Is anyone subscribing to their services to bid for projects? If so, how are you finding the results?

We are considering this but wanted to get some feedback first.

Congratulations on the auction. Still looking for work? Anyway, why pay subscription fees to elance? At this time we do not have any monthly fees but if programmers/designers try to avoid the fees then we will also charge montly fees sometime down the road.

Congratulations on your auction Kay!

Regarding Elance - I used it years ago when it first came out, I got a couple of web design projects but the undercutting was so fierce, I soon decided it wasn't worth my while to bid there...

Does everyone here know about the auction??? :D

Any alternative sites? Specially in the UK?

Does everyone here know about the auction???

Yes, I just couldn't afford you - otherwise, I would make a bid!:D

Originally posted by tamba
Does everyone here know about the auction??? :D

Any alternative sites? Specially in the UK?

Sure, we all know about it :) check: http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28924&highlight=Kay+Hammond

http://www.freelancers.net
http://www.tightbriefs.com

both are UK based sites.

Regards
Matt

I played the eLance game about 18 months ago (this was before they implemented a monthly fee). I got some interest, exchanged a handful of emails, but failed to develop any solid leads (in web programming btw).

It's definitely a buyer's market. Their feedback system also makes it pretty tough to break in as a newbie. If you've got a killer portfolio, however, I'd say it's worth a try.

Hi!
I'm amazed that there is no good feedback about elance.

It is one of the best things I've ever seen...
We did a lot of bidding there.... (under the name poornam ). We also have a 5 star rating ( http://www.elance.com/c/feedback/main/Details.pl?action=sellstats&catid=10216&view_person=poornam ) and at one time before the money paying part came we were select providers too.... Till about last month too we were paying the $200 odd for our subscription till we realised that we have not even browsed at the projects for the last 4 months I guess. Till a few months back we were very active. We'd get back again on it in some time. i'd say that it is really worth the subscription fees... It a very good site and very live..

Also though people bid for low prices... I'd really say that it is not very true that cheap wins (very much like the hosting industry) . There are people who give the right price and many times the buyers take bids from people with higher prices as they are more concerned about quality..... :)

I'd always stand by elance and as and when we stabalise our present growth and systems would go back to elance.

The bidding is an open system there, so you know where you stand in the global market.... We learnt a lot there besides getting over 15 stable clients from there.... The best thing these clients have friends and relatives and now they are our clients too.....


I'm sure many of you would do well too...
My suggestion to all those looking for works is to invest on elance.... It's really worth it.... :)

Have a great day :)

Regards
Amar

I've never used elance as a seller, but I have used it as a buyer.

I'd have to say that overall I've been very happy with it. I'm not much of a graphics person, so we bid out graphics/banners etc.

The payment/dispute system seems pretty good also. I'm not a real fan of PayPal, so that gives me a good way to pay vendors who do not accept credit cards directly.

I also agree with BobCares. We usually do not pick the lowest bidder. We look very carefully at the feedback/portfolio. We also try to "chat" with the bidders first. Need to make sure everything in in "sync" before we pick.

Frank

Originally posted by tamba
Does everyone here know about the auction??? :D


Even been some articles in Swedish tabloids...

http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/nyheter/story/0,2789,127175,00.html