What the heck is up with the Contest Holders here at the moment? I just dont get it. I actually run a lot of contests myself for Logos as a lot of my web design clients also require Logos. As a side line I offer them this service through DP... I make very little money out of it but it aids me in securing that client. I have recently decided to try to learn Illustrator and so have been entering some of the lower priced contests. Now I am under absolutely no misconception that my logos are any good... I'm learning so its all good. But some of the contests I enter have some really good designs in, and yet the CH either just disappears, or says theres nothing any good and they give up on it... with absolutely no consideration to the hours of work put in by the designers. What infuriates me even more is that nothing is done to these Contest Holders. They are not banned, they do not have infractions placed on them and are just left alone to start up new contests and behave the same way. There is no come back for the designers as you're only supposed to leave iTrader for services completed - so they dont even get negative iTrader?!! Just wondering if this drives everyone else nuts as much as it does me. As a contest holder myself I push for good feedback constantly both from myself and my clients and keep the thread up to date at all times. Very frustrating to say the least!
I agree its pretty frustrating to see all that hard work was for nothing. 1. The Contest Holder does not like any 2. The Contest Holder just posts the contest to get inspiration, then replicates the one he like best. Thats pretty much the reason why people do that.
Sticky; Agreed. Many CH's I know at mediokre sites such as 99designs, actually don't just waste your time; they will steal from you. They still your designs as they raise a website's price up to $500-$1000. Many of the million members on the site will submit designs, and the website works like this; As soon as a contest is opened the CH must give money to the 99design staff. They say in the top that "The cH must either withdraw the contest or pick a design". They refund option is never showed on the website. It is then that designers submit about 50 designs and the CH can do anything. The images are usually web size file, and they are being sliced and imported as html and css. They scam these designers out of time and creativity. I've moved on from then, but now as I hear the same thing is starting to happen here, I grow wary.
Maybe there should be a site where a list of dbch's (deadbeat contest holders) are compiled so we can check to see if the ch's user name is on it before wasting our time with their contest. I also think that the more involved the ch is on his/her contest the better the result. Some of my best designs have come where the ch has been awesome. The better the brief.. the better the design. At any rate these latest incidents are only discouraging the designers which is effecting the quality even more. Maybe forum design contests are coming to an end. So these people will have to pay $300 and up for their logos instead of $25-$50
I don't see the problem, yes I can understand why you're annoyed, but it's totally up to the contest holders if they like it or not.
I agree there would be some people who would be misusing these methods to their own advantage but members who are regularly at it would easily know about them after one or two such incidents. As they say, you can only cheat once or twice... not forever! Regards, RightMan
I don't believe in giving Negative iTrader feedback to the Contest Holders for not announcing the winner or ignoring the thread with no valid reason. Contest Holder should give very serious consideration to the contest thread he/she started and feel some moral responsibility to award the winner to conclude the contest. Time is money. Let us not waste someone's valuable time by ignoring their efforts. Very nice thread/discussion Typingmums. I think hereafter we can post links here taking us to the contest threads (with a link to CH's name and profile) with no winner. Soon I will post here couple of latest thread links with no winner. I wish all the designers and contest holders a wonderful stay at Digitalpoint Forums. Regards --crowquill
Yea people tend to use contests on ways to get ideas and either make it them selves or get it for cheaper.
I agree...most of the contests are just scams. They just get design inspirations from other designers and have one of their in house designer replicate the designs. Contest Holders should be responsible for what they have started till the end so designers wouldn't be left hanging... I like how 99designs handle these kind of things...
I agree that contests with no winners or CH's disappearing are a pain in the butt. The amount of work you graphic designers do is huge. And then for someone to run away and probably steal your idea. I can imagine why you guys are angry. However I am not a designer myself. So I don't say its a bad thing in the viewpoint of a designer. But as an eager contest holder myself. I have just started up a contest. And because of my lack of itrader/posts it isn't getting many entries due to these other people who have ruined it for everyone else pretty much. Contests are a great way to see many different forms of designs coming in. So that you can get exactly what you want. Hopefully they don't go away due to these dam fakes.
A while ago I asked an admin if they would allow me to compile a list of contest holder/contests that were abandoned and post it up. I was told it was ok to do so, but it could not become a "bashing" thread. I have not had the time to compile it, but definately feel it needs to be done. Perhaps starting a new thread with a title like: Contests Holders with Abandoned Projects list, or something....That way the list can be easily located and viewed. The downside is that once they are "blackballed", they can just as easily create a new user account and still continue their bad practices...how to resolve that?
Proxy Banning. It may not work, but what CH that lives in a house would drive to another part of the town just to make a contest?
One that doesn't know about proxy websites. You're going to start fighting a war which cannot be won. The only way to do it is to physically eradicate all CH's.
actually don't just waste your time; they will steal from you. They still your designs as they raise a website's price up to $500-$1000.
typingmums, I'm glad you brought this up. I think on other forums there is a 'holder' of money that divvies up to the selected winners; and there MUST always be a winner by a designated time. I have been on the other end, I actually have been holding 'writing contests'. I could see in many old contests (where people supplied work!) a winner was never chosen. Those members should be required to post the winners and have a deadline. Another thing that I just believe is the correct thing to do is, I never edit my contests. It makes me hesitate for a long time before I press that submit button, but that's the way it should feel when you are making a commitment and promising to deliver something. Every contest has a winner, that is a defining characteristic of a 'contest'. So if I hold a contest, and only three people enter and write nonsense; it doesn't matter; I am still obligated to pay. This nonsense negatively effects contest holders as well because talented people won't work for a 50/50 chance that a contest is legit -- and a winner will be paid. (It's like getting a 50% cut in pay). Scammers are abundant in DP. I'm proud to say that anyone who searches my old contest will see winners on every single contest, how the money was split up, deadlines in the original post, and also the original posts are unedited.
I wonder if the mods would help with this, you may want to send a message to WisdomTool? They may be able to place a sticky at the top of the services section, that if you hold a contest that you're expected to award a winner. It's extremely rude to hold a contest, allow members to go to so much effort, and then just disappear. We could put these members that disappear in the "contest hall of shame" sticky.
It would be great to have a sticky - I've started another thread which is aimed at being solely used to list the lousy contest holders! That would be great as a sticky http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1427646#post12038819