Dealing with a very DIFFICULT buyer

[graphicsbysefe]

After I sent the buyer the first draft, they sent me another sellers work and said that they want it to look like that. First of all I think that is already a red flag because she saw from my gig the work that I produce and if she doesn’t like the way I do my intros she didn’t have to order it. My intro is $5 dollars and the one she’s sending me is much more so of course that one may look more advanced than mine.

Anyways, so I explained to her that I’ll try my best to make it look like that and completely changed it but she still wasn’t happy with. I ended up changing it 3 more times for her (for free even though she’d already exceeded her revisions of 2 because I just really wanted her to be satisfied with it.)

In the end when I sent her the last draft she didn’t reply but it showed that she was online so I waited around 4-5 more hours and had no choice but to deliver it as time was running out.

She didn’t accept the delivery and asked for a modification so I changed it again and then delivered it to her which she accepted this time. Today I’ve woken up to a message from her saying that she is really unhappy with the outcome, and all I did was ‘just some cursive writing which is not there in my template’ which is a lie because the gig I sent her looks similar to the ones I upload. She literally ordered the basic package so of course it’s going to look a bit different to some of my work as barely anyone orders the basic pack so I don’t have many examples of it on my page (and at this point she’s even exceeded the amount of revisions that comes with the premiums pack)

Now she’s asking me to redo her whole order which would be pointless as I literally tried my best on her order so I’m not sure how I can make it better than it already is. She’s asking me to produce a $50 order for only $5.

What do I do? I’m a new seller with only 6 reviews and I just know she’s ready to give me a 1 star review with how rude she’s getting

[graphicsbysefe]

(post withdrawn by author, will be automatically deleted in 24 hours unless flagged)

UPDATE: now the buyer is asking me to cancel the order and refund her so she can buy my standard package. I think this is very unfair after all of my hard work and letting her have multiple revisions for free. And I don’t want her to purchase my standard pack anymore as I’m tired of working with her as she seems to problematic. What should I do now?

[miiila]

UPDATE: now the buyer is asking me to cancel the order and refund her so she can buy my standard package. I think this is very unfair after all of my hard work and letting her have multiple revisions for free. And I don’t want her to purchase my standard pack anymore as I’m tired of working with her as she seems to problematic. What should I do now?

UPDATE: now the buyer is asking me to cancel the order and refund her so she can buy my standard package.

First of all, even if you want to do that, the only safe way for you to do this (and the way recommended by Fiverr, you should be able to find it somewhere in the Help articles in case you’d like to quote it to your customer to support your argument), if you want to, is that she first buys your standard package, and you only then cancel the existing order.

Secondly, that makes no sense in any case, as you’ll end up with a cancellation = lowered order completion rate. If she wants to pay more now because she realized that she is asking for more than your basic Gig covered. You can send her a “Gig Extra” as a supplement to the existing Gig to cover the price difference to your standard Gig. (If you do that, make sure to use the option to add days if needed, and graciously, from some forum posts, it seems the order can get “late” retrospectively when sending Gig Extras else), then you’ll achieve the same thing but without a cancellation.

And what if it comes to a cancellation for that 2nd to be created order as well in the end? Then you’re left with 2 cancellation for the same job.

If you don’t want to work with her any more, and also to make sure that she won’t simply order anyway, the only “safe” option would be to block her, but you can’t really do that as long as there still is trouble with the current order, so I think to that end, you can only tell her that you’re sorry but that you don’t seem to be a good fit, and wish her well, and hope that she’s decent enough to leave you alone and not order anyway.

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PS

@wordpress1store, it’s not really a good idea to ask where a buyer or seller is from in forum threads with such context. It is of no concern here, anyway, and sometimes such questions or mentions can be, or become, against the forum terms/guidelines.

[graphicsbysefe]

UPDATE: now the buyer is asking me to cancel the order and refund her so she can buy my standard package.

First of all, even if you want to do that, the only safe way for you to do this (and the way recommended by Fiverr, you should be able to find it somewhere in the Help articles in case you’d like to quote it to your customer to support your argument), if you want to, is that she first buys your standard package, and you only then cancel the existing order.

