When outsourcing I learned to stick to my rules

Have you ever paid someone to do something and they did a crappy job that you had to pay someone else just to fix it?

On DP I hired someone 2 design and install 2 banners. They wanted payment up front. I stuck by my guns and said sorry, but I always pay upon completion. But if you look at my itrader I have a 100% reputation for paying immediately upon completion.

So he designed 1 of 2 then asked for full payment.

So I said ok and payed him for both designs.

The first was mediocre, but I'm not picky, I'm pretty easy to please.

The second one I didn't like at all. I asked him to change it, but he said he couldn't and then he went adios.

Lesson learned: From now on I will only pay after 100% completion of work. I have never not paid for a service. If I hadn't have paid him until completion I'm sure he could have changed that second banner to make it look a little better.

Only exception to this rule is if I already know the person and they have a reputation for doing good work. (Like JayXtreme does awesome work)
But if I'm not familiar with you, nothing in advance.