Question by Ed: Bad bartering deal? an engine for a web site.?
I needed and engine rebuilt for my car, and I didn’t have the money for it, so this guy ask me to help “clean up his web site”, I said that I could do that. Well… I ended up making him a whole new web site, because his made no sense to me. Now the thing is, he’s STILL working on my engine, and he wants more from his site. He wants more pictures, a password section, and now he wants flash slide show pictures, not to mention I drive and hour and a half there once a week, so I can get new pictures from him, and I help him around the shop for that day. Not to mention I still have to pay for my parts.
When is enough enough? He says he’s putting more into my engine, so he wants more from me on my end, oh… and now he wants me to make another site for his friend.
I’m on the verge of telling him to forget it. I mean there seems to be no end to this. I have a family at home that I need to spend time with, and I’ll be starting school soon. I just don’t know what to tell this guy? I understand he wants the web site to be the best it can be to get web traffic, for his business, but at the same time, when is enough enough? It’s already gone fat beyond “cleaning up the site”.
What can I say or do? Or is this what I get for this situation?
Best answer:
Answer by Pembroke
Tell him that you are going to school soon and need a working engine by a certain date. Tell him you can’t do any more web work until the engine is delivered.
Then negotiate a separate contract and rate for the rest of the work, even if he pays you in parts or other barter just make sure you set out on paper exactly what the trade involves.
If he won’t play ball then I’m afraid you must walk away and look elsewhere for an engine rebuild, and make sure you get any deal in writing the next time.
Good Luck !
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Tagged with: bartering • deal • Engine • site
Filed under: Website Traffic
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Welcome to the wonderful world of freelance IT work. You’ll find most people ARE like him.
I suppose you’re in the fortunate position that you can turn around and demand expensive things such as new components for your engine. (pick stuff thats really expensive) and use that as a gambit. Had you used cash, you’d have other issues.
Be friendly, but firm. He’s got your engine, you’ve got his website and if it turns into a big argument, there will be a temptation for him to hold your engine “hostage” or you to hold his website “hostage”.. you both want to avoid this situation.
The way I usually sniff people out like this is to do a small project with low stakes, if they try to put the bite on me, I know they’re not a good long term client. I seldom do anything “big” unless I’m getting an hourly rate. (and then, I’m 100% honest about it.. NEVER over-bill someone)
The bottom line is that people generally try to extract as much as they can from you.