How to ensure you get paid for freelance work?

netgal06 · #1 (**permalink**) 14th July 2006, 05:06 AM

As Ive menioned elsewhere, Im new to freelance websites where we bid for work. Are there any measures that people take to ensure they get paid? I know someone who puts a watermark on images until he gets the money. Is that necessary? Id love to know ppls experiences whether they genrally deal with honest people or whether they are conned alot of the times.

athmane · #2 (**permalink**) 18th July 2006, 09:03 AM

Hello Net,

Most freelacing websites - GetAfreelancer, RAC, Elance etc - have an escrow service whereby the buyer escrows the money first before you start work. This will ensure the money is deposited to a third-party and then released to you once work is completed.

You can also check their prior payment record to make sure they do pay service providers. This options is available in their feedback / rating.

So it boils down to two things:
- their payment history
- escrow

A combination of the two should be enough to put your mind to rest when it comes to payment issues.

jahrukh · #3 (**permalink**) 2nd August 2006, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by netgal06

As Ive menioned elsewhere, Im new to freelance websites where we bid for work. Are there any measures that people take to ensure they get paid? I know someone who puts a watermark on images until he gets the money. Is that necessary? Id love to know ppls experiences whether they genrally deal with honest people or whether they are conned alot of the times.

I have used GAF very much & according to GAF It all depends about how you deal with your buyer. GAF has given the facilities of Escrow Payments, Direct Transfers, Private Message Box, Project Message Box, Buyer & Seller Ratings(Either Stars or Description), etc... to facilitate the buyer & the seller both. Try using appropriate facilities appropriately. I always take money in advance when I do the Marketing or Advertising work & this is the point that I always clearly write in my Bid & I always take money after the project is completed or half money, when half of the project is completed & the other half of the amount when the whole project is completed if the project is of Data Entry or Web Designing or Writing type. SO it all depends upon how you deal with the person(buyer). For more help please ask me here. I will be happy to help you. Thanks.

astros99 · #4 (**permalink**) 5th November 2006, 11:44 AM

I guess this is a big issue although it hasn't happened to me. Many people say that on GAF the service buyers don't pay. I've had a few jobs and they have payed every single time. Many people say that payment by escrow is the best path, but I don't know what that is. I usually just tell them to send it to my paypal and its good. I guess there's really no way to MAKE SURE your getting paid, but most of the time the buyers will have no problem paying if you give good work, within the time limit.

fadyllan · #5 (**permalink**) 8th November 2006, 02:42 PM

That would be really frustrating, after all the effort you put in and the time, you dont get paid. Now, what if they actually they don't pay, there must be some way that we could do to warn other freelancer about it, right? Well, there should be.

astros99 · #6 (**permalink**) 8th November 2006, 03:12 PM

It depends. Let's say the job is for ONLY one person, and he/she chooses you. Then you should be able to leave bad feedback on that user. Feedback is pretty important in the freelancing field. Now, let's say its a job where he has to choose MULTIPLE people. Then, I don't think its possible to warn other people. I don't really know GAF's system, but maybe you could file a report or something. But by yourself, I don't think you can do anything, because then you cannot leave the user feedback. And yes, THAT must be frustrating. So far I've encountered no problems like that. Keep me posted if anyone knows ways that you can solve a dispute with not getting paid.

fadyllan · #7 (**permalink**) 11th November 2006, 02:56 PM

Maybe those freelancers websites need to provide their own forum. So, freelancers can warn each other in there. Wait, the getafreelancer does have a forum, right?

astros99 · #8 (**permalink**) 11th November 2006, 06:49 PM

I don't believe that getafreelancer has a forum. Maybe other freelancing websites do, but I wouldn't know because the only freelancing website I use is getafreelancer. I guess that one doesn't have a forum. I suppose if someone wanted to they can make their own forum and talk about freelancing, but I don't think anyone has done that yet. But I don't think leaving bad feedback for a buyer is smart. Because they can turn around and leave YOU bad feedback. Even if that isn't true. Then, it will be harder for you to get a freelancing job.

misteralan · #9 (**permalink**) 12th November 2006, 06:28 AM

There's a way to do that. Maybe they could provide a different registration for the forum so users could register under a different name. So they wouldn't really recognize each other, so you could actually talk freely and openly. No risk of getting bad feedback just because you speak the truth and try to warn one another.

astros99 · #10 (**permalink**) 13th November 2006, 04:27 PM

Yeah, I guess if you really want to you can just register a new username and then track him to all his projects and post that he doesn't pay. But, how many of us would actually take the time to do this. But it's a good suggestion. If you click on the members profile it shows all the projects which the person participates in. So if one actually took the time to go to all of his projects and write, 'does not pay' or something like that, then that would probably do alot of bad for him. But if he wants to he can just make a new user name..

abigail3 · #11 (**permalink**) 16th November 2006, 12:44 PM

I have done work for rentacoder and not had any problems with payments. I'm working on a couple of projects for getafreelancer and noticed that they don't have the same system as rentacoder. I've also worked on a couple of projects that have been listed on writer's row, which have been direct work with the buyer and been paid from those. I am worried about being scammed though and wonder what the best procedure to take if this did happen?

astros99 · #12 (**permalink**) 22nd November 2006, 11:26 AM

That's the thing I'm worried about too. If you're scammed I don't really think there is much you can do about it, especially on GAF. I guess a good system to use is the Escrow system, but that's just a fake hope of confidence to me. The guy can say you never did it, and then I guess he doesn't have to pay. I don't think GAF has any customer service system, do they?