Web Site Bidding Wars - How Low Will You Go?

A recent posting I read on Craigslist: “Wanted - 4 to 5 page site and blog for $250.00. Basic site, shouldn’t be too hard for anyone with the skills” (I guess this is to justify the $250 they are willing to pay?) They went on to add “Don’t even bother writing back with a quote for $600, I won’t even respond” (Um, but that may even be below market value!)

The ad was upsetting but what really got me was how often I’m seeing these types of requests. And what’s really unsettling is, are web designers responding to this ad saying “Yes! I’ll do it – no problem, it’ll be great”?

Even looking through other freelance sites, it was a disheartening reading through some very heavy project requirements and then seeing people bidding on jobs for really, really low pay! Now I want to say, not all the jobs were like that and there were some designers’ profiles I checked out that absolutely had higher but realistic hourly rates and bids. Not that it has to be justified but they were also very talented designers who also posted portfolios and information on themselves and their experience. But overall, I got the sense of sharks in the water and a bidding war on who could undercut the most. Fearing for my safety and the buoyancy of the little air mattress called faith and hope I’ve been floating on, I paddled the hell out of there.

And this lead me to question even more; for the consumer, has it come down to savings over quality? Because honestly, the old saying is true – you get what you pay for. Most web designers with several years experience under their belt also know their value, understand the amount of work involved and simply, cannot and will not build you a 5 page web site and blog for $250.00.

Now that having a web presence for your business more important than ever, are individuals and business owners willing to have a poor site done if it’s cheap enough just to “get something out there”? Because after a little more digging, I did discover that some of the people willing to work for so little are really just supplying a template, swamping in a few pictures, some text and bam – instant web site. Nothing custom, nothing original and not much thought into branding or much else to be honest.

As I keep reading posts and articles on freelance best practices still advising to raise prices each year and how this will even ensure a better clientele (which I do agree with wholeheartedly), this slippery slope of falling wages and diving bids makes me wonder about other designers work and experience now.

I hope, as I’m sure everyone does, for clients that value, appreciate and understand the thought, time and creative process involved in creating and building a great web site. It can’t happen in a day and usually not for $250.00. Even in this extremely difficult economic time, I can only hope the undercutting and bottom bids don’t put a near end to those of us who work extremely hard, continue to grow and learn and have pride in the work that we do and love.

Designers and Code

Should designers know how to code?

This is such an old argument/discussion but a heated one in the web community and it’s always interesting to me when it comes up, listening at all points presented and how passionate the debate can become.

Personally, I can hand code. I can build a web page by hand in Notepad but the design process is the part I love, that’s what I feel strongly about and am always trying to learn and improve. And I think there are some advantages to knowing how to code as well as design but I can see where people would also just focus and specialize on the one area alone. Design is not easy, it’s not always the “fun” part. As with anything creative, it’s a struggle at times. Ideas don’t always flow or work out as well on the web as they did in your mind but I really, really love it regardless.

It’s not that I don’t spend as much time coding and building, it’s just because the joy for me comes in the visual creation, the creative solutions I can provide and the joke I’ve now publicly made - to "make things pretty". A term that has been used snidely toward me but also just as a general statement: “Just make it pretty”. I adopted it and now use it for myself because however you look at it, good or bad, I do want to make things visually attractive. I like seeing the art in the machine.

Should all designers have to be able to code? I think it helps but I also think it’s ok for design and development to be two different areas and skills. I don’t think all designers should have to also know all back end coding but of course, knowing some basics is going to be a positive and may even help when working with a developer and understanding what they may need or how things will work on the back end after implement your design.

I’m constantly impressed by developers that seem to be able to bend web sites and make them behave and do their bidding and I’m still working on learning a little more on the development side but for now, I’m a designer that codes.