What Do Buyers Need?

[vickieito]

Hi Everyone!

I'm really grateful for all that Fiverr and our m0ds are doing to enhance the community experience here for sellers and really want to see the same for buyers. Having a supportive community (and knowing that Fiverr cares about my feedback) makes all the difference for me as a seller. I know it'll do the same for our buyers if we can give them that same type of community that sellers enjoy.

Concerns About Buyer Attrition

It's great that Fiverr is being proactive about creating more engaging content and resources for buyers, but I have concerns about customer attrition based on the buyers that I see coming to the forum (as well as the buyers that I interact with on Fiverr's platform).

I really started thinking about this ever since Fiverr Lift came out (https://www.fiverr.com/cp/the-lift#partners) with a link directly to the main forum so buyers could "Interact with other businesses like yours, ask questions, and find the info you need to get ahead." Although the forum is a great place for sellers, it really isn't a place for buyers to find "like-minded" individuals or the support that they need.

The forum is heavily geared for sellers and the only spot for buyers (Tips for Buyers) isn't really helpful. There is good content there, but you have to dig through the countless posts from sellers venting about buyers (basically telling buyers how to make the life of sellers easier) or posting why buyers should order from newbie sellers. Many of these posts won't answer the questions that buyers have when they come to the forum (which are usually questions on how the platform works, from a buyer's perspective).

 Many buyers on the forum only make 1-2 posts and then leave because they are already frustrated with their experiences on Fiverr.

Here are a few examples ...

A disappointed buyer who thought Fiverr would be better than Up***k:

https://community.fiverr.com/forums/topic/307536-why-fiverr-sellers-do-not-use-limit-order-and-pause-for-gigs-if-there-are-not-taking-orders/#comment-1930029

A disgruntled buyer who left Fiverr for Up***k:

https://community.fiverr.com/forums/topic/299995-brief-system-is-terrible-for-buyers/

A typical post by a new-to-the-platform buyer:

https://community.fiverr.com/forums/topic/284298-how-to-reach-a-specialist-seller/

New-To-The-Platform Buyers

If we want to create a better experience for these new-to-the-platform buyers, I think the forum sheds light on why these buyers aren't sticking around. Buyers don't feel supported. They can't find a competent seller to work with. A lot of buyer dissatisfaction revolves around the platform's features (not just the sellers they deal with). So just focusing on sellers' Buyer Satisfaction Rate (BSR) isn't enough. Buyers are having issues with using the platform or its tools, and they don't feel like their needs are being addressed when they reach out to CS, or even the forum for help.

It would be great if buyers, especially new buyers, could feel the same sense of community that I feel on the forum as a seller. I would also like buyers to feel that Fiverr has an interest in their feedback and really wants to support them in using all that Fiverr has to help them grow their business. I don't want to see them leaving Fiverr because we aren't giving them the support they need to be successful on this platform. Since Fiverr is placing so much emphasis on new-to-the-platform buyers, this is definitely one area that could make a difference to them.

Buyer Concerns About Briefs

I would love to see some of these new buyer concerns around Briefs addressed. I'm a seller who is also a buyer, but I don't use the "Post a Request" feature to post briefs, so I can't really provide help for the buyers who come to the forum with questions on Fiverr's Brief & Match feature. I usually share a link or tell buyers to use Fiverr's search instead of briefs, just like how the sellers responded to these two buyers:

https://community.fiverr.com/forums/topic/306906-the-thing-called-a-brief-posting-a-need-could-use-a-lot-of-improvement/

https://community.fiverr.com/forums/topic/306782-i-just-posted-my-post-a-request/

It would be nice if the brief feature actually worked for buyers and there was a way for buyers to communicate their concerns and receive confirmation from Fiverr that their concerns are being addressed. Fiverr does this for sellers on the forum, it would be nice to see buyers similarly supported.

Here's a buyer who posts a detailed explanation of their experience using briefs - and wonders if there's anyone from Fiverr's team who's actually reading the post:

https://community.fiverr.com/forums/topic/307055-no-function-to-manage-posted-requests/

I also started to just message the buyers who post briefs (instead of making an offer). See below.
https://community.fiverr.com/forums/topic/296621-fiverr-brief-the-new-way-to-let-buyer-connect-to-seller/?do=findComment&comment=1924815

Note a buyer's comment following my post - buyers want to have real conversations with their sellers because the brief settings are so limited:

https://community.fiverr.com/forums/topic/296621-fiverr-brief-the-new-way-to-let-buyer-connect-to-seller/?do=findComment&comment=1926613

After having a negative experience with briefs, some buyers post their requests on the forum, asking "Are there any sellers who can really do the job?" And that's really the only time we hear from them because they leave and don't come to the forum again.

