So I just got done browsing around the BST design section and notice alot of "5 _____ for Free" and $4 headers and stuff like that. I completely understand building a portfolio, that makes sense, but is making a header for $4 really worth you even typing the offer out. This kinda equates (in my mind, my humble opinion only) to the will work for food guy I pass by on the corner. Yeah, getting your name out there is good, but when you run a $4 ad, do you not get laughed at when you quote more than that? I don't know how it works, because I am (A) not that hard up for $4 and a name boost and (B) too busy to do something for $4. Things could change and I could be the next "Will draw for $4, but I just want to know if it's really worth the trouble. Also, When I see that stuff, $4 graphics and all that, I think of shopping at the dollar store, it all looks similar to the good stuff, but it seems like it will fall apart if you look at it too long. I dont know that a portfolio of $4 anything would be really desirable, thats just me, what are other folks thoughts. -Lee
Quite true but depending on where you are from, some offering these may be students from 3rd world countries where $4 does have some spending power unlike in the first world. Others may not care for the price but just want a portfolio. I think for anyone doing something or making a decision, they do have their own reasons which for us as outsiders may not recognized.
If you're doing stuff to build up a portfolio you're generally better to do it for free rather than on the cheap as otherwise you run the risk of getting a reputation as being cheap. At least if they're freebies, people are under no illusions about the potential cost of paid work. But ultimately, if you need the money, you need the money.
That is what drives prices down, but go take a look at the people who are doing the $4 graphics. They look like $4 graphics. So let's assume, since you are responding to me in the Graphics section of the forum, that you are a designer. I will go a step further and assume you are not one of the $4 guys. Do you really want someone to say "Na, I don't like your price, I want to go pay Cheap-Joe over here cause he does the same thing for $4" I do not plan on offering a $4 anything, I don't wake up for $4 a day. People are driving prices down, but they shouldn't. There is a difference in competing and undercutting. A $4 anything that normally gets done for $25, $35, and on up to $75 isn't competing, that is undercutting. Instead of getting irritated and doing something about it, everyone else just says oh yeah, I can beat that, $3.75. At the deflation rate I'm looking at, in a few months/years, subjects are going to read "I'll give you $4 to let me make you a header." Idk if you guys are into ebooks or what not, but I read a good one, i think it was desperate buyers guide, but I could be wrong, i have several, and it talked about this sort of thing. We need to stay competitive but at the same time we need to keep comfortable, no need in starving just so we can be the cheapest. Idk, I'll let it rest here unless someone else has anything to add, but we are hurting ourselves by going that low.
I do like the idea that it's 3rd word work, that would make me feel better about it I guess, being $4 there would be enough to feed a family for a week or what not, yeah thats fine, still sucks for us, and they could do better for themselves that way, but I don't buy the competitive thing.
Well, you get what you pay for. The market for the people selling the $4 designs generally go to the people with the sites using $12 templates. That is a gross generalization and I am sure some of the $4 work is admirable, but most of it is not. If you have a stunning portfolio and your logos/templates/layouts/etc. have real thought behind them and truly solve the clients needs you can charge whatever you want. However, probably not on this site. No offense to DP, as I have sold some work here and learned a great deal, and continue to do so from the awesome people here, but when there is no control over the BST section, it is an open market. Head on over to some other sites that have a more controlled marketplace and see the difference. Also keep in mind though that even at sites like these where a logo design might be a minimum of $100, this is still laughed at in the real design world where creating an identity for a company starts in the thousands.
That said - I really do need a logo for my site, can't draw for shit, and barely have $4. As a programmer, I understand your frustration - but these are sad times (at least for me).