The following is an e-mail from the Ancestry.com Expert Connect team:
Dear Expert Connect Service Providers,
In March of 2009, the newly formed Ancestry.com Expert Connect team mailed hundreds of invitations to outstanding providers of genealogical services like you, with a message to come join a new marketplace called Expert Connect. Since that time, thousands of people with a gift for research and a desire to make some money have signed up as independent professionals. Expert Connect has been a great place to engage clients, pick the work you like to do, and have all financial transactions handled for you.
Though this service has been a positive experience for many of you, Ancestry.com has decided to focus on other business priorities. As of March 18, 2011, Expert Connect will no longer be a service that Ancestry.com will offer to its members. New project postings, bidding and awards will be discontinued February 3, 2011.
We expect that many of you may still be working on current projects with clients that have come through the Expert Connect service. We fully encourage you to finish out these projects over the coming months, and if needed, continue relationships with the clients you have made connections with along the way.
As some of your research projects may take longer to complete than March 18, 2011, please use the Message Board to exchange direct contact information with your clients. Make arrangements to do your remaining projects off of Expert Connect, directly with your clients. You will, of course, also need to arrange an agreeable payment method directly with your clients. Then, use the 'Modify Terms' tab to cancel your project on the Expert Connect system.
To prevent engaging in new projects that will also take you past the March 18, 2011 date, do not post new projects, or bid on any projects as of Feb 3, 2011.
We thank you for your involvement in Expert Connect and for sharing your expertise with Ancestry.com customers.
If you have any questions or comments about please contact us at:
http://expertconnect.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/expertconnect.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php
Sincerely,
The Ancestry.com - Expert Connect Team
I'm surprised and quite sad that Ancestry.com feels it necessary to scale back. This program helped me build a new client base when I still had relatively few. This service also helped many people who knew little about genealogy or finding a genealogist. If the service helped you I suggest you follow the link provided and express your thanks for the program while it lasts.
ReplyDeleteAll researchers and clients of Expert Connect should check out this forum as a replacement option:
ReplyDeleteMany of the researchers from Expert Connect have joined this service:
Genealogy Freelancers
http://www.genealogyfreelancers.com/index.php