Fiverr.com: The things people do for $5

Would you pay five bucks for a surprise book choice, back links to your blog, a new recipe or a photo gift? Fiverr.com is the five-buck marketplace where people find what they need or share what they’ll do for five dollars. Products and services for sale are called “gigs,” and you’ll be surprised at what you can find.

Buying a Gig

Browse the site for free using the search box at the top right. You can find gigs for sale by entering terms like:

• “anniversary gift ideas”
  
  
• “photo enhancement”
  
  
• “language translation”
  
  
• “recipe ideas”

You can also browse some of fiverr.com’s categories, ranging from serious “Business” to the “Fun & Bizarre.” To see what’s new or what others enjoy, filter gigs by “Latest,"” Most Popular,” and “Best Ratings.” If your search still falls short, “Suggest a Gig,” and a fiverr.com seller might respond.

Buyer Beware

Before you make a purchase, carefully assess the seller and the details of the gig. Ratings, samples and buyer feedback can help you gauge the reputation of a seller before you spend your fiver.

When you are ready to buy you’ll need to complete a short registration process that requests your e-mail address and asks you to set up a username and password. Buyers and sellers remain anonymous to each other and fiverr.com facilitates all communication and payment for you protection. As soon as you place your “Order,” fiverr.com collects your payment using PayPal or PayPal Credit Card and holds on to it until the buyer confirms that the seller has delivered the work or performed the service.

Sellers have the option to accept or reject each gig. If they accept, they’ll go to work for you right away, and when their work is done, you’ll get delivery of your gig. As a buyer, you can request changes or “fixes” to a gig within 48 hours of receiving it. Conscientious sellers should respond positively to reasonable requests, but there is no guarantee that they will fulfill your “fix” request. Leaving feedback about the final product or service will help other fiverr.com customers identify good gigs and trustworthy sellers.

Getting Your Money’s Worth

Savvy consumers want a big bang for their five bucks. But, sometimes in life you get less that you pay for and sometimes you get a little more. According to seller reviews, the same holds true on fiverr.com: some sellers will wow you with talent and service and some will leave much to be desired. Remember that you’re only investing a fiver and try to have fun with the service. If you are being taken advantage of $5 at a time, leave feedback and ratings to warn other buyers.

How to Sell a Gig

If you have a talent or service to offer, create a gig on the site by entering your idea in the “I will _____ for $5” box at the top of the screen. After clicking “Continue,” you can enter a category, description, keywords, and other details to help market your gig. Or you can share your gig via Facebook and Twitter.

If someone purchases your gig, you may accept or reject the offer. Complete the work in the timeframe you proposed then submit your work for their approval. After your work is received and confirmed by the buyer you’ll receive a PayPal credit balance.

How They Make Money

Fiverr.com charges buyers five dollars a gig. They give four bucks to the seller and make a dollar on the transaction. Fair enough. In addition to a virtual booth in the five- buck marketplace, some sellers increase visibility for their full-priced services.

Good to Know

Once you’ve registered as a user, Fiverr.com will create an “Inbox” where you can read, send and save messages about gigs you’ve bought or sold. Use your “Profile” to bookmark interesting gigs and store your personal information such as name, email, PayPal account email and profile picture. Adding personal information to your account makes it easier for you to facilitate transactions with fiverr.com, but it is for their eyes only. Fiverr.com promises to help buyers and sellers remain anonymous to each other.