had 5 offers including mine, so not as much competition there. Maybe my first step is to send them off another message asking them again about their requirements, and if they can’t respond to my questions, I have my answer.

[looseink]

Yes, I also wondered if I’d even get a response seeing as I’m a newbie, but I like to think I impressed (don’t we all?) 😆 It is in a less common category and it’s showing that they’ve only had 5 offers including mine, so not as much competition there. Maybe my first step is to send them off another message asking them again about their requirements, and if they can’t respond to my questions, I have my answer.

Wise decision.

I also didn’t mention this, but I think as a female Seller, you will see more um, unusual activity in the form of offers and such. That is one more reason why I would strongly urge you to avoid anything that requires email contact.

You just never know what lurks out there.

[kylieobr]

Wise decision.

I also didn’t mention this, but I think as a female Seller, you will see more um, unusual activity in the form of offers and such. That is one more reason why I would strongly urge you to avoid anything that requires email contact.

You just never know what lurks out there.

:woman_facepalming: Yes, I’ll try to keep that in mind! Thankfully I’ve always been cautious of the internet dangers which have been ingrained in me since I started on message boards in my early youth!

[billzauggvo]

Unfortunate as it is, you must keep your “radar” on at all times and yours seems to be right on target about a scam.

I, too, am a new seller and have received several seemingly unscrupulous replies or requests similar to the one you received. All of mine were received after I submitted a custom offer in response to a Buyer Request. One asked me to call them/email them outside of Fiverr. Another simply sent me a random link and said, “click here”. On a third, my offer went to buyer “A”, but I received a near-immediate response from buyer “B” with a link to a google docs file, and no details other than a request asking me to click the link quickly.

If a buyer was truly interested in doing business - and planning to pay for it - s/he would want to provide you with the details up front and certainly in response to your questions, to make sure their request is done correctly. And they would probably do so according good business practices (like adhering to TOS, for one).

You kind of know when something is off and luckily for me, Fiverr flagged all of the responses I received as potential spam which further solidified my initial reaction. I went further, by researching the respondents Fiverr profile page and found all were brand new to Fiverr, with no history or reviews. That is not necessarily a problem by itself (I’m new too, and don’t have reviews… yet?), but given the other circumstances, I elected to be safe and stay away. Perhaps this method will cost me a few legitimate orders but that’s OK if it means I can rest assured.

Getting your first reply is exciting and when you get the first REAL reply and you land the gig, you’ll savor it all the more. Hang in there, keep that radar on, and I wish you the best of luck.

[benedictrm]

Smells fishy to me too

A) Dropbox and/or a Zip File solves any of these supposed/imaginary file issues.
B) Email is never the answer
C) if they can’t explain what they want, how will they ever know if you got it right

Ask for more info but make it clear that you respect yourself and your craft. if they give strange answers or ghost, you got your answer.

🙂

[kylieobr]

I gave them the benefit of the doubt and replied, saying it goes against TOS and that they could try attaching and if still issues try a file share service, even suggested the information could be copied and pasted into the message, expecting them to come back and insist on the email. :thinking: But they didn’t, and said that was fine. They also went on to say their request had changed (another flag!) and they were now only after 1 of the 2 things they were asking for. They asked if they could go ahead and send the details via copy/paste. So I said yes, and then I could throw them together a quick sample before they ordered. Well, that was 12 hours ago, and I’ve seen them online twice since my reply, and they don’t seem in a hurry to send me this info for their request with a deadline (yet another flag). :woman_shrugging: Now I’m expecting them to say they’ve got a problem with copy/paste. 😆 Thanks for the advice billzauggvo, I checked out they’re profile and you’re right, they joined January. Just waiting to see what their next reply will be!

[vickiespencer]

I gave them the benefit of the doubt and replied, saying it goes against TOS and that they could try attaching and if still issues try a file share service, even suggested the information could be copied and pasted into the message, expecting them to come back and insist on the email. :thinking: But they didn’t, and said that was fine. They also went on to say their request had changed (another flag!) and they were now only after 1 of the 2 things they were asking for. They asked if they could go ahead and send the details via copy/paste. So I said yes, and then I could throw them together a quick sample before they ordered. Well, that was 12 hours ago, and I’ve seen them online twice since my reply, and they don’t seem in a hurry to send me this info for their request with a deadline (yet another flag). :woman_shrugging: Now I’m expecting them to say they’ve got a problem with copy/paste. 😆 Thanks for the advice billzauggvo, I checked out they’re profile and you’re right, they joined January. Just waiting to see what their next reply will be!

I’ve seen them online twice since my reply,

They are on to the next newbie to try to scam.

[imagination7413]

I’d be tempted to just report and block at this point, but if you want to give them 24 hours… :woman_shrugging:

[benedictrm]

I do hope you won’t be giving them the free work they requested (in a vailed stand over manner - as in give is the work as a test or we won’t hire you).

Grrrrr

🙂

[thatwordchick]

I gave them the benefit of the doubt and replied, saying it goes against TOS and that they could try attaching and if still issues try a file share service, even suggested the information could be copied and pasted into the message, expecting them to come back and insist on the email. :thinking: But they didn’t, and said that was fine. They also went on to say their request had changed (another flag!) and they were now only after 1 of the 2 things they were asking for. They asked if they could go ahead and send the details via copy/paste. So I said yes, and then I could throw them together a quick sample before they ordered. Well, that was 12 hours ago, and I’ve seen them online twice since my reply, and they don’t seem in a hurry to send me this info for their request with a deadline (yet another flag). :woman_shrugging: Now I’m expecting them to say they’ve got a problem with copy/paste. 😆 Thanks for the advice billzauggvo, I checked out they’re profile and you’re right, they joined January. Just waiting to see what their next reply will be!

and then I could throw them together a quick sample before they ordered

Nope.

Nope nope nope.

Do not offer samples, and do not respond to requests for samples. Use whatever effort you’d spend on that on bolstering your portfolio. You’re already off to an excellent start, I see that you’re actually using your three images on useful examples (you’d be shocked how few do this) and you’ve written your own gig text.

Also, if you’d like to attract more American/US clients for your funeral brochure gig, we typically call them “Funeral Programs” - brochures have a business connotation, as do flyers, which are usually used for things like sales in stores or music festivals, rather than a solemn occasion like a funeral.

[kylieobr]

and then I could throw them together a quick sample before they ordered

Nope.

Nope nope nope.

Do not offer samples, and do not respond to requests for samples. Use whatever effort you’d spend on that on bolstering your portfolio. You’re already off to an excellent start, I see that you’re actually using your three images on useful examples (you’d be shocked how few do this) and you’ve written your own gig text.

Also, if you’d like to attract more American/US clients for your funeral brochure gig, we typically call them “Funeral Programs” - brochures have a business connotation, as do flyers, which are usually used for things like sales in stores or music festivals, rather than a solemn occasion like a funeral.

Thanks for checking out my gigs! 🙂 For one of them I did have a fourth image, but I guess I haven’t unlocked the extra slots yet which I assume comes much later. I’ll go and update the terminology!

They still haven’t replied in over 24 hours so at this point I’m going to call it quits. I was going to wait until morning to see if anything comes in overnight just for curiosities sake, but the gist of it here seems its not worth the hassle. I definitely wasn’t going to provide them anything substantial before an order, just a sample that would take five minutes to complete. Ahh well. Here’s hoping my next offer goes better!