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¿WHY? (FAQ)
What does FairTradeNet stand for? FairTradeNet is a non-profit association based in Geneva, Switzerland. It is a network of qualified independent freelancers offering their services at competitive rates. The FairNetTraders of FairTradeNet agree to adapt their fees to the local markets. A client from Quito will get the same services as a client in New York or Paris, at a discount price set for the disadvantaged regions. A service provider from Kiev or Casablanca will offer his services to a client in Stockholm or Zurich not below the minimum rate set for the industrialized countries.
Why should I pay for your services? Yes, that is true. You can find hundreds or thousands of freelancers on other, commercial sites. You won't pay affiliation fees or commissions. It is the freelancers who pay for their memberships, pay commissions with every job they complete, even if the client defaults. You will have the choice between "one to five star members", "bronze, silver or gold members", "simple or select members" and what have you. Is this a guarantee that you are hiring a specialist able to do the job according to your specifications, at the right price and on time? It is not. "Select", "Gold" and other memberships have nothing to do with quality, reliability or experience. Freelancers buy those labels. We only have one kind of affiliation for freelancers: full FairNetTraders
for freelancers whose work and experience have been judged excellent by
a jury of experts. What do you mean by quality service? The selection process ensures that only qualified and experienced FairNetTraders bid for assignments. We cannot guarantee timely delivery, but we urge all our FairNetTraders to keep the deadlines they have agreed upon. Three justified complaints from clients will lead to the exclusion of a FairNetTrader without refunding of the affiliation fee. Whenever it is possible, the functionality of software, the quality
of work delivered will be tested by another FairNetTrader who will be
paid accordingly (part of the fee). Translations and writing services
are always proofread by another FairNetTrader and paid according to the
difficulty of the text and the changes made. Do clients have to rate the quality of the delivered work? You don't have to, but you are very welcome to do so. However, we do
not believe in the one-to-five-star system. If you have been truly satisfied
by our freelancers' performance, you'll write a short reference. If you
are less than pleased, you write to
What type of Affiliation is available? Client FairNetTrader "Try out" If your company needs help and would like to outsource a project, we connect you with the qualified specialists you need - either for a single project or a long-term assignment. Joining as a FairNetTrader for a first "Try out" posting is not necessary. Just go to the Post a Project page and tell us what you need. You will have access to the profiles of those freelance FairNetTraders who bid for your project in the next five days. For this service, you will be asked to deposit US$ 10 or € 10. In this way, you also can ascertain that becoming a client FairNetTrader will be a good long-term investment. Client FairNetTraders They have free access to all profiles, can contact freelance FairNetTraders directly and/or post an unlimited number of projects. They can reach the freelance FairNetTraders through our database using any of the following methods:
The affiliation fee for clients is US$100 or €100 per year. Freelance FairNetTraders If you're an independent expert who wants to connect with customers in
need of your services, the FairTradeNet
freelance affiliation is for you.
A jury composed of three FairNetTraders, all specialists in your field, will judge your work and admit you to the community of qualified freelancers. If lack of experience should prevent you from joining the qualified freelancers, you may apply again at a later stage. Affiliation fees: US$100 or €100 per year, not paid by in cash up front, but out of the first fees received from clients. Do you accept advertising on your site? No, we don't. What about profits and losses? We sincerely hope to be able to operate this site without loss. For this, we need a lot of pro bono help from our FairNetTraders, marketing efforts and above all: clients believing that fair trade is not a one-way street. Profits? We hope to break even. If profits are made, we will launch a competition for disadvantaged freelance FairNetTraders of this site and offer professional tools or a traineeship in one or several fields of expertise. Another possibility is to make a donation to one of the neediest Fair Trade Organizations. But it's a long way to Tipperary….. it's a long way to go. How much commission do you charge? We charge no commission. We are a non-profit association. I like your idea, but do not need your services.
