Why Is Fiverr Losing Buyers?

[pinksamuraiii]

On 4/6/2024 at 3:48 PM, will998 said:

As a once fairly active buyer, I still visit the forum but have stopped using fiverr for now.   Etsy .. something of a surprise .. now offers some of what I was buying before.  

Same, I was a very active buyer here but have slowed down, aside from finances being tight, a lot of sellers have sent me AI assisted projects and it’s not genuine work. Some sellers aren’t qualified at all to be on here doing business either (and this is after you do your best to vet everyone). 

[thejamuhh]

The current system might seem good in theory, but it's terrible in practice.

It creates an atmosphere of fear and caution. Just one buyer misunderstanding something small could cause your sales to drop for at least three months.

It also leads to confusion. While Fiverr gives some explanations, they’re usually very general and not specific enough. Most of what they say is obvious, and they don't clearly explain where things go wrong. For example, "effective communication" is the worst. How do they even measure that? What exactly did I say that was wrong? Why won't Fiverr tell us?

Plus, not every conversation in the inbox leads to an order. Fiverr shouldn’t expect that and count it against sellers. Sometimes people ask questions or about prices because they haven’t read the description, gig offer, or FAQ properly. Now I’m being punished for that? It doesn’t make sense.

The system needs a major overhaul or should be removed completely. I don’t like these unclear AI measurements working behind my back, telling me I’m doing something wrong without showing me what it is. A natural response to that is sellers not risking all their hard work with new buyers, and those new buyers leaving, making Fiverr slowly dig its own grave. 

I did a new buyer order 2 weeks ago, and let me tell you, sweat came everywhere as I tried to explain as much as possible without confusing this person!

[mandyzines]

On 8/19/2024 at 4:50 AM, thejamuhh said:

I did a new buyer order 2 weeks ago, and let me tell you, sweat came everywhere as I tried to explain as much as possible without confusing this person!

I find myself over-explaining a lot more as well, which is an especially delicate situation with language barriers. I used to be more relaxed with new buyers and open to a bit of a compromise with rates, but since March that hasn't been the case. I'm tense, feeling out just how inexperienced they might be working with voice artists or freelancers in general, and if their budget doesn't align with my rates for all of the services they might not have known they even needed until we interacted then I politely suggest they find someone else. I have a quick response explaining (how to understand gigs) what starting prices, add-on's, and usage licensing are and wish them the best in finding what they need. I feel bad for them, in a way, but I need to protect myself first and foremost. 

On 8/19/2024 at 4:50 AM, thejamuhh said:

"effective communication" is the worst

That metric can go pound sand. 

[toni_mimbrero]

Hi everyone,

I’m a new seller on Fiverr and have put considerable effort into creating and optimizing my gigs to the highest standard. I’ve also thoroughly reviewed all the tutorials, guidelines, and advice to ensure I’m well-prepared.

From reading this forum thread, I’ve gained additional insights into how Fiverr operates, buyer behavior, NEO, statistics, and changes in Fiverr’s policies. I appreciate all the contributions, experiences, and opinions shared here.

As a new seller, I’d like to share my perspective.

I was aware that selling on Fiverr wouldn’t be easy, especially for newcomers. I don’t have any sales yet and haven’t received any inquiries. In fact, the only messages I get are from users trying to get my email address under the pretext of not being able to purchase my gigs. This is the only activity I’ve seen so far on Fiverr.

I’ve even reduced my gig prices to extremely low levels and followed every piece of advice to improve my gig’s visibility. Despite these efforts, my gigs remain virtually untraceable in search results.

Starting to sell on Fiverr as a new seller is quite disheartening. Top sellers appear first for any search term, and the NEO assistant only recommends high-priced gigs. Everything seems to be optimized for Fiverr to benefit from high-priced gigs and top sellers. What chance does a new seller have when following advice that seems contradictory to Fiverr’s algorithm?

I hope to build a future here, but Fiverr needs to support new sellers. There should be opportunities for us to gain some traction. Many of us are talented, don’t use AI, and have a lot to offer; however, the algorithm needs to provide us with some assistance.

I hope I haven’t offended any experienced sellers. I just wanted to share my thoughts.

[csharpd]

Fiver has some serious issues in their evaluation criteria. For an example, it demoted me for no valid reason. Luckily, I do not depend entirely on Fiverr.

I am a tech lead with over 20years of experience.  I have been on Fiverr since 2020. I got to level two within a short period of time. My rating has always been 5. I was comfortably on target to achieve top seller status.

I did not receive any projects for the last 9 months. So, Fiverr demoted me to no level. Now, I hardly get any enquires now.

[lalitsdmittal]

But AI can not do everything

[priyank_mod]

12 hours ago, toni_mimbrero said:

I’ve even reduced my gig prices to extremely low levels and followed every piece of advice to improve my gig’s visibility.

In 2024, rock-bottom prices rarely result into sales or good selling experience. Its quite possible that you would bump into the worst buyers who would demand the sun and the moon for $5/10. 

I would suggest checking the overall price range of your category and price yourself somewhere mid-way around the average pricing. On the contrary to common misconception, chances of finding a buyer are higher at a relatively higher price point. 

For perspective - I started at $40 as my base price and it took me 6 months to get my first order here.