Creating A Site Similar to eLance.com

[SicChild]

I'm wondering how you all think about someone making a site similar to eLance.com. I'm not saying I'm going to do it but I'm just wondering how you all would feel if someone "did" do it.

I think it'd be a good idea, because we as designers know what a site like that should be like. ie...no charging to sign up.

However, I'm not too sure how you'd go about getting clients to go there and post there jobs. That's the problem with most sites like that. The number of designs to clients ratio is like 200:1.

[derrickito]

go to http://www.guru.com same thing but free

[SicChild]

guru.com has very few jobs posted a day for web design, like 1 or 2 max....and I bet every designer goes there and submits proposal. I should post a fake jobs there to see how many proposals I get. The designer to client ratio is probably like 2000:1

[nerby_oz]

its a great idea its just it actualy working well, would be a major problem

[nocrapchurch]

Would it be free?

-scott
http://www.scottmanning.com

[SicChild]

Of course it would.....if the site wanted to make profit they could do so by selling advertising space. ie. banners.

[Eyenovation]

I think its a kick ass idea. I would be VERY interested. Obviously, there are going to be more designers than jobs.. but the real trick in marketing it would be to get it into the hands of potential clients, not the artisits.

Artists will find it on their own.

Let me know if you take it one step further

[dsmmg]

Come On Guy's...

The reason eLance had to start charging people money is the same reason that a whole big bunch of dot com companies went out of bus: They could weren't making any money! If they didn't, they would have followed the same root as pets.com or many others.

And to think you can support a site with advertising dollars today is absolutly crazy... something like 97%of those dollars go to the top 5 or 10 sites.

Now, I don't know about using eLance to find jobs, and I am not nessicarily supporting it, I just want to be realistic! Something that didn't charge money up front, like a monthly membership cost or whatnot, would be great. But you would only last a month or two if you didn't even charge a percentage on the work being done!

Just my thoughts...

Regards, Devon

[Eyenovation]

Well - if they are going to charge, it should be IF you get the project.. That way, it is NO risk.

Any thoughts?

[dsmmg]

Originally posted by Eyenovation
Well - if they are going to charge, it should be IF you get the project.. That way, it is NO risk.

Any thoughts?

I totally agree... I was amazed to find that eLance charged you monthly to use their service at all. In a perfect world, both parties (eLance type co and The designer) would be served best if they only charged their % of the final cost of the job: and only charged it on the jobs that were actually listed on their site! (To elaborate, eLance requires that you, at least acording to their fine print, bill through them and pay them their %'s on all jobs between the winning bidder and the poster for the NEXT 12 MONTHS!!!!)

That way, the designer could figure that % into their overhead on the job and adjust their price acordingly. It wouldn't really hurt anyone, and all would be better off.

At least that's how I look at it. In the spirit of full disclosure: I own a publishing type company and have used thier service as a means to find freelance writers and buy articles from them. I have never used them to try and find design work for me to do, but have thought about it. Then I saw just how expensive it was for the bidder to use, and decieded that if I was going to try and find work, I would look elsewhere. I think alot of people have done the same thing, or just given up on them completely!

Any responses?

Regards, Devon

[Eyenovation]

My immedaite thoughts are that it COULD be that the owners of eLance.com dont give a _____ if we find work at all. They get their money every month, so who cares.. right?

If a site ran by designers FOR designers & clients were to emerge.. the billing would be more in line with the difficulties associated with such a venture. Obviously you would have to charge to stay in business - BUT - a fair rate to cover costs, etc.

Only a designer would truly know the difficulty in another designer trying to find good work, let alone a place to solicit it.

I think its a good idea..
I will be member 1 if it happens..

[SicChild]

I agree with what everyone is saying... If it was ran by designers they would care whether the people get clients or not because they are one of those "people". Also being designers they could set a fair price if advertising dollars isn't enough to support the site.


I really wanna do this soon....but I don't have alot of experience in doing big sites like that and marketing it....I also don't have the cash to start it out.

[JabezStone]

What about a system very similar to E-bay?

The "product" would be the project, and the "bidders" would be the developers/designers/artists/etc.

There are plenty of freeware CGI, ASP and PHP auction kits out there.

Thoughts?

[SicChild]

that sounds pretty good. Although, it'd probably be just as easy to make something in php or another scripting language, so that we could custmize it better. And I don't really like "bidding" on a project....I like how guru.com has it with proprosals, except I'd add a few things, like a spot that shows the number of proposals submitted, if your proposal has been viewed, etc. Of course you wouldn't be able to see everyone else's proposals...

[SicChild]

Anyone got a bunch of extra money layin around. I'd really to do this project....if I can get a few other people that wanna help too. Just need some money to start out.

[Eyenovation]

I dont have the money, but I am a marketing major at California State University.. I could help you market it..

[nocrapchurch]

Originally posted by SicChild
Anyone got a bunch of extra money layin around. I'd really to do this project....if I can get a few other people that wanna help too. Just need some money to start out.

Be more specific. How much money do you need for what?

$$$ for hosting.
$$$ for design.

Etc.

-scott
http://www.scottmanning.com

[bandwagon]

I'd be interested in helping out with front end and interface design, Just drop me a line - webmaster@bandwagoncomics.com

[SicChild]

I'm putting this on hold for a bit while I think about it and complete my other bunch of projects that are on the go.

Thanks for all the support. I'll let you know all the details in the future.

[Eyenovation]

The site would be the easy part..
Look where we are posting this..

Getting it used (the marketing) is the challenge.

Anyone want to throw around names??

http://www.hireanartist.com

(joke)

Man - I say you REALLY think about it.