[A single cancellation from 2018 is causing a STRONG NEGATIVE IMPACT !]

22 minutes ago, visualstudios said:

There's no ifs or buts - Fiverr support are liars, and someone must face consequences.

We should get everyone together and send a joint letter to Fiverr (leadership level), signed by as many sellers as possible. 

[Shocking cancellation experience, seller's point of view is completely ignored by Customer Service!!!]

3 minutes ago, leomusicdesign said:

I would have negotiate a partial refund, ( as we had to do another time...! )

Hey name brother! (I'm Leo, too!)

This right there ^ should be your indication that working with this seller was not a good idea in the first place. I have a rule: if a buyer is difficult to work with for any reason, even if they leave a five-star review, I'll never work with them again. If I have to offer a refund, I'll never work with them again. If we have to cancel an order, I'll never work with them again. 

If you already had to offer this buyer a partial refund, that should have told you to stay away from them in the future. 

If support said they could cancel the order based on the buyer not feeling as if they got what they paid for, the support representative should re-read their own terms: 

"Orders are not eligible to be canceled based on the quality of service/materials delivered by the Seller if the service was rendered as described in the Gig Page. "

The following is from Fiverr's payment terms: Payment Terms (fiverr.com)

 

 

[Drink of choice? ☕️]

8 hours ago, williambryan392 said:

 

In the afternoon I'll often have an espresso. Having worked with a lot of Italians I feel bad/childish ordering anything else after lunch. 

 

The evil part of me always wanted to go to Italy and order a Cappuchino at 10 pm. 

[A single cancellation from 2018 is causing a STRONG NEGATIVE IMPACT !]

This is a textbook case of Fiverr screwing us over and then having the audacity to charge us for the fix. 

1. Anyone can place an order without contacting you first, increasing the risk of cancellations. 
2. Every cancellation has the potential to kill your business entirely.
3. If you just pay for Seller Plus Premium, you get access to RTO, giving you a modicum of control. 

Unethical – yes. But effective.

 

[Drink of choice? ☕️]

7 minutes ago, Kesha said:

You were definitely on to something! Coffee is an essential at our office. 

Also, you are who I want to be. Been looking to graduate to black coffee but why do cream and sweets have to taste SOO good? 😭

That Norwegian blend sounds intense but looks like it's been getting the job done at keeping you afloat with all the updates! 💪

I'd love to get my hands on some Moroccan tea! Sounds strong and delish. 😋

Now that's my kind of drink! Although, I've never heard of it before. I wonder if my local barista will know how to make one. 🤔

If you want to graduate, you have to first become a seller and hit TRS. 

😄 

Yeah it's kept me afloat but I just got wind of my BSR dropping this winter, so it's probably time to get a prescription for valium. 🤣

[Drink of choice? ☕️]

24 minutes ago, williambryan392 said:

I always used to go for a flat white, but I recently discovered something called a 'raf' which is basically adding cream and vanilla sugar to a single shot of espresso. If you've got a sweet tooth it's brilliant! 

I can't handle sweet coffee drinks. In fact, I can't handle anything called a coffee drink. Coffee is supposed to grow hair on your chest, otherwise, it's not coffee. 😛

I'm a sucker for Red Bull Zero though. 

3 minutes ago, Kesha said:

OMG. I can't do soda unless it's flat. (please hold the judgment! 🙊) Can never go wrong with green tea though! 🙌

🤭

43 minutes ago, donnovan86 said:

Damn. So much coffee. For some reason, my body doesn't react very well to coffee, unless it's a very very small amount. That's why I went with tea mostly, but I can see the appeal if it's healthy for you 🙂 

Nothing I do is healthy 😀

[Drink of choice? ☕️]

I've been making fun of Fiverr staff's coffee habits for years. And then you go ahead and top my Fiverr staff secret recipe. Nicely done, @Kesha 🤣

My secret is black coffee. With a double pump of black coffee, and an extra shot of black coffee. 

For the days when Fiverr launches a new AI product, a shot of Norwegian 96% home made ultra flammable spirit is added, for extra courage. 

[All gig stats significantly down/lack of orders - tips?]

10 hours ago, alyssaerin said:

I wasn't able to find anything on any kind of downward trend in my stats for anything (aside from obviously views/clicks across the board), apart from one 3 star review from a week ago, but this noticeable dramatic downturn has been going on for around 3 weeks now I'd say. Everything else 5 stars, quick response rate, etc. 

