How can I protect my website idea and use a web programmer in India?

Question

I was thinking of having a website developed through Get a Freelancer.com which lets people bid on web programming and design projects. Most of the programmers and web designers are based in India and I am located in the U.S (California).

What do you think the safest way to pay them would be?

And its an idea that I'm worried could be stolen by them, how could I protect myself? I have heard of non-compete agreements but I know they aren't enforceable in California (where I am located) and it would have to be signed by someone in India.

Answer 1

You would pay the designer once the site is complete, unless you are required to pay percentages as you go per any contact agreement you have. I am a designer and I always work with a contract. I require 50% up front. The reason is that I don't want to do work for someone who decides not to own up to their part of the deal....time is money.

When dealing with vendors over the internet, you never really know if they will provide you with the product you requested once you pay them. Be sure to check any references they have. That is the only thing you can do. Unless getafreelancer works as a middle man.

As for stealing your idea, I wouldn't worry about it. I wouldn't even get a non-compete. The chances that they are going to steal your idea and make millions are, none.

Answer 2

Paypal or Google Checkout would be simple ways to make an international payment.

Protecting intellectual property across borders to third world countries is another story.  As an individual or small company you are in a bad spot if your idea is something that could be marketed out of India.  In the off shore outsourcing world it is common knowledge that Indian programmers do not respect intellectual property or copyright, even large companies have a hard time with it as a claim needs to be made in India under their law and is limited to their tort claims system.  Sabre, a very large software firm specializing in airline systems, stopped sending anything other than user interface work to India sometime around 2002 due to problems of intellectual property theft.  Now they do have other fair size companies known to be willing to buy their property, you may not be in the same situation.

Last, any contract you may wish to put in place would also need to be enforceable in India, unless you wish to incur the cost of having legal resources produce a document enforceablee in India I would drop that thought.

Answer 3

If you mean online then paypal:

https://www.paypal.com/