21 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
21 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Elance Lowers Their Minimum Wage

by James Liberty
17 replies
Looks like Elance has just lowered the minimum bid on all of it's jobs from $50 to $20. (As a contractor, I was much happier when it was $50!) I think their minimum wage also fell from $5 an hour to $3 an hour.

That said, are there any freelance websites out there who have higher job minimums? (In other words, are there any freelance websites that tend to offer higher paying jobs to more skilled professionals).

Gracias, amigos!
#elance #lowers #minimum #wage
  • Profile picture of the author Mark Maffei
    Hi James,

    Have you looked into Odesk.com? It might be closer to what you're looking for.

    Best of luck!

    Mark
    Signature



    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4458353].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author kindsvater
    That would be a good move by elance. There are many jobs that do not require a $50 minimum outlay, which was forcing people to use competitors.

    .
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4459591].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
      Banned
      Originally Posted by kindsvater View Post

      That would be a good move by elance. There are many jobs that do not require a $50 minimum outlay, which was forcing people to use competitors.

      .
      Ah, but there are many jobs that should cost much more than $50, which will now be done for $20, further excluding US providers from the Elance marketplace.

      I can think of zero jobs that should have a $20 minimum in the Graphic or Web design categories, but it will be there and people will actually bid $20 on a Corporate ID package.

      It's why I quit Elance a long time ago. Completely useless for US graphic designers or web designers.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4460008].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author kindsvater
        Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

        Ah, but there are many jobs that should cost much more than $50, which will now be done for $20, further excluding US providers from the Elance marketplace.
        That is true. Although sometimes I specifically exclude US providers to avoid US red tape such as IRS reporting requirements. But for writing assignments I find US writers far superior.

        For graphics, if the project is small, such as needing a graphic on a website promoting dog bowls, maybe you think I'm cheap, but it shouldn't take more than an hour to create a graphic - so $20 seems right.

        .
        Signature
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4460087].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Kay King
          Ah, but there are many jobs that should cost much more than $50, which will now be done for $20, further excluding US providers from the Elance marketplace.
          Not really. I've never had the lowest bid on any elance job - but that didn't keep me from getting work there. I don't work through elance any more but a good provider avoids the low cost buyers and focuses on people who want quality. I've gotten work through elance when my bid has been twice the lowest bid.

          There are buyers who want to test the waters - and the lower limit allows them to do that. I've talked buyers who want 2 $20 articles or 3 $15 articles and had to pay more due to the $50 level. One buyer I worked with needed one article at $45 and we had to change it to $50 due to the limit. That's silly.


          kay
          Signature
          Saving one dog will not change the world - but the world changes forever for that one dog
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4460119].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
          Banned
          Originally Posted by kindsvater View Post

          That is true. Although sometimes I specifically exclude US providers to avoid US red tape such as IRS reporting requirements. But for writing assignments I find US writers far superior.

          For graphics, if the project is small, such as needing a graphic on a website promoting dog bowls, maybe you think I'm cheap, but it shouldn't take more than an hour to create a graphic - so $20 seems right.

          .
          I had a regular artist/illustrator who charged me anywhere from $100-$200 for designs I requested that he illustrate for me. He was worth every penny. I could even tell him exactly the "feeling" I wanted to convey through the illustration. He was spot on ... all the time.

          People have so undervalued graphic design with these so called design "contests", which no self-respecting graphic designer would ever enter and places like fiverr where you can get some really cheesy looking headers for $5 ... and they walk away thinking that they've actually purchased "graphic design". They don't have a clue what graphic design is.

          I went at it with the President of Elance ... pointed out that since his company was based in the US, he ought to be ashamed of the anti-competitive policies on his site that excluded American providers.

          For one, they allowed their offshore providers to erroneously list US as one of their home bases, when that home base did not exist. NetmenCorp and many others were guilty of this. They were based solely in Brazil but had US listed as their location. I raised such a stink about that, that they had to stop it and only list the countries that they actually operated in.

          There were some brilliant American US providers there at that time. Most, if not all, are gone from there now, which is a real shame. The guy who created the whole Toys R Us and Babies R Us brand was there, along with other famous "brand" designers. Shame that a whole segment of graphic designers are eliminated from the mix so people can get cheap crap designed for $20 from someone calling himself a designer in Pakistan.
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4465573].message }}
          • Profile picture of the author HeySal
            Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

            I had a regular artist/illustrator who charged me anywhere from $100-$200 for designs I requested that he illustrate for me. He was worth every penny. I could even tell him exactly the "feeling" I wanted to convey through the illustration. He was spot on ... all the time.

