Complaint Review: AppStarz Production - Internet

I had placed a project on Elance for the development of a mobile app.  AppStarz Productions contacted me wanting the job and gave a bid.  I decided to go with them over 20 other developers that bid also.  The project outline was very descriptive so they would understand all the work that would need to go into building and launching the app.

We agreed on a flat price of $2k for the development of the app, uploading to app store and initial bug fixes. I put down half, $1,000 for them to begin the work, with the other half to be paid upon completion. They had asked me for design ideas that I might have, "even if penciled on paper" so their designers could work off of it.  I had put together some very simple mock idea's using just Windows 7 paint program.

They actually used the images I created as the real design.  I am no graphics designer, these were very simple and meant to spark imagination and use their own creative design.  I was quite unimpressed very early on. I became even more worried when they asked me what a certain button was for when this is what the main concept of the app was built around and was very well described.  So after accepting the job, and saying they had a full understanding of it, this clearly showed they really had no idea what the game was all about!

Then about two weeks into the project, they came to me and said," you actually got a really good deal on this and we should have charged more."  They asked if I could pay another $850 right then, nearly a 50% increase on the original agreed upon price!  Of course I declined saying we had an agreement and I didn't change any of the terms. 

This of course caused a series of problems as now they felt they weren't getting paid enough and so the job wasn't going to be completed as originally agreed upon.  After saying they wouldn't do the whole job anymore, I requested a refund and any work completed to that point. (According to contracts signed, I owned rights to all of it and at any given time upon request they were to provide the material).

They refused to refund, saying that accepting the job was considered a Milestone and that's what the $1,000 payment was for!  Really! So just because you "accept" a job, you think you should get paid for just accepting it? Thats how they saw it. Meaning.. they could have received $1,000, not do any work whatsoever and think that's acceptable just because they "accepted" the job.  Ridiculous logic!

After much arguement, I decided to give up on the refund, and just want the material worked on to that point.. code and design.  The only gave the design material.. which I WAS the one who created it.  They NEVER supplied the code to this day.. nearly two months later.  Completely ignoring my attempts to contact them.  According to contracts they signed with me, I can filed in small claims court.. which I may do.

Whatever you do, do not use this company when considering having a mobile application developed.  They will take your money and run.  Not to mention, they completely violated our Confidentiality agreement by posting images of the work on all their social feeds!!!

Just simply Stay Away from them and save yourself money and headache.