New 5 Star Rating System: How to Use it to your Advantage

[pearlsant]

Reply to @modelas: I don’t think anyone will end up KERRRRUSHED if they are judged fairly by a fair system. All of your double talk doesn’t amount to a hill of beans so you can quit it with me.

[wilhagen]

Reply to @pearlsant: Agreed! I think the ARS system was a VERY weak attempt to try and make the site better and it failed miserably so now it’s time for them to get over it remove it and move on. Like I’ve said before there’s LOTS of things that need to be fixed and the thumbs rating was not one of them so they need to listen to us and change it back to the more fair system the criteria that they selected is just completely rediculous! I’ve worked hard to keep a 100% rating and I don’t want this crap to wreck it so I’m suspending my gigs tomorrow and going on strike! Anyone else thats in on this let me know!

[productivesam]

You have your opinion and have a positive attitude towards ARS because you still haven’t come across the dark-side of Fiverr. Or should I say the buyers who hunt for sellers to get stuff done for free. Or the kind which demands extra work done by threatening to post negative star ratings if the seller does otherwise.



The responding is sometimes difficult. As a university student I am in lectures most of the time and how can I reply to each message while having to study at the same time? And how do buyers understand that?



I respect others opinion but I just had to make my point and mention that you haven’t taken many aspects to consideration.

[accessgirl]

Reply to @modelas: I pick em…well, we kind of pick each other…but there is a choice at least…but that’s besides the point. Anyways, the system is unfair, I can understand your whole lemon thing but the ars is a fairy tale, it doesn’t work and unfortunately it will bite us all in the ars(e).



Just because you haven’t had the pleasure of an unfair rating doesn’t mean you won’t. I haven’t yet but I can still see the many flaws in the system and the unfair advantages this gives bad buyers, especially when CS will give no recourse for unfair reviews, blackmail and abusive behavior.



On the other hand, I can understand wanting the low quality gigs to get crushed and yes maybe this system will do it, but it will take down the quality ones with it.



When you have a high percentage of buyers, big orders and your gig doesn’t require or allow you to build that rapport with people, you will not stand a chance of getting a fair rating.



Also, people are naturally reluctant to give a full five stars if they perceive the service as not being extraordinary. We use to have a system that asked “did you receive what was agreed upon, yes or no?” , now the question is “did you receive more than what they offered and stellar service and faster than you were told and everything more than what the seller promised and was it better than the other seller you gave 4 stars to?”.



If you are going to make lemonade out of this then you will have to either lower the buyers expectations or deliver much more than is promised, which I’m sure is already a lot. I’ll have to remove the high quality claim from my gig to survive, I don’t want people expecting me to deliver unicorns and rainbows for 5 stars, it just wouldn’t be possible. What I agree to deliver is all that is needed, I can’t really over deliver.



Yes, on the very rare occasion there may be “extras” but it would be hard for anyone to notice with my gig and I wouldn’t say “Hey, by the way I edited your table fields to properly handle the types of data you will be entering in… your welcome ;)…” that just wouldn’t happen and it’s not really an extra, just a needed adjustment.

[consultantindia]

Oh! Fiverr found one more to defend their ARS nonsense!!



@modelas:

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A) Communication with Seller

Buyer orders after i go to bed (and I have no control over whether to accept or reject that order anyway). By the time I wake up, check out and acknowledge the order, buyer is already disappointed. What do you say to this?

B) Service as described

If it is not as described, Seller won't get anymore orders. This is highly subjective, influenced even by cultures and their understanding of english language. What if I describe a service using the tech jargon that Buyers misunderstand and order? Is it my job as a Seller to even educate the buyer on how to understand what I say? All I can do at the most is to use simple english so that majority understands; but not to teach them english or my subject expertise or even cultural nuances right?

C) Buy again or Recommend

This again is a subjective evaluation based on individual perception. Using two phrases which don't fit with each other in the first place. In the name of offering quality gigs to Buyers, Fiverr neglecting Sellers more and more. This one surely can be used to blackmail Sellers by determined bad Buyers.

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- Can Fiverr assure the Sellers that they wouldn't come across more than X % of bad Buyers?

- Why is it that ratings given by Sellers do not appear on Buyers' profiles? Sellers dont need any kind of protection?