Secondly, that makes no sense in any case, as you’ll end up with a cancellation = lowered order completion rate. If she wants to pay more now because she realized that she is asking for more than your basic Gig covered. You can send her a “Gig Extra” as a supplement to the existing Gig to cover the price difference to your standard Gig. (If you do that, make sure to use the option to add days if needed, and graciously, from some forum posts, it seems the order can get “late” retrospectively when sending Gig Extras else), then you’ll achieve the same thing but without a cancellation.

And what if it comes to a cancellation for that 2nd to be created order as well in the end? Then you’re left with 2 cancellation for the same job.

If you don’t want to work with her any more, and also to make sure that she won’t simply order anyway, the only “safe” option would be to block her, but you can’t really do that as long as there still is trouble with the current order, so I think to that end, you can only tell her that you’re sorry but that you don’t seem to be a good fit, and wish her well, and hope that she’s decent enough to leave you alone and not order anyway.

---

PS

@wordpress1store, it’s not really a good idea to ask where a buyer or seller is from in forum threads with such context. It is of no concern here, anyway, and sometimes such questions or mentions can be, or become, against the forum terms/guidelines.

you can only tell her that you’re sorry but that you don’t seem to be a good fit

Thank you! This is what I’m going to do as I don’t feel comfortable working with her again in case the same thing happens. Would you recommend that I refund her despite not working with her again? Personally, I think it’s very unfair because what I delivered matches what she signed up for and I gave her multiple revisions and spent countless hours on it that I think even the $5 dollars is not enough for what I’ve went through, but it’ll be good to hear someone else’s point of view.

I’ve also deleted where the buyer is from because I agree it is quite irrelevant. Thanks

[miiila]

you can only tell her that you’re sorry but that you don’t seem to be a good fit

Thank you! This is what I’m going to do as I don’t feel comfortable working with her again in case the same thing happens. Would you recommend that I refund her despite not working with her again? Personally, I think it’s very unfair because what I delivered matches what she signed up for and I gave her multiple revisions and spent countless hours on it that I think even the $5 dollars is not enough for what I’ve went through, but it’ll be good to hear someone else’s point of view.

I’ve also deleted where the buyer is from because I agree it is quite irrelevant. Thanks

You’ll find very different takes/experiences regarding whether a cancellation or a potential bad review is better/worse, business-wise here, it’s a decision you have to make for yourself.

Personally, I’m more in the “don’t cancel if you did the work” camp (and you’ll also see advice that says that lately, cancellations have worse effects, and that a bad review (to which you also can reply in a professional way, for potential buyers to see) can even be good for deterring scammy people as it signals that you’d not do unreasonable things just out of fear of a bad review.

Also, you don’t even know if you’ll get a bad review, I haven’t, in some cases where I thought I might get a revenge review.

However, bad reviews are potentially damaging, the newer the account/the fewer the reviews, the more, obviously, so weigh your options, considering your personal situation.

An important thing to keep in mind for if you decide to not refund and if you end up with an unfair review that really makes you livid: Remember to give yourself some time before you respond to the review, don’t write it online but offline, look at it through the eyes of potential customers who’ll read it, rewrite it until you feel it’s the best professional response you can come up with, and only then post it, as you won’t be able to edit it.

[ozan_erdi]

I had similar experiences. Sometimes my work was not enough, sometimes they are unsatisfied without good reason.

Best to do is to declare that you are not able to deliver a better outcome and cancel the order. Which is what i did in the past.

Remember; 1 star is nailed there for eternity. But you can handle cancellation. And dont get me wrong, of course i do not know your economic situation, but it does not worth to live trough that for 5 bucks. You probbly lost enough hair worths more than 5 dollars because of the stress.

[graphicsbysefe]

You’ll find very different takes/experiences regarding whether a cancellation or a potential bad review is better/worse, business-wise here, it’s a decision you have to make for yourself.

Personally, I’m more in the “don’t cancel if you did the work” camp (and you’ll also see advice that says that lately, cancellations have worse effects, and that a bad review (to which you also can reply in a professional way, for potential buyers to see) can even be good for deterring scammy people as it signals that you’d not do unreasonable things just out of fear of a bad review.

