Witmart might be the biggest crowdsourcing platform I’d never heard of. The company is apparently huge in China, and counts their large Chinese userbase in their advertised 6-million service providers. The US-operation is based out of the Houston, TX suburb of Sugar Land. Witmart offers a marketplace for both oDesk-like contract work and 99designs-like design contests.
For contract-based work, Witmark works similarly to other freelance sites. You post the job requirements you have, and receive bids from freelancers. You can then choose the provider that best meets your needs based on their rate and work experience. You only pay when the job is completed to your satisfaction. This type of work is best suited for tasks like website development projects, writing, and other tasks without an immediate deliverable.
For instant gratification projects, like logo design, web design, and other creative tasks, Witmart has a contest option. In this case, you would describe the work you need done, specify how much you want to pay, and receive contest entries from providers around the world. You choose the best and reward them the money. If you don’t get any submissions that meet your needs, you can get a full refund.
Logo design contests start at just $99, which is less than you might find on crowdSPRING or 99designs.
Witmart’s marketplace includes a feedback and rating system for providers so you have an extra level of confidence when choosing a freelancer. Looking at the experience of past employers can be helpful, especially if you’re signing on for a long-term project.
One thing that stands out is Witmart’s twitter page is a disaster. At the time of this writing, their custom background is filled with typos.
They spell “providers” with a U instead of a V. They write “Fine Freelance Jobs” instead of “Find Freelance Jobs.” Even their vanity phone number is incorrectly listed as 1-877-Wit-Mmart (if you dial both “m’s” you won’t reach the company). These little things may not be enough to prevent me from trying out their service, but they do make them look unprofessional and reduce the confidence of potential new employers. They’ve since corrected several of these mistakes, which is a positive sign.
For design work it might be worthwhile to test out their contest model because of the lower price points, but for contract work I’d probably stick to oDesk.
Have you worked with Witmart? If so, please share your experience below and help others with their decision.
I have worked with many freelance designers and crowd sourcing freelance design sites like 99designs. Witmart is not only the WORST of all possible combinations but the customer service reps are rude and their refund policy is such that they will take money and leave you without a design.
It seems more geared towards extracting money than providing a service.
The worst logo design service I’ve used.
No one speaks a lick of English. Can’t get the design you want unless by CHANCE someone makes one that you like.
Then they want money for translation services?
Give me a break.
Would not use.
The designers on that site don’t speak English so it is difficult or impossible to get the design elements changes in the way that you want.
Furthermore, their refund policy is absurd and will just cost you money in the end without having had a job done.
I am a Chinese freelancer on Witmart’s Chinese site, zhubajie.com, and my experience shows that it could be the most professional freelancing platform in China I can find. Employers get their required work and freelancers get the money worthy their job. The English site was not on until early this year, and most of the jobs posted are Logo designing. It seems that there are much fewer employers on the new site than on the old Chinese site, I guess the major reason is just what you say at the end of your article — they do not look professional enough in the English-speaking market. But I believe there will be improvements, just as they have always been making in the past years in China.
And still they have a biggest advantage: low prices. Chinese freelancers are always underpaid, and for the same price number, price in dollar means several times of the earnings they can get from Chinese employers. As far as I know, Witmart offers translation service for Chinese freelancers who would like to get dollar-paid jobs, so there are currently quite a lot of Chinese freelancers willing to earn dollars with their previously underpaid talents, even if they are still underpaid compared to their English-speaking counterparts.
I have been working with Witmart now since the beginning of April. I have found them efficient polite and eager to learn.
Yes they know they have made some mistakes but they are working hard to rectify them.
They have opened up new premises in Canada too now.
For Logo design and Website design they have the resources to tap into the huge Chinese user base and more customers are using their services.
My involvement with Witmart is ongoing and long may it continue.