- With new ARS, Sellers have to first beg the Buyers for better rating - wasting considerable time & effort there. After that, they have to report to Fiverr support - wasting some more time. Sellers or Beggers?

- How can Fiverr support really help the Sellers fix the prejudiced ratings? Does it have the expertise on all the topics that Sellers offer, in order to decide whether the Seller is correct or the Buyer? Would it log in to server of Buyer to check whether Seller really completed the work (in case of some server work, for example)?

- I've read somewhere that Fiverr strives to give a better user experience (and UI experience) all the time. How does adding two more clicks and adding more confusion fits into that philosophy?

There are so many related issues, which might not be visible to you at the moment.

While you have every right to present your POV on ARS, give it some more time to understand and realize that we Sellers who are protesting are doing it in the best interest of Fiverr and in providing a level-playing field for all the stakeholders, not just for Sellers.

[mrproofreading]

Reply to @modelas: No, the little guy will get crushed if they have the unfortunate experience of dealing with a demanding buyer, who expects $100 worth of work for $5.

[modelas]

Well, I have a client right now, who purchased 1 hour of my services for a 6 hour task. I of course asked for them to purchase additional time and now the client is saying that they expect the work to be completed and will be rated on quality of work.



Fiverr does need to offer sellers support for issues like this. I’ll post an update if they’re able to help me here - because quite frankly the 5 star system in THEORY should work well if sellers are able to work with Fiverr to make sure there are fair expecations. If reviews are based off of unrealistic expectations and we’re not able to get support then this system will not work and will cause more heartache for Fiverr due to the outcry of support tickets coming from the seller community.

[typingservice]

modelas said: Well, I have a client right now, who purchased 1 hour of my services for a 6 hour task. I of course asked for them to purchase additional time and now the client is saying that they expect the work to be completed and will be rated on quality of work.

 

Fiverr does need to offer sellers support for issues like this. I'll post an update if they're able to help me here - because quite frankly the 5 star system in THEORY should work well if sellers are able to work with Fiverr to make sure there are fair expecations. If reviews are based off of unrealistic expectations and we're not able to get support then this system will not work and will cause more heartache for Fiverr due to the outcry of support tickets coming from the seller community.

 

Why don't you just put it in for mutual cancellation? If he's only willing to purchase 1hr and is demanding 5 free bonus hours of VA services - that's probably your best option.

[modelas]

I usually over-deliver to gain clients long term and then request a tip at the end for my hard work. That’s my decision, and I do value every customer I earn - but mutual cancellations are the last thing I want outside of a negative review! Absolutely the last resort!

[arty182925]

Reply to @modelas: I think it is better that you mutual cancel this, if you work on this for 5$ and you work for 6 hours for this one and buyer gives you negative review because of that, what will you do then? And as I can see, this is difficult buyer, this could effect your gigs. It is better to leave 5$ behind then to get review that will hurt your gig and with that you will lose much more then 5$. But that is just my oppinion.

[modelas]

Reply to @arty182925: Thank you for the advice, I have since sent a cancellation.

[typingservice]

@modelas - I think that’s probably your best option. At least there isn’t a penalty for cancellation.

[mimie01]

Reply to @typingservice: I think she should bend over and try her best ever customer service, then the star system should work for her!!!



I love the type of ignorant person, that just disregards everybody else’s cry and writes a smart article, like we just dd not know, how to work the star rating system.



NOW you feel the real pressure, you want to look at if a little differently, dont you???



No pity from me, sorry

[steveeyes]

The whole jest of our outrage over ARS is that Fiverr pretends there are no unreasonable buyers. That is why ARS was dangerous to most of us. There are a slew of unreasonable buyers who are here to do one thing MANIPULATE SELLERS.



Those who are pro ARS and spill their talking points like it is the holy grail, are saying the same thing Fiverr believes “there are no unreasonable buyers”. Any seller who has done this for a while knows that isn’t the case.



As fiverr has grown, so has the number of manipulative buyers. This will not be your last encounter and eventually you will get that negative review you dread. You were lucky this time but wait till you get that buyer who seems reasonable at the beginning and after you deliver your work they use the modification button and want $50 worth of changes for nothing. It happens to me all the time and of course I either deliver or get a negative review.



When you do get that negative review and if you do get a buyer who abuses you verbally, there is another reality you should be aware of “fiverr can’t remove the rating without buyers consent” no matter how abusive they were.



You are on your own.