You're right, and I'm fortunate to have other projects to keep me busy outside of fiverr, however this is just the most noticeable large dip in orders and even messages I've seen since I started. I just want to make sure I'm not missing something, and that I'm doing everything I can within my control. Anything out of my hands (inflation, AI, whatever) is out of my hands I suppose!

I'm used to slow weeks and even months, it happens, but the lack of even getting so much as spam messages for *days* is what's really weirding me out with this month in particular.

Remember that public reviews aren't always the same as your private feedback. You never know when someone might leave no review or even a positive one publicly, and then give negative feedback in private. But you're not alone. We're influenced by so many factors, it's hard to tell exactly what's affecting your performance if it's not clearly reflected in your stats. I hope things get better for you soon!

[Success Score has to go or be revamped]

Let's just say I know people, yet I'm in the dark about my private reviews and all the factors that affect our success scores, just as everyone else. What I do know is that they have no intention of changing how things operate. So, we can complain all we want, but we're stuck with it. Instead of just complaining (though I do get a kick out of poking fun at Fiverr's AI), we need to figure out how to work with it. Sure, we could leave, cry, yell, complain, and tell Fiverr how much we hate it, but from their perspective, we might as well be preschoolers throwing a tantrum for more candy.

[Success Score has to go or be revamped]

4 minutes ago, donnovan86 said:

I know it was here for a long time. However, we couldn't lose our level due to agencies, now we can if we just have 1-2 orders a week and they have 100. Actively using that comparison to lower scores because others cheat the system and are an agency or they outsource like crazy.. that's not ok and certainly not fair. Well, I think the most successful writer, a Pro writer says they work alone, and clearly if you check their socials they promote their AI business and their company with dozens of writers. Yet on their profile, I WRITE, I HELP, I do everything. And that's not the only person, I just know the situation because they are in my niche. I checked a lot of other sellers from other niches and it's clear they are outsourcing or they are an agency. 

 

Yeah, like I said, the issue is compounded by the success score system. The SS is the new BSR, and it can make or break you. 

With that said, I own an entire newspaper, on top of a voice over business outside of Fiverr, and I run my copywriter business on Fiverr. (But on Fiverr, it's only me)

But you're right in saying it's an issue. And I sure hope Fiverr will find a way of balancing that. Then again, we're competing against agencies everywhere. 

[Success Score has to go or be revamped]

36 minutes ago, gbrl_c said:

I'm not the one investing money, but I'm investing my time in this platform.

This may sound blunt, but you're not worth much to Fiverr, nor am I. Consider the massive scale of the company. At this level, they aren’t concerned about one user. To them, neither you nor I significantly impact their bottom line. That’s just how it is.

With that said, I'm not just a buyer or seller, I’m also an investor, and I hold Fiverr stock. From that perspective, especially with their recent announcement to buyback up to $100M in shares, Fiverr obviously believes in their stock.

Fiverr isn't known for changing course. Mika is all in on AI right now, convinced that just adding "AI" to anything will draw investors. He’s banking on the AI boom, and if it hits, he stands to profit significantly. And to be fair, so do I.

This confidence in their stock is the sole reason I’m still holding mine, even though I’m not sold on their AI strategy. It might take years, but Fiverr doesn't want to be left behind while others innovate. It’s just disappointing that Fiverr’s attempts at AI are... let me try to find a nice word here... lackluster. 

36 minutes ago, gbrl_c said:

Their AI isn't close to being fair. I'm talking from a perspective of a new seller with 5 orders, so I have much more control of my own data than veteran ones. And I can't tell you exactly what I did, but trust me when I say it's flawed. 

You have five reviews, three of them being from the same buyer. Is that the entirety of your data?

36 minutes ago, gbrl_c said:

And I can't tell you exactly what I did, but trust me when I say it's flawed. I wouldn't create a thread if I had doubts, I'm not that kind of person. If I had 1% of doubt I'd just shut my mouth and observe. 

I get where you're coming from, but I have no basis to trust you since I don't know you. None of us do. You're just another user upset about the new system, but you claim to have definitive proof that the system is flawed.

That would indicate that you haven't considered the you-factor at all, and while you might very well be the most talented seller on Fiverr in all of history, we would have no way of knowing, hence the need for you to present actual data.

Academically speaking, you're not entitled to your opinion; you're only entitled to what you can argue for, and something being "unfair" isn't really an argument in a business context. 

