550 votes
Make all contests prepaid
Simple as headline :) Make all contests prepaid and once for all finish with non paying CH's and make them more serious about their projects. It is a fact that on any other site they would need to put the money in escrow or pre-pay before their project is posted.
3 psygn
I still don't understand why this isn't a standard feature -- okay, maybe I do business-wise. My first winning entry received a "Good job, thanks" message and I did not get the prize.
Flaw: There is protection for the contest holders here, but absolutely no protection for the designers. Please, 99 Designs, have all contests prepaid. Alas, the designers here are what keeps your site alive!
0 eternityweb
One of the things that attracted me 99D was the protection of NOT being locked to pick a winner. I was afraid the designs would not be to my liking. But I have since used it for 2 contests, declared winners & paid them for their work. It allowed me to make direct contact with freelancers for future jobs. WOULD be nice ability to give atleast a "thank you" prize paying them for some of their time.
3 Gandecruz
Why this ones only 6th ranked ? ... vote for this guys...
3 adburkhart
This is definitely a priority. I'm in the process of getting stiffed for one of my first winning designs. Lessoned learned though.
1 ATAK Interactive
Depends. CH should be able to repost the contest then. If they do not like what they get, they should HAVE to use the credits, but have a right to use it for a retry or trying a different project. Sometimes no one submits anything good...
2 justSOHO
if you take a look at the stats as of today - there are currently 240 jobs on here across all categories....and only 3 are guaranteed - that's just over 1%!
I applaud 99 designs for bringing it in - but I think it has to be mandatory now as it's been running for a number of weeks and the take-up rate is v poor.
so the abandoned contests continue and designers remain unprotected. get voting!!
0 dreamfreak
well, I agree that the starting fee for a contest should be raised. But why not just raise the amount of points which are necessary to start a contest? now its 39 points. this amount could be raised to 70 points or more.
3 De8s
This should definitely be mandatory. I have only entered a few contest so far but more than half the contest holder has not picked a winner. Either that or they are needing well over a week or so to choose. Very frustrating when putting in hours of work. Will make the CH more serious if they have to pay up first. Then if the CH says there are no good designs it could go to a panel to agree or not!
0 mmentis
What if the CH does not want to pick a winner (i.e. does not like the submitted entries)? Will they be able to get some of their money back?
3 Gandecruz
to mmentis.. if ch don't like.. just extend the time contest and increase prize money.. more designer will come..
0 ccol
I'm a designer on 99designs and I think this is a terrible idea as it will restrict the number of CH. Why should a CH holder have to choose a winner if they don't like any of the designs?
0 Nadia
Why would it restrict the number of contest holders. If they paid up front, and if there weren't any designs they liked, then they would be able to get a refund. Same as any market place, if you don't like the goods or the service, then you apply for a refund... same applies here.
3 lynrite
Straight to the point Nadia - "nuff said" and right on!
0 VSC
As some have said, what if I don't like the designs despite best effort on my part with feedback? Why should I pay for something that doesn't fulfil the brief. Yes, have the client pay in advance with a clear option that if the client is unhappy, they should void the contest and get a refund. Saying that, there could be a proviso that this only happens if the client has given sufficient feedback.
3 Gandecruz
and by guaranteed contest, i believe it attracts more designer to participate.. no worrying if ch will abandon the contest. " A healthy and happy designer can bring more quality in design work " ( i guess it's not for designer only, no ? ;P )
1 Q Design
Perhaps an unguaranteed contest costs more credits to create, that would still give some CH's freedom to say, perhaps none of the submittions were to their liking. And for guaranteed contests, cheaper and maybe a blurb about how much its better.
3 Sazzels
I think this would be a good idea, I have heard people who are not part of the website are copying winning designs and then contacting CH's and telling them they will do it for a cheaper price...which is why so many contests go unpaid!
1 Q Design
WHAO! I've never heard of that before. Thats out of the ordinary...
3 CHROME DESIGNER
YEEE thatle be great! YES! YES! MONEY GUARANTEED!
3 entz
A must!
2 Juba
I read that some CH don't want prepaid contests cos they might not like the submissions, What the Hell!!! A lot of people are worked for free doing those submissions and you have to respect that! What you are going to do if you don't like them? Go to a designer and given clear instructions on what you want based on what designers here worked for free?!?!?! That is opurtunism and extreme disrespect
2 Juba
Give feedback if you think you haven't got what you want. I'm sure any designer with just a bit of talent will give you what you expect has long has you give feedback.
Now if a contest for example has less then X entrys then the CH can have the option to have is money back. And what are Site Admins to start with this!?
2 Juba
Afraid this might reach your pocket? Well it's reaching alot of graduated designers so please do what designers here demand for.
0 Matiu
this would be awesome, but i don't think Ch's should have to choose something if they don't get what they want and that is said within reason. If they give good ratings to designs then just abandon the contest then that's not on but if they genuinely don't like any of the designs submitted then fair enough they don't pick a winner.
3 Gandecruz
Common, it's the whole point of crowdsourcing : there is always a risk that CH don't get what they want, because from the beginning they are looking much "OPTION"s and hopeful there are several options that stand up and one beat others. ===>
3 Gandecruz
Also, the cost is far more cheaper than direct hiring a good design/creative institute. So i mean, If CH are afraid, want safety and got the result what they are after, why don't they go to to design company in the first place. Don't put the consequences on designers here, but put consequences on ch. That's fair!!! we all know 99designs have tons super designers, so WHY MUST AFRAID?
3 TY Designs
I believe that there are entirely too many contests that are abandoned. Ok, so maybe the CH shouldn't have to pay for something they don't like, but the designers shouldn't design for nothing either. I personally have been involved in at least 5 contests that have 4 star designs and then they just decide they aren't happy with what they are getting. Designers need some protection from that.