Is this a red flag?

[brejay]

I have a buyer who ordered a fairly large order and requested that the pieces be delivered one by one as I complete them. I can see why this would be helpful to them, but I’m not sure if it might be a red flag. This buyer has ordered a small gig before and it went fine. Do you think it could be a red flag, and how can I protect myself in case something goes bad?

[eoinfinnegan]

Its difficult to say. If there is a purpose to them receiving like this then it is not so strange.
You can work this to your favor too. Deliver a part as soon as possible and ask them for feedback on it asap to ensure you can continue in the same vein. This will mean that you will have positive feedback (hopefully ;)) in the order conversation and so if there is a dispute later then you can point CS to the fact that they liked the first part and that the rest has been done the same way. CS recommend this approach for large orders.

[homeestates]

Difficult to say, really. I usually break these down into smaller orders if this happens.

You could get requests to amend what you have already sent while you are working on the next piece. It could all get very confusing. I’d personally be happier with it being ordered one by one, but if you’ve dealt with them before then you might be happy.

[brejay]

Its difficult to say. If there is a purpose to them receiving like this then it is not so strange.

You can work this to your favor too. Deliver a part as soon as possible and ask them for feedback on it asap to ensure you can continue in the same vein. This will mean that you will have positive feedback (hopefully ;)) in the order conversation and so if there is a dispute later then you can point CS to the fact that they liked the first part and that the rest has been done the same way. CS recommend this approach for large orders.

That’s a good idea. I’ll be sure to ask for feedback as I go. Thanks!

[brejay]

Difficult to say, really. I usually break these down into smaller orders if this happens.

You could get requests to amend what you have already sent while you are working on the next piece. It could all get very confusing. I’d personally be happier with it being ordered one by one, but if you’ve dealt with them before then you might be happy.

I wish I had thought to break it down into smaller orders. I’ll do that next time. It does get hard to keep track of. Thanks for the advice!

[misscrystal]

I wouldn’t do that. I like to be in control of the total process from start to finish and don’t let buyers dictate to me how delivery should be made or any part of the process. There are too many pitfalls when you start bowing to demands such as this.

[brejay]

I wouldn’t do that. I like to be in control of the total process from start to finish and don’t let buyers dictate to me how delivery should be made or any part of the process. There are too many pitfalls when you start bowing to demands such as this.

I’m not very good at telling people no (I know, I need to develop this skill). What would you suggest I say to buyers like this in the future?

[misscrystal]

I’m not very good at telling people no (I know, I need to develop this skill). What would you suggest I say to buyers like this in the future?

@brejay

Tell them this:

I like to be in charge of my orders and have a method I always use, which includes delivering everything at the end when I am finished with the complete order. It makes it easier for me and less confusing for everyone to do it this way. I hope you understand.

You really need to understand that this is YOUR business. And since it is your business, you need to run it the way you think is best. Do not allow a buyer to tell you how to deliver or run your business.

[ryangillam]

100% of the customers who have asked me to deliver in bits and pieces have cancelled the order before it was complete. This does NOT include regular customers who I trust.

[brejay]

@brejay

Tell them this:

I like to be in charge of my orders and have a method I always use, which includes delivering everything at the end when I am finished with the complete order. It makes it easier for me and less confusing for everyone to do it this way. I hope you understand.

You really need to understand that this is YOUR business. And since it is your business, you need to run it the way you think is best. Do not allow a buyer to tell you how to deliver or run your business.

Thanks, that is a good idea.

@ryangillam Oh no. I hope this does not go that way. My solution for now is to deliver one each day until the last day and deliver the rest all at once. If I get ripped off, it’ll only be for a few articles! Fingers crossed…

[misscrystal]

Thanks, that is a good idea.

@ryangillam Oh no. I hope this does not go that way. My solution for now is to deliver one each day until the last day and deliver the rest all at once. If I get ripped off, it’ll only be for a few articles! Fingers crossed…

I hope you come back and tell us how that went. 🙂

[eoinfinnegan]

100% of the customers who have asked me to deliver in bits and pieces have cancelled the order before it was complete. This does NOT include regular customers who I trust.

How can they cancel without you agreeing?

[capitalquality]

Unfortunately, you probably can’t tell if this is a legitimate order by a legitimate buyer or not. There are plenty of valid reasons why the buyer might need deliveries as you go on a large order.

As @eoinfinnegan says you should ask for feedback after every delivery. You can say you need to be sure you’re delivering to his satisfaction as you move through the order as you don’t want to deliver a lot of work that doesn’t meet his requirements.

You could even tell the buyer that given the size of the order and the fact that you will be delivering throughout the order, you need a reference. The name of another seller they’ve worked with for similar orders. The seller might not like you contacting them but hopefully they’d be understanding.

Others have advised you to break up the order, and this is an option, but 100% of the big orders I’ve broken up have faltered for all sorts of reasons.

Others have advised you to stick to your guns and only deliver at the end. This is risky. The buyer may cancel anyway if they need intermediate deliveries for legitimate reasons. They too might be nervous about the big order and may want some assurance that things are on track.

All business is risky. Personally I’d try to find out more about the buyer, but still intend to deliver regularly as per his requirements.

[Guest monika143]

@capitalquality…I completely agree…a good buisness is not all about sticking on your convenience.Both the buyer and the seller should be satisfied with the deal…all business hav some risks…we must know to handle these risks on our basis…

[psychicbunny]

After you’ve delivered orders, ask them how everything is so far!

[brejay]

So far, so good-- I delivered two, got helpful feedback, and the third was done well, according to the buyer. I’ll keep you posted on what happens at the end.

[fastconsultant]

Split up the order is usually the best. I always work on large / complex projects where things can change at any time.

Splitting up the order into pieces helps you manage your time for each piece and lets the buyer adjust their requirements ad-hoc at their expense. Heh.

[thepromogirl]

Why do they want you to deliver everything one-by-one? I’d ask. It simply depends on what it is and their reasoning behind it. If you don’t feel comfortable doing it, then don’t do it.

[writer99025]

I don’t understand why this is such a problem. I have many clients ordering 30-40 articles in a single order for 30 days, and I send about 7-10 articles a week. So far haven’t had an issue with this.

[steixeira]

If you were to look at this from the buyer’s point of view: They have placed a large order with you and they don’t know you. They are probably sceptical and want to ensure that they will get what they paid for.

I have also delivered parts of a gig as it is completed and have not had a problem.

I do hope you have a positive experience.

[brejay]

It was all good! I delivered as requested and everything was accepted and paid for.