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The use of crowdsourcing for graphic design is a controversial one, as evidenced by all the debate our stories about SitePoint and crowdSPRING generated when we posted them. A new Seattle-based contender is taking a slightly different approach, however, by creating a virtual marketplace for ready-made print designs. More along the lines of IncSpring, which allows graphic designers to find buyers for unused brand concepts, Seattle-based Inkd is a portal where graphic designers can upload and sell their designs to business users who lack the time or resources for a custom consultation, yet want something more attractive and original than the cookie-cutter designs found in their office software. Designers begin by registering with the site for free, selecting a template and uploading their brochure, business card, letterhead or other graphic design. After review by the Inkd team, designs accepted for inclusion on the site then become available for browsing by business users, who can also search by industry or item type. Buyers can purchase and download the designs they like in a variety of popular formats—including Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop as well as CorelDRAW—and can tweak or customize as needed, even hiring the designer on a freelance basis for help if they want. For each sale, meanwhile, the designer of the item receives a royalty fee of at least 20 percent. Thousands of designs are currently available on the site, with prices ranging from USD 29 for letterhead to USD 99 for a brochure design. A few free designs are also available. Given the many iterations most designs go through in a custom assignment, it seems likely that pretty much every designer under the sun has some leftovers on hand. Business users, meanwhile, will surely welcome the convenience and affordability of a ready-made approach. It’s another win-win for both sides, and—given that the market for business print materials is at least USD 28 billion annually, according to Inkd—that can add up to a lot of joy all around! 😉 Spotted by: Miriam Brafman