Good luck.

[typingservice]

mimie01 said: Reply to @typingservice: I think she should bend over and try her best ever customer service, then the star system should work for her!!!!!

 

I love the type of ignorant person, that just disregards everybody else's cry and writes a smart article, like we just dd not know, how to work the star rating system.

 

NOW you feel the real pressure, you want to look at if a little differently, dont you?????

 

No pity from me, sorry

 

Why do you feel it's ok to call her an "ignorant person?" That's not right. She hasn't been rude to you in any way. I'm so tired of how overly angry it's gotten on this forum. Honestly, this is a good discussion to have - how to be successful with the new rating system. It's possible Fiverr may change it back, but I wouldn't count on it. Either way, I'm not that worked up about it.

[steveeyes]

Reply to @typingservice: Ignorant = lacking knowledge or awareness in general. The word “ignorant” isn’t a curse word it means the person was not aware. I’m quite ignorant in many ways - doesn’t make me a bad person or that it is an insult, but knowing me, I would probably take it that way 🙂

[typingservice]

steveeyes said: Reply to @typingservice: Ignorant = lacking knowledge or awareness in general. The word "ignorant" isn't a curse word it means the person was not aware. I'm quite ignorant in many ways - doesn't make me a bad person or is it an insult (unless I take it that way).

 

If you place yourself in the shoes of the person it was directed at, and in the context it was used, I think just about anyone would be insulted. I don't think it's right to call someone an "ignorant person" - even if I disagree with their position. I never go THERE unless someone treats me like that first, then maybe...Or, I'd just walk away because I don't like having conversations like that. :)

[steveeyes]

Reply to @typingservice: Ah…maybe this is an ARS lesson. You would rate it one way and I would rate it another way based on how we see it.

[regency85]

Reply to @typingservice: You’re right of course, typing. But given who the insults are coming FROM… it’s no surprise.

[regency85]

Reply to @steveeyes: You Steve-e, on the other hand, have been careful to keep your attacks targeted on the ONLY valid issue here - the Stars system.



Unfortunately, those who pretend to support you, only to hurl racist and other hater insults, dilute the effectiveness of the protest you have worked so hard to implement.



At the beginning, your greatest task was getting Sellers (and some Buyers like me) to support your cause.



Now, your greatest task is to shun the low lifes in your own midst.

(Thus, unfortunately, is the typical scenario for a Protest Movement.)

[modelas]

Guys, I’m just trying to add some value and point out some clear opportunities of the new system for the little guys.



Now if only Fiverr would add project management tools into the system for multiple employees and complex multifaceted projects that I seem to procure these days I’d be set 😛

[potencia]

Wife: You are a bug in my life!

Husband: Then you should buy a good antivirus!!



After 1 hour,



Seller: Madam, please provide a review to mark the order successfully completed.

Wife: Rating? Oh, yeah, take 1/5 and dare you show me yourself again!!!

[chrishardy]

so your solution to all of this is to just do MORE work for $4? do you not realize the severe discounts buyers are already getting on fiverr?



i do this part-time and i think this system only benefits sellers that are at their computer 24/7. sorry, but i still find this system ridiculous and unfair.

[modelas]

My solution is to set expectations on what to deliver more clear.



Luckily for me, I do my gigs by the hour and by the day, and I offer tracked screenshots of what I do so there’s no question to my dedication and accountability.



Chris you offer voice-overs, and you set the length clearly, I don’t see how it could be a problem for them to know what they are getting.



Mystic you offer a unique service offering psychic readings and things of the supernatural, it’s definitely more risky for you since your deliverable has to be something they agree or want to hear. I can only imagine you delivering some bad news they don’t want to hear and giving you a negative review for it. You give a great depiction of what to expect and a disclaimer that they might not want to hear the truth.



What your gig doesn’t offer is an expectations if your predictions are not accurate. That’s the only risk I see with your gigs.



For me, the risk is that a task takes longer than expected, my gigs are open ended because I truly try to solve any issue or perform any task thrown at me. Many of them are new or unknown with complicated mechanics (which is why they hire me to figure out or save them time doing it).



We all have risk, but by setting expectations and making sure in the communication that we’re being honest and accurate. Afterall, honesty truly is the best policy.

[youtubefun]

A new fight is building with a new icon,For fiverr is still brushing us off.

Here is the new Icon for all to use.