desmond_aubery

I've took the Fiverr training suggestion about Quora participation. I also do a lot of mailshots presenting my Fiverr Gigs.

Would a milestone-based proposal perhaps have been suitable for that project? An all-or-nothing approach to a complex project is bound to end up with differences of opinion on the rare occasion. This can end up with two beasts in the proverbial pottery shop.

Thank you for your incredibly useful observations and advice. Kudos, sir.

Thank you very much. I agree wholeheartedly. 🙏 Lesson learned - the hard way. 🤗

My view is that Fiverr offers a platform for buyers and sellers to connect. All well and good. For this, Fiverr earns 20% + interest on 14 day payment clearance. To have to pay extra is something I simply won't do. To do a Toyoda-style model, would require brand changes - product differentiation is very important: "Normal" Fiverr => Fiverr Fiverr Pro => Tenner Fiverr Pro => Mega-something Frankly, I've seen business failures like this aplenty, over the years.

Thank you for your deep insights into the Fiverr client base. I agree whole-heartedly. I'll let my Fiverr Gigs float along and see where the Fiverr team go with their platform. I see many errors of judgement unfolding. In order to move up-market, Fiverr needs to follow the Toyoda business model. There is a reason why Toyoda owns multiple vehicle brands: Diahatsu - low cost, functional Toyota - mid-range, good reputation Lexus - up-market brand, competitor to Benz Hino - heavy trucks It is true that other freelance platforms are genuinely abysmal.

Thank you. My first clients have been the kind I would probably have ignored in my former engineering consulting career. It seems that they were not overly honest up-front and this only showed during project execution. I've always tried to give more than a client pays for, but remembered Fiverr training course mentioning up-selling clients, and applied this. The problem is that an el-cheapo client can turn nasty in the middle of a project - try for 'scope creep' - and if they don't get their way - leave the seller vulnerable to a poor review. This is really a type of blackmail, which Fiverr should try to avoid as much as possible. If Fiverr do not see sellers as their golden geese, they will eventually lose the golden eggs.

Well, I learned a bitter lesson this week. Put it down to a 'newbie' seller experience. Accepted a new client for a low-cost Gig based on his being a 'poor young engineer' needing some assistance Client seemed to be reasonable, although I did notice a name-change from external web-presence Project was to supply a simple report for client to progress further We agreed a project specification in writing I created a special low-cost special Gig for said client Client accepted offer and placed order I produced a really nice report and delivered it against his agreed specification - lots of bells-and-whistles All of a sudden client began a campaign of massive 'scope creep' - essentially multiplying the initial project effort at least tenfold I advised that the scope additions could be offered as an extended offer He declined the offer He decided that the project provision was complete and signed off Client left he with a very nasty review which smashed my reputation on the Fiverr system, even though I outlined the client difficulties in my project feedback So, the take-away value from this: Do not take low-price Gigs to 'help a client with a low budget' Fiverr's reputation system is loaded against a moral-centered supplier Clients use this distortion as a way to press for 'scope creep' Fiverr platform appears to not be the place to use for long-term business - at least not for the moment I will now leave my Fiverr Gigs 'as is'. What comes from them comes. I'll proceed to promote my projects through direct sales and my new online shop presence (these actually take far less than Fiverr's 20% + earnings from extended 'clearance' period). Fiverr impressions contribution to my marketing efforts is abysmal, to say the least. Most of my clicks are driven from my business website, anyway. The Fiverr journey has been an interesting one, to say the least.

My first two clients had a habit of trying this. I have typically included the final agreed project scope of supply before order placement, then in the project itself, immediately after order placement. I quote against a major scope change as this is not a 'revision', but an 'extra' to the original scope. Over the course of my Engineering career I made certain to correctly define the project scope and scope of supply, before proceeding. I reflect this back to the client when they attempt scope creep. If the client still tries to be unreasonable, I offer an elevated quote for the changes - while all the while being as professional as possible.

Who, or what, controls Gig impressions? What I mean by this is the following: Fiverr earns 20% for marketing our Gigs for us. Yes/No? (They also make money during the 'payment clearance' time) The seller can only do so much to set up their Gig. The seller can promote externally on Social media. Surely this helps? Is it not in Fiverr's best interest to promote high-paying Gigs? The inner working of Fiverr's marketing algorithm is hidden from the seller. On occasion Fiverr can rev up the impressions when it 'feels' like it. Am I missing something obvious in the balance of responsibility?

Is the Fiverr platform stable? A bit concerning... especially for a new seller.

I had 5 active Gigs, and a new one in development and dumped the fifth and the new development. I then expanded my remaining 4 Gigs to having 3 options each. So, in all, I offer 12 options. The rest is now up to Fiverr to bring in the customers. I had two initial customers, with successful outcomes. The front-end marketing (impressions) is up to Fiverr now. That's what they earn their 20% cut for. Also, don't forget them earning interest on our money using delayed payments. Fiverr is now going to have to up its front-end marketing game... I have linked the Gigs on my website and pumped emails. Fiverr needs to bring the rest.

Is there a logical reason for all this dramatic Gig pruning?

Surely it is very unprofessional to mess around with sellers' livelihoods like this? Would not a staged approach have helped? Especially with apparent major changes. This messing around and uncertainty has me - as a new seller - adopting a wait-and-see attitude until the dust settles. Very concerning.

For a New Seller, this is beyond frightening... 🥸