The online service marketplace oDesk (previous oDesk coverage) has just added the capability for buyers to spec fixed-price jobs. Previously, all oDesk contracts were hourly. This move puts oDesk up against gig marketplaces like eLance and RentACoder, which are also based on fixed-price bids.
"The problem with the fixed price market is that it's not sticky," oDesk CEO Gary Swart told me. Many business relationships that start with one-price jobs evolve into working relationships where the pay is based on the time put in. Swart maintains that competing marketplaces don't foster (or let you manage) that changing relationship; and likewise, until now, oDesk wasn't able to kick off relationships that were best started as single gigs.
oDesk's toolkit, which includes the capability for service providers to "clock in," and for service buyers to monitor their work, is optional on fixed-price contracts.
The company will be presenting at the Web 2.0 Expo (which Webware is a media sponsor of), and also making a financial progress announcement.
From the Web 2.0 Conference:
(Credit:
oDesk)
oDesk is all about outsourcing. It's an online market where people can hire programmers and other information workers. In addition to making matches, the system also takes screen captures of contract workers at frequent intervals so that hiring managers can ensure they're billed only for actual work performed.
New at the Web 2.0 conference is a pretty new interface that should make it quicker and easier to search for workers with specific skills, experience, and fees. Also new: the official rollout of the company's skills tests and certification programs, which are helping oDesk become a real powerhouse as a programmer's matchmaker. The company is also releasing some data visualization tools to help service providers to price themselves competitively. For example, the tools will graphically show the price that particular programming skills could bring in different regions.
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