Anything That Can Be Turned into a Commodity, Will Be

The concept of outsourcing is not a new one. While it may have existed under different names, for as long as industry and services have been around, decision makers have relied on those outside of their realm to contribute to the ecosystem of bringing products to life.

Historically we haven’t paid much attention to this practice. It was done outside of our backyards whether in a different country or by small non-threatening entities. But within the last decade, the web has facilitated the shift of many opportunities from outside to in. It’s done this by utilizing the easy access to the crowds.

Those crowds are not in some far off place anymore. They are among us and the opportunities they’re being presented with are being displayed in front of us. Those who are being pushed out of taking advantage of theses opportunities continue to argue against this practice. Whether it’s journalists, designers, or pretty much any “established” company that sells a product, the mindset of “the traditional way is still the best way” is still being fiercely promoted to would-be customers and the general public. But despite the heated debates and PR efforts, there is an important reality that needs to be acknowledged:

Anything that is legal, and that can somehow be leveraged by an entity to generate income, will be.

The arguments are not going to end, but there is going to come a point in time when organizations need to make one of the three choices.

1. Ignore the situation and try riding it out in hopes your consumer will come back to you.
2. Accept this now and begin to restructure to incorporate these types of functions.
3. Offer a service that overcomes the efficiency of crowds with uniqueness (while retaining competitive margins).

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10 Crowdsource Design Venues

The concept of crowdsourcing has been gaining momentum with a fairly direct correlation to the growth of the internet. The following are some great outlets that give designers in a variety of mediums the chance to monetize, be discovered, and/or share their work.

Project Splitwheel

What do you get when you take the power of social powered design and add a tangible industrial infrastructure? That would be Project Splitwheel. With the help of British motor sport company Caterham, an actual vehicle will ultimately be produced and sold.

Genius Rocket

If you think Madison Avenue isn’t the only place that good ads can be created, Genius Rocket is for you. Companies list their creative assignments for users to contribute to. Awards are given to the winners based on what idea the client chooses.

BootB

Similar in product to Genius Rocket, BootB takes the service offering a step further and lets the community contribute not only creative, but ideas for branding, media planning, décor, and even packaging. The companies participating seem to skew more towards European brands.

Threadless

There is not shortage of online T-Shirt stores, but arguably no one uses the passion t-shirt designers quite like Threadless. Based in Chicago, this company which started in 2000 has grown tremendously and now even has a physical store on the north side of the city. Unlike some of the other crowdsource sites which focus on a sole party investing in an idea, the Threadless community is tasked with voting on designs, being the customer, and promoting designs via the “street team.”

Crowdspring

CrowdSPRING was started to help people from around the world access creative talent, and to help creatives from across the globe find new customers.

With backgrounds in both the creative industry and law, crowdSPRING believes strongly in the creative process and the protection of intellectual property. Utilizing free, binding legal contract generation for every transaction and advanced digital watermarking to a built-in, secure escrow service and a feedback rating system – this company has strived to make a safe environment for both Buyers and Creatives alike.

Fluevog Shoes

When it comes to variety, shoes are probably the most sought after piece of clothing. But what if you just can’t find a pair that really is different from everyone else is wearing this season? Then Fluevog will give you the opportunity to create your own design.

Zeroes to Heroes

Vancouver-based social media company that connects thousands of creators, producers and fans of comics in a collaborative and creative environment. Leading a movement to revolutionize how comics are created and how they reach a mainstream audience, Zeros 2 Heroes members are given the latest web 2.0 tools to showcase their own work or rate, debate and approve the content of others.

Kancept

Essentially a “Hot or Not” for inventions. While Kancept is more of a place to post ideas vs. actually submit for any kind of monetary compensation, it’s an interesting destination for people looking to get discovered and/or see if their idea already exists.

Studio Wikitecture

Studio Wikitecture is an open group, composed of a diverse range of individuals from varying disciplines, interested in exploring the application of an open-source paradigm to the design and production of both real and virtual architecture and urban planning.

Etsy

Sick of buying your home décor or artwork at places like Walmart or Hobby Lobby? Etsy is an online marketplace for buying & selling all things handmade. Obviously the prices are going to be higher with the lack of 3rd world production sites, but the uniqueness of pieces will make this service worth it for many.

An added bonus to this service is that users are able to search locally to find the craftsmen near their area if they want to support their hometown artists. This helps local sellers establish relationships offline as well as online.