Connects and Memberships Live

[Garnor M]

As we announced last month, oDesk will be introducing freelancer membership plans and a new way of submitting applications via Connects. You can read more in our blog post here and in the active discussions we've had in the Community, including this discussion here. 

As you may have seen after signing into your oDesk account over the past week, we're ready to go live with these membership plans. Freelancers will be automatically enrolled into our free Basic membership plan starting March 31st.  You will have the option to upgrade to the Freelancer Plus plan if you want more Connects and options.

We've updated our Help documentation here and will continue to be available here in the Community to answer your questions. 

Thanks, and we look forward to seeing your success with Connects and Membership plans. 

[Saldy D]

Most of us dont agree with this new system but what else can we do. I will try this new system but if it doesnt work for me I will just leave and find an altenative solution.I am here to look for a jobs in the first place and earn some extra bucks. Your just giving some ideas to some web entrepreneur to build there own and counter your mistakes.When you already realized that mistakes I hope its not already too late.I just sign up in this site long time ago because I thought this is different from other sites.But the time goes on this site is already changing and its getting worst. This is not odesk  that I've known I already seen it as elance  site no what your explanation.For my fellow freelancers goodluck with this new system.

[Neven S]

i think  1 conect for most of jobs will  help

so instend 2 conect put it down to 1

there are a lot of reasons , let start for jobs  from $5  to loose  2 conects

then  there  need to  be options  to ask clients for moe informations

sometimes  clents dont put  enough informations  and we need to applay

that could be like anonimus  message

so client dont know which freelancers ask him , then after  client explain all in details as he did not  did it on start, we freelancers could bid and loose our poor conection

[Ayan B]

I am agree with you. 2 Connects for 1 job is very very expensive.

[Manilyn A]

Hi,

I just want to suggest, Top rated will be avail of more than 60 connects.

Hope it will be help.

Thanks

[Abdul R]

Yeah, I am also agree with you about extra connects if someone has top rated badge. Our suggestions will reach to the Odesk team?

[Garnor M]

Thanks Abdul and Manilyn and congrats if you've achieved Top Rated status already! By achieving Top Rated status, you'll benefit from the visibility of this badge and the efforts from our teams to connect members with exclusive job invitations. We don't expect you'll need extra Connects, and as a result this isn't part of our initial plans for the Top Rated program. 

We'll consider your input for the future though. I'll be sure to share it.

[Chad C]

Hi Sir Garnor ,

Good morning. Please consider all feedback and suggestions regarding new system , so odesk can continue to be the most solid platform that most if not all freelancers grew to once love. Im really concerned about this new system

regards

[Raman G]

Hello,

First about two connect for one bid is too much expensive and what about those client who posted job and never hire for many many days .

Raman

[Scott P]

The new changes have reduced the number of established clients in job feeds. Worse, the new percentage based rating system counts those completed job listings without any feedback as negative which is gravely in error.

Having a neutral, lack of rating count against an established freelancer with all 5 star reviews from those that did rate is a skewed and inaccurate method of measurement and is reducing greatly my ability to work on this site.

It is a shame, as I spent considerable time getting established here and now get penalized for work that was completed, paid, and submitted on deadline. The word is broken.

And then pay for more "connects" on top of the 10% of all of my work ? Maybe if it was 20 and it took one connect per application.

There are many on freelancer communities across the web who are leaving in droves due to these issues. I sincerely hope these concerns are taken seriously so that I can continue to support the platform.

Scott Peters