Most clients on Commissions.gg are great to work with, but sometimes you’ll run into someone who ghosts you, keeps changing their request, or becomes hard to deal with. Whether they’ve stopped replying, keep pushing for extra revisions, or are being rude, having a plan for these situations can save you a lot of stress and protect your work.
Here are some ways to handle unresponsive or difficult clients.
1. Stay professional and set boundaries
We recommend sticking to what you agreed on, instead of shifting your TOS to make a client happy. If a client keeps asking for more than what’s in your TOS, you can remind them of what they initially agreed to. You don’t need to take on extra work you’re not being paid for.
2. Follow up with unresponsive clients
If a client suddenly stops responding, don’t assume the worst right away. They might be busy with life, but they usually aren't ignoring you on purpose!
We recommend sending a friendly reminder after a few days, and if there’s still no reply, set a clear final deadline to let them know you're going to have to proceed to completing the commission.
If they ghost you before payment, it’s usually best to move on and cancel the commission, they likely weren’t serious. If they ghost you after paying, whether you finish the work or issue a refund should follow your own terms and policies.
3. Handling last‑minute changes
Some clients will try to change details after you’ve already started. Small change requests may be fine, but big changes that require redoing large parts of your work can be treated as new or extra work.
If you have a client that requests a huge change, but you're not sure what to say, consider something like this (but in your own words):
“Hey (Client), the changes you requested would require redoing a large part of the artwork. Since this wasn’t part of the original request, there would be an additional charge to make these edits. Let me know if you’d like to proceed!”
Be sure to put this in your TOS to set your terms clearly from the start!
4. When to cancel a commission
If a client keeps ignoring your terms, makes you feel unsafe, or stresses you out, you’re allowed to stop working with them. It’s more important to protect your well‑being than to hold onto a bad commission.
If the commission hasn’t started yet, you can cancel it through your dashboard. If you’ve already begun, you may need to offer a partial refund depending on how much work is done and what your policy says.
5. Prevent issues with clear terms
A lot of problems can be avoided by setting clear expectations at the start:
- Write detailed commission terms that cover revision limits, what’s included, and how cancellations and refunds work, etc.
- Explain the important details before you begin so there are fewer surprises later.
- Take payment before starting, based on your chosen payment structure, so you’re not working for free.
You won’t deal with difficult clients all the time, but it will happen eventually. Clear terms, continuous communication, and strong boundaries will help you handle these situations.
If a client ever becomes hostile or starts harassing you, report them, your safety comes first! And if someone is truly a bad fit, you’re always allowed to walk away.
Need help with a specific situation? Reach out to hello@commissions.gg and we’ll do our best to support you.