Also, you don’t even know if you’ll get a bad review, I haven’t, in some cases where I thought I might get a revenge review.

However, bad reviews are potentially damaging, the newer the account/the fewer the reviews, the more, obviously, so weigh your options, considering your personal situation.

An important thing to keep in mind for if you decide to not refund and if you end up with an unfair review that really makes you livid: Remember to give yourself some time before you respond to the review, don’t write it online but offline, look at it through the eyes of potential customers who’ll read it, rewrite it until you feel it’s the best professional response you can come up with, and only then post it, as you won’t be able to edit it.

Personally, I’m more in the “don’t cancel if you did the work” camp

Thank you for your advice! I reached out to Fiverr Customer Service so I’m now waiting for a response. If they advice me to cancel and refund then I guess I will do so, but personally I don’t feel like I’m should too since since I did do the work. Thanks for this 🙂

[graphicsbysefe]

I had similar experiences. Sometimes my work was not enough, sometimes they are unsatisfied without good reason.

Best to do is to declare that you are not able to deliver a better outcome and cancel the order. Which is what i did in the past.

Remember; 1 star is nailed there for eternity. But you can handle cancellation. And dont get me wrong, of course i do not know your economic situation, but it does not worth to live trough that for 5 bucks. You probbly lost enough hair worths more than 5 dollars because of the stress.

but it does not worth to live trough that for 5 bucks

Thank you for your advice! And yeah I agree, $5 isn’t much at all especially when fiver takes a percentage of it, but the only reason I did not want to refund the buyer is because what she’s done is totally unfair and it annoys me to know that she can easily get away with it whilst me who out in lots of work has to loose out. But you’re right, I guess it’s not worth the 5 dollars so if fiverr customer service tells me to refund I will do so right away. Thank you 🙂

[ozan_erdi]

but it does not worth to live trough that for 5 bucks

Thank you for your advice! And yeah I agree, $5 isn’t much at all especially when fiver takes a percentage of it, but the only reason I did not want to refund the buyer is because what she’s done is totally unfair and it annoys me to know that she can easily get away with it whilst me who out in lots of work has to loose out. But you’re right, I guess it’s not worth the 5 dollars so if fiverr customer service tells me to refund I will do so right away. Thank you 🙂

You are harming yourself too, with all these time consuming stress toughts. Please think yourself and not the job you have.

Some people with a better heart than me may say “do it, you have got to start from somewhere to change the behaviour of bad people”

But i say; Dont play punisher

[md_nuramin10]

you have to learn how to fix project price

[enunciator]

The buyer seems ultra demanding and doesn’t care that the scope of what is asked is beyond what the original order promises. You don’t want to allow the buyer to hold you over a barrel once again with the “standard package” and especially since you think they’ll give you a bad review while you’re still new on Fiverr.

I’d agree to the cancellation, then IMMEDIATELY block the buyer from purchasing from you ever again, then move away from this entire hassle. It’s not worth eating a bad review for 5 bucks, or breaking your back on a slightly more expensive package.

[graphicsbysefe]

The buyer seems ultra demanding and doesn’t care that the scope of what is asked is beyond what the original order promises. You don’t want to allow the buyer to hold you over a barrel once again with the “standard package” and especially since you think they’ll give you a bad review while you’re still new on Fiverr.

I’d agree to the cancellation, then IMMEDIATELY block the buyer from purchasing from you ever again, then move away from this entire hassle. It’s not worth eating a bad review for 5 bucks, or breaking your back on a slightly more expensive package.

Thank you, this is what I’m going to do. If if cancel the order will she automatically get the refund or will I have to send it myself? Also will she still be able to add a review if I cancel it?

[js_havilah]

Thank you, this is what I’m going to do. If if cancel the order will she automatically get the refund or will I have to send it myself? Also will she still be able to add a review if I cancel it?

If you cancel the order, fiverr will automatically make the refund to her, that way, she will not be able to drop a review.

Good luck!

[imagination7413]

I’m in that ‘cancel’ camp.

