Why you guys says that site like 99designs are bad for designers?

Why you guys says that site like 99designs are bad for designers?

Cheers.

There are innumerable disadvantages and the most of all, it degrades the professionalism of our industry.

Here you’ll get all your answers. Read thoroughly

http://www.no-spec.com/faq/

and say no to spec work.

I don’t know if I agree always, I used to do a lot of spec work when I was younger and it really helped me pick up on what people were looking and what works well for I entered about 40 comps and won about 7, it really helped build my confidence in my design work.

But I would say I would not do it now, I had someone the other day that saw one of my 3d models and sent me a message asking if I could send it to them, it made me laugh but the old me would have said sure.

Professionals do not work for free (unless it’s for a good cause!).

People tend to go to places like that when they’re first starting out to build confidence, skills etc. Once you get good enough and confident in your abilities - then you expect to get paid for your work. This is not an unfair assumption.

These types of sites are not built for the designers, they are built for cheap buyers. What do you think would happen if you wanted a house built and you went to 10 different architects to design the house but would only pay the one you then chose to use (if any at all)? They’d tell you to get stuffed!

So whilst it is sort of ok if you see it as a learning tool, it is not a valid way to work as a professional. If you think you have any sort of talent whatsoever, then you should value your time.

If you don’t value your time, then you actually devalue the rest of the industry - because you’re letting clients think that it’s ok to expect us to work for nothing.

Philmo said

Professionals do not work for free (unless it’s for a good cause!).

People tend to go to places like that when they’re first starting out to build confidence, skills etc. Once you get good enough and confident in your abilities - then you expect to get paid for your work. This is not an unfair assumption.

These types of sites are not built for the designers, they are built for cheap buyers. What do you think would happen if you wanted a house built and you went to 10 different architects to design the house but would only pay the one you then chose to use (if any at all)? They’d tell you to get stuffed!

So whilst it is sort of ok if you see it as a learning tool, it is not a valid way to work as a professional. If you think you have any sort of talent whatsoever, then you should value your time.

If you don’t value your time, then you actually devalue the rest of the industry - because you’re letting clients think that it’s ok to expect us to work for nothing.

Well said sir!

Also check out this link:

http://www.elsterama.com/99-alternatives-99designs

Moved to Off Topic

They are not all bad, for people starting out its a grate way to get work and make contacts + get used to the client designer relationship.

Why established pro’s don’t like them, is simply because a client would rather get the choice of 30 or so designs rather than one from one person or company. Makes sense as a buyer but the pros don’t like the fact buyers have a better choice. Doe’s the bigger choice always offer better quality? Not always but sometimes yes, Doe’s going to an established designer always give better quality? Not always but sometimes yes. It’s always a gamble for a client hiring a designer as designers work on perspective and there idea of good design isn’t always that of the clients or their needs.

TBH I don’t see why pro’s moan about it so much because the prizes offered usually fall well short of what they would charge to produce something similar so its not like they are losing clients because their pricing structure would rule those clients out anyway.

twiggy99 said

They are not all bad, for people starting out its a grate way to get work and make contacts + get used to the client designer relationship.

Why established pro’s don’t like them, is simply because a client would rather get the choice of 30 or so designs rather than one from one person or company. Makes sense as a buyer but the pros don’t like the fact buyers have a better choice. Doe’s the bigger choice always offer better quality? Not always but sometimes yes, Doe’s going to an established designer always give better quality? Not always but sometimes yes. It’s always a gamble for a client hiring a designer as designers work on perspective and there idea of good design isn’t always that of the clients or their needs.

TBH I don’t see why pro’s moan about it so much because the prizes offered usually fall well short of what they would charge to produce something similar so its not like they are losing clients because their pricing structure would rule those clients out anyway.

I assume you wont expect to get a dinner at luxury restaurant for burger money? You wouldn’t go to a restaurant, eat a nice dinner, and expect to pay only if you’re happy. Same with a mechanic, you’d never go to a mechanic, have them work on your car, letting them know you’ll only pay them if you think they did good work. So why should the design industry be any different?

…service providers at such sites like 99 waste their time for nothing. I would join freelancing platforms, where atleast the service provider has a chance to get job awarded without the need of investing ideas and efforts into a potential job.

For a second I thought it was cool but I wouldn’t use it even if I needed something, not only as an author… It’s just bad. Let’s hope every pro sees it like this, then they’ll end up as just learning contests or stuff like that. Real pros make money normally, not like this.