Level of work too high for low pay

[39d166fa]

I am a content writer and this client offered a blog post for $40. I agreed because it seemed easy enough as it is in my field of study. However, the level of detail he wants is compatible with a college thesis. I spent more time providing edits and adding content than I ever did for clients who pay triple the price. Today, he asked for more edits. I edited again for the 10th time, he comes back with more. He's only paying $10 for the final revision. This work is taking away from other higher-paying clients. 

I told him that the level of editing and detail his work requires isn't compatible with the pay. I asked him to add at least an additional $40. 

Is this reasonable to ask? 

[renata101]

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Svetlana L wrote:

I am a content writer and this client offered a blog post for $40. I agreed because it seemed easy enough as it is in my field of study. However, the level of detail he wants is compatible with a college thesis. I spent more time providing edits and adding content than I ever did for clients who pay triple the price. Today, he asked for more edits. I edited again for the 10th time, he comes back with more. He's only paying $10 for the final revision. This work is taking away from other higher-paying clients. 

I told him that the level of editing and detail his work requires isn't compatible with the pay. I asked him to add at least an additional $40. 

Is this reasonable to ask? 

---

Are you sure it's not a college thesis? 

It's not unreasonable to ask, but it's usually better to state the number of revisions you're open to and what they will cost before the contract starts. 

[39d166fa]

It's a blog post for their website 

[jeremiah-brown]

People shouldn't be doing homework on here anyway.  I flag it whenever I see it.  Its unethical.

Obviously freelancers can't always tell if it's homework for any number of domains, but I do frequenty see textbook pages scanned and uploaded for job requests.

[ericaandrews]

Next time gather those expectations up front before the contract.  If the client looks like they are going to need lots of ongoing edits, then you should really insist on them giving you an HOURLY contract.  If you must do fixed-rate,  I recommend... with writing jobs...adding an agreement that the first milestone includes only the 1st draft (and maybe one round of 'edits'), and each additional group of edits requested are discussed/negotiated as a new milestone.   Meaning, each time the client wants new edits, you should discuss them first - IF you will do them and for how much.   The client should not just be coming back to you each time with however many edits he/she wants and just saying "here's another $10 bucks to cover it."   At this point, I think you might want to cut your losses and close the contract and issue a refund so it doesn't impact your JSS.  I have a feeling this type of client is probably going to ask for another 10-20 edits or more as long as they believe they can keep bilking work out of you

[39d166fa]

I asked for more money for further edits and they just stopped asking for edits and released the funds they owed me. Sometimes I get the feeling that people think I do this for fun.

[renata101]

I once had a client send me a grammar question out of the blue at 9:30 pm on Christmas Eve.

[39d166fa]

Lol did you charge for that?

[renata101]

Sometimes it's hard. The client was a young medical resident (so someone without a normal context for what "after hours" means), and the paper was about at-risk youth. And it was a simple question. So I just answered it and wished him a Merry Christmas.  It's a weird time of year for a lot of people. 

[ericaandrews]

Good.  At least they released the funds and at least they got the message that they have to PAY for additional edits and that they are not free.  It's fine if they don't ask for more edits, especially if they weren't willing to pay for those edits to begin with.   Even so, the client might still leave a 'negative' review because they feel they have some 'god given right' to exploit any freelancer they hire.  You can either issue a refund to save your JSS, or really WARN other freelancers about this terrible client in a the review you leave.

I hate to say this, but you really have to 'set the tone' with Clients from the out-set and almost 'train' them as to HOW you are going to conduct business with them.   You are not 'working' for somebody when you take an Upwork Job.  You are a business owner providing a SERVICE, which means you decide WHO can receive your services, at what rates, WHEN/how services will be delivered, and what it costs for 'add on' services like 'edits' and 'revisions'.  If they don't like the 'rules' of your business, you show them the door and move on to the next customer.   If I get the feeling a client is looking for 'unlimited' anything for a 'fixed rate', I discontinue the interview immediately.     This is a business. Not a charity.

It's no different than walking into a restaurant and ordering a certain plate of food for $15. After that 1 plate arrives, you can't simply keep ordering additional items off the menu expecting them to be 'covered' under the same $15.  Every additional item you order goes on your check, and a person that keeps deliberately 'ordering' items without intention of paying the full check is commonly referred to as...a thief.   This client sounds like a thief to me.

[pgiambalvo]

Yes.

[yassok]

Although it's much better to clarify that revisions cost during the interview, You did the exact right thing. People can be opportunist ( in a bad way ) sometimes. So, never work for things you are not being paid for ( Giving like 3 free revisions is desirable for a nice healthy relationship with the client though )

Good luck!

[jeremiah-brown]

Yup, welcome to Upwork.

Many  clients do this.  Why else do you think they're here trying to hire a freelancer online?  They're looking to maximize how far their money will stretch - plain and simple.

In order to prevent being abused by the client, and future clients, you need to figure out a system to minimize your exposure to risk.  Simply lay out terms right from the start - "I will provide xx amount of content with 3 free revisions.  All documents are to be reviewed within 36 hours of submission.  Additional revisions will cost $xx each (or per hour).  Freelancer will retain all copyrights to material until final payment has processed and released from Upwork."

Stuff like that.  Be prepared to walk.  And never perform ANY free or sample work because they'll take you for that too.

[39d166fa]

Do you present them with your own contract initially or go with theirs and add this statement in addition to the agreements?

[moonraker]

Don't let them bully you.

You're top-rated, do you have a perk?

[39d166fa]

What do you mean by perk?