If I may be honest, I would have said ‘no’ to the order as soon as they shared another Seller’s work, and told them that ‘if you want art like that seller’s, then it’s best to hire that seller to make the art’.

Has anyone shared this thread with you yet?

I see a lot of advice that encourages the freelance tropes - the idea that we’re all workaholic night owls, perpetually hunched over keyboards, waiting at the beck and call of potential clients. Never log out… Always be agreeable to clients… Give free samples or mock ups… Answer right away… If you needed an experienced professional to give you permission, in plain words, here it is: it’s okay to be a human being. Never give out free work. No samples. No mockups. Period. That’s what your po…

[graphicsbysefe]

If you cancel the order, fiverr will automatically make the refund to her, that way, she will not be able to drop a review.

Good luck!

UPDATE She cancelled the order and I blocked her immediately after however somehow she still managed to place another order. This is stressing me out I’m literally crying as dramatic as it sounds! My order completion rate has already now gone down because of her and now I have to cancel again?? Please help me?

[helloscoopz]

After I sent the buyer the first draft, they sent me another sellers work and said that they want it to look like that. First of all I think that is already a red flag because she saw from my gig the work that I produce and if she doesn’t like the way I do my intros she didn’t have to order it. My intro is $5 dollars and the one she’s sending me is much more so of course that one may look more advanced than mine.

Anyways, so I explained to her that I’ll try my best to make it look like that and completely changed it but she still wasn’t happy with. I ended up changing it 3 more times for her (for free even though she’d already exceeded her revisions of 2 because I just really wanted her to be satisfied with it.)

In the end when I sent her the last draft she didn’t reply but it showed that she was online so I waited around 4-5 more hours and had no choice but to deliver it as time was running out.

She didn’t accept the delivery and asked for a modification so I changed it again and then delivered it to her which she accepted this time. Today I’ve woken up to a message from her saying that she is really unhappy with the outcome, and all I did was ‘just some cursive writing which is not there in my template’ which is a lie because the gig I sent her looks similar to the ones I upload. She literally ordered the basic package so of course it’s going to look a bit different to some of my work as barely anyone orders the basic pack so I don’t have many examples of it on my page (and at this point she’s even exceeded the amount of revisions that comes with the premiums pack)

Now she’s asking me to redo her whole order which would be pointless as I literally tried my best on her order so I’m not sure how I can make it better than it already is. She’s asking me to produce a $50 order for only $5.

What do I do? I’m a new seller with only 6 reviews and I just know she’s ready to give me a 1 star review with how rude she’s getting

I think it’s best if you can cancel the order and block her out so that she’ll no longer be a trouble to you. You will gain your order completion rate. but bad reviews on your profile remain, also as you have very few reviews it will negatively impact your profile so hard. It’s true that you put so much effort into this. but In my personal experience, I lost orders like $180, which I worked for like 2 days or so. 🙂

Treat this as a business of yours. This is how business works. Every day is not gonna be sunshine and rainbows. Just let it go and move ahead with new clients.

She cancelled the order

Oh, I didn’t read this. Just reach out to customer support and ask to cancel the order and explain to them what happened as you explained to us. They might help you with the order completion rate.

[markauther]

UPDATE: now the buyer is asking me to cancel the order and refund her so she can buy my standard package. I think this is very unfair after all of my hard work and letting her have multiple revisions for free. And I don’t want her to purchase my standard pack anymore as I’m tired of working with her as she seems to problematic. What should I do now?

you may upgrade the running order to standard package by sending her the custom offer of amount of difference, secondly if she does not agree with it you may request customer service team and explain the scenario, even if they cancel the order it wont effect you!

[enunciator]

UPDATE She cancelled the order and I blocked her immediately after however somehow she still managed to place another order. This is stressing me out I’m literally crying as dramatic as it sounds! My order completion rate has already now gone down because of her and now I have to cancel again?? Please help me?

Oof, I don’t think you actually blocked them but might have accidentally listed them just as spam.

You can block a buyer who has previously ordered from you by going on their profile page and clicking “Block” below their profile image and name, but a bit late for that now.