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Web developer stigma

stuffradio

Super Moderator#1
NLC
Why is it that web developers/designers are seen as some cheap throwaway resource?

Here's an example of what I'm talking about:

Need website built cheaply
Date: 2011-02-22, 6:14PM PST
Reply to: gigs-qyp2r-2229412666@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

Looking for a young website builder just out of school, or in program, who has a creative eye and wants to build their portfolio. Not too much money, but should be nice showcase site, for new entertainment company. Please send sample of your work, and cost estimates to build simple site (3-4 pages, and some video samples) Also have some artwork and assets already available, to lesson work involved.

it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
Compensation: negotiable
 
Because logic m8, I can get an indian for 25$/day to do this and get the same great design that anyone else would do for 5-6 times that.

Why pay 600 for something you can get done for 100?
 
Morals, standards? Some do over charge just because they can, but you shouldn't just go to that Indian guy because he is willing to do it cheaper.
 
That's right. Why great corporations have their branch offices in the countries like India, Russia, Belarus? That's why. Money and profit.
 
Because logic m8, I can get an indian for 25$/day to do this and get the same great design that anyone else would do for 5-6 times that.

Why pay 600 for something you can get done for 100?

Cheaper isn't always better in terms of quality... it's not always worse quality either though. Most of these people looking for cheap guys for like $50 are the same who charge like $1000 for something that should be $100-200. For example, real estate developers like to pay like $75 for websites even though they're making upper $xx,xxx per year close to the $100k range.
 
meh, i just dont do any work unless its worth my time. the thing is, with the people i do deal with, they want quality work and are willing to pay. if i give them a low quote like $300 for a site and they were expecting $3000, they will think im not a professional and that i must not be any good and will end up going elsewhere. you can be lower than they were expecting, but, i would never recommend being so low that you are doing a ton of work for nothing and making your time worth so little.
 
It's just all too competitive now days, like said before, there are a lot more cheaper alternatives, it's not all the lucrative to go into web development/design as freelance now days imo
 
the people that go to the cheaper alternative are never happy. i have so many calls and clients that went cheaper till coming to me. after getting garbage for the cheaper alternative, they are willing to pay better money for what they really want.
 
the people that go to the cheaper alternative are never happy. i have so many calls and clients that went cheaper till coming to me. after getting garbage for the cheaper alternative, they are willing to pay better money for what they really want.
The cheap work my designer does for me has never been bad imo even though he charges little to nothing in terms of design he still does excellent work.

Cheaper may not better but depending on what you want and what kinda work they do it isn't always a problem to go cheap.
 
The cheap work my designer does for me has never been bad imo even though he charges little to nothing in terms of design he still does excellent work.

Cheaper may not better but depending on what you want and what kinda work they do it isn't always a problem to go cheap.

i agree that your designer "doesnt do bad work", but, if you could afford my cost, you have said a number of times you wold love to have one of my designs. with me, you know you are going to get a great design, plus, you know it will be w3c compliant and cross browser ready without you having to have me fix things. people like to pay for peace-of-mind. i dont know about your designer on the other hand, so, cant say what he/she does for you.
 
It happens because of bad business practices on the part of website designers.

When the web design industry exploded, everyone and their momma wanted to be a web designer. Instead of focusing on how to be different from everyone else based on quality, skills, education, etc. all web designers started to just lower prices.

This led to a race to the bottom, where India and other countries won. In fact, these days some Indian and Philippine companies charge more for website design than some American based companies!

Because of the over abundance of website designers and the price war that led to virtually give away prices people who actually want to make this a living have a hard time competing.

As a business owner who used to be in the website design game but now finds himself hiring others for this, I can offer a few bits of advice for anyone who wants to really excel and earn love and money from business owners out there.

1. Be reliable. I have dealt with dozens of website designers and not one project has ever gone smoothly from start to finish. I have had about 1/2 of the designers I ever hired drop out quickly after accepting projects, and many more tell me that I will have drafts in 2 days and then take 2 weeks to deliver. I was told once I would have a revision by Friday and by Tuesday I got an e-mail saying they are out of the project due to other things that came up. I am starting to think a reliable website designer who sticks to his own estimates just does not exist and I would be willing to pay premium for one who did.

Unreliability is one reason why I am no longer willing to make large deposits with website designers or "small firms." People who want to be website designers need to learn that to be successful financially in business you need to be reliable.

If someone is paying you money to get something done you need to get that thing done. You cannot just drop out or move on. If you can't handle it, don't take on new assignments or hire someone else to help you. But don't leave a business owner stranded.

If this happened enough times to me in the course of well not too long of a time, imagine how many times it happens to other owners out there. I can tell you from first hand experience that it happens often and that is part of the reason why owners do not regard web designers highly.

To put simply, we don't think of website designers as real professionals who deserve our respect and a high rate because they certainly DONT ACT like real professionals 99% of the time.

2. Be quick. Most website designers take weeks to get started on a project but the business world moves fast. Sometimes a business owner like me needs to have something done in a few days not a few weeks. It is impossible to find a website designer who can be called on Monday and have a draft by Tuesday or Wednesday. If I could find one that worked fast, I again would pay a premium.

3. Bring something to the table. Most website designers just know how to make things look pretty and use the software (technical skills), but bring very little in terms of advice and business experience to the table. As such, the websites they make are attractive but do not fulfill business objectives. It would do every website designer out there some good to learn a few things about marketing and the business side of things so that they can bring those skills to the table and bake good marketing right into the website. Pick up a few pure business marketing books and maybe take a course or two on advertising design and sales. That could make a world of difference.



It would really help all of you looking to be successful as website designers on a freelance or professional basis to learn some business basics and strive to be better business people first.

Just because you can design a great website does not mean you are qualified to be a website designer or that you can run a website design business (which you are running if you offer your services for sale). Get that business education and it will improve not only your quality of work but also your work ethic.

I prefer working with domestic designers but it is just so damn hard to find a good reliable one. I am actually in the market for one right now and I can't find one.
 
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