Why aren't clients required to verify payment?

[moonssea]

I only ask because I have had two issues with very flaky clients, to the point where I will not consider a project if the client does not verify payment. In my experience (and I don't intend this to be mean or rude at all) is that the clients who do not verify either try to get free work, or just waste time and flake out (canceling meetings, etc.) I am just trying to understand why Upwork does not require them to verify payment.

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

re: "Why aren't clients required to verify payment?"

Why aren't you required to show you have cash in your wallet or have your credit cards checked to see if they have sufficient balance when you go into a store?

Upwork wants potential clients to be able to check out what is available before paying any money, or even before showing that they can pay.

If a client posts and job and is fortunate to receive a proposal from me, the client is going to want to hire me. They'll take the time to add a payment method.

re: "I only ask because I have had two issues with very flaky clients, to the point where I will not consider a project if the client does not verify payment."

That is a perfectly acceptable policy.

Personally, I don't worry about payment verification until a client hires me, and then I won't start work until they get payment verified. But each freelancer may make their own decisions about this. Some freelancers won't send proposals to jobs if the client is not payment-verified.

re: "In my experience (and I don't intend this to be mean or rude at all) is that the clients who do not verify either try to get free work, or just waste time and flake out (canceling meetings, etc.)"

I don't think you are being rude or mean at all.

Each freelancer should make their own decisions about works for them.

If you have found that non-payment-verified clients are problematic, then feel free to NOT APPLY to their jobs. Other freelancers may make a different decision.

[moonssea]

Thank you for explaining that. Yes, due to my bad experiences it is now my policy to not take clients who are not payment verified, but I also understand it from a different perspective now.