Buy and Sell anything for $5

It's a Friday night again and i'm home trawling the internet. I don't know how i can get distracted from doing nothing really, but i did.

I landed on http://fiverr.com and discovered a website that houses freelancers around the world to do mini tasks (aka gigs) starting from $5. Whether it is putting together a power-point, a little photoshop help, convey a message over video, get a customised game or anything imaginable, you have people on Fiverr to do it.

How i landed on Fiverr was because of the gig to be drawn as a Simpson character. How freakin' cool is that!! I'm a closet geek with a Simpson clock hanging on my bedroom wall. The price publicized was misleading though. It's actually $20 for the first character and $5 for the second (in same picture) onward.

I immediately kicked myself, wondering why have i not thought of such an ingenious business idea that is reaping its fruits since starting up in 2010. Today, with technology yet banking on an insight that is aged-old; human networks, millionaires are getting younger and younger. The global trend of freelancing, the ability to collaborate regardless of geographical location has made Fiverr a success with media coverage from the Forbes to The Wall Street Journal.

I may have missed that boat, but i could still potentially be a millionaire from sitting behind a computer or a camera. Just by offering a gig on Fiverr, I may never need to get out of my pyjamas or i can even work in my undies! $5 per gig don't seem alot, but hey in my first job as a marketing exec, with the 9 hours or more that i was clocking Mon to Fri, i calculated my hourly rate was only $8! According to Fiverr, every 6 seconds is an order for a gig placed. Even the Simpsons seller paused his gig because he made enough! Fine, i assumed but there's the testimonial of Chris Hardy who quit his job to to what he loved...singing and earning more than $17,000 from doing gigs on Fiverr.


If you need inspiration on what you can hawk for $5, here're some examples. Give some lip service?

Or be a human signage?

Got a ready-made document that dishes out travel tips? No harm uploading it and see if anyone bites.

If you've got the looks, you can flaunt it. 

RinChan, an Asian American takes photos and videos for you in her cosplay Maid costume. She even has an anime voice too! Don't get the website wrong. The website does not have gigs for adult content. There is inherent creativity no the website. With artists, designers, writers and college students all looking to make a quick buck. Those who have no professional skills, they still try with what little talent they have. And you never know, your silliest antic can make you a top seller. 

Watch out for FunnyMad. He may just very well be the next millionaire in a jungle! I would buy FunnyMad's customised video to inject humour in a work presentation without needing to get myself dirtied by jumping into a river. It's only $5! Peanuts to make my boss laugh!

Every seller's profile is neat and sleekly presented. The community knows how to make their gigs sell. With help from Fiverr's blog, sellers know to upload engaging videos, pictures and sample work. Most also fill up detailed bios about their real profession, the country they are from etc. You feel rest assured if you are giving a gig to someone with graphic design as a day job. 

Fiverr is not just about selling, but about buying too. FunnyMad, Simpsons were some i would consider purchasing just for fun. Of all that i've browsed, the one with the most reviews was this one. 

While i don't understand why would businesses buy this gig from Philippines, i can't help but be fixated by watching him solve the Rubix cube in 25 seconds over and over again.

 Buyers' reviews were very helpful in determining the credibility of the seller but i wonder if some sellers set up multiple accounts to sing their own praises. After all, you can buy product testimonials for $5. If businesses are buying fake testimonials, lest individuals.

 It's a tad disturbing to see someone with an abundance of pills,

 and a very bored office lady,

 and someone who plays with food.

Could make a cool food blog banner.

But i'll give it to them. For $5, they'll save me an hour of idiocrisy.

Oh, and don't forget to check this one out. A bizarre horny unicorn video for $5.