Asking to be paid less

[Hillianthe E]

A client asked me find some specific financial information for several companies for a fixed price.

I started my assignment to find out that all requested information could only be achieved by paying on the websites a price between $5 - $150. The search was for 20 companies. Meaning that I would have paid upfront an amount of approx. $2000,-. (while the fixed price was far more less). This caused that I could not give the client the specific information that he requested. I am not very happy with this situation, so I have suggested to the client to pay me the price that he thinks that the work that I have done (meaning collecting all the links with the information that he is looking for), is worth. If this is correct, if so, my question is, how can I change the price for the milestones?  

[Jennifer M · Accepted solution]

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Hillianthe E wrote:

A client asked me find some specific financial information for several companies for a fixed price.

I started my assignment to find out that all requested information could only be achieved by paying on the websites a price between $5 - $150. The search was for 20 companies. Meaning that I would have paid upfront an amount of approx. $2000,-. (while the fixed price was far more less). This caused that I could not give the client the specific information that he requested. I am not very happy with this situation, so I have suggested to the client to pay me the price that he thinks that the work that I have done (meaning collecting all the links with the information that he is looking for), is worth. If this is correct, if so, my question is, how can I change the price for the milestones?  

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You can request a lower amount from escrow and refund the rest. I don't think it's very smart to leave it to the client to decide how much it's worth. He might just come back and say $0 and you've just agreed to that. But anyway, whatever floats your boat. If he says $5, then you request $5 from escrow and refund the rest.

[Petra R]

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Hillianthe E wrote:

I started my assignment to find out that all requested information could only be achieved by paying on the websites a price between $5 - $150. The search was for 20 companies. Meaning that I would have paid upfront an amount of approx. $2000,-. (while the fixed price was far more less). This caused that I could not give the client the specific information that he requested. I am not very happy with this situation, so I have suggested to the client to pay me the price that he thinks that the work that I have done (meaning collecting all the links with the information that he is looking for), is worth. If this is correct, if so, my question is, how can I change the price for the milestones?  

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It was unwise to accept a contract to do something you did not know you could do.

The client is expecting to pay for specific financial information, not for links to sites where he can pay to get it so personally I would consider this a "Sorry, can't provide you with what you need" situation.

Discuss it with the client but personally I think the client knows perfectly well where he can pay to find the info in question and was looking for a freelancer who would have access to that stuff already.