Why do you now HAVE to include "research" when offering an article rewriting gig?

[victel]

I rewrite articles and don't necessarily need to know about the topic I am given. I manually change the words, word order and so on, so it reads well and passes Copyscape. However, research never was part of the deal, so I don't see why I am forced to include it in the gig! I can see some issues down the line with this. My rewrites do NOT include extra content and I have only had 2 or 3 people (out of hundreds, maybe thousands) ask for it, in which case it costs me time if I want to accept it. If it's a food/drink or health piece, that's fine but if it's something technical or whatever then it's a pain. Who comes up with these changes? Why not instead focus on buyers being able to accept a gig offer without the seller having to disable their out of office and then turn it back off.

[vickiespencer]

I understand your concern. I am a copyeditor and proofreader. This morning I got a notice from Fiverr that I also need to offer line editing, fact-checking, and structural editing, and I do not provide those services. They are very different from proofreading and copyediting—time to write to my Seller Plus Manager again.  

[leannelrivers]

1 minute ago, vickiespencer said:

This morning I got a notice from Fiverr that I also need to offer line editing, fact-checking, and structural editing, and I do not provide those services.

It seems that a lot of categories/gigs now HAVE to add additional extras in order to stay active, relevant to the seller or not. 

[vickiespencer]

8 minutes ago, leannelrivers said:

It seems that a lot of categories/gigs now HAVE to add additional extras in order to stay active, relevant to the seller or not. 

It is frustrating! 

[miiila]

27 minutes ago, vickiespencer said:

I understand your concern. I am a copyeditor and proofreader. This morning I got a notice from Fiverr that I also need to offer line editing, fact-checking, and structural editing, and I do not provide those services. They are very different from proofreading and copyediting—time to write to my Seller Plus Manager again.  

I fear I can add to your concern. I had to change my Gig to include proofreading in the Premium Package; it was mandatory for that one, I couldn't get around it, and once ticked, I couldn't even untick it any more, greyed out. For the other two packages, it was also recommended, but not mandatory. "Customers expect it" – I doubt it, at least, it's a common concept that the person who does the writing or translation should not do the proofreading (apart maybe in some special cases). And Fiverr does have a whole "Proofreading & Editing" category, after all... But, of course, some customers might expect it, even if it's usually not best practice.

[melanielm]

I'm with you all. I've had two gigs threatened because I didn't check all the little service boxes. I didn't offer those things, so I left them unchecked, but I suppose that's not an option anymore. I shut down one of the gigs while I decide if I want to change my services that much.

It makes no sense to force sellers to offer something buyers supposedly expect if the seller doesn't do that thing. That's only going to lead to people who can't do that thing claiming they can and will. (Did that make sense?) Let us decide our own services please!

[victel]

Glad I am not the only one finding it dumb. Another nonsensical change is offering images with the writing gigs for $2 an image but then when I ticked it and hit "save" it said "your gig price must end in 5 or 0." OK, so you want me to reduce my gig by $2 or increase the price by $3? Also, most buyers do NOT want images! At least that wasn't mandatory (since I'd lose a lot of buyers who didn't want images included). These changes are clearly made by someone who has zero idea of what copywriting, rewriting, line editing, proofreading, researching etc actually involves!

[vickiespencer]

3 hours ago, victel said:

These changes are clearly made by someone who has zero idea of what copywriting, rewriting, line editing, proofreading, researching etc actually

I agree. 

[victel]

I just submitted a ticket because now I have to offer a $10 set of images with every rewrite. It's nonsensical. Nobody that ever ordered a rewrite (and I've had hundreds) ever wanted images. Why oh why can't I make the commercial images optional?! I haven't had a single order since Fiverr implemented that ridiculous change. I'll let you know what they say. 

[vickiespencer]

I am a copyeditor, and Fiverr has every other type of editing listed as options in the gig packages BUT copyediting! In the publishing world, the listed editing types are separate and distinct jobs. Yet, time and time again, I see sellers offering all four types of editing in one gig. They will get away with it until they come up against a buyer who knows the distinction and expects the service. I am not willing to take that chance.