Clients paying peanuts

[#1]

Hello freelancers

I have just read this job post from someone based in the US:

"You will manage two restaurants on Instagram

Weekly posts 8-10

Two Instagram and one TikTok

Monthly salary $45

If you don’t agree, please don’t apply."

I have subscribed to Upwork's monthly plan and feel a bit down when I see tons of posts like this one. I am paying a lot of monthly money to be visible to this kind of people who pay workers pennies. 

Another one wanted 50 Instagram posts signed for $100.  

Is it the norm now, or is it just me? I can only see everyday posts that pay peanuts and 20-50 proposals on them. 

Please give me some hope and tell me you can see other better proposals because I can't see any. 

I have been on the platform for two months and am already considering quitting.

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Ciao Angela. 

The sad truth is that your niche is oversaturated, and the competition is fierce. Two months is just the beginning, hold on there and you will get your good orders. 

[#3]

I will hold on and see 🙏i have asked to be part of the Italy members but didnt get an answer there either 😞

[#4]

Send another request! 

[#5]

I can't; there is no way to resend it. 

[#6]

These are the types of clients showing up in the client forum whining about quality. He'll get someone pretending to be in the US or someone completely incompetent and doing a terrible job. Just gotta let them figure it out themselves and ignore this stuff.

[#7]

The sad part here is those 20-50 proposals.

Unless those people are giving their own prices it just goes to show the problem on pricing on Upwork is from the freelancers that would apply to everything they can find, which is why Upwork is well known for where to get some otherwise costly projects done for almost nothing. I wouldn't like to mention countries where freelancers are willing to work for such but I believe we all know some of them.

[#8]

Sadly true. But maybe enough for them to live where they live. Not for me living in Europe, though.

[#9]

Completely agree. It seems to permeate across all nature of requirements. Today itself I saw a job posting for drafting Contracts for Software and License. Guess the fee quoted by Client! USD 20 Fixed. Lowest Freelance bid for USD 7. And this is not the only one. It is clear that because of the cannibalism amongst hordes of Freelancers that Clients are encouraged to seek bids for high-skilled works for literally peanuts whcih they very well know they won't be able to get to get for minimum 10 times the price they have set from lawyers and law firms outside of portals like Upwork and Fiverr. Something needs to be done to address this. One suggestion is Upwork sets some minimum limit of pricing for fixed-price projects meant for legal and other high-skill professional work.    

[#10]

Totally agree. But until Upwork makes money, I don't think anything will get done. 

[#11]

My recomendation is to not waste your money on the monthy plan.  

[#12]

Just cancelled!

[#13]

Same here!