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General Questions
What is Paperweight?
Paperweight is an online outsourcing platform that puts clients and businesses in contact with a global network of professional writers. Anyone can post a short-term or long-term job, choose a writer from the bids received, or directly pick a writer from those available, negotiate terms, and hire them to begin the contract.
- Clients can choose from thousands of professional talents at competitive rates. This platform helps remove the stress of undertaking the commitment of hiring a full-time employee and spending so much to train and retain them as well.
- Writers can simply apply for many readily available jobs to begin their work with, and keep earning via part-time and full-time opportunities on the platform.
What fees does Paperweight charge?
Initially, there is no fee at all.
Both clients and writers can join the platform for free. The platform only charges a fee when a project begins. This fee is deducted from the total amount being paid for the task to be done. And this fee is only deducted once the client is satisfied with the work and the task is marked as completed.
How do I sign up?
Clients: To sign up, follow the steps below:
- Go to Login/Sign Up.
- Click Create an Account.
- Choose "As a Client" to create a client account.
- Enter the details requested and create the account.
- Verify your email (if required).
- Log into the account.
- Post a biddable or fixed job.
writers: To sign up, follow the steps below:
- Go to Login/Sign Up.
- Click Create an Account.
- Choose "As a Writer" to create a writer account.
- Enter the details requested and create the account.
- Verify your email (if required).
- Log into the account.
- Go to the dashboard. NOTE: You will have to fill out a form stating your skills, experience, and everything before you can access the dashboard.
- So, add all your details in the form that shows up.
- Look for jobs and place a bid.
How will Paperweight work for me as a client?
All you need to do is post a job on the platform.
There are two types of jobs - fixed and bidable.
Post a fixed job to choose the writer you want from a large pool of options, based on your budget, skills required, and so on.
Post a biddable job to allow writers to share their bids for the job. You can then choose the best bid out of all received, negotiate terms, and begin the contract.
How will Paperweight work for me as a Writer?
With Paperweight, being a writer, you can easily get jobs sitting in the comfort of your home. Simply create your profile, add your skills and details, look for jobs, negotiate terms, and begin the contract.
By working as a writer here on the platform, you can greatly increase your client base and job throughput, without having to struggle. Begin your journey for FREE today by signing up.
Will Paperweight provide work to me?
Paperweight does not give you work.
It is simply a platform that allows you to get work done easily. You will have to search for jobs that fit your skillset, apply or bid on them, and wait for the client to reach out to you.
If you match the requirements of the client, and have submitted a great bid, you will be hired and can begin working with them.
Your Paperweight Account
How to close my account on Paperweight?
On your dashboard, go to account settings and select Delete My Account.
Points to be noted:
- Ensure all your jobs are completed or have ended. You won't be able to close the account if there is a job still in progress.
- Ensure you withdraw all the money in your wallet to your account. This is to avoid any trouble of losing money later.
- Remember that everything in the account will be deleted permanently and you will have to recreate a new account and build it up all over again.
Can I change my email address?
Yes, you can absolutely change your email address at any time. To change this visit - your dashboard > Account Settings > Change Credentials. Then, enter your new email address, verify your password, and click Save.
With this, a verification email link will be sent to your new email address. Click it to verify your new email. And with this, your email address will be updated accordingly.
How do I verify my account?
Once you have registered on the platform, you will receive an email on your email address with a verification link.
Click this link to verify your account.
Once done, log into your account to take the next step.
Can I change my name?
Yes, you can change your name on the platform.
To do this - go to Your Dashboard > Account Settings > Personal Info.
Edit your name and click Save.
It is important to note that when you change your name, you will be asked to share a government verification with it as well. So, be prepared accordingly as we take the identity verification process quite seriously.
How to manage my Paperweight Account?
For both writers and clients, once you log into your account, you are directed to the homepage of the platform.
To view your account details and manage the settings, click the profile icon at the top right corner of the page and go to "dashboard."
On your dashboard, you will be able to manage everything for your account including updating your details and so on.
Clients can post jobs from the dashboard, manage the jobs in progress, and so on.
Writers can review the jobs that are currently in progress, look for more jobs and so on.