So ... what do new buyers need?

I really just wanted to start a discussion here to see what others are experiencing/seeing on the platform - are you all seeing what I'm seeing? If you are a buyer - I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences! I'd also like to hear from other sellers and Fiverr's team to see if my concerns have already been addressed in some way and if you have any ideas on tackling this issue.

What do you think new buyers need?

Another forum category with a Fiverr staffer assigned (like Fiverr Excel)? If so, how do we prevent it from becoming another "Tips For Buyer" category?

Or do we need a dedicated forum like Seller Plus (or even an invite-only club that allows some sellers with a good reputation to join)?

Or is the current forum good enough?

Copying @Yoav.M, @Trisha_Fiverr, @Lena, @lior_porat (just calling on a few of Fiverr's team 😊).

[smashradio]

First of all, sorry for the short response to your long and (as always) thoughtful post. 

But I think the solution to this problem can be simple: create a forum exclusively for Fiverr Business and Fiverr Select buyers. Invite them to join the forum. 

Then, get some of Fiverr's top sellers and contributors together. Talk to us about the option to join this forum to help buyers. Make it clear that it's not meant for sellers to post anything related to selling. If someone doesn't follow the rule: kick'em out. 

 

[gina_riley2]

I am exclusively a buyer on this platform. Once upon a time, I was very active here. I was also buying quite a bit, at that time.

Since my full time job took a different direction, I had to put my freelancing side job on the back burner. I've been gone for a long time and haven't even purchased in about a year.

I am not in a position to give any advice to other buyers until I get active in my freelancing career wiring ebooks again.

Truth be told, I loved interacting with long time sellers here and have bought great gigs from them. There were at times, I was rather "lonely" with so few people with extensive buying experience.

I've been catching up on few forum post and I admit there is way less drama than wat back when. I did, occasionally, feel unwelcome (may or may not have been true, but it's the way I felt).

*********

My 1st two buying experience on 5r was atrocious. It was so darn bad, I was turned off. One failed to deliver and one canceled one me. Lol. 😁😆

I would have left but back then, you only go back a credit on your account. I tried for the 3rd, and in my mind, the last time. I finally landed a seller who was truly a professional that delivered top quality work.

Omg! I was so thrilled. Had it not been for that 3rd seller, I'd have left permanently.

I do understand how fustrating it can be for new buyers. It's rather daunting with thousands to filter through.

Just a short stroll down memory lane.

[moikchap]

The Fiverr Select forum exists at least, and invites were sent by both email and on-site notification. The subforums are very slow, but there is a couple dozen posters. It does seem to be mostly individuals who are combined buyer/sellers who are semi-promoting their gigs, but one of the sub-forums is specifically for networking so the rules seem to allow it.

That aside, it would make sense to me to have a "Sage Advice" type subforum with posts like this one in it and a curated set of authors. Having an easier/higher value one-stop-shop might help build some habits for more frequent visits by more buyers.

But, more specifically to the topic of New Buyers that Vickie was raising, probably we can draw inspiration from other industries for how they do "community/meta on-boarding". Specifically, I'm thinking of how some MMOs have trusted players who become sort of community guides that take some time to help answer questions.

Personally, I want to talk to people before they make their first purchase, but I dunno how to do that at an account level. Maybe there could be a First Time User Experience where they submit the gigs they pick for review to get a second opinion/risk assessment of that seller from some curated/trusted buyers.

Maybe Fiverr needs to do a thing like CCP Games did/does with EVE Online where they have a council of player representatives and flies them in for board meetings as part of a larger convention, and the results of those meetings become public. That would let us be more confident and assured that notes such as the original post get heard and acknowledged.

[vickieito]

I'm so happy to hear from some of my favorite buyers on the forum @gina_riley2, @moikchap, & @smashradio! 

2 hours ago, smashradio said:

create a forum exclusively for Fiverr Business and Fiverr Select buyers

37 minutes ago, gina_riley2 said:

Truth be told, I loved interacting with long time sellers here and have bought great gigs from them.

36 minutes ago, moikchap said:

it would make sense to me to have a "Sage Advice" type subforum with posts like this one in it and a curated set of authors. Having an easier/higher value one-stop-shop might help build some habits for more frequent visits by more buyers.

An exclusive forum could work for more established buyers who may be looking for that community of like-minded individuals where real conversations can take place (and without the level of spam that is on the main forum).  I think it's awesome that @gina_riley2 & @moikchap have participated so much on the forum, since most of the buyers that I see don't stick around for long. I wonder what made the difference for you two?

