ANOTHER Flaky Client

[monkeypie]

Again, I am turning to this public forum to get CC's attention. As per the usual, my emails to support are going unanswered. Posting here seems to get editorial attention, so here we go (again).

Earlier this month (April) I answered a request for content from a client called BINGO ARTICLES. They wanted 12 keyword articles, gave me only 10 keys to work with. Said the other 2 would be forthcoming. I delivered 10 good articles, the client said they were good, and they paid me promptly.

Some time later, the client gave me two more keywords and requested articles twice as long as the others. I named a price, client agreed. I wrote and delivered those last 2 pieces, then client (and job post) vanished. I have no idea what happened. The articles have been viewed one time each, and I do wonder if client just snagged them without paying.

Last year, I had a similar problem (vanishing no-pay client) but on a larger scale. That client, CB ROADS, left me holding the bag for hundreds of dollars worth of work. CC said they would handle it, that CB ROADS is a good client, and even the client said they would pay me "soon." Well, that was months and months ago and (you guessed it) CC dropped the ball and never did get my money for me.

I am a full-time writer who earns her living with words. I have been writing through CC for at least ten years. Why, then, does CC simply IGNORE my emails to author support? I have some wonderful private-request clients here, but on the whole, it's getting very discouraging to write for Constant Content due to abject lack of writer support.

--kpc

[Word Gypsy]

I'm sorry that this is happening to you, yet again. It has happened to me many, many times, so I know how frustrating it is. I really hate to say it, but CC has changed a lot since you and I first started ten years ago when we could rely on getting the support we needed to get payment for our efforts. I wish you the best! WG~

[HiredGun]

Is it possible to tell clients you are happy to write their articles ONCE Constant Content has received payment in full for the articles? Client deposits money in their CC account to cover the cost of the articles, you only write one at a time to ensure you get paid for each one, and CC doesn't allow them to withdraw the funds since they're earmarked for you?

[Word Gypsy]

The problem is that CC does allow clients to keep their funds to use for other requests. No obligation exists for the clients to pay an author for the work that they do. Once upon a time, CC did request that the sale go through before the client could make a new request (or so I was told by someone who no longer works at CC). This no longer happens.

[HiredGun]

The problem is that CC does allow clients to keep their funds to use for other requests. No obligation exists for the clients to pay an author for the work that they do. Once upon a time, CC did request that the sale go through before the client could make a new request (or so I was told by someone who no longer works at CC). This no longer happens.

Well that's unfortunate. Sounds like it's time to make a personal policy of only offering one article at a time and only showing 33% (when writing for open requests).

[Lysis]

I think the only guarantee you have is that they put credits in their account. I do know that they follow up, but I've been screwed by a couple of private requests recently. One was for $100 and I really wish it would go into the public pool because I think it would sell in the marketplace.

I've had a few fall through years prior but nothing high enough to get upset over. The last couple irked me though and I'm on Upwork where clients drive me crazy sometimes lol. I like this place since I can just write whatever and make money on it without the hassles.

I've been hesitant to take private requests lately. The open marketplace has been great to me though. I'm sticking with it. Less hassles. I've also raised my rates, so I sell fine on the marketplace but I find that I have to kick back private requests because the budget is too low.

[monkeypie]

I'm sorry that this is happening to you, yet again. It has happened to me many, many times, so I know how frustrating it is. I really hate to say it, but CC has changed a lot since you and I first started ten years ago when we could rely on getting the support we needed to get payment for our efforts. I wish you the best! WG~

Ain't that the truth! CC has evolved in an absolutely non-writer-friendly fashion. Where's the WayBack machine when we need it, hmm?

--kpc

PS: CC has still not contacted me about this mess. Of course.

[monkeypie]

MAY 15, still not a peep from CC support.

Almost makes this writer believe management doesn't care about us at all...

Sigh.

[Isabelnewth]

I'm starting to get concerned too now....10 approved articles for claimed writer's pool requests sitting around for longer than usual... Maybe they are short-staffed with Eric gone.

[Isabelnewth]

ok, fair enough, sold now!

[monkeypie]

May 26 (nearly a month after my OP) and STILL not a word of support from CC.

Are we having fun yet?

[Lysis]

So I took a private requests against my promise to myself not to and thought of this thread. We'll see what happens but I'm asking the client to pay after each article is done. I don't want to get burned too. Got burned a couple of times in the past few months and I think I'll no longer invest time in all articles but instead do one at a time for payment.

[bridger]

I'm not taking them anymore unless I think the article has enough general interest that it will sell anyway, even if the client flakes, or if I think it will be fun and I can whip it out with little effort.

I did something similar to you on the last round, Lysis, making sure I got payment after each article... but then the client burned me on the last one that I did (no communication, no revision request, no negotation--I just saw them put up another public request for the same piece!), which was still a serious investment in time and effort. So, past payment performance is not necessarily indicative of future payment performance.

It's not my business and presumably CC has a model that is working for them, but I can't help think they are missing out on some lucrative opportunities by failing to protect both authors and clients more. The better paying, longer gigs I take aren't through this site, because I can't verify the identity of the clients and have no avenue to pursue payment promised for work performed. I would think CC would like a cut of those larger, longer deals, but they aren't fostering the trust that is necessary, for me, at least, to pursue them here.

[Lysis]

Yeah, I'm really starting to lose trust in the private clients here. It's $155 for each and I can't sell it in the open marketplace (brand specific). This is why I insisted on only doing 1 to see how it goes. If this falls through, I'm really just done and I'm sticking to the open marketplace where people can just buy with no added overhead.

It's an $800 project for me, so I'm not spending too much time to get burned like the OP.

If I don't get any response by next week, I'm gonna bail on the project and tell him to get someone else. There isn't much control we have over getting paid. They supposedly put money into their accounts, but they can still bail.

[Lysis]

Well, it looks like my project is falling through too. Luckily, I had the foresight to do 1 and ask for payment before moving on. Good on me. I'm out $100 and my time for a phone call.

This is strike 3 for me and I'm officially done with private requests.