So far, I've heard lots of complaints about the system being just that – unfair – claims I've seen daily for years from sellers not happy with the way Fiverr works.

30 minutes ago, gbrl_c said:

My test isn't related to complex data science approach, it's a simple one and anybody could do it. Let's do it like this, I need some weeks to decide if I will keep trying to grow on Fiverr or not. If things don't get better and I decide not to continue here, I'll tell you in details what I did. Is it fair?

For your second question. It's not about what we feel it's fair, there's a flaw in their AI readings that tends to drag sellers Success Score down.

Only thing I'm trying to figure out, and this I'll probably never be able to know 100%, is if they are doing it on purpose for some shady reason or not. Because it's not hard to put it to test.

By all means, I can't force you or require you to provide us with anything. You do what you feel is best. But you can't expect us to accept an argument that's not being backed up by any real data. 

You just complained about it being unfair, but it's not about what we feel is fair? If it's a flaw in their AI, what is that fault? How does it affect sellers, why, and which sellers are being impacted? 

 

[Success Score has to go or be revamped]

1 hour ago, donnovan86 said:

The main issue I have with this system is that it compares you to other people in your category. 

So did the old system, just using fewer data points. This is nothing new. 

Do I like the new system? No. 

Do I think it's here to stay? Yes. 

Is it working as intended? Sort of. And I expect they will refine it as we move forward, and combine it with other upcoming changes to the platform. 

As for agencies competing with freelancers, this is not new. Agencies have been on here for a long time. Misrepresenting yourself is, as far as I know, still not ok on Fiverr. So claiming you're just a freelancer when you're an agency is, based on my understanding, not ok. 

Your revenue/average selling price/number of orders has always played a part in the algo. But Fiverr was and is still a freelancing platform first, not an agency platform, so I do hope they find ways of balancing the system, and soon. What you're pointing out is an actual issue that only gets worsened with the success score system.

 

[Success Score has to go or be revamped]

You claim to have "your own ways" that could "cause me harm" but are "not against the terms of service." I find that to be suspect, at best.

While many of us have concerns about the success score being controlled by an AI developed by the same folks who brought us Neo (and we're on the same page there), making groundless accusations and asserting without question that a system is flawed based on "data" you won't share doesn’t build confidence in your methods, nor does it help anyone form an opinion about your conclusions.

[All gig stats significantly down/lack of orders - tips?]

4 hours ago, alyssaerin said:

I've been a top rated seller since 2012, with the same gigs I currently have. Lately all I've done with my gigs is change the thumbnails (refreshed versions of art I was already using) and edited some of the gig descriptions according to advice from my success manager. I am used to receiving at least 1 message a day asking for a quote for a project, and rarely have had an empty queue since 2012 (I'm used to having too much work at all times, to be frank!), but this year and particularly this last month it's been like a ghost town. Not even getting spam messages at this point, just totally nothing aside from 1 order in queue. Is this something I've done? I know I do illustration and AI is a thing, but based on the messages I get from frustrated clients asking me to fix/redo ai images, I don't really think that's the culprit, especially such a huge dip this last month. All my seller stats are great (response rate, ratings, etc) so really scratching my head about what I could fix to turn it around.

How's your success score for each gig? Noticed any shifts in the factors impacting it, like changing from a "Strong positive impact" to a "Negative impact"?

This could just be the effect of a bad private review, which might not yet be reflected in your success score. That score tends to stay stable over time, considering your long-term gig history, but it doesn't guarantee the algorithm will always favor your gigs, even if your score is perfect.

You're not the only top-rated seller seeing a drop. A mix of factors could be impacting you right now: businesses cutting costs, people struggling with higher bills and costs due to inflation, AI, the onset of spring causing more people to spend time outdoors rather than on their computers, and competitors pulling ahead.

It's hard to pin down exactly why, but it's a reminder not to put all your eggs in one basket, especially when that basket is filled with Fiverr's brand of AI.

[stuck in You're almost there!]

I'd raise a ticket with support and have them take a look at it. When it happens across four browsers, I'd say you have tried everything you can try. You could perhaps check on a different network just to make sure it's not a device/network issue, but this isn't supposed to happen. 

[How the Fiverr Success Score (actually) works - kind of scary?]

59 minutes ago, gbrl_c said:

Regarding AI you said it all. AI is a positive tool if it's well designed, but it clearly isn't the case here with the new metrics.

