newsmike

I have some people who message first every day, and that's fine. I'm happy to discuss the job and get an offer out. My problem is with the buyers who want to interview the sellers first. Either they have shaky skills, or poorly written offers in their gigs, meaning that they are nervous as to whether they can actually perform what they advertise, or their gigs are poorly written and leave all sorts of details out of the scope of the offer. Often someone will place an order with me, and if there are extras that need to be discussed, that conversation happens.

Actually none can "require" it. They can ask for it, but that is not the way Fiverr is intended to work. It is usually a nervous, inexperienced seller who is so unsure about their abilities that they need a courtship prior to purchase. We are, like it or not, an on demand platform. It is a huge red flag that I believe should make a buyer avoid the seller.

No good deed goes unpunished.

I think you are asking the wrong question. It seems that you expect that just setting up a gig brings orders. What about the quality of your services up against the TRS in your category? For some reason people are looking at your gig and deciding not to buy. You should be asking, how do I stack up against the other 63,653 people selling the exact same service who got here before you. It's not enough to open a restaurant, you have to have better food, service and marketing to stay in business.

So, your recommendation is to give dishonest buyers great reviews in order to manipulate your own metrics, even if it causes others to waste money by buying from a bad buyer all because you are afraid? As my good friend @zeus777 says, DANG!

I would consider thanking your customers.

So honest ratings would be better than trying to buy a good rating with false praise for a lousy buyer?

I very much agree that you and I will likely not find common ground. I say this because I have no problems with capitalism, nor do I feel the slightest bit exploited. As to fair treatment, I have no issues with Fiverr. I read and understood their terms prior to joining, and since then have made a lot of money, and only seen Fiverr operate within the TOS. I'd suggest that in the spirit of fairness, if you didn't like or understand the terms, why join and complain about it later? It's like signing a lease on an apartment, then complaining about the rent, even though it was disclosed right in that lease that you could have chosen not to sign. You seem to be coming from a very different perspective. If you ever find "fairness", anywhere, please let me know, but I guess there are 6 billions opinions of what that would be. Good luck.

I understand your point, but I think you nailed it when you essentially said "Don't like it, don't sell here." There have been many sellers on both sides of this issue, and it is not something that a public company should waste resources sorting out. I guess it is like the Elon Musk/Twitter situation. At the end of the day, you can buy Fiverr, or build your own. Me, I am fine with things as they are because I know I cannot create the value that Fiverr brings to the table on my own. Others, have to make that decision. But I don't see this changing, nor do I see a single justification as to why they should. The EXIT sign is above the door and illuminated in red. Now if you really want to start the fireworks, we should be discussing whether tipping is professional in the Fiverr 3.5 world or not. Tipping is customary for most jobs that a kid would take right out of high school, but hire a graphic arts firm, a recording studio, an author... pick a professional service. In the real world a contract is agreed upon, work is done, money changes hands. Tipping for these services in the freelancing environment is a remnant leftover from Fiverr when it launched as a silly "I will do anything for $5 site", but does not reflect the image of where they are going in the future. I would be fine with losing the tipping part completely in favor of a more professional look and experience.

C'mon now Jon...

Stay online 36 hours every day holding Fiber totem, no bathroom break. Congos

Silly me, I grew my own success. I should have just asked others to do it for me. Live and learn.

Jon, you didn't get the Fiverr Forum travel mug?

We shall alert the media.

Sell a lot of services and make a lot of money for Fiverr.

Every morning, checking the forum.

The only place to promote your gig is right here on fiverr, using "promoted gigs" The people on the platform are shopping, credit card in hand and ready to give you their job, provided you represent well. But, that's another post.

Congos! Wow. Go more ahead.

I know, it is amazing, and unprecedented, right? Just Wow!

Be great at something, sell that.

Make a lot of sales.

Not too often, but there are folks here who say they have people inboxing them all the time looking for work.

I also wonder if we reject too many if that is seen negatively. Maybe better to opt out than to reject a bunch?

Probably 80% just say, let's proceed, and forget the discount. Some disappear, or say, no thanks.

I am glad that you are realizing some additional success with higher rates. The people who ask for discounts are funny. It makes sense if you are buying goods, like a 24 pack of toothbrushes that you get a discount, but not when you are paying for someone's time. It's like, "You get $25 per hour to paint walls, buy I'll pay you $10 per hour if you paint 5 of them for me." I have never set a QR for that, I usually play confused and say, "I don't understand, why are you asking me to work for less than my standard wages." Works great.