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This REALLY ticked me off...

by thescribe
19 replies
Okay, I provide content for numerous clients and recently, I had a potential client contact me regarding placing an order.

After a few exchanges, we agreed that I would write a paid sample. If she was happy with the sample, then she would pay the agreed upon price. If not, then no harm, no foul. I would retain rights to the content sample. The price was CLEAR from the outset, besides also being discounted from my normal rates.

I went about writing the sample and sent the preview to her. She responded back telling me that she could ONLY pay $X - much less than the previously agreed upon rate. CLEARLY, she wanted the content but did not want to pay the quoted rate.

I responded back reiterating our previous agreement and informing her that I would be selling/using the content elsewhere. She then responds back asking me what me what my absolute lowest rate was. I was angry and insulted. If she knew that she could not or did not want to pay the quoted rate, why waste both of our time?

I am not adverse to providing a paid sample, but this is the reason that I require at least a 50% deposit upfront from my clients.
#article writer #content writer #get articles written #ticked #writing
  • Profile picture of the author Zeus66
    It's common, unfortunately. I remember back a few years when I did ghostwriting that this happened pretty often until I finally stopped offering paid samples. If someone won't agree to 50% up front - assuming you have good testimonials and references - then you don't need them. They'll just be a headache that you wish you'd never agreed to take on.

    John
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    • Profile picture of the author maesil
      Originally Posted by Zeus66 View Post

      It's common, unfortunately. I remember back a few years when I did ghostwriting that this happened pretty often until I finally stopped offering paid samples. If someone won't agree to 50% up front - assuming you have good testimonials and references - then you don't need them. They'll just be a headache that you wish you'd never agreed to take on.

      John
      I recommend that you only consider job opportunities from reputable sites, so ask them to include the URL that they are responding to.

      If you are too bothered by this in the first place, I highly recommend you write for yourself. It's likely that you can extract more revenue for yourself instead of selling it outright for an upfront cost. You will have to wait longer for the cash, but you will avoid this every time.
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      • Profile picture of the author Zeus66
        Originally Posted by maesil View Post

        I recommend that you only consider job opportunities from reputable sites, so ask them to include the URL that they are responding to.

        If you are too bothered by this in the first place, I highly recommend you write for yourself. It's likely that you can extract more revenue for yourself instead of selling it outright for an upfront cost. You will have to wait longer for the cash, but you will avoid this every time.
        Thanks for the advice, but as I mentioned in the post this was back when I used to ghostwrite. I haven't done that for years. The real money is in creating your own products, not writing them for others. Copywriters excluded, obviously.
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    • Profile picture of the author Robert Puddy
      Originally Posted by Zeus66 View Post

      It's common, unfortunately. I remember back a few years when I did ghostwriting that this happened pretty often until I finally stopped offering paid samples. If someone won't agree to 50% up front - assuming you have good testimonials and references - then you don't need them. They'll just be a headache that you wish you'd never agreed to take on.

      John

      Or they are reputable people who have paid upfront and never got what thery paid for. for whatever reason

      I have been bitten twice with this paying upfront for material from someone normally reputable

      but circumstances changed for them and i lost the money

      This works 2 ways
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  • Profile picture of the author caseycase
    Originally Posted by thescribe View Post

    Okay, I provide content for numerous clients and recently, I had a potential client contact me regarding placing an order.

    After a few exchanges, we agreed that I would write a paid sample. If she was happy with the sample, then she would pay the agreed upon price. If not, then no harm, no foul. I would retain rights to the content sample. The price was CLEAR from the outset, besides also being discounted from my normal rates.

    I went about writing the sample and sent the preview to her. She responded back telling me that she could ONLY pay - much less than the previously agreed upon rate. CLEARLY, she wanted the content but did not want to pay the quoted rate.

    I responded back reiterating our previous agreement and informing her that I would be selling/using the content elsewhere. She then responds back asking me what me what my absolute lowest rate was. I was angry and insulted. If she knew that she could not or did not want to pay the quoted rate, why waste both of our time?

    I am not adverse to providing a paid sample, but this is the reason that I require at least a 50% deposit upfront from my clients.
    That's a shame. I have had that happen as well. Fortunately, however, most of my clients have been awesome, especially the ones from here at the WF.
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  • Profile picture of the author scrofford
    I think this sums it all up lol!

