Crowdspring

To launch a contest on Crowdspring (referred to as "projects"), the "buyer" sets a budget (with some minimums) and a deadline, while designers enter submissions (and work through revisions in discussion threads called 'activity' tabs). Once the contest ends, the buyer has "up to" seven days to select a design. According to the Crowdspring website, designers "will be pleased KNOWING that a decision will be made within seven days"

Many buyers select the winning entry promptly after their project ends. Some buyers need a little more time - often to talk to friends or others helping them make the choice - and that's OK. We do request that buyers select the winning entry (or entries, if there are multiple awards) within seven days after their project ends. We've found that up to seven days is a comfortable amount of time for buyers to decide and creatives will also be pleased knowing that a decision will be made within seven days.

If the buyer DOESN'T select a winning entry within seven days, Crowdspring will send them a 'Past Due' notice with a 48 hour deadline urging them to pick a winning submission. The carefully worded missive goes like this

PROJECT UPDATE: Today, we sent the buyer 48 hours notice concerning this project. If we don't hear from the buyer by (48 hours after contest close) CDT, a panel at crowdSPRING will make a determination and award this project, per our User Agreement.

At that time, contests are tagged as "It's past due. We're on it".

As Crowdspring ESCROWS the money (they collect both the 'prize money' and their fee up front), participating designers are assured of the following:

1) The buyer sets up the deadline of their contest - usually one or two weeks.

2) After the contest closes, they have seven days to select a winner.

3) If, after that week passes, they still haven't picked a winner, Crowdspring will issue a 48 hour 'warning'.

4) If, after that 48 hour warning expires, a panel of 3 Crowdspring employees will select a winner and award somebody the prize money which has been ESCROWED for that very reason.

This is presented as a "protection" for designers participating on Crowdspring.

This is the schedule for the public design contest. After a winning design is selected, the designer may still be required to perform additional design work and revisions before collecting their "award". See "Consider The Wrap-Up" for more.