What would you do for five bucks?

June 18, 2010

We thought we had seen just about everything in terms of social networking on the Internet. Then we stumbled across Fiverr.

The new web site seems to offer up everything from the silly to the serious. The premise is ridiculously simple–people post on the site things they’re willing to do for five dollars: Proofread a resume, send a really nice postcard from Paris, break up with your boyfriend or girlfriend, compose a silly song in your honor, record a video salute to you, or photoshop monsters into your family photos.

Based in Israel, Fiverr was co-founded by Micha Kaufman, who felt frustrated one day, trying to convert a chart in Microsoft Word to Excel. The project was too tedious for him, but not large enough to justify assigning a contract employee. Kaufman began wondering if people would perform simple tasks for the sweet fee of five dollars. [Wall Street Journal]

The response has been overwhelming–5,000 entries alone in the first 30 days. There was the doctor who offered to answer medical questions in plain English and the songwriter who would write you a song.

Although buyers pay $5, sellers receive $4, after payment-processing and Fiverr fees, which is the primary way the site makes money. PayPal is the payment method and posting a gig is free.

Here are some of the ones posted Friday night:

I will write a personalized, humorous, or serious poem about your father for Father’s Day for $5.

I will provide the best slogan for your company for $5!

I will sing the Canadian National Anthem and dedicate it to you on video for $5.