>"...not always possible to pay a designer until we're both happy."
In my opinion a fair amount of work should receive a fair amount of pay. There would be untold wasted hours invested in 99design jobs that were never won because of a trivial differences between two or three leading designs.
Graphic designers aren't pitching to invest time and labour for the opportunity to work. They're actually investing the time first and just crossing theire fingers.
I'm not angry at companies using 99 designs, I'm annoyed at the system and those who enable it, including the designers themselves.
If you have $300 to spend on a logo, there are hundreds of good designers out there who will take the time to get to know your needs and develop a solution that you're happy with.
Choosing a designer is hard. Using 99designs freed me from that task. The final comparison comes down to $300 for a logo vs. $300 plus the time and effort required to find the right designer plus the risk they'll produce something you don't like. I took the former deal, and I continue to think it was the right one.
Dribbble does not change the value proposition I outlined. What rational business owner will choose picking a designer from Dribbble and hoping they'll produce a desirable logo instead of picking a logo from 99designs? To me, 99designs seems like a vastly superior option.
The system is the free market. I'm no Randian, but its pretty clear there is both supply and demand for 99designs.
> If you have $300 to spend on a logo, there are hundreds of good designers out there
Note that this is a different service than 99designs provides, and to be honest, I much prefer the 99designs version. Better to get 12 good ideas without putting much effort in, rather than tracking down a designer who'll do it, having a few skype calls or coffees, and then taking what they give me.
I understand your argument, and I realise markets(unregulated) will dictate whether a service is viable or not. I just think it's an unfortunate stance to have.
For the good of the design community I would encourage people to put the effort and source a good designer.
I take the same stance when consuming anything. I try to source products/services based on value and ethics, not just price and convenience.
BTW Dribbble(dribbble.com) is a great hub of good designers for hire.
> For the good of the design community I would encourage people to put the effort and source a good designer.
This is insane. Nobody in their right mind would do this over what 99designs offers. It's an order of magnitude better in terms of both price and convenience, and I'd wager that on average you're more likely to get what you want out of it.
> BTW Dribbble(dribbble.com) is a great hub of good designers for hire.
I beg to differ, having tried multiple times over a year to find designers there. Anyone whose work I liked wasn't interested in being hired, or had a price tag way way outside my range.
> If you have $300 to spend on a logo, there are hundreds of good designers out there who will take the time to get to know your needs and develop a solution that you're happy with.
The problem here is that customers aren't certain that a specific designer will be able to pull off what they have in mind. Looking at the designer's portfolio helps to a degree, but committing to a service of a single designer is still a bit of a gamble. This uncertainty is what 99 designs capitalizes on. They appear to help hedging the risk.
To each his own. 99designs is not going anywhere, but they serve people who would've not contracted freelancers anyway.
> In my opinion a fair amount of work should receive a fair amount of pay
"Fairness" is immaterial in a free market. Who gets to decide what's fair? You? Why is your concept of fair pricing more legitimate than that agreed upon by others? Your industry is being disrupted, get over it.
'Desperate' is a more appropriate term.
>"...not always possible to pay a designer until we're both happy."
In my opinion a fair amount of work should receive a fair amount of pay. There would be untold wasted hours invested in 99design jobs that were never won because of a trivial differences between two or three leading designs.
Graphic designers aren't pitching to invest time and labour for the opportunity to work. They're actually investing the time first and just crossing theire fingers.
I'm not angry at companies using 99 designs, I'm annoyed at the system and those who enable it, including the designers themselves.
If you have $300 to spend on a logo, there are hundreds of good designers out there who will take the time to get to know your needs and develop a solution that you're happy with.