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Do webdesigners ever go "50-50"?

  • Thread starter Thread starter JustOneUK
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JustOneUK

well 51-49?
If someone has a good idea (with a good domain name) would you as a web designer consider building a site for free in order to secure a % of the sales?

just thinking out loud........... :)
James.
 
Yeah, well obviously I'd have to think about it first and look at the details but for a 50% share it would probably be a good deal.
 
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I can't think of a business where it would benefit the original business owner, at the very most a web designer may charge £1000 for a website, I can't see how taking a cut from your profits would benefit you.
I like to point out now though (for the benefit of the post), I’m, not a web designer :redface:!
 
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I think everyone should be open to opportunities, what did you have in mind? - pm me if you have something you would like to put forward, always worth consideration.

thanks.
 
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Yep, I would, and the same for SEO too. Works really well on sites that have no traffic/sales currently, I have a couple of clients like this.
Jay
 
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I agree with Dnallov, it's like Dragons' Den where they are offered their money but have to give the "dragon" large % rights to every product they ever develop in the future.

As web design/ building is essentially much cheaper than the amount of revenue one would expect to receive from the site itself, especially if such a unique and good idea as the thread opener suggests then allowing the builder 50% or 49% would be foolish - in the long term the site owner would lose out on a huge scale, capital that they could have kept and put back into the business after paying the designer/builder a relatively much lower amount.
 
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But JustOneUK, if it is YOU who has such an idea it may be best either trying to get the capital from elsewhere - the bank, Capital One etc - or looking for a designer who would let you pay monthly, I would happily do this for you if you like, interest free.
 
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Yeah I see the point about the designer getting paid far more than they would for a site. However, if the site was very invloved, and required alot of on going work it could be cheaper to team up with someone who already has the skills and resources to maintain and expand the site. Same with SEO, too. Although I tend to take a smaller percentage than 50% anyway.
Jay
 
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I personally read the title of the thread as the web designer would get paid 50% of their normal fee and the rest would be commission. I would have thought more would be interested in this because, you might not run the business efficiently which means that they don't get any commission.

If it were me, as well as putting my time into developing the site (I'm not a designer), I would want to have a say in the business to ensure my "investment" was protected.
 
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I would do it but...

... I think this what was it again, Google idea of yours is a non starter. Who is going to remember a name like Google. We all use Yellow pages, why the hell would I use what was it again? Gloogle? 50% of that equals 50% of nothing I reckon.

By the way Elvis get out of here, you've got no chance!
 
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It also depends whether we thought the person running the business was capable of doing so.

You can have the best ship in the world but if the captain is no good it's doomed!
 
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JustOneUK said:
well 51-49?
If someone has a good idea (with a good domain name) would you as a web designer consider building a site for free in order to secure a % of the sales?

just thinking out loud........... :)
James.
Click to expand...

I have done 3 50/50 JV deals this year, and I have got a very jaundiced view - in every case the partner that promised to Create and update the content did not honour their end of the deal

The point is....the key to success is in the marketing, the USP, the ways to promote and get cheap traffic the copy ( not the clever stuff) on the website. - the testing to improve cinversion and so on.

So what i ended up with was trying to turn shoddy and half done copy into SE friendly, and more importantly persuasive copy.

SO the question is...what does the partner bring to the table????

Unless it is credibility in the niche , licenses to products that the web marketer cannot get alone... it is not worth it for the web designer/marketer.

The ability to outsource order fulfillment and just an idea isnt worth a 50% share - not when there are so many untapped opportunities
 
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Have done work for split of revenue/ profit however anything but the smallest thing we would require both some upfront monies as it shows commitment from the business and also fees such as solicitors paid (for larger ones).

As said, it needs to be a good business not just a good idea and therefore we need to be comfortable that both the business person has the skills to make it successful and that it just isnt a bit of a punt to see if it flies or not.
 
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We have undertaken a couple of joint ventures before now but we always insist on money upfront in one form or another just to show good willing from the client.
 
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I am new to this forum, but I have thought of this idea before and I think it is a very good idea as long as a well understood contract is put in place. Being a designer myself I would consider building a website for a share in web sales only, which i would think is fair, If you are going to retain share on profits indefinitely as a web designer then constant additions and work on the site where ever needed is very fair in return, Also if it was me, I would constantly optimize the website for the benefit of the business partner as well as the web designer to increase sales and make more money. This would be a very good and potentially very profitable arrangement seeing as both partners would both be enthusiastic about sales.

Taz
 
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If the business idea was good, then we as a company would always look at development in return for % of the company...we can offer business consultancy as well, not just web development. Drop me a line if you have such an idea.
 
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It depends. A web designer and a web developer are two different things.

A web designer creates the visual look and developer programmes/codes the back end of the site.

So there would potentially be three bodies involved. 50/50 wouldnt work.

Maybe best outsource the design/program work and keep the 100%.


This is what this guy did, Kevin Rose. He started digg.com a few years back.

He got it made for $200. Now its worth around $30 million.
 
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Dnallov said:
I can't think of a business where it would benefit the original business owner, at the very most a web designer may charge £1000 for a website, I can't see how taking a cut from your profits would benefit you.
I like to point out now though (for the benefit of the post), I’m, not a web designer :redface:!
Click to expand...

I have to say, £1000 at the most for a website is ridiculous. I am currently working on a £2500 website for one of my clients and I have made £8000 websites as well. It depends on the scale of the site and what it does. Do you think facebook or myspace or ebay would have been done for less than £1000? Yes they are worth billions now, but they still need constant web development as well.
 
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I took the initial posting as a guide...if the website cost £1000 to build and the company was valued at £2000 then the 50/50 split would work. Whereas if the company was valued at £10,000 the £1000 website would be 10%.

Which is something we have participated in. One presumes that the person with the idea has some money but not enough for web design, but enough to pay for initial advertising, soem stationery...or has the skills to match the investment by value from the web developer.

if the person with the idea has not the cash or skill to match the cost of the website (investment) then 50% wouldn't be enough equity.... Although generally speaking any person with an idea should not offer more than 20-25% in return for development work...

It is all down to the idea and discussions between the development team and the ideas person.

With the dragons den all ideas go through a few months due diligence before they put the money in that they promise on the show...

Finally....why would a web developer charge £1000 at the most? Where does that idea come from?
 
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£1000 as a minimum would be normal for most website design and development. I suppose the whole thing should appeal to a web designer who doesn't really have anything better to do. They might as well create the website for free as an addition to their portfolio and on the off chance they might make a bit money back off it.

I doubt there would be any self respecting web designer that would work for free on a site for a 50% stake in an as yet, non-existent business that may never work. If the person with the idea doesn't have enough faith in the idea to spend some money on getting a website built, it probably isn't a great idea.
 
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