kram_mark

Not to sound like a downer 🙂 ... but I will take your obvious experiences with the system, and reading between the lines, I will save my energy in trying to make change suggestions for the site (which can sometimes be helpful as a new "raw" user). If Fiverr were listening to comments, then that's a different matter, but happy to work with what's here as is and see if I can get some work done with Sellers. 👍

This may be common knowledge, but I'm just posting an update on a new Buyer's experience learning the UI process (on desktop computer) of a "Posted Request" ("Brief"?). After my first request and and handful of responses from sellers, I noticed several had a "link" in their proposal message referencing to my "Brief" (which I wasn't shown or can't see on my login interface menu). It takes me to a page - https://www.fiverr.com/briefs/64-IAssumeThisIsTheBriefCode-e3d44?source=inbox << No, that's not a real link. On the page I see the seller responses, which is helpful (I guess)... but I don't see much else. Then I noticed the 3 dots ("more") icon to the top right... which when I select, a single option of "Show Brief" appears. I select and a pop window shows the text and posted info for the Brief - with no controls or options within. I can't do anything with it, like close it, delete it, confirm it is completed, etc.... it's just a Brief in-time and I guess as the work is converted (or started) with an Order between Seller and Buyer it becomes non-required? It doesn't show who secured the work or provide me any links back to this page from my own Buyer's interface. I think it's a real weak UI / Operational outcome for what is supposedly going to start off some bidding between Sellers for a Buyer and there's no simple process, to go to the Brief page (for example) and select "Send message to Sellers who did not get the Gig!"... which would send out a notice to all saying they weren't successful. I in the end, had to go through my Inbox and work out which were those that answered their auto-request (from Fiverr, about the Request) and then send them a Decline (actual button for those using the inline Offer option), or just a message to those that just messaged me about their ability to do the work. The Brief (Posted Request) should be a central UI function to then tie in all the correspondence and activity with that brief. When you award the work to someone it should be linked to the Brief, and your conversation about that particular work/order should be able to be separated out from your Inbox and Order and presented in a concise history for that job. Needs some work from Fiverr developers to make it simpler for Buyer. NOTE : I'm getting snarky now 😒..... but perhaps Fiverr can consult some developers on Fiverr about creating a working group of site developer contributors, who if not getting paid, get "Ranking" credits or something towards their profile - to work on site features?

I'm new to this platform. I'm looking for workers as a Buyer (not interested being a Seller)... and this topic/post alone has lots of reference to the Fiverr company and use of the commissions they charge, and many reasons why an aggregated service can out-do your own business costs and expenses (if going out on your own).... BUT, I haven't seen any "Staff" in these Forum posts... anywhere? Does Fiverr have a "development team" (tech development) or support team even, as I just see a fairly basic and somewhat broken web site, with a company turning over literally millions (possibly "hundreds") of dollars annually, with hundreds of supposed staff... but, it seems much of the current site UI / operational issues (from what I've been reading) are long term and haven't been fully corrected or addressed? They're buying up smaller companies that would seem to help in some online capacity/functioning reasons, but what's happening to the future of the system? Surely, the "20%" is part of the deal in maintaining a top-line web site experience for all... which I can't say I would agree with in my 1st week of viewing the platform from a Buyers point of view. There are so many basic issues with the interface and operationally (on desktop) getting around the function of communicating with a Seller and working through some ordered work. Like, not even having a suitable function in my menu to manage a Posted Request ("Brief" or whatever users call it)? No stats or feedback on how the 8 or so random Sellers were selected for my created Brief? I don't even know how to cancel it now that I'm not sure I've spec'd out the project enough for the variety of "no details, I can do it" to "well thought out approach/proposal" responses from the selected Sellers? It seems very odd to tell the truth, as mentioned I haven't seen any staff posts in the "Site Suggestions" forum - saying "oh yes, we're on to that one, it will be released in the July update"? How much is taken as commission has to be rewarded in the results of the system. I think my experiences on Freelancer in the past as a Buyer have resulted in a better experience than what I have found on Fiverr so far?

If the Order process for a Buyer included their own "Heading" to label this task/project - it would make subsequent lists and the history of work a lot more easy to follow. I'm only 3 orders in as a new Buyer, and I can already see it's going to be annoying if I ever chase up a previous item - especially with the same Buyer, as it seems their "default" heading for their work offer is the title used for the work?... which essentially can just repeat each time. The Heading would just be another field on the Order form process and if filled in (as it could be optional), then it would override the Seller's title and be used for lists and displays. See sample idea image attached, which shows the current pop-up window when viewing Orders off menu (on left side) and a suggested version with logical headings on right.

