Client wants to pay me less than promised

[natalia_sobianin]

I finished my first project here and client did not answer me and did not pay me. Before everithing was good and client told me that he likes my work, and asked for some edits. I made them and she stoped to answer. Today i resubmited my work and she told me that my work does not cost 50$ it cost 20$. No edits everithing was good and now what she is telling me... I aske her if she needs more edits but she told me that they finished project. I dont know what to do. It was my first project and i wanted to get a good review but now.. what can i do? 

The company has good reviews and i could not think that they can make something like that... 

[feed_my_eyes]

Some clients have good reviews because their previous freelancers are too scared to be honest about their experiences. Is there $50 in the escrow account, and did you submit your work properly (using the "submit" button)? Has the client formally requested a refund, or do you think that they're just trying to negotiate with you? Did you ask them for the specific reason why they suddenly decided that your work wasn't worth what they originally agreed to?

[natalia_sobianin]

Thank you very much for answer Christine! yes i used "submit" button 2 times first time when i finished project, then client asked me ( in private message) to make some edits: to delete pictures from concept and change titles and nothing more. And send 2 concepts in png. I did that. Then made edits and sent to her in png again. And she did not answer. I resubmit the work and told her to pay or ask for edits. She told that they finished the project by themselves. (used my design i think) and they dont think that it costs 50$ but i can get 20$ if i want. 50$ it very small cost but it was my first project so i took it. And now i cant take 20$ it just insults me and second reason i dont want let them to make the same with other frilancers.

[feed_my_eyes]

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Natalia S wrote:

Thank you very much for answer Christine! yes i used "submit" button 2 times first time when i finished project, then client asked me ( in private message) to make some edits: to delete pictures from concept and change titles and nothing more. And send 2 concepts in png. I did that. Then made edits and sent to her in png again. And she did not answer. I resubmit the work and told her to pay or ask for edits. She told that they finished the project by themselves. (used my design i think) and they dont think that it costs 50$ but i can get 20$ if i want. 50$ it very small cost but it was my first project so i took it. And now i cant take 20$ it just insults me and second reason i dont want let them to make the same with other frilancers.

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Okay. So the $50 is in the escrow account at the moment (the whole amount)? Did the client formally request a refund of $30? And did you hit "submit" the last time that you submitted the work? Do not click on it again, because that re-sets the client's review time to 14 days.

Your next step could be to politely inform the client that unfortunately, if the work is not paid for in full, then they cannot use it. 

[natalia_sobianin]

50$ is funded now. No she did not request a refund 30$. I think she already used my work because it was 2 concepts for one screen Landing page and i send them links for Figma and PNGs without watermarks. And she told me that they made some changes in my work and finished the project by themselves. 

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[feed_my_eyes · Accepted solution]

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Natalia S wrote:

50$ is funded now. No she did not request a refund 30$. I think she already used my work because it was 2 concepts for one screen Landing page and i send them links for Figma and PNGs without watermarks. And she told me that they made some changes in my work and finished the project by themselves. 

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

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Okay, don't say anything else to the client for now, just wait 14 days.

[natalia_sobianin]

Ok. Thank you very much Christine!

[natalia_sobianin]

The end of the story : Client ended the contract and asked for full refund.

I told her that i will not take 20$ and she can keep it to herself. So she did that. I will be ok.

Thank you for the support. I hope on next time I will meet a better client.

UPD. I just watched new projects from this client and saw that they are looking for a designer who will make next step - pick colors and somthing more... They changed a litlle my concept and use it now. I think next designer will not get payment same as me...

i added pictures of my and their design.
**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[tta192]

Should not have accepted the full refund, now you cannot leave the client any feedback so other freelancers will keep being scammed the same way. Maybe try and report this as a scam & feedback manipulation but it'll probably not solve much.

[macollinsone]

just take the $20, it was your first job, that's not bad...i don't care about what I am paid when i first join these type of things...they are just to become established...the time it would take to dispute it would be ah waste; you could have the good review, and other project offers

upwork pops up a disclaimer when you take fixed amount projects for this very reason

[natalia_sobianin]

Marcus, it was my first job here but not very first at all. i made a good work and want to get payment. i think its normal. if we all time close our eyes then client do like that with us they will be doing that again and again....

[prestonhunter]

It is not worth my time to argue about $30 with a client.

If a client was supposed to pay me $50 and offers $20 instead, then I am going to accept the $20 and be done with it.

But the client is the one who loses out. Because I am not going to work for that client again.

A lot of times I submit fixed-price work and the client pays me MORE money than was agreed upon originally. Without my asking them to. Because the client knows my work is very valuable to him and wants to position himself as one of my favorite clients. Multiple clients have done this with me.

A smart client doesn't try to weasel out of paying $30.

A smart client knows that having great freelancers think favorably about them is going to be worth more than a few bucks in the long run.

[natalia_sobianin]

Thank you Preston! You are right about the long run.

But for now it's hard for me to accept it. I didn't expect this.

[colettelewis]

Natalia, 

Don't tear yourself up about this too much. Clients are often unresponsive. Adding to what Christine has said, don't press the submit button more than once, because that starts the whole 14-day process again. 

You have a little way to go before getting your JSS so if she gives you poor feedback, a few good feedbacks on future jobs will help to negate it. If your client does not ask for a refund, you should get the full $50 for your work. 

[filip_knezevic]

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Marcus C wrote:

just take the $20, it was your first job, that's not bad...i don't care about what I am paid when i first join these type of things...they are just to become established...the time it would take to dispute it would be ah waste; you could have the good review, and other project offers

upwork pops up a disclaimer when you take fixed amount projects for this very reason

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Lol man, that's horrible advice.

[filip_knezevic]

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Natalia S wrote:

Today i resubmited my work and she told me that my work does not cost 50$ it cost 20$.  

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Lol. What a bully of a client! Maybe she trains MMA as well (I'm not laughing to your situation btw).

My opinion is this client will give you a bad private score even if you refund or take 20 bucks.

#@$%#@$ is a #$%#$%%$#. 

If you wait for two weeks, as others suggested, you will automatically get the escrow ammount. If the bully client gives you a bad feedback, make sure to use respond to feedback button. There explain other potential clients what happened, and that you have your dignity and you didn't want to accept less money then you deserve.

We Slavic people just love our dignity, even if it ends bad for us (e.g. WW1, WW2...). 🙂