The Request to order feature gives you more control over your workflow by allowing you to review project requirements before an order begins. This ensures better alignment with clients, reduces cancellations, and helps you manage your schedule effectively.
What is the Request to order feature?
Request to order shifts the order process from automatic acceptance to a manual review. Instead of a client purchasing a Gig immediately, they must submit a request for your approval.
This feature is exclusive to Seller Plus Premium members.
Instead of automatically accepting orders as soon as clients place the order, the Request to order option gives you the ability to choose:
- Review clients' needs in advance, make sure their project requirements are clear, and that their selected Gig package is correct.
- Since it’s harder to meet deadlines when you receive orders during hours that you're unavailable (like at night), this feature helps you meet your deadlines and gives you the ability to discuss the Gig’s start date with the client, in advance.
By implementing Request to order, you can benefit from:
- Review a client's needs in advance to ensure their requirements are clear and the selected package is correct.
- Discuss start dates before the clock starts ticking on a deadline, especially if a request arrives while you are unavailable.
- Ensure you are the right fit for the job before the order is officially placed.
- Clients who have already received a custom offer may still be able to place an order without a request.
How to set up Request to order?
You can customize when and for whom this feature is active.
How to activate the feature:
- Go to Advanced Settings > Order settings.
- Select Request to order to turn the feature on.
- Choose your audience: First-time clients or All clients.
- Select the specific Gig packages you want to include.
- Set the days and hours the feature should be active (based on your current time zone).
- Click Save.
Tip: To activate the feature during nighttime only, set two separate time periods (e.g., 12:00 AM – 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM – 12:00 AM).
How to optimize Request to order?
- Use selectively: Only turn this on for Gigs that strictly require a consultation or contact before an order. Limiting instant orders may lower your total order volume.
- Respond quickly: Clients sending a request are often ready to buy immediately. High response speed is critical for conversion and maintaining your metrics.
- Update availability: If you will be away for more than a day, set your Gig to "not available" to protect your response rate metric.
FAQs
- No, your cancellation rate won’t be affected by declined requests. However, visits to your Gig page that don't convert into orders might impact your metrics negatively. Make sure to respond as fast as possible to requests, and decline a project only if it's irrelevant to you.
- To approve a request, send the client a Custom offer based on their chosen package or specific requirements.
- Yes, you can enable or disable Request to order for each Gig individually and edit these settings at any time.
- Yes. You can decide if you want to set an expiration date for your custom offers. If you didn't set an expiration date, the client can still accept it whenever they want.