Elance.com and oDesk.com (are) the two busiest among several newish online marketplaces for work, or “talent exchanges”. Last year the value of this sort of online work topped $1 billion for
the first time; it will double to $2 billion in 2014, and reach $5
billion by 2018, forecasts Staffing Industry Analysts, a “contingent
work” consultant.
There are other differences in the business models of the market
leaders. oDesk simply takes a cut of all completed jobs; Elance also
charges freelancers optional fees for extra services. Both have been
trying to improve the quality of the reputation-rating system, and to
ensure that work is being done by the person who accepted it rather than
passed on to someone potentially less competent (“Still the biggest
risk”).
Read more at The Eoncomist