I have no experience being a Fiverr veteran so I can't tell about the rest, but as a relatively new seller I can guarantee you by my own experience Fiverr/Success Score doesn't want/allow new sellers to thrive.

New sellers do get a boost in the beginning though, so perhaps that makes up for the time it takes to build a success score. 

[Seller entered a dispute when I cancelled my order as they delivered nothing by the deadline?]

1 hour ago, heivetia said:

Thank you for your prompt responses. I'll do just that 🙂

Fiverr actually favors buyers over sellers most of the time. In this case, you can expect the seller to get a big dent in their success score, which might even lead to loss of their level, loss of business and decreased visibility on the platform. It's unfortunate that you had to experience this, but know that we sellers are (usually) held to pretty high standards. In your case, I'd say all of the above consequenses are appropriate. 🙂 

[Slow Pace Business]

Building on my previous post, you have 39 reviews, which suggests you haven’t yet established many long-term relationships with buyers. It takes time. Sure, I get a good amount of new orders, but I also have ongoing work with buyers I’ve built relationships with over the years. Those are your most valuable clients, and to earn (and keep) their business, you need to prove yourself over time. 

[Slow Pace Business]

Hey from another Scandi!

I've got to agree with vibronx on this one. Sure, most Scandinavians are proficient English speakers, but it takes more than that to wow buyers. You've got to really sell those benefits, not just in your gig description but in every delivery. There's a tough step from C1 to C2 because being fluent isn't just about understanding the language, but also being able to express yourself clearly and creatively. Your grades likely won't impress anyone. Show, don't tell. 

[Stressed out? Here are some coping strategies to stress less]

With all the latest "improvements" on Fiverr, like success scores, Fiverr's AI fetish, and changes to the level system, our mental health as sellers is more on the line than ever before.

Fiverr has always gamified our careers, but it has gotten to a point where many veteran freelancers are ditching the platform or have stopped caring due to sheer mental exhaustion.

Fiverr will tell you that it's for your own good – bless their hearts –  so while they're busy generating some GPT drivel about these changes being improvements empowering sellers like you, I thought I'd look into the techniques you can use, at the very least to make it less miserable.

At the end of the day, my conclusion is that being a freelancer on Fiverr isn't fun anymore. The community has died off thanks to low quality mumbo jumbo, while actual contributors are getting banned left and right for raising their voices about it. 

Anyway, I digress.

Here are some stuff you can do to stress less. 

• Set boundaries: Yes, I'm banging the boundary drum again, because it's so important for your sanity. If you've got buyers messaging you at midnight and expecting you to answer, it's time to set some office hours and stick to them. 
• Tighten up your revisions policy: No free lunch. Make it clear from the get-go and have an easy to understand revision policy that includes you getting paid for your time. Working for free makes Fiverr even less fun. Knowing your own value has the added benefit of attracting buyers who also understands this concept.
• Take real breaks: And no, scrolling on Insta isn't a break. Get up, get out, get some air. It keeps burnout at bay (and it's good for you). 
• Keep learning: Stay on top of the changes happening and read all you can about it. And when Fiverr spews out some GPT corporate speak about stuff like success scores and alike, read between the lines. There's a lot to be learned and knowing how stuff works instead of guessing will make things less miserable down the line. 
• Know when to say no: No, that project isn't worth your mental wellbeing. If it smells fishy, it's probably not sushi, but Surströmming (if you know, you know.) Only work on projects that feels right, even if it means earning less this month. Being picky about your buyers is more important than ever, and a 100 bucks today could mean endless revision loops tomorrow. Vet your buyers. 

Fiverr seems intent on cranking up the stress, but you don't have to let it rule your life. Disconnect, take a real vacation, regroup, and come back when you're good and ready. Your well-being is worth more than their bottom line.

[Promoted Gigs Issue]

54 minutes ago, hiradastgir said:

My account is in great condition. I stopped working on it an year ago because I wasn't getting any orders. But now I want to resume it and run ads but it says your gigs can not be promoted and you are waitlisted. What can I do to pass this waitlist? I really want to try and run ads. 

Get some sales and feedback to get things going again. That should help, as long as your gig quality and all other metrics are good. 🙂 

[Dealing with Difficult Clients on Fiverr - Share Your Experiences!]

59 minutes ago, hannakarlstrom said:

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences! I learned a lot from reading about your journey, and you're absolutely right that if I allow someone to treat me that way, I'm letting them toy with me and take advantage of me.

