Requests and seller proposals

Before you start

IVOTIA buyer requests are designed for situations where you want sellers to come to you with offers instead of you browsing listings first.

A request can be for a service or a product. You set the title, category, budget, location, and how widely the request should be shared.

How to post a request

Use the Post request flow to publish a buyer brief. IVOTIA currently requires a title and a budget before the request can be created.

You can also add a category, optional subcategory, description, deadline, address details, and location coordinates when relevant.

When the request is created, IVOTIA gives it a public request page and sets an expiry window of about 30 days unless the request is filled or cancelled earlier.

1. 1
   Choose whether the request is for a product or a service.
2. 2
   Add a clear title and practical budget.
3. 3
   Choose the closest category and subcategory.
4. 4
   Add the written brief, timeline, and location details that sellers need to quote properly.
5. 5
   Submit the request and review the published request page.

Invite-only vs open marketplace requests

IVOTIA currently supports two visibility modes: invite-only and open marketplace.

Invite-only requests are sent to the sellers you choose. Open marketplace requests can be seen by eligible sellers on the platform, subject to the request type and proposal limit.

1. 1
   Invite-only is more controlled and starts with the sellers you notify directly.
2. 2
   Open marketplace gives the request wider reach and allows more sellers to compete for the work.
3. 3
   A request also has a proposal limit, so IVOTIA stops accepting new proposals once that cap is reached.

How sellers submit proposals

Sellers can only propose if they are eligible for the request type. Product requests require an active vendor seller profile, while service requests require an active freelancer seller profile.

A seller cannot propose on their own request, cannot submit a blank proposal, and cannot submit more than one proposal for the same request.

For invite-only requests, sellers must actually be invited before they can respond.

1. 1
   Each proposal includes a required proposal message.
2. 2
   Sellers can also add an optional quote and optional delivery timeline.
3. 3
   If the request has already reached its proposal limit, additional proposals are blocked.

How buyers review proposals

Once sellers respond, the request page shows the proposals back to the buyer. Buyers can compare the seller, proposal message, quote, and timeline before deciding what to do next.

The buyer controls the next step for each proposal: shortlist, select, or reject.

1. 1
   Shortlist keeps the seller in consideration and opens a limited chat window.
2. 2
   Select marks the seller as chosen and prepares the conversation for the next stage.
3. 3
   Reject closes that proposal out of consideration.
4. 4
   Sellers can still withdraw their own proposal unless they have already been selected or fully unlocked.

Shortlisting and limited chat

When a buyer shortlists a proposal, IVOTIA opens a related conversation and enables a limited chat so the buyer and seller can clarify details before full unlock.

The current limited chat window is not unlimited. It is created with a small message allowance, so buyers should use it to verify fit and clarify essentials rather than start the full engagement too early.

1. 1
   Shortlisting creates or reuses a request-linked conversation.
2. 2
   The seller is notified that the proposal was shortlisted.
3. 3
   Conversation access is only available after the proposal is shortlisted, selected, or unlocked.

Selection and unlock

Selecting a proposal signals that the buyer wants to continue with that seller, but IVOTIA can still require a paid unlock before the conversation becomes fully open.

The request page shows an unlock fee based on the request budget, and the buyer can use the unlock flow to continue the relationship inside a full conversation when that step applies.

1. 1
   Selected sellers are notified that they were chosen.
2. 2
   Unlocking can open the full request conversation and take the buyer into chat.
3. 3
   The request page shows the unlock fee in the buyer’s active display currency.

Managing your request after publishing

Buyers can review their own requests from the request area and update the request status when the opportunity is no longer open.

The current request status actions allow a buyer to mark a request as filled or cancelled.

1. 1
   Use filled when the request has been successfully taken by a seller.
2. 2
   Use cancelled when you no longer want proposals for that request.
3. 3
   A request can also expire if it remains open too long without being completed.

Important things to know

1. 1
   A good request gets better responses when the title, brief, budget, and category are all specific.
2. 2
   Invite-only is best when you already know which sellers you want to hear from first.
3. 3
   Open marketplace requests are better when you want wider exposure, but you should still set a realistic proposal limit.
4. 4
   Shortlisting is the safe first step when you want clarification before committing to a seller.
5. 5
   The request system is part of the platform workflow. Avoid pushing negotiation or payment outside IVOTIA just because a seller responded quickly.