Why do I need to verify my identity?
At Paperweights, we work towards keeping everyone safe, which is why it is important for a writers to verify their identity by sharing an official government ID.
The verification process is only done once, usually at the beginning of your journey on the platform. However, if there is any sort of misconduct or dispute that arises, you might be asked to share your ID again and even get on a video call to clarify and sort everything out.
To verify your identity initially:
- Upload an official government ID (passport, driver's license, etc)
- Take a selfie and upload it.
NOTE: Both the selfie and government ID photos need to match for the process to go through.
It usually takes about 24 to 72 hours for the team to complete the verification process. If there are any doubts, we might ask you to get on a video call as well.
Please keep in mind that we are not here to discourage you. We want to help you get the best services and the only way a client will trust and hire you is if you are verified. So, bear with this process.
You will need to add a photo of an official government ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.) from a list of documents available to you—depending on your country of residence.
After uploading your ID, you’ll be asked to take a selfie.
Your selfie and ID must match and belong to you in order to complete the process.
What are the payment methods available?
By default, there are two payment methods available.
- Bank Account Transfer
- PayPal
Add your payment details for either one of these options or both under Your Dashboard > Account Settings > Payments
Placing Requests
What happens if I can't find my skill in the list provided?
In this case, you can place a request for a skill to the platform's admin. The admin will review the same and approve accordingly.
Requests can be placed from your dashboard easily. There are three types of requests you can place including:
- Spoken Language Request
- Soft Skills Request
- Skills Request
What if my skill request isn't accepted?
Sometimes, it can take about a week for the management to look into the request you placed. If, however, the request hasn't been updated, you can contact us on the support email to escalate the matter.
Furthermore, if the request is denied, it means that we do not approve the skill and will not be offering the respective service on our platform.
How long does it take for a skill request to be accpeted?
It usually takes about 7 working days for the management to look into the skill request you placed.
However, if the request hasn't been approved after this time limit, you can contact us via our support email to escalate the matter.
Payments & Withdrawals
How to I manage my payment methods?
On your dashboard, go to Account Settings > Payments.
By default, there are two types of payment methods that you can set up - bank transfers and PayPal.
Fill in the details of whichever payment method you want to set up. You can also set up both payment methods, giving you more options to withdraw payments easily.
How do I remove a payment method or change it?
To remove a payment method, you will need to contact the support team as there is no option available on the dashboard that allows you to do it.
Simply leave us an email about the request and the reason for the request. We will get back to you regarding the same in 24 to 72 hours.
What to do if my payment fails?
When a payment fails, ensure:
- Your bank details or PayPal details are right.
- Your account hasn't been blocked or suspended.
- There are no bank server issues/PayPal server issues.
It is always better to wait for a while and try it once again.
If it still fails, contact your bank. For PayPal payment failures, contact the PayPal team.
What to do if I was charged twice?
A payment may have gone through more than once because:
- The checkout session was interrupted. You might have clicked the back button or refreshed the page.
- The payment button may have been pressed twice. This usually happens when there are multiple attempts to make the payment.
If you were billed more than once, please contact Customer Support. And to speed up the process during your conversation with us, have all the details ready including the invoice no, payment details, and so on.
How does the Paperweight wallet work?
Paperweight offers a digital wallet to every user on the platform allowing you to make seamless payments without any interruption and issues.
You can easily add money to your Paperweight wallet and withdraw the same.
Why was my Paperweight wallet balance deducted?
Your wallet on Paperweight is considered the primary payment method. If you have any balance in your account, while starting a contract or making a purchase, the amount will be deducted from your wallet and not your other payment method.
Why was my account charged if I have a Paperweight balance?
Even though your Paperweight wallet is considered as the first payment source, if the funds available are insufficient, the amount will be deducted from your next payment method, which can be your bank account or PayPal account.
Kindly note that in this case, your approval is taken before it happens. We do not deduct any amount directly and without your approval.
How is my payment deducted when a contract starts?
There are two types of projects - hours and fixed.
For fixed contracts, once it starts, the amount is deducted from the client's account and is held by the platform as security. This payment is only released to the writer (after the fee is deducted from it) once the work has been submitted, approved and the contract has been marked as completed.
