Warning: Client who demanded 50% discount then refused to pay last $500

I met a guy at a coffee shop in Denver who wanted a full website redesign, but he insisted on a 50% discount upfront saying it would lead to more work later. After I finished the site, he ghosted me on the final $500 invoice and blocked my number. Has anyone else had a client pull the "discount now, pay later" trick and actually get their money?

3 comments

3 Comments

kim_davis1d ago

Did you check if he even owned the business or was renting a shared office space? Denver's full of people who act like they're running a company but are just trying to get free work out of freelancers. A quick look at his business registration could've saved you that headache.

hernandez.gavin1d ago

Yeah but honestly how much of that final payment were you really expecting to see?

brooke_murray1d ago

I get where you're coming from, but I gotta push back on the whole "ghosted" thing. You took a 50% discount upfront which basically told the client that your work isn't worth full price. That set the tone that you're flexible on money. If you agree to a discount before doing any work, you're already teaching them that your time and skills are negotiable. The $500 left on the table is on you for not collecting payment in full before handing over the final files or making the site live. Why would you deliver a finished product without getting paid first? You set yourself up for this by not having a clear payment schedule and letting him hold the power. What stops you from requiring the full remaining balance before you push the site live next time?