Fiverr is the latest addition in the list of quality freelance websites where you can find a contractor just for $5 and get the job done. The website has been in operation for quite a long time and I see a lot of people buying and selling gigs. Fiverr is all about things you are willing to do for $5 but then the buyers should respect what you are willing to do and should only expect what is mentioned in the gig description.
$5 seems quite reasonable for a lot of “gig” types but you do not expect a contractor to do a very technical task knowing that he will only get $4 in the end. This is where the problem lies, people are going online and new websites are being created every day but they do not know how much a decent website costs. I work on a lot of freelance websites and I feel that the number of online buyers have increased and there is more work available for talented freelancers than they can handle.
You can find a gig for logo design on Fiverr just for $5 but how do you expect that this logo will be custom made and will stand out? I work on Photoshop and I know how long it takes to create a logo and those logo designs sell from $70 to $100. You may buy a logo on Elance from $50 to $75 as well but a custom made logo for $5, NO WAY!! What most of the people do on Fiverr is that they download free PSD logo templates from websites like freepsd.com or psdgraphics.com, modify them and complete the gig. The clients are happy too as they do not know about the resources.
Same goes with the website design as well. I myself started selling a wordpress website for $5 but I clearly mentioned the things I will be doing. People yet expected to get a completely custom made website with a $97 theme for just $5. The worst thing is that they order the gig without asking the contractor and when the contractor refuses to do that much, they simply cancel the order and destroy the contractor’s feedback. Like other freelance websites, you cannot complain about negative feedback to anyone which is very harsh.
Sometimes clients are nice enough to cancel the order with mutual understanding but you have to act fast to be able to do it. Ask them nicely to take the refund and more often than not they will listen to you. If you want to be rewarded properly for your efforts then do not sell highly technical skills on Fiverr.
About Usman
Hi,
I haven’t used Fiverr, but I know some sites have. I will have to check it out some time. I have built my own site with help of WordPress and help from fellow online bloggers, and I know how much time it takes to get even a small job completed. I just can’t see paying only $5 to have something done when I know how hard it is.
But I should check it out. Right now I’m doing pretty good. Thanks for the info. Sally
Fiverr is good for some stuff, there are pretty good deals for $5.
Fiverr really amazes me, I make purchases there regularly and some of the things people offer are worth far more than $5… it’s stunning that people will spend so much time on projects for so little cash.
Thanks for this post, keep it up, Best of luck a new post
I have not user Fiverr yet but it looks good for a beginning blogger to get services for $5 though it is customized one.
I’ve use Freelancer quite often and there are some sweet and some sour experiences though. You should be very careful to choose a freelancer and specify your job.
Fiverr is obviously not a quality website but it is good for newbies. You don’t have to make bids in order to to start making money.
For only $5?? Come on, its really hard to earn money, but you should get something appropriate with the effort you’ve done.
I like the “speak your mind” title just above this commenting area, and love this article, because it “speaks my mind.”
I’m a work from home freelancer who first joined Fiverr about a month ago, and only yesterday did I get my first order. I completed the job and everything went well. All is so far still well. The client mentioned that it seemed like some of my gigs were too specific, making it sound like I would do only certain things for $5 – I replied that I like to be detailed in my quotes, so that there are no misunderstandings or bad vibes down the line – just like you mention in your first paragraph “buyers should respect what you are willing to do and should only expect what is mentioned in the gig description” – I totally agree, since this is what Fiverr is all about – telling somebody exactly what you are willing to do for $5 (people should not do more than what is described in their gig – to avoid this, people should take the utmost care to be very detailed about what it is they offer.)
I do also agree that perhaps Fiverr is not the place for selling highly technical skills – unless you are absolutely clear about what it is you offer for $5, and make sure that the person hiring you understands what they will get for their money before you start a job for them.
I offer an article writing service on Fiverr. I find that most buyers do realize that they’re buying a $5 product. They’re quite happy getting a good article that usually takes about 15-20 minutes to write. Don’t be afraid to ask them to buy another gig for the same job if it’s outside the scope of your service.