For hourly projects, the amount is deducted from the client's payment method, at the end of the week, based on the number of hours the writer has worked for. Again, for security reasons, this amount is held by the platform for about 10 days which allows the client to initiate any dispute or stop the payment - in situations where the work hasn't been done.
Why did my payment fail?
There are many reasons why a payment can fail. But do not worry, as we are here to help you out.
Reasons why your payment has failed:
Bank - Due to bank issues, sometimes the payment gets stuck in between. It is normal for it to take about 3 to 5 working days for the payment to reflect in your account. However, if the payment doesn't reflect after about 7 or 8 working days, contact us and your bank regarding the same.
PayPal - If you withdrew an amount to your PayPal account and it does not reflect, there can be two reasons for it - check your PayPal email address again to ensure you used the right one. If yes, review your PayPal account, and ensure it has not been blocked, or suspended. In this case or otherwise, too, contact the PayPal team to get the amount and resolve this issue.
How to troubleshoot payment issues?
To resolve any issues with your payment, try these options:
Contact your bank or PayPal
- If you attempted to make a payment through your bank account and it failed, contact your bank to ensure that there is no issue with your account, or with their server.
- If you attempted to make a payment through PayPal and it failed, contact PayPal customer support or check if your account has been suspended or blocked. Another reason can be that your country has blocked payments via PayPal (which happens in some countries).
Try another payment method
If you used the bank transfer method, and it failed, try using your PayPal account, and vice-versa. One of the methods is bound to work.
NOTE: If you tried to make the payment once, and it failed. It is advised to try once again.
Also, during the payment process, do not refresh or go back before the process is completed.
To get additional help, contact our support team.
How do I review the invoices and orders?
Under your dashboard, go to Orders to view the history of all the orders made (for clients) or received (for writers). You will be able to view every detail for each order and its invoice as well. There is also an option to download the invoice here.
Is it important to fill a tax form to make or receive payments?
Based on the country from which you are operating, you will be required to fill out the tax forms to get paid.
The tax forms are only there for writers. Clients do not have to fill out any tax forms.
Learn more about this by contacting our customer support service.
Safety Measures
Why do I need to verify my identity?
At Paperweight, we work towards keeping everyone safe, which is why it is important for a writer to verify their identity by sharing an official government ID.
The verification process is only done once, usually at the beginning of your journey on the platform. However, if there is any sort of misconduct or dispute that arises, you might be asked to share your ID again and even get on a video call to clarify and sort everything out.
To verify your identity initially:
- Upload an official government ID (passport, driver's license, etc)
- Take a selfie and upload it.
NOTE: Both the selfie and government ID photos need to match for the process to go through.
It usually takes about 24 to 72 hours for the team to complete the verification process. If there are any doubts, we might ask you to get on a video call as well.
Please keep in mind that we are not here to discourage you. We want to help you get the best services and the only way a client will trust and hire you is if you are verified. So, bear with this process.
You will need to add a photo of an official government ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.) from a list of documents available to you—depending on your country of residence.
After uploading your ID, you’ll be asked to take a selfie.
Your selfie and ID must match and belong to you in order to complete the process.
Can I change my password?
Yes, you can easily change your password at any time under your dashboard > Account Settings > Change Credentials.
If, however, you have misplaced your password, you can get a reset link on your email address by using the forgot password option on the sign in page.
How to manage spam messages or a user troubling you?
Firstly, we try our best to ensure that this situation never comes up.
However, if you come across someone who is spamming you or troubling you, contact our support team immediately. We will ensure that the respective person is dealt with instantly. And if things do not get better, we will remove the person from the platform.
Is my data safe and kept private on Paperweight?
Paperweight has a strict GDPR policy and we believe in data privacy.
In case you feel that your data is being misused and want to know what data have we stored of yours in our dashboard, you can request for the same immediately. Our team will share a detailed list of all your data that we have stored and where it is being used (in a completely transparent manner).
In addition to this, if you do not feel safe at all using our platform, even after communicating with us about the issue, we offer the option to delete your account and all your data permanently.
Visit our privacy policy page to get more information on this!