I don't think limiting that forum to Fiverr Business or Fiverr Select buyers will help the disgruntled first-time buyers who haven't even decided yet if Fiverr is worth their time. I like @moikchap's idea of an onboarding process to get buyers talking to the community (and soliciting feedback) before their first order. Because it's usually in the first orders when a new buyer has a bad experience (as @gina_riley2 mentioned).

42 minutes ago, gina_riley2 said:

There were at times, I was rather "lonely" with so few people with extensive buying experience.

42 minutes ago, gina_riley2 said:

I did, occasionally, feel unwelcome (may or may not have been true, but it's the way I felt).

28 minutes ago, gina_riley2 said:

Omg! I was so thrilled. Had it not been for that 3rd seller, I'd have left permanently.

I'm so glad that you did stay with Fiverr (and the forum)! This is what I'd like to see happen more often. It is refreshing to see things from a buyer's perspective, and it would be nice to see more buyers being active on the forum.

31 minutes ago, moikchap said:

 probably we can draw inspiration from other industries for how they do "community/meta on-boarding". Specifically, I'm thinking of how some MMOs have trusted players who become sort of community guides that take some time to help answer questions.

Personally, I want to talk to people before they make their first purchase, but I dunno how to do that at an account level. Maybe there could be a First Time User Experience where they submit the gigs they pick for review to get a second opinion/risk assessment of that seller from some curated/trusted buyers.

Maybe Fiverr needs to do a thing like CCP Games did/does with EVE Online where they have a council of player representatives and flies them in for board meetings as part of a larger convention, and the results of those meetings become public. That would let us be more confident and assured that notes such as the original post get heard and acknowledged.

These are all great advice @moikchap! Maybe in the onboarding process Fiverr can let first-time buyers know there's a community where they can get a second opinion from when making their first order? Also, I know @Yoav.M was doing roundtable discussions with several sellers on different topics. Maybe this is one of the things we could have a roundtable discussion on?

[vickiespencer]

Hey, Gina, I have missed seeing 👀 you here. Welcome back. I hope you drop in more often! 

On 6/22/2023 at 7:44 PM, gina_riley2 said:

Once upon a time, I was very active here

And I was active at that time too! So were many others, which are too numerous to recall! Many are still here, but sadly more have moved on. 

On 6/22/2023 at 7:44 PM, gina_riley2 said:

Truth be told, I loved interacting with long time sellers here and have bought great gigs from them.

Gina was active her way back when I began my Fiverr freelancing career. 

On 6/22/2023 at 7:44 PM, gina_riley2 said:

I did, occasionally, feel unwelcome (may or may not have been true, but it's the way I felt).

Especially after having our group PM shut down and getting warnings! 😳

On 6/22/2023 at 7:44 PM, gina_riley2 said:

Just a short stroll down memory lane.

I would love to stroll with you whenever you want to send me a PM. 

[moikchap]

1 hour ago, vickieito said:

I wonder what made the difference for you two?

I initially came to the forum to post site suggestions around Fiverr's bad UX, stayed to argue about seller paywalls, and then along the way started encountering nuggets of wisdom I could apply. Nowadays I largely only read posts when I see a familiar avatar next to it.

But, I may have come to Fiverr with a different motivation than most buyers. I have a feeling most just want to get something cheap and quick then leave; smooth out a bump in the road one time and not invest anything further in it. I came looking to learn Fiverr in such a way that I could use it well over the long term. I viewed my initial budget as tuition rather than a business expense. Participating in the forum correlates to what I want to do. Like, almost everything I know about how the ToS handles Commercial Rights comes from reading the forum and not the ToS.

Plus, now with Regular's Lounge, I can do exactly what Smash is basically suggesting. The conversation there about how to write music spec is the ideal of how I wish I could use the forum. All killer, no filler. It's just high value, meaty, crunchy ideas and workarounds. Direct with no muss or fuss. All business. Professional. Love it.

Retaining buyers may need showing them it's worth self-improving. Convincing them of that may take showing it's viable to make a long-term business strategy using the site. That will probably will require having resources similar to the lounge right on the surface as the first thing they see when they go looking. Probably it will also require closing the Tip For Buyers forum. A Buyer might think "Oh, I could use some tips" and start reading it. Unless you want to excessively moderate it so that it's only actual Tips, it's going to make a bad impression. Probably the state of that forum could be on its own why we don't see Buyers hanging around if that's the first thing they engage with.