Vent: A client refused to pay after I bought a $300 plugin for their site

I built a custom booking system for a local salon and they insisted on a specific calendar plugin. I paid for it upfront, around $300, thinking they'd cover it in the final invoice. The project finished, they loved it, then ghosted on the payment. Now I'm out the plugin cost and my hours. Has anyone else had a client approve an expense and then just disappear?

3 comments

3 Comments

finleym3715d ago

A 50% deposit is just the cost of doing business now.

garcia.wren15d ago

Read a story about a freelancer who started taking a 50% deposit before buying any client-requested assets. They said it filters out the bad clients right away because the serious ones pay it. Makes you wonder if that's the only way to protect yourself now.

jana50915d ago

That line about it filtering out the bad clients is spot on. I tried a 25% deposit once, and the client who fought me the hardest on it turned out to be a nightmare who never paid the final bill. I guess my joke is that my "client filter" was set way too low. A 50% upfront feels like a big step, but after getting burned, you start to see the logic. It sure seems like a strong way to separate the serious people from the ones who will waste your time.