What rates do your FairNetTraders charge? They charge fair rates. But what are fair rates? Any setting of rates has an arbitrary aspect. All freelancers are free to set their own rates, but must not offer lower rates than the minimum rates set by the Executive Committee, after consultation with the freelance FairNetTraders. By visiting our rates page, you can see the minimum rates set for clients industrialized and disadvantaged countries by posting a specific assignment. How can I find freelance projects on FairTradeNet ? Once you have agreed to our Mission Statement and completed your affiliate profile, we will e-mail you the jury's decision (full affliate or "Sorry, we regret") within two weeks. All projects specific to your field of expertise that you indicate in your e-mail preferences will be e-mailed to you. Announcements will also appear in your personal workspace, as soon as you bid for a project. You find recently announced projects by clicking on All Projects on My Workspace. How do I search for Freelancers? All freelance and client FairNetTraders can browse the FairTradeNet database for profiles. Contact information and URLs remain hidden until the client has chosen a service provider. Information can be exchanged through the private message board (PMB). Freelance FairNetTraders can choose to establish direct contact with clients by answering the clients e-mail outside the private message board. How and when will the client pay? Experience shows that all commercial sites, all clients and all freelancers have horror stories to tell about defaulting and disappearing clients, freelancers promising more than they can deliver, late or partial payment etc. We as a non-profit association have decided to hold the client's payment in escrow till the project is done and delivered to the client's satisfaction. This means that the client has to pay for the service in advance. The only person authorized to handle the accounts is the association's treasurer. No other person is authorized to retrieve or pay out money, but the Executive Committee is - in case of litigation - allowed to consult the accounts anytime. The treasurer is a Swiss accountant duly authorized to exercise the profession and owner of a Swiss fiduciary. The freelance FairNetTraders will get paid as soon as they have US$ 300 in their account, to avoid high transfer charges for small amounts. On request, we pay out fees due immediately, but the transfer charges will be deducted each time. Money is sent through moneybookers.com. When clients pay freelancers directly, payments are often late or very late, needing several reminders. Our clients, believing in fair trade, believe equally in fair payment practices and pay through our escrow account. How do clients pay freelancers and affiliation fees? By using our secure on-line payment system and their credit card or postal account, either in USD or EUR. How do freelancers pay affiliation fees? Not by sending cash, nor by credit card payments. Our freelancers become paying FairNetTraders the moment they have done their first job. The affiliation fee will be deducted from their fees. This way, we avoid charges. Freelancers from the emerging countries will be able to participate even if they do not possess a credit card. They pay with work done. Do freelancers have to pay Value Added Tax (VAT)? Whether you need pay Value Added Tax (VAT) depends on the country you live in. Even if you have clients, family members or a bank account in another country, you must pay VAT as follows based on your country of residence: If you reside in Switzerland, you must pay 7.6 %VAT on your project fee(s) if your income exceeds CHF 76,000.00. You can obtain a VAT number from your local tax authorities. If you reside outside Switzerland you will not be charged VAT for any transactions initiated or carried out via FairTradeNet. But if you work for a client from your country, you may have to add VAT. Does FairTradeNet use a secure server for online payments? My online payment failed. Now what? There are two common reasons that online payments fail. Payment by Bank Transfer: If you fax us your bank receipt or other proof of payment order along with your contact information, we can give the green light for your project or accept you as a client FairTradeNet immediately. Otherwise, we will process your affiliation once we have been notified that your funds have been received. Fax number Switzerland +41 22 771 42 89 How do I edit my FairTradeNet profile?
How do I upload my photo and my portfolio
into Here's how to upload your photo:
I know my password, but I can't log in anymore! If you are certain that you are using the correct login information, but you still can't log in, it's possible that your affiliation has been deleted from our system. To provide our FairNetTraders with the most complete and accurate information possible, we regularly delete affiliations that:
If your affiliation falls into one of these categories, you will need
to re-register with us. If you believe your affiliation has been deleted
in error, just send a note to
I found a bug on FairTradeNet! If you receive an error message you don't understand, or you think there
may be a bug in some FairTradeNet functionality,
please send us an email at
Who can participate in the Forum? Freelancers. Please be aware that this is a public forum and observe the usual netiquette and professional behavior at all times. I still can't find the answer I was looking for! If you've read through the FAQ section and haven't found the answer you
needed, please send us an e-mail at
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Please include as much information as you can, helping as to locate the
problem quickly. (What were you doing when the problem occurred? Were
you able to duplicate the problem? What URL were you on when the problem
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