BETTER THAN PLATFORMS
No Platform Fees
"Gig" platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork have become increasingly popular over the last few years. While they do offer a multitude of services at ridiculously low prices those low prices come with some caveats.
The majority of these platforms “double dip”, meaning they skim money off the top from both ends. That means the money we receive for a particula job can be up to 20% less that what you paid, while they are also charging you, the client various fees and percentages as well. That’s absurd.
We've opted to instead work directly with our clients instead of going through a third party with no connection to either us or our client.
Higher Quality Work
Platforms are structured in a way that as a business you must work more for quantity and less for quality.
And that is not in line with our business model.
And if you take the middle-man, i.e. the platform, out of the equation, it doesn’t have to be that way.
By working directly with our customers and eliminating the wallet rape that we both would experience by going through a platform, we are able to deliver higher quality work at a lower price point. And with every communication option available: email, telephone, text, WhatsApp, etc., we are able to work more closely with our clients and better deliver exactly what they are looking for.
In our view avoiding platforms is a win-win for everyone!
Why we are opposed to platforms - A personal opinion
What is a platform?
Platforms are online sites that attempt to connect a buyer/client with a seller/service provider. A couple of examples of platforms are websites such as Fiverr and Upwork, among others.
While in theory the idea of a platform may sound like a good idea, in reality many platforms are fraught with technical and large monetary issues.
Why we oppose platforms
Most platforms charge and collect ("skim" in my view) anywhere from 10-20% of the total gig amount before forwarding what remains on to the service provider, in this case that’s us.
And that’s 10-20% of everything, not just the cost of the work itself. If you send money for props, they take 10-20%. Need a model for your shoot. They’ll take 10-20% of her fee. Or if your shoot requires a specific location. They take 10-20% of the location booking fee.
No matter what the money is for (even a well-earned tip!) they take 10-20% of it just for the privilege of allowing us to talk business with one another. It’s not hard to see how the money being skimmed really begins to add up.
Now of course that money has to come from somewhere. So where does it come from? You.
You may potentially pay by way of higher rates to help compensate for what they are skimming. Or you may pay the same but receive lower quality work. Or perhaps you may even pay by way of both.
Just Say NO – to Platforms
As far as we are concerned, after trying it for a while, there is no upside to using a platform. The only beneficiary in the arrangement is the platform itself.
Still have questions? We’re here for you.