Pro tip: Watch out for the 'I'll know it when I see it' client

I was working on a website project for a small shop in Austin. The owner kept saying he'd know the right design when he saw it, but gave zero direction. We went through 7 full mockups over 3 weeks, and he rejected every single one with vague notes like 'not my vibe'. He finally picked the first one I showed him, but then refused to pay for the extra revision hours. It cost me about $500 in lost time. Now I charge for rounds of revisions upfront. Has anyone else had to deal with this kind of endless feedback loop?

3 comments

3 Comments

parker_webb3d ago

Yeah, the "not my vibe" feedback is the worst... I read an article once that called this the "design by committee" trap, where they can't describe what they want but expect you to just guess it right.

parker_hall53d ago

Man I used to think charging for rounds was just being greedy. Then I had a client ask for five completely different styles and still said "not my vibe" to all of them. Now I get it, it makes them actually pick a direction instead of just guessing. That "creative slot machine" thing is too real, you just burn hours for nothing.

williams.luna3d ago

That article @parker_webb mentioned is spot on... it's like they expect you to read their mind. I heard a designer on a podcast call it "creative slot machine" where they just keep pulling the lever hoping for a jackpot. Charging for rounds upfront is the only way to make them actually think about what they want.