If you take a look at the Fiverr Forums, you'll notice that there is a major problem for sellers: Fiverr buyers dictating prices. This isn't about negotiating, but about buyers just deciding that they don't want to pay a certain amount and will tell sellers what to charge instead.
Yes, there is a big different between negotiating and dictating.
Negotiating is a little annoying on Fiverr (as prices are already heavily discounted) but it's tolerable. There's no issue with buyers sharing they have a smaller budget than needed and finding a way to use that budget well. If you think the gig prices are a little too high, you can share your offer. But it doesn't mean a Fiverr seller is going to accept that rate.
Good negotiators won't throw a tantrum when they don't get their way. They will either accept the rate on offer or they will walk away politely and calmly.
However, there's a major issue with Fiverr buyers dictating prices. These buyers realize they don't need one thing on offer within a gig (X), so will state that they was something else instead (Y).
X doesn't always equal Y.
Seller set up packages and prices based on the time it will take them to do something. If they deem that something isn't worth their time for $5, then they will charge more for it. Generally speaking, if they don't offer something within their gigs then they may not be able to do it anyway.
If you want something that isn't on offer in a Fiverr gig then you need to ask the seller about it. Don't assume that it will replace something else that you don't want or need.
Likewise, don't think you can tell a Fiverr seller what they should be charging for their work. I had one Fiverr buyer recently tell me that he didn't think he should have to pay $30 for my services because he couldn't see how it would take that long.
My services aren't just based on the time it takes to complete. They're based on the time it's taken me to develop the skills and experiences to confidently offer the services. By the buyer telling me that, he made it clear that he didn't have any respect for the skill or my time. It instantly left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
Fiverr buyers dictating prices is a problem on the site and it is likely due to the discounted rates. Remember that your sellers are doing you a service. They're selling their time and skills to make your life easier, since you don't have the time or skill to do the work in the first place. Don't just jump straight into dictating Fiverr prices. You can consider negotiating, but that's a very different topic.
