How come that a lot of designers are offering Templates? And I don't mean just one template, but templates a week!

That way they will rewn their own business, because price keeps dropping (because of the amounts of templates available). So I would suggest don't offer that much templates and just wait for customers! If you are good the customers will contact you on their own.

And just 1 thing I want to say! Don't offer templates with: Check this proffesional hosting template out!

Because I think the meaning of the word proffesional is dropping quickly.


[UPDATE as I can not reply to this thread]

Originally posted by bbi-linux


Exactly correct, as a host with no design ability the guys who post templates on here provide us with a real service and opportunity to something which not only functions but looks good too

Keep posting them templates

As a webhost I'm not saying I don't like it. But What I wanted to say speeking as a designer. They are rewning the business, because of that many templates (as posted on this forum). Price keeps dropping.

Further more why should you develop something wherefor you even don't have a customer yet for (sorry for my english). That sounds like me like:

I'm desperate! I can't get clients the normal way, so let's start making templates and hope I sell them so I still earn some bucks.




[GRRRR]
I still can't post a decend reply.
I don't hate concurence, because I'm even not a webdesigner! Just a webjost!! That's something I would like to make clear.


What I wanted to say is, why should you develop a product when you even don't have a customer? It's more obvious to me that you start developiing when you've got a customer. Your basked exmaple isn't a right one I think. You need a portfolio of what you can do so that would mean 1 basket.

The same is with webdesign. Why should you start designing when you maby can't sell it!!

Hi!

Although we have not yet offered website templates here, allow me to express my opinion.

Templates are nice and practical especially for those who know how to code (html or program) but lack the ability to design artistically. This way we do justice for them. :)

Now, a template is only good if it is really that unique and really looking great.

Although in my observation, not all templates submitted so far are that excellent-looking, a majority are good designs that are very useful and helpful.

Speaking of template design, we also plan on offering website templates here as our next WHT exclusive. Watch out for it soon!

For the meantime, give us the opportunity to serve you guys with our $30 customized illustrations -- our current WHT exclusive which ends on April 9, 2002. You don't want to miss this one!

Thanks for the time.

:)

Templates are nice and practical especially for those who know how to code (html or program) but lack the ability to design artistically. This way we do justice for them

Exactly correct, as a host with no design ability the guys who post templates on here provide us with a real service and opportunity to something which not only functions but looks good too

Keep posting them templates

It is also a way to get your name out a bit, show peo-ple what type of sites you design, etc. Yes, a portfolio could do the same thing, but if you are just starting, offering a few templates is a good way practice your skills, improve, etc. A designer may also have a grip of unfinished sites (paritials) which he/she may try to sell rather than let sit in a folder. Many reasons...

Good money, passes time, better than washing cars http://www.webhostingtalk.com/images/icons/icon30.gif

I think the reason for the sudden overflowing amount of templates had to do with the holiday. Many people were off work/out of school/had extra time(ie single, with no life, no family to go to for easter dinner, how was that McDonald's Cheeseburger for Easter anyway?):stickout

A bunch of people had a little extra time over the weekend and thus monday there was a flood of new templates posted.


And I for one, use the extra income created by selling these one-shot templates to purchase all those extra little things you wanted for the company but just didnt have the funds to get otherwise, software, extra space, more domains, advertising, etc etc

they want to get rich

Here is my opinion...

I would never pay to have somebody design my site from beginning to end... I know how to make a website, I am well versed in HTML, I have snippets of knowledge from various scripting languages, and an ability to learn more as needed, and I have all the tools/software I need. The things I am lacking: true artistic talent(most of the time), and time. I would be more likely to concentrate my efforts on other thnigs over starting a website from stratch, it takes a good amount of time. However, a template I could use. Wouldn't cost as much money, would still allow me to make it the way I want it easily, and it would save me a big chunnk of that time that is so precious.

Bottom line, people that buy the templates probably didn't want to pay for full out design services anyways. This also creates a relationship between the template designer and the client, so if s/he needs something quick done in the future, they will know where to go.

One might also ask ..whats up with all the web hosting offers in the offers section? Hmmm..the web hosts want to get rich!
There's nothing wrong with offering templates here. I love to just come on over here and stare at people's creation. :)

lol... very good point there queensoul

But at the same time... one might question the hosts out there trying to undersell everyone else... offering cheap $1/mo accounts that they can't even really make money on...

Originally posted by NumLock
they want to get rich

And there is a fault in that thinking? Hell ya I want to get rich, but this sure isnt the way I plan on doing it.

"As a webhost I'm not saying I don't like it. But What I wanted to say speeking as a designer. They are rewning the business, because of that many templates (as posted on this forum). Price keeps dropping. "
Welcome to the free market economy.

"Further more why should you develop something wherefor you even don't have a customer yet for (sorry for my english). '
Illogical thinking. This is a Web Hosting Forum, the people who frequent this forum are primarily webhosts, thus making a generic webhosting template seems very logical. Thats like saying taking your used car to a dealer to trade it in doesn't make sense, you take the used car to where you can unload it, you take the webhosting template to where you can unload it. Sure I prefer to work one on one with the client to design a template unique to them, but hey, whatever floats your boat.

'That sounds like me like:
I'm desperate! I can't get clients the normal way, so let's start making templates and hope I sell them so I still earn some bucks."
Sounds to me like you are complaining about competition. I for one am using the extra money to help with start-up costs for the company my partner and I formed. Advertising has not kicked in yet and this forum, as well as a few others, is an ideal way for me to get our name out there without spending huge amounts of cash. Say you make baskets, would you start a company with no baskets on hand, or would you have a bunch pre-made wanting to sell to people when your company went live?