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  • Profile picture of the author thescribe
    Scrofford, LMBO at that video! I feel better now...
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    CLICK HERE for top quality PLR content...
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    • Profile picture of the author scrofford
      Originally Posted by thescribe View Post

      Scrofford, LMBO at that video! I feel better now...
      Glad you liked it! It really does sum it all up though. I think giving discounts is ok, but when people start to want to just lower the price or change an agreement AFTER the fact, you just need to drop them and move on.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alfred Shelver
    I really believed that I would have more of that happening. I was very surprised that it has never happened I guess because 90% of my clients are from the WF.
    It is bound to happen to me one day and I hope I can just shrug it off.

    I had planned on keeping all unpaid work and putting together a PLR package with it. Well it has never happened so no PLR yet for me I just have no time.

    I can understand your frustration though a service is not like digital product, you have actually spent the time and effort.
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  • Profile picture of the author fuzzynono
    That does seem somewhat unethical. I've heard of things like that happening to other people though. I can imagine it's really annoying.
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  • Profile picture of the author mookinman
    I've had clients trying this SCAM on me - in my t-shirt printing business.

    Or the classic "How much is it for 200 t-shirts", so you quote them the unit price, then they order 50 and expect it to be the same price per unit.

    We've learned to become very assertive over the years at our shop. We don't work for free!
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  • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
    This is the very reason I stopped doing client work. Im a web developer with 10 years experience.

    Its BS, and its an insult. Unfortunately theres a lot of people in this industry that encourage this type of client behaviour by making ridiculous offers.

    Always qualify the client ahead of entering into any negotiations.
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    • Profile picture of the author dbarnum
      Similar free work is sometimes sought here but with consulting, before any order is placed and paid. Book-length replies that take quite a bit of time and are packed with industry knowledge and experience under the belt are asked for at no charge.

      Bottom line is this:

      You just need to stop accepting emails from these kinds of people and move on; otherwise they'll email you to death. You kept your part of the deal, so just use the content and close out communications . Done deal - so sleep easy tonight.

      You gave someone a chance. They blew it.
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  • Profile picture of the author thescribe
    Yes, I realized that, which is why I did not even bother to respond to her last email. You live and learn...
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Give me a break. While this kind of thing may be annoying, it's not a scam or an insult. It's business.

      "If you don't ask, you don't get."

      Like you said, scribe, you live and learn...
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Oksa
    You did the right thing, IMHO, scribe.

    Mr. Crofford, that video was awesome. It made me smile, and irked me at the same time, but, such is the life of providing certain services.

    I almost always take 100% payment up fron when I write, and don't even start until the money is in my account. There are a few clients that are an exception to this rule.

    Ultimately, though, while these things can get under our skin from time to time, it's still a marvelous thing to be able to earn money online, and on our own terms. That's what really counts.

    All the best,
    Michael
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  • Profile picture of the author Lloyd Buchinski
    Originally Posted by thescribe View Post

    She responded back telling me that she could ONLY pay - much less than the previously agreed upon rate. CLEARLY, she wanted the content but did not want to pay the quoted rate.

    I responded back reiterating our previous agreement and informing her that I would be selling/using the content elsewhere. She then responds back asking me what me what my absolute lowest rate was. I was angry and insulted. If she knew that she could not or did not want to pay the quoted rate, why waste both of our time?
    A diplomatic thing has stuck with me since I was a kid. 'Never assume malice when ignorance is sufficient explanation.' Can't remember who said it, but thank you.

    It might be just one of the cases where more communication is needed. I have done some really dum things in new situations. There is a bit of learning to social guidelines and that sort of stuff. It is a bit different from the things we are born knowing.
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  • Profile picture of the author samjesop
    This is unfortunately just part of doing business online. In exchange for little overhead you have to deal with people who aren't afraid to (attempt to) screw you over or low ball you. Face to face business infers a certain level of trust and reputation.
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  • Profile picture of the author Laura B
    I once had a client who signed a contract with me and then proceeded to try and renegotiate it every time she saw me for the next few months. She got billed for the inordinate amount of time we spent discussing the issue. And I never did accept less than the amount on the contract.
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