buyers setting up rates well below what a job is worth

Answered

Comments

17 comments

  • Paul

    Please address this issue.

    How would PPH do that, exactly?

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • George

    Well, as a professional in your field, you're probably ware of how many hours a project takes. Based on the number of hours, multiplied by standard industry rates, you could come up with a minimum threshold. This could be done for all the keyword categories. Would take work ofcourse.

    The upside like I said, would be better quality prospects, better earnings for freelancers, and better commissions for PPH.. Everyone wins..

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Paul

    Well, even in my own field, it would be impossible for me to come up with a definitive minimum threshold.

    The threshold would, in any event, be different for someone working in the UK and someone working in Pakistan, for example.

    Your suggestion is unworkable, in my opinion.

    For a particular job I can often decide that a budget of £6 is ridiculous. For anyone in the UK, any job of £6 is ridiculous. For a person in India it might be fine. In the past I've done a very simple fix for £15, so conceivably a £6 job for something simple, might be fine for someone overseas.

    We all know that low budgets don't help anyone.

    As you say, £60 to design golf courses, is ridiculous, but in India, it might be very reasonable. I'd say that in the UK £60 for one golf course design is ridiculous.

    PPH made it easier for overseas competitors to bid low by accepting skrill - it lowered the cost of money transfers allowing lower value proposals to be viable.

    We really can't expect PPH to create minimum rate cards. I couldn't do it for my area of expertise and I can't see how anyone could do it.

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • George

    I agree somewhat with what you say Paul, but what does this mean for you and I in the UK, who have expenses and a cost of living way higher than someone in Pakistan?..

    I believe things may get to a point, where the only people who can make any money working on PPH will be the ppl from those countries.. And PPH will essentially turn into the "bargain basement"

    Thank God for sensible buyers who don't simply look at price as a factor when awarding bids.. But they're a minority.

    I still feel that there's a solution out there.. And my intention with this thread was to explore ideas, that could lead to solutions.. It is a problem.. And I know I'm not the only one facing it..

     

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Paul

    It's a complex thing.

    PPH is struggling to come to terms with it. The real problem is thatBuyers just see PPH as a place that caters to low value projects for offshore fulfilment. It's understandable how that conclusion can be reached with the plethora of £6 jobs.

    This afternoon I criticised a buyer for offering a job for £6. PPH removed my post from the clarification board.

    There's a plethora of buyers offering £6 jobs and simultaneously saying that the budget is higher.

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • George

    Well, its not in anyone's interest for things to continue this way.. There might be short term gains, by picking up more buyers . But in the long term profitability/sales will suffer. Lets hope the people behind PPH can see past the short term.. As I said before better rates, mean better quality freelancers, and a better reputation, for projects done on PPH, and better revenues for all involved.

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Paul

    I asked about the budget on the clarification board ..

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • George

    Wow.. Even the poor suckers in India won't go for that.. hopefully.. :)

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Paul

    Two proposals so far, and a lot of comments.

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • George

    Now that's more like it!.. :)

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Paul

    I've put in a bid for €8,000. Please don't undercut me!

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Marco

    I made an hourlie for translation: it was € 25,00 for 400 words.

    A guy wrote me asking to translate 1300 words for £ 20,00 because he couldn't afford more.

    I wrote him back saying:

    "£ 20,00 for 1300 words isn't fair.

    Even if you can't afford more that's no excuse.

    Would you do that for that price?"

    He answered me:

    "I'm not being rude, there is no need to be offended.

    I asked you for your price, and I told you it is out of my budget. I will look elsewhere."

    This is the rate of many PPH buyers we have to deal with.

    And I'm not even starting to talk about 3D modelling and rendering.

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • Marco

    I wrote something similiar more than a year ago: a fair price is not based on how low someone in India could accept to be payed.

    Ethically any buyer should start calculating price considering at least the medium offer in his own country.

    Then he should know a lower price should attract people from the other end fo the globe.

    More, many buyers have no idea what they're asking for, so they can't even figure the efforts needed nor the background knowledge acquired during past career.

    This is what a buyer pays, not only the job.

    That's why there's need for some kind of disclaimer or a series of pop-up messages or a wizard when posting job offers so the buyers are reminded about this.

    0
    Comment actions Permalink
  • George

    Yes Marco, have had the same experience here.. A UK based guy posted a £60 3D modelling job.. And he knows how long 3D modelling takes.. When I challenged him on it.. He got aggressive and threatened to report me.. He even insulted me saying asking for more than £60, for a job that I would estimate takes atleast 2 or 3 days, was my attempt to rip him off.. My argument to him was, even someone on minimum wage, stocking shelves in tesco gets paid more...

    About 60-70% of the buyers here are looking for the most ridiculous lowest price.. The guys in India can do this, what they can't bring to a job is creativity.. Or thought into the process..

    Having said that there is a very small minority of ppl who actually pay fairly.. And I'm lucky to have worked with them..

    On the 3D side I now see some sellers telling ppl who suggest ridiculous prices to get lost. That's the only way I see this working.. Sellers need to stand up and push back on ridiculous prices.. I don't think PPH can moderate this.. I think it would be technically impossible..

    0
    Comment actions Permalink

Post is closed for comments.