I just don't get your thinking, maybe I am too American or something. People are going to pay the lowest amount they can, if they can get the same services for $150 from one guy or $500 for another guy with basicly the same level of service, who they going to pick? Tell me you only purchase things/services from the most expensive/costly places when you can get the same elsewhere for less?

snikle.................you said it all

Originally posted by queensoul
One might also ask ..whats up with all the web hosting offers in the offers section? Hmmm..the web hosts want to get rich!
There's nothing wrong with offering templates here. I love to just come on over here and stare at people's creation. :)

Exactly :) the prices are dropping so fast in web hosting too! ;)

Welcome to Internet i.e. free and open market place :)

and thanks to Web Hosting Talk forums!

Our Design Solutions dept create many quality sites that never make it to the customer as Chicken said instead of having them stored on our archives we would rather sell it off...

Due to the *secret* or under cover reselling program we offer (Not promoted yet). Many resellers ask if there is a site we can create for them also...

Many talented people around this forum even if im not interested in buying the template i might be interested in the actualy deisgner.

Contract work comes and goes and who else better to pick that people that we have seen there work already.

Originally posted by Starhost
How come that a lot of designers are offering Templates? And I don't mean just one template, but templates a week!

Well, that is what they do. It is their job....I guess. :)

I agree both hosting and design work is getting out of hand...the low cost can only hurt the industry not help it....

but as I always say you get what you pay for.

Starhost,

If your design is great, I am sure there is someone out there who will be willing to buy it. And if it does not work at all, if you are going to ask me what do with it, it goes to the recycle bin and
emptied out.


mrlarter,

The low cost will not necessarily hurt the economy. Besides those
are just temporary (I hope) and promotional at least on our case.
We do the promo and go to regular pricing after that. One more thing, these low prices are only found here at WHT. In the "outside world" most designers offer their work at a rather higher price. The reason? WHT helped us kick-start with our business. We just want to return the favor. :) Thanks for the support you have given us guys!


You get what you pay for? I don't totally agree. Like I've said these are promo prices and if designers are that sincere they would treat their promo offers as if they are regularly-priced. Besides it is the reputation that will matter. So why would designers not design it their best (even though it is a promo)?
It would certainly hurt their name.


Thanks for the time reading this post.


----
"The same is with webdesign. Why should you start designing when you maby [maybe] can't sell it!!" (Starhost)

---
"I agree both hosting and design work is getting out of hand...the low cost can only hurt the industry not help it....

but as I always say you get what you pay for." (mrlarter)

It's not really ruining our business...

In my case, I'm a new designer and I have trouble finding work, so I have to post here at WHT to try to get the most out of my work.

Well, I don't know if I qualify as a designer (notice how terms like that and 'webmaster' are being used so loosely now?), but I create templates and sell them here to get money in order to get something I want, like webhosting, or a digital cam, or a cell phone, etc. I'm about to start university soon, so getting a proper job isn't really an option with me. And my parents don't believe in spoiling me with material gifts, so I have to earn them myself. Simple as that. :)

I agree as well. The overflow of template sales is drastically lowering the price of templates. About a week ago I was trying to sell one of my templates in the forum. I was only asking for 30$. After a week, not one reply. The next week I sold the same template off of my site for 200$. Maybe it wasn't worth exactly 200$ but still. Maybe WHT just isn't the place for selling templates I guess.

We're a successful, professional company and I'm starting to debate weather or not this kind of sales is professional or not.
_____________________
Dustin Rogers
WebnoDesign.com

WebnoDezign,

Yes, it's web hosting talk :) may be you got a lead from WHT for that $200 ;)

[wow I can reply again!!:)]

Dropping prices will ruin the industry one way or the other. Because when prices keep dropping the industry have to supply more and more templates before the got enough money to pay their bills. And then lesser and lesser people will need a new template.

Eventually prices keep dropping, and some businesses will go bankrupt. That's my opinion. I don't really care ruining your own business, because I'm just doing webhosting :-). But I just wanted to warn you guys.

It's a loss leader...

An old marketing trick to get your foot in the door. You make a nice professional template for a web hosting company and you sell it at a very low price.

A web host company buys and uses the template. If it's nice, then many of their new hosting clients will say "hey, who designed your website, I'd like to hire them."

Not a good analogy, but I've heard of house painters who are very successful with this idea. They find a prominently placed house at the entrance to a neighborhood and then they make that person a great deal in exchange for letting them keep a sign up in front of the house for a month or two. Soon they have more work than they know what to do with. People like to see real working results - not just static portfolios.

Starhost, I think you underestimate the intelligence of these WHT designers.


Just my two cents...

I thought of that!

And I know it maybey a good structure for a starter. But when I see the amount of templates that are designed and the quality of them I can't say I would go with most webdesigners.

Further more it is a tactic, it is just as psonsoring a webdesigner when you are a webhost. I get the idea :) (I'm not that stupid as some people may think ;))

Originally posted by 4solutions
It's a loss leader...

An old marketing trick to get your foot in the door. You make a nice professional template for a web hosting company and you sell it at a very low price.

A web host company buys and uses the template. If it's nice, then many of their new hosting clients will say "hey, who designed your website, I'd like to hire them."

Not a good analogy, but I've heard of house painters who are very successful with this idea. They find a prominently placed house at the entrance to a neighborhood and then they make that person a great deal in exchange for letting them keep a sign up in front of the house for a month or two. Soon they have more work than they know what to do with. People like to see real working results - not just static portfolios.

Starhost, I think you underestimate the intelligence of these WHT designers.


Just my two cents...

That's an excellent strategy that I'm sure most people know that. The trouble for new designers is finding that good client :)

I'm quite frustrated with the amount of templates. Not to be cocky at all, but I think the level of work here ranges from high to very low, and I hate to get lost in the shuffle.

However, there's not much I can do about it and I see no reason to stifle those who are trying :)