Solved: Re: No matter what project, Upwork would only...

Muhammad U · ‎08-12-2021

Is this the right news? and we can also boost our proposals by spending additional connects.Thats heaven for freelancers then..A big thanks to Upwork.

Vladimir G · ‎08-12-2021

Hi everyone,

As many have already pointed out, some of you may have noticed an option to boost proposals by spending additional Connects. This is an anticipated test we plan on releasing soon; however, the curtain was pulled back a little too soon! The features mentioned here will be halted until further notice when this test is ready to roll out. We're working on this new feature and will share all the details when they are finalized prior to launch in September.

~ Vladimir

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Martina P · ‎08-12-2021

Muhammad U wrote:
Is this the right news? and we can also boost our proposals by spending additional connects.Thats heaven for freelancers then..A big thanks to Upwork.

I resent the concept of gambling on jobs. I don't believe it's the right idea to rank proposals based on how many connects a freelancer is willing to spend.

Muhammad U · ‎08-12-2021

well, its an opportunity for those who spend some time on quality proposals rather than sending standard proposals..So, i really wont have to worry about standing last when i am bidding..I can take a bit of time ...Prepare a detailed proposal for the client and may just use few more connects to stand out..So, idea isnt that bad , i think 🙂

Martina P · ‎08-12-2021

Muhammad U wrote:
well, its an opportunity for those who spend some time on quality proposals rather than sending standard proposals..So, i really wont have to worry about standing last when i am bidding..I can take a bit of time ...Prepare a detailed proposal for the client and may just use few more connects to stand out..So, idea isnt that bad , i think 🙂

Proposals where never ranked by time they were sent, so the whole concept that you have to be fast to be first was never true. Lots of people seem to believe it, but they are wrong. You could always take your time. Now you have to worry about spending enough connects to show up on top.

Muhammad U · ‎08-12-2021

awww, Help me find some thing positive some one 🙂

Martina P · ‎08-12-2021

Muhammad U wrote:
awww, Help me find some thing positive some one 🙂

That every job costs only 1 connect now 😉

Deborah P · ‎08-12-2021

For me, writing customised and to-the-point proposals is the norm. I can't see why I should spend more connects.

Tiffany S · ‎08-13-2021

Muhammad U wrote:
well, its an opportunity for those who spend some time on quality proposals rather than sending standard proposals..So, i really wont have to worry about standing last when i am bidding..I can take a bit of time ...Prepare a detailed proposal for the client and may just use few more connects to stand out..So, idea isnt that bad , i think 🙂

You've never had to worry about that. Proposals aren't displayed in the order they're received, and clients get email notifications about the ones Upwork considers good matches.

Renata S · ‎08-13-2021

Martina P wrote:
Muhammad U wrote:
Is this the right news? and we can also boost our proposals by spending additional connects.Thats heaven for freelancers then..A big thanks to Upwork.
I resent the concept of gambling on jobs. I don't believe it's the right idea to rank proposals based on how many connects a freelancer is willing to spend.

Well said. This is the absolute last thing that needs to be "gamified." First-time clients already have enough trouble trying to navigate this platform as it is.

Petra R · ‎08-12-2021

Muhammad U wrote:
No matter what project, Upwork would only charge 1 connect ? Is this the right news? and we can also boost our proposals by spending additional connects.

Absolutely dreadful.

Upwork has decided to show clients the freelancers who pay enough rather than the best freelancers.

Muhammad U wrote:
So, i really wont have to worry about standing last when i am bidding..I can take a bit of time ...

Currently proposals are NOT shown to clients in the order they come in, but in best match order... so the better a match you are and how good your metrics are, the higher you are shown. Now you have to pay.

Your metrics are absolutely excellent, so you would have been shown further up anyway. So now you have to pay to get where you would have been or even lower.

Deborah P · ‎08-12-2021

I have just bee through the explanatory video and opened a job post. What actually happens is that now sending a proposal costs 0 connects, and the actual previous cost of the proposal is indicated in brackets. I would consider either to use 0 connects, or to use those in brackets, the actual cost, depending on how many proposals the job post is likely to attract. Not one connect more for the time being. I verified that usually clients who need the assistance of a professional, and have a budget, tend to respond if you share your common sense in a proposal. They can tell if their product/service can be put in the hands on someone unqualified and cheap or not. The valuable ones 😉 Let's see what happens

Martina P · ‎08-12-2021

Deborah P wrote:
I have just bee through the explanatory video and opened a job post. What actually happens is that now sending a proposal costs 0 connects, and the actual previous cost of the proposal is indicated in brackets. I would consider either to use 0 connects, or to use those in brackets, the actual cost, depending on how many proposals the job post is likely to attract. Not one connect more for the time being. I verified that usually clients who need the assistance of a professional, and have a budget, tend to respond if you share your common sense in a proposal. They can tell if their product/service can be put in the hands on someone unqualified and cheap or not. The valuable ones 😉 Let's see what happens

I tried it out, and while it says 0 connects, and that the job would have cost 2, it doesn't work anyway. I was still charged 2 connects. I'm tempted to open a new thread lamenting the loss of my precious ones.