I'll definitely take the things you shared and try to apply them to my own approach! I resonate with what you said about reviews. I've been afraid of receiving negative reviews myself. I know I always do my best and deliver quality work 100% of the time, so I never doubt my work. But I've noticed that some clients from the outset are only looking for the lowest price and push around. I've tried to explain to some that if they're only looking for the lowest price, I'm not the right fit for them and they won't get quality if they're only willing to pay a few dollars.

I've definitely learned a lesson from this, that I should only work with the clients who feel right in every way. In hindsight, you're right that I'd rather receive a 1-star review and maintain my pride than let someone walk all over me!

Thank you so much for sharing your story; I'll take it with me and learn from it!

Yeah, even though Fiverr isn't what it used to be – I remember when you could get videos of a guy singing with his goat for five bucks – you still encounter those  buyers occasionally. I checked out your profile, and I noticed you have a gig starting at only five dollars. That's just asking for trouble. In my experience, you can avoid most bad buyers simply by raising your prices.

I totally understand the fear of getting a bad review, especially when you're new, and you should be a bit afraid. I just find the idea of working for free even more terrifying, haha.

Glad I could help! (And sorry you had to learn this the hard way. I sure did, and it wasn't fun at all.)

[Can't respond to Buyer due to his/her unavailability]

1 minute ago, ehsan_e98 said:

I got a message from Buyer. The seller has to respond within 24 hours, But the buyer has set his/her availability to unavailable due to which I can't respond. 
i can see the clock icon on chat, which is showing "respond with 19 hours".

When I try to send an offer, just to stop the reverse times, Fiverr doesn't let me and shows me a message that "Contact Support".

If I left it as it is, will it affect my response rate?

 

I'm not sure if it will affect your response rate, but if it does, I'm sure support will help you out. So I suggest contacting support and letting them know. 

[Dealing with Difficult Clients on Fiverr - Share Your Experiences!]

7 hours ago, hannakarlstrom said:

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences!

After a decade on Fiverr, I’ve learned not to let anyone push me around or expect me to work for free. I've had my share of tough customers (though not many), and in your situation, I'd simply send a custom offer and make it clear that I’m willing to do additional work—for a fee.

I don’t work for free, and I don’t offer refunds for work that’s already done, whether it's partial or full, unless it's my mistake. If I’ve completed the agreed-upon work, I just resend it if they're not willing to pay for extra revisions.

This approach quickly shows the buyer that I'm not someone they can bully or trick into working for free. It sets a clear boundary and expectation right from the start: you pay for my time.

If they refuse, I'm prepared to have a delivery button standoff until they cave, or until customer support steps in, whether in my favor or theirs. They can’t force them to accept a delivery, so it might drag out and as a worst case scenario, they might side with the buyer and cancel the order forcibly. That's one of the key metrics in the new success score, so I'm more careful about the buyers I chose to work with now compared to before. 

I once had to redeliver an order for two months (every single day) before the buyer finally backed down, but ultimately, I got paid.

Another time, a buyer chose to just complete the order rather than pay for my time, and left a one-star review. I’m okay with that. I'd rather take that hit than start down the slippery slope of letting people push me around.

Canceling an order just to avoid negative feedback is essentially review sanitization, and doing that means your pride goes down the drain along with your earnings.

[What are the important factors to consider before promoting my Gigs?]

I don't have time to check out all your gigs, but I did look at a few, and I noticed your gig descriptions are heavy on the features, but they don’t emphasize the benefits. 

People don’t buy the features, but the benefits they'll get from those features.

For example, in your gig description you list features like:

• WordPress Installation
• Impeccable layout
• Well Designed
• Newsletter

Try to showcase the benefits instead.

Instead of just "WordPress Installation," describe how this allows the buyer to effortlessly start their website on a globally recognized platform, freeing them to concentrate on their expertise while you handle the technical aspects.

"User-friendly newsletters" could be promoted as a way for them to easily stay connected with their customers, boosting customer loyalty and encouraging repeat business.

"Well designed" could enhance their professional image, reassuring visitors that they’ve made the right choice.

And so on and so forth.

You could also try using a gig video to sell these benefits. From my experience, gigs that include professional videos tend to convert better. 

P.S. I recommend not offering unlimited revisions unless you like working for free. 🙂 

Hope this helps.