Large Order??

[fiveroptic1]

Hi, this is my 1st post after joining - so hello all.  

I have a question that's maybe for the more experienced among you, regarding a potentially large order. Whilst I'm not a particularly suspicious type, I am new to Fiverr; so it does pay to be diligent - hence this post.

So briefly, I created a new gig a few days ago and have already had an enquiry. That's great of course, however, after a quick and very conservative calculation, I reckon it will be in the region of 2.5 - 3k!  Whilst I'm not complaining (it's a job that will take time, but well within my skillset), I am a little surprised that I've been chosen for such a fruity project; given that I'm a complete newbie, with no reviews and no provenance whatsoever. Above all, I'm concerned that once I've done all the work for this customer (who I obviously have never heard of), that I don't, to put it politely, get shafted.  In the 'real' world of course, I wouldn't touch a job like this this without a sizeable (& non refundable) deposit safely in my bank account before I even begin!  

My understanding is that buyers can claim a refund weeks or even months after delivery, so I wondered how experienced Fiverr 'giggers' would handle this? e.g. break the gig down into 'chunks' on a 'pay as you go' type basis, separate in into different gigs etc or something else etc etc. Or are there any resources that Fiverr make available to deal with similar situations such as this, where buyers and sellers can be protected when dealing with high value orders? 

Many thanks for taking the time to read this. Any advice and/or feedback will be gratefully received. 
thanks.
Paul  

       
 

[theratypist]

Hi Paul! Welcome to the forum. That is indeed a sizeable amount. However, transactions in those amounts do happen more often than you think here on Fiverr! But I would agree with you that we need to do some due diligence before moving forward. The only buyers I've worked with in those amounts are VID buyers (they will have that label - these are top buyers who have spent large amounts on projects and is recognized as some sort of VIP by Fiverr - they have priority CS, special discounts given to them, etc). You would see that label "VID" beside their name in the inbox. I also am fine doing that with my return buyers (buyers I've worked with before). I would normally go with a smaller order if its someone I'm unsure about. Here are some approaches I would go for:

1. Check the buyer's profile - What are the contents you see there? When was the account made? Any reviews from previous sellers they've worked with? (Note: Some buyers could have no picture, no reviews and be accounts made Aug/Sept 2021 and they would still turn out as good buyers.)

2. Consider doing a smaller order and see how the working relationship turns out.

3. Consider using milestones. You get after X amount of work. See more: https://www.fiverr.com/support/articles/360010560178-Working-with-Milestones

And yes, the buyer can do a chargeback with their payment provider and may end up keeping your work. Fiverr has seller protection policies but there are mixed reviews about it. So I can't say much! I am fortunate enough to not have experienced this problem but you can read more about it here: https://www.fiverr.com/support/articles/360010978618-Chargebacks-and-seller-protection

If ever the buyer keeps your work or posts it on their site, I'm not quite familiar with the process but you can do some sort of DMCA takedown. I see your gigs are on voiceovers, surely @newsmike @smashradio can share better insights and tips. 

Lastly, how do you feel about the whole conversation? Sounds sketchy? Or anything like that... Ultimately, trust your gut instinct. 

[newsmike]

30 minutes ago, theratypist said:

I see your gigs are on voiceovers, surely @newsmike @smashradio can share better insights and tips. 

Although chargebacks are very rare, they can happen. Do look at the reviews of the buyer. You can PM me their profile link if you want a second opinion. Just be sure to do the work as described in the gig. Maybe offer a test gig which protects both of you by seeing if you are right for each other. If a chargeback occurs, Fiverr will often make you whole, but I can't guarantee in every case.  There is no absolute here.  

[smashradio]

I would carefully consider the buyer before moving on, but I wouldn't write this off just yet. I would consider using milestones for this order, for sure. I would also be happy to check out their profile if you PM me their link (or @newsmike could send it to me if he receives it?). That way, you can work on portions of the order and make sure the buyer is honest and cooperative along the way. If you for any reason feel that this is going the wrong way, you can simply stop work on the project at some point, instead of doing everything, only to get a chargeback or difficult buyer on your hands after doing all the work. 

Whenever I get a hunch that something isn't right, I will often try to vet the buyer carefully. Usually, there's information in the script that indicates which company you're working for or where the voice over will be used. You can use that type of info to research who they are. 

Another thing you should look out for is terrible language/random words/long lists of words and any requirement for you to read slooooowly. Those are often scams and can even be used to generate AI voices. I get requests like that sometimes, and for some reason, they stop responding if I mention that AI voice usage = 5 x my usual rate + 50% of all revenue made from my voice in perpetuity (It's ridiculous for a reason, since I don't want them actually to go through with such an order).

[fiveroptic1]

Hi, @theratypist@newsmike @smashradio,  thanks to you all for taking the time to respond with your comprehensive replies. Much appreciated.

I've taken your advice and done a bit more digging into this buyer's profile and history. It appears he/she/they have been on the platform for over a year with a number of orders, but only small scale stuff - $10 gigs etc. Feedback seems to be positive, so all good there, but my gut feeling still tells me to ask myself; if I was a buyer, would I entrust such a large project worth a couple of grand to a complete newbie? Would anyone? Probably not to be honest.

Also, as @smashradio advised, the script is yes, absolute drivel; poor English, terrible syntax etc, so maybe a red flag there too.

Going forward, I like the suggestion of staged payments in the form of milestones by the way, which I didn't know about, so thankyou. I'll look into that. 

I think I'll sleep on it and make a decision tomorrow!

Once again, thanks for your input. 
Regards
Paul 
 

[smashradio]

51 minutes ago, fiveroptic1 said:

Hi, @theratypist@newsmike @smashradio,  thanks to you all for taking the time to respond with your comprehensive replies. Much appreciated.

I've taken your advice and done a bit more digging into this buyer's profile and history. It appears he/she/they have been on the platform for over a year with a number of orders, but only small scale stuff - $10 gigs etc. Feedback seems to be positive, so all good there, but my gut feeling still tells me to ask myself; if I was a buyer, would I entrust such a large project worth a couple of grand to a complete newbie? Would anyone? Probably not to be honest.

Also, as @smashradio advised, the script is yes, absolute drivel; poor English, terrible syntax etc, so maybe a red flag there too.

Going forward, I like the suggestion of staged payments in the form of milestones by the way, which I didn't know about, so thankyou. I'll look into that. 

I think I'll sleep on it and make a decision tomorrow!

Once again, thanks for your input. 
Regards
Paul 
 

Happy we could help! 

Yeah, if the script is terrible that's a big red flag for me. There have been scams before where people generating AI voices are using auto-translated scripts of mumbo-jumbo to collect syllables, in order to use your voice for that. It's a dirty practice. 

Of course, it could be that they researched what you do outside of Fiverr before they contacted you, but noticed that they could get a better deal on Fiverr? I've had clients who previously purchased outside of Fiverr come to me here instead because I'm cheaper on Fiverr than elsewhere. But then again, they get a different type of service, with no free auditions, remote sessions and so on. 

Best of luck! I've recently completed a x k$ order on Fiverr, and it was great, so this type of order happens here, too! :) But so does scams.  

[fiveroptic1]

Hi all  - just some feedback from my original question - I felt suspicious, so I took on board your suggestions re milestones and put this to the buyer - haven't heard anything back since! I think that in itself tells a story. 
Anyway, things looking up - have another couple of orders (+1 big potential who uses his real name in his user name - so easy to find online via other means... ). For the work I've done so far, I just wish these buyers, who have said they are very happy, would start leaving reviews - but I suppose not all do!!!