            People have so undervalued graphic design with these so called design "contests", which no self-respecting graphic designer would ever enter and places like fiverr where you can get some really cheesy looking headers for $5 ... and they walk away thinking that they've actually purchased "graphic design". They don't have a clue what graphic design is.

            I went at it with the President of Elance ... pointed out that since his company was based in the US, he ought to be ashamed of the anti-competitive policies on his site that excluded American providers.

            For one, they allowed their offshore providers to erroneously list US as one of their home bases, when that home base did not exist. NetmenCorp and many others were guilty of this. They were based solely in Brazil but had US listed as their location. I raised such a stink about that, that they had to stop it and only list the countries that they actually operated in.

            There were some brilliant American US providers there at that time. Most, if not all, are gone from there now, which is a real shame. The guy who created the whole Toys R Us and Babies R Us brand was there, along with other famous "brand" designers. Shame that a whole segment of graphic designers are eliminated from the mix so people can get cheap crap designed for $20 from someone calling himself a designer in Pakistan.
            No different that what's happened to the American writer.


            One cent per word? Really? Okay - I be give you good contents, Joe -- seo you long time.
            Signature

            Sal
            When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
            Beyond the Path

            {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4531100].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Anonymous Affiliate
        Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

        Ah, but there are many jobs that should cost much more than $50, which will now be done for $20, further excluding US providers from the Elance marketplace.

        I can think of zero jobs that should have a $20 minimum in the Graphic or Web design categories, but it will be there and people will actually bid $20 on a Corporate ID package.

        It's why I quit Elance a long time ago. Completely useless for US graphic designers or web designers.
        That's globalization at its prime. It benefits us in some points and it neglects us in some others.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4465594].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author webapex
    Just to add odesk has a bunch of qualification tests that can document your superiority.
    Signature

    “An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field” Niels Bohr

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4459624].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      YOU set your wages - not elance.

      The lower bid price has been requested by buyers and providers for a long time - but not to lower bid prices. It allows smaller jobs to be posted.
      Signature
      Saving one dog will not change the world - but the world changes forever for that one dog
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4459761].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Enfusia
        Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

        YOU set your wages - not elance.

        The lower bid price has been requested by buyers and providers for a long time - but not to lower bid prices. It allows smaller jobs to be posted.
        Agreed and they need the volume that smaller jobs bring to keep overall profits up.

        You can still charge what you want, but to get it you may have to give a higher perceived value. That part should not be tough as there are geniuses here on this forum at adding perceived value.

        Patrick
        Signature
        Free eBook =>
        The Secret To Success In Any Business
        Yes, Any Business!
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4468261].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author SebastianJ
    As others hinted - check out oDesk. Great site.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4459718].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author PCactive
      Originally Posted by SebastianJ View Post

      As others hinted - check out oDesk. Great site.
      I see you are ruby on rails developer and robo blogger developer. I need both can you pm me your Odesk or elance contact info? I cannot pm.
      Signature

      A FB Fan page for Support and resources for Niche Marketers

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4530497].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author James Liberty
    I'm not at all opposed to Elance lowering their minimum wage... I was just hoping to find a website where people are willing to pay more.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4460773].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author JackPowers
      Originally Posted by James Liberty View Post

      I'm not at all opposed to Elance lowering their minimum wage... I was just hoping to find a website where people are willing to pay more.
      Your own, SEO'ed, website!
      Signature

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4465816].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author PCactive
    Originally Posted by James Liberty View Post

    Looks like Elance has just lowered the minimum bid on all of it's jobs from $50 to $20. (As a contractor, I was much happier when it was $50!) I think their minimum wage also fell from $5 an hour to $3 an hour.
    Finally!
    Signature

    A FB Fan page for Support and resources for Niche Marketers

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4530483].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author pbdollars
    looks like vworker is also changing. Now employers can get cash back if they chose direct withdrawal from bank account. Good to know elance has reduced the minimum project rate. I have good success with vworker and so I stick with vworker. Completed close to 300 projects there.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4531145].message }}

Trending Topics