Jennifer R · ‎08-12-2021

Martina P wrote:
Deborah P wrote:
I have just bee through the explanatory video and opened a job post. What actually happens is that now sending a proposal costs 0 connects, and the actual previous cost of the proposal is indicated in brackets. I would consider either to use 0 connects, or to use those in brackets, the actual cost, depending on how many proposals the job post is likely to attract. Not one connect more for the time being. I verified that usually clients who need the assistance of a professional, and have a budget, tend to respond if you share your common sense in a proposal. They can tell if their product/service can be put in the hands on someone unqualified and cheap or not. The valuable ones 😉 Let's see what happens
I tried it out, and while it says 0 connects, and that the job would have cost 2, it doesn't work anyway. I was still charged 2 connects. I'm tempted to open a new thread lamenting the loss of my precious ones.

Did you open the job in a new window before you applied?

Deborah P · ‎08-12-2021

No, and I did not apply, I was just testing the system without committing

Martina P · ‎08-12-2021

Jennifer R wrote:
Martina P wrote:
Deborah P wrote:
I have just bee through the explanatory video and opened a job post. What actually happens is that now sending a proposal costs 0 connects, and the actual previous cost of the proposal is indicated in brackets. I would consider either to use 0 connects, or to use those in brackets, the actual cost, depending on how many proposals the job post is likely to attract. Not one connect more for the time being. I verified that usually clients who need the assistance of a professional, and have a budget, tend to respond if you share your common sense in a proposal. They can tell if their product/service can be put in the hands on someone unqualified and cheap or not. The valuable ones 😉 Let's see what happens
I tried it out, and while it says 0 connects, and that the job would have cost 2, it doesn't work anyway. I was still charged 2 connects. I'm tempted to open a new thread lamenting the loss of my precious ones.
Did you open the job in a new window before you applied?

No, but I just tried it, and it still costs 2 connects, and I don't see where bidding would take place.

Deborah P · ‎08-12-2021

Uh, good to know! 😄

Dalal E · ‎08-12-2021

Same here! How does this boosting proposals even work? There’s no increase connects bid section or anything new.

Jennifer R · ‎08-12-2021

Deborah P wrote:
I have just bee through the explanatory video and opened a job post. What actually happens is that now sending a proposal costs 0 connects, and the actual previous cost of the proposal is indicated in brackets. I would consider either to use 0 connects, or to use those in brackets, the actual cost, depending on how many proposals the job post is likely to attract. Not one connect more for the time being. I verified that usually clients who need the assistance of a professional, and have a budget, tend to respond if you share your common sense in a proposal. They can tell if their product/service can be put in the hands on someone unqualified and cheap or not. The valuable ones 😉 Let's see what happens

Can you share the video?

Deborah P · ‎08-12-2021

I wouldn't know how to share the video, it appeared and then, once concluded, disappeared 😞 If it pops up again, I will see if it has a link that I can copy

Wes C · ‎08-12-2021

Petra R wrote:
Muhammad U wrote:
No matter what project, Upwork would only charge 1 connect ? Is this the right news? and we can also boost our proposals by spending additional connects.
Absolutely dreadful.

Totally agree.

So many questions:

How does this look on the client side?

How are boosted and unboosted proposals separated on the client's view?

What do they need to do to see non-boosted proposals?

Are clients clearly informed that the boosted proposals are first in line due to payola rather than the match to their needs?

Are boosted proposals that don't meet the client's stated requirements still flagged as not meeting them?

How does this affect proposals submitted through invites?

Who on earth thought this was "simpler", which I think is the wording used on the popup?

Are you going to be implementing other aspects of Fr*r.com's proposal system like highlighted bids and open vs sealed bids?

Dylan G · ‎08-12-2021

Absolutely need answeres for all of these questions.

Ricardo Jose B · ‎08-12-2021

You will have to pay. But, you will have to pay way less than you used to. And still, you can stand out on the projects you decide to bet into!

I think it is definitely a great decision made by Upwork

Petra R · ‎08-12-2021

Ricardo Jose B wrote:
You will have to pay. But, you will have to pay way less than you used to.

No, you won't. Whatever gave you that idea?

Aleksa J · ‎08-12-2021

Keep this up and I'm out of here.

Adam I · ‎08-12-2021

So something weird happened when I went to bid for a job just now. I got a message telling me that Upwork had a new system, whereby all jobs cost just one connect but you can spend extra to "boost" your bid. Depending on what other people bid, your bid might get boosted to the top. But I think they must have been just testing the feature out because when I moved to my desktop computer to do the proposal properly, it didn't happen again. Has anyone else seen this message today?