It's just me or this "Premium Connects" feature doesn't make anything better for us as freelancers?

[hegetiby]

I am pretty worried about these latest commercial approaches to changing the way UpWork functions. We can all think of the huge 20% charge on new clients but now I am referring especially to the new connects and the way they're used. I know it may be easy for some to just purchase connects and spend them, but it doesn't apply to all and that is not good.

I personally haven't noticed any benefit from my perspective as a top-rated freelancer in this latest implementation. I may be getting fewer responses to my proposals than before(not sure if any algorithm changed on the platforms too). the only change I got, is another few bucks going from me to UpWork.

It's a shame, I really like UpWork and all that they offered us during all this time, but it just seems like the only reason to improve now, is for them to grow their profit, not by enlarging the workplace and the clients base, but by extorsion of those who made UpWork become what it is today. 

Please give us UpWork back or stop taking decisions that just make us look to other places.

[versailles]

I think paid connects are not bad, it actually weeds out a lot of unprofessional people. What is hitting you, and others, is more the fact that clients now have to pay $50/month or even $500/month memberships depending on what features they want to use, especially if they want to send more than three invites.

[florydev]

It's just you.  Nobody else has expressed these thoughts at all, you are the very first one.

I think you are right though, the changes Upwork made is not a benefit for everyone.  There was a lady on here the other day that stated plainly that she cannot afford to buy connects so she was done.  I felt sad for her because I do think that there are people who might be legitimately successful here but because of their life situation the cost of connects is crippling.  It really is going to be tough for people like that to take a risk that they can be successful.

Now, I don't know your situation and your profile is private but you do say you are top-rated so you have received some jobs, some feedback, and some money.  Whatever you have earned the cost of connects must be burdensome for you as well.  I can feel sorry for you too if that is the case.

However, there are people I feel that are just angry because things now are different than they were before.  They don't like the idea of spending a little bit of money for the opportunity to win a client.  This I have a lot more trouble understanding.  The cost of acquisition of a client is generally very high and on Upwork it still remains quite low.  Like any business the way to offset costs is to raise your rates so that at least the burden is shared with your customers (if not outright paid).

I also do not understand at all this common complaint of Upwork being greedy.  So?  They want to make money same as me.  I don't think there is even a remote chance that the new connects policy was built to be a money maker.  I think it was a strategic decision to cut down on the number of freelancers and rogue bidders on the platform.  I don't know if I think it is a winner yet but, anecdotally, it would seem to have made some difference in my proposals.

If I am right then Upwork is basically saying that certain freelancers are not worth their time.  Could be the lady the other day was one of them.  Could be you are too.

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[hegetiby]

Some good thoughts you had in there, too bad I don't remember them because of the ironic tone while mocking about people's opinion.

[chasb]

I fully agree with Tiberiu here.

To make such comment about a fellow professional with almost 10,000 hours of activity on this platform does its author's image no good at all - nor the eternal regulars who habitually 'like' and thus support such underhand activities.

[f_tiangco]

I Agree 100% it dose not solve anything. But make things harder for freelancer

and we are not even sure if a job is real or not but 6 connects is very real

basically what the others are saying is there is no solution to this problem the old upwrok is gone this is the new upwork please learn to say ouch! quietly 

But I think there is a way for upwork and freelancers to make more money

I hope upwork will see your posts

[florydev]

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Francisco T wrote:

But I think there is a way for upwork and freelancers to make more money

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Francisco, here is your way.  You obviously have something going on.  You are doing well but your rate is far too low and I didn't even look at what you do.  Double it at least, triple it is probably better.  You do a lot of fixed rate jobs anyway so all you are doing is raising your perceived value to clients.

Save as much of the extra money you might earn to buy connects when you need them.

[tlsanders]

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Tiberiu H wrote:

It's a shame, I really like UpWork and all that they offered us during all this time, but it just seems like the only reason to improve now, is for them to grow their profit, not by enlarging the workplace and the clients base, but by extorsion of those who made UpWork become what it is today. 

It seems reasonable to me that Upwork wants to "grow its profit" from the negative $6 million per month it was making last year. What it is today is a company that has never made a single penny of profit in its entire existence, so probably being a freelancer who made it what it is today is not such a good thing.

[richardsmith94]

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Tiffany S wrote:

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Tiberiu H wrote:

It's a shame, I really like UpWork and all that they offered us during all this time, but it just seems like the only reason to improve now, is for them to grow their profit, not by enlarging the workplace and the clients base, but by extorsion of those who made UpWork become what it is today. 

It seems reasonable to me that Upwork wants to "grow its profit" from the negative $6 million per month it was making last year. What it is today is a company that has never made a single penny of profit in its entire existence, so probably being a freelancer who made it what it is today is not such a good thing.

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Or maybe being a freelancer who made it what it is today has actually helped keep it in existence?

[tlsanders]

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Richard S wrote:

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Tiffany S wrote:

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Tiberiu H wrote:

It's a shame, I really like UpWork and all that they offered us during all this time, but it just seems like the only reason to improve now, is for them to grow their profit, not by enlarging the workplace and the clients base, but by extorsion of those who made UpWork become what it is today. 

It seems reasonable to me that Upwork wants to "grow its profit" from the negative $6 million per month it was making last year. What it is today is a company that has never made a single penny of profit in its entire existence, so probably being a freelancer who made it what it is today is not such a good thing.

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Or maybe being a freelancer who made it what it is today has actually helped keep it in existence?

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I'm having a hard time imagining how costing a company money helps keep it in business.

[richardsmith94 · Accepted solution]

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Tiffany S wrote:

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Richard S wrote:

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Tiffany S wrote:

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Tiberiu H wrote:

It's a shame, I really like UpWork and all that they offered us during all this time, but it just seems like the only reason to improve now, is for them to grow their profit, not by enlarging the workplace and the clients base, but by extorsion of those who made UpWork become what it is today. 

It seems reasonable to me that Upwork wants to "grow its profit" from the negative $6 million per month it was making last year. What it is today is a company that has never made a single penny of profit in its entire existence, so probably being a freelancer who made it what it is today is not such a good thing.

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Or maybe being a freelancer who made it what it is today has actually helped keep it in existence?

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I'm having a hard time imagining how costing a company money helps keep it in business.

This might help you then.

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4289317-upwork-continues-encourage

'Historically,  freelancers have kept the lights on for UpWork, generating over two-thirds of the company's revenue..'

[chasb]

And here we go again, with all the 'regulars' piling in to belittle the OP, who has actually raised some very reasonable points.

Heck, even Rene has added further insight as to why client-side fees are much more detrimental to the freelancing community than paid connects.

@Richard S

Maybe try an image search for the author of the article you link to before posting such a 'puff piece' as 'gospel'? [wink,wink]

[tlsanders]

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Richard S wrote:

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I'm having a hard time imagining how costing a company money helps keep it in business.

This might help you then.

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4289317-upwork-continues-encourage

'Historically,  freelancers have kept the lights on for UpWork, generating over two-thirds of the company's revenue..'

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Nope, not really. Generating just enough revenue to allow a company to "keep the lights on" while bleeding millions of dollars per month just doesn't sound like a big win to me. In fact, if the company is spending $6 million/month more than it's bringing in, then aren't the lights in fact being kept on by whomever is contributing those millions of extra dollars?