Fiverr, like other systems likes to generate many browser windows (and I'm on a desktop PC). The viewing of inbox/messages between tabs of the browser doesn't seem to clear the notifications after viewing a message (or it doesn't seem to do well for myself)? There could be some way to do this with local browser "cookies" or some back-end system method, so that if you view the message on one browser tab/window or mobile device for that matter, when you go to the other view/tab/window it is cleared. I seem to have multiple viewing attempts at the same message sometimes and it still appears to be highlighted as a notification reminder? Also, you can perhaps ease up on highlighting my messages going out to my Seller (as I'm a Buyer), because I know what I just sent, and I just need to know when their response is returned, via a notification? 😁

Agreed. It would be helpful.

Further to this, thinking that someone at Fiverr does actually read these suggestions?. 😁.. I am not a fan of the hiding the interface on the right side sort of user, but I qualify that I am also someone who prefers using a full screen computer and not so much on mobile (small) device. That said, I think the Navigation/Menu/Icon interface for Buyers (or Sellers, if the same) should be up-front and visible, in simple top level order with exposed sub-menu items ready to go. You could switch between Buyer & Seller mode (if that's a thing?)... and otherwise keep icons around if they relate to "word" headings (and are known as the icon usually)... but in the end, it could be more presentable as a nav design. I have attached a sample idea. On mobile, maybe the menus are shifted down the page, but perhaps don't put into "hamburger" 3-bar icon, just keep them listed as it's handy to get to different items quickly?

To clarify my original non-stating request (after using the system for 48 hours 🙂 ) .... I think I should have put the heading as - * Site navigation (UI) menus and "wording" needs a review and simplification/unification. There seem to be too many side-ways into different functions, or replication of methods of getting to a function, but then there is also confusion in the interface (for me as a new Buyer at least). Terminology needs to be locked down and then stabilised across pages and menus, etc. I have located the "Orders Page" (via the pop-down overlay, and selecting the small "Show All Orders" link in the bottom corner?) with the "Manage Orders" heading and orders list (for Buyers)... and I find a "Manage Requests" option in the pull-down menu, but this just goes to a create a new "Post Request" page? There doesn't seem to be a list of my "Posted Requests" that I can find?, although I am getting initial responses from Sellers in my Inbox? I then catch up on some reading of the various forums and see there is some history in changes of what a "project" (or Buyer's Posted Request) is now called or how it's handled... which I am understanding is now called a "Brief"? Although this is not clearly showing in the Buyer's system menus (and I don't know if Sellers see the same system view?). There is still the "Post a Request" menu option, "Manage Requests"... and then I see refence to "Gigs" as a term as well? So, I think a review of site terminology is in order, and then a reworking to simplify the menu navigation and icon/word design would help bring it all together the UI experience a bit better. Even seeing the Fiverr Community forum UI design that's strangely better as it's more contrasting and visually a stand-out, compared to the actual working site design - is odd? The Community user menu is better, the icons display sharply... it's not logical to not be in the main site... just saying (as a new user experience).

It seems logical to get all conversations into one space, but I guess it could get confusing depending on how much general chat their is between or perhaps on different tasks/jobs/project work? As a new Buyer to the platform, I have had some pre-Order contact with a potential seller, and then the actual Order conversation is separated. If these were combined then it could get messy... but it could also help if items were discussed earlier that didn't get covered in the Brief Write up? I think a simple method could be to have an option-button on the Inbox page which activates to show all communications across the 2 users in chronological order. The system could colour code each communication type based on topics/work-project. Such as, general Inbox, Project1, Project2, Project3, etc. This could allow some overall context for timing and resource issues if you're working on multiple items together. You would get a sequence of date/time and the continuity between different conversations. Perhaps the option to activate all comms view, could also have a simple menu which allows multiple tick selection of the various conversations (coloured) being presented on the page (eg. turn off Project2 as it is a closed matter, all other comms would show in order). A small header could be placed along the right side of the comms text with the project name for that comment and any special link buttons to get back to that Order page or to make reply so that it's linked to that Order.

I can't find a link to a newly Posted Request? I am a new user and spent time writing up and attaching files for a request and then there is no reference to it? I don't know if it has not been submitted or what's happened? I have a current Order in progress, which I can see, so I assume the Posted Request has not worked? This seems like a basic function to at least show an audit of what happened, or where it is? Confused?