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Author Topic: Change in Commission Structure for *ALL* 123RF.com Contributors  (Read 114249 times)

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« Reply #375 on: November 01, 2012, 11:27 »
+1
I'd go along with that.  Low RPD with high volumes is acceptable, low RPD with low volumes is not.  I like the upload process / reviewing and customer support is good but, even as a hobbiest, the new rates will simply make it not worthwhile.  I'm going to stop uploading as soon as the new rates kick in then give it a month or so to see if volumes double - if not will start disabling my port.


Poncke

« Reply #376 on: November 01, 2012, 11:50 »
0
I'd go along with that.  Low RPD with high volumes is acceptable, low RPD with low volumes is not.  I like the upload process / reviewing and customer support is good but, even as a hobbiest, the new rates will simply make it not worthwhile.  I'm going to stop uploading as soon as the new rates kick in then give it a month or so to see if volumes double - if not will start disabling my port.

There support has been good indeed. Fast replies from nice people. Sorry that they need to follow some backwards policies from the Stalins above them. Also their uploading process is really fast and easy. So no complaints there. But because of the Stalins and the price cut, I will do the same, if sales do not go up and with that the $$$, they can suck ** ****

« Reply #377 on: November 01, 2012, 13:01 »
0
Well, I haven't calculated the RC, since it is a bit of a pain and not necessarily correct but just looking at total number of sales for the first 10 months of 2011 to the first 10 months of 2012 I increased 51% (I also increased my port 38% during the same time) - so they are no where near on track to double my sales - in addition I think subs and small sales account for a fair bit of the increase and they have a small impact on the RC total.

123RF really should be reporting RC totals since they are so important to us.

They are also WAY off on their sunny doubling sales statement. In fact they are not performing and I should be able to cut their percentage to increase their motivation and so they can appreciate the predictability and stability of their income off of my images.

« Reply #378 on: November 01, 2012, 13:10 »
0
I think this should still work (for images only, not video):   http://davidgilder.com/misc/123RF_credit_calculator.html

Just make sure you copy all the text from the lines for this year from the 123RF royalties page, then go back to 2011 and copy the lines for November and December.

Looks like I will drop to 40%.
« Last Edit: November 01, 2012, 13:15 by dgilder »

Poncke

« Reply #379 on: November 01, 2012, 13:57 »
0

123RF really should be reporting RC totals since they are so important to us.

They are also WAY off on their sunny doubling sales statement. In fact they are not performing and I should be able to cut their percentage to increase their motivation and so they can appreciate the predictability and stability of their income off of my images.
+1

« Reply #380 on: November 01, 2012, 14:27 »
+1
I think we need to keep something in perspective.  If 35 or 40% is so unfair, I'm curious which sites you think treat you so much more fairly?   Yes, no one likes getting a cut, but when you're happily submitting to so many other agencies giving you well under 40%, how long can you expect 123RF to ignore this competition and continue paying you 50%?

By all means, if you're angry about the cut, exercise your anger by dropping your accounts at 123RF.  But given their position in the poll results (look at the list on the right... they're currently #5 of the 20 ranked agencies) I think very few people will put their money where their mouth is.

The truth is that if you were a business owner in the shoes of 123RF you would probably do the same thing.  You would adjust what you pay your suppliers to reflect the competitive marketplace.  If your suppliers were gladly selling their wares for far less money to your competition, wouldn't you hold their feet to the fire?  Of course, you wouldn't want to risk losing those that were supplying your top-selling products... in fact, you might even give those suppliers a raise to reflect how important they were to you.  But if suppliers of lower-selling products didn't like your new deal and wanted to walk away, you probably wouldn't feel much pain. 

The ball is in our court.  I'm just hoping that after Jan 1, people will make their decision and move on.  You cut the cord or you decide it's a deal you can live with.  Either way, you'll have made a decision and the complaining should stop.
« Last Edit: November 01, 2012, 14:29 by stockmarketer »

« Reply #381 on: November 01, 2012, 14:33 »
0
I think we need to keep something in perspective.  If 35 or 40% is so unfair, I'm curious which sites you think treat you so much more fairly?   Yes, no one likes getting a cut, but when you're happily submitting to so many other agencies giving you well under 40%, how long can you expect 123RF to ignore this competition and continue paying you 50%?...

It's not about the rate, but about the cut.

I make more (by a lot) at DT each month which pays me a lower percentage than 123rf. What blows is that you sign up based on one set of terms and then they change. 123rf is not the first to move the goal posts, but given their low prices, with a decent rate and halfway decent volume, their monthly numbers were promising.

Not to mention the problem that as sites start decreasing contributor returns, we have an added incentive to look elsewhere, and the relative attractiveness of even low paying sites increases.

If you don't like the complaining, don't read the thread. I'll stop complaining when I no longer have anything about which to complain

lisafx

« Reply #382 on: November 01, 2012, 15:00 »
0
I hope they don't go through with the cut because it will have such a negative affect on so many people. 

That said, my sales have gone up considerably on 123 the past couple of months.  October was my BME there, and very nearly double what they were a year ago.

« Reply #383 on: November 01, 2012, 15:06 »
0
I think they are not in the same position as IS, FT or DT when they did cut commissions. 123RF just does not provide a significant amount of total monthly earnings to keep on supporting them when they stick to their plan.
I dropped Istock when they did cut their already miserable commissions below 20% and I will drop 123RF when they go through with their plan.
I don't need the money to pay my bills, so it's an easy decision. A lot harder to do for those who make a living with microstock.
And no, I don't expect they will miss me. I won't miss them either.

« Reply #384 on: November 01, 2012, 15:08 »
0
They were the first company who put their thumbnails large size in Google images search. I think while there were alone they get really good traffic but last year other companies also started to put their thumbnails Google's large size. I dont think they can get traffic from there like before.
They need to rethink their growing policy and change with the realistic one.
« Last Edit: November 01, 2012, 15:10 by ayzek »

« Reply #385 on: November 01, 2012, 15:13 »
0
I agree with JSNOVER. When I signed up with 123RF it was with the understanding that I would be paid a certain rate if I contributed to their agency. If they're going to set "new terms" then apply it to new contributors in January when things take effect. Don't punish me. I've worked long and hard on a portfolio that has contributed to their success. Their attitude appears to be "Hey....forget what I offered you when you signed up. We've decided to move the goal posts and if you don't like it....tough!"

« Reply #386 on: November 01, 2012, 15:17 »
0
They better offer payouts on December 31 whether minimums are met or not.

KB

« Reply #387 on: November 01, 2012, 15:25 »
0
I left last month after verifying with them that they would be cutting commissions in January. I had just made payout, and I didn't want to accumulate money that I wouldn't be able to ever get if I waited until January to leave.

At my new rate, they would have been the lowest paying site of any of the video sites I contribute to (in $, obviously not in %), all the while being the lowest selling. Not a good combo. And, of course, I felt particularly cheated having just signed up for them last January, on the promise of getting 50%.


« Reply #389 on: November 01, 2012, 19:58 »
0
They have NEVER paid 50%.  They give away promotional credits like senior citizens with Almond Joy mini bars on Halloween.  They deduct that from the purchase price, then they give you 50% of what's left.  Do some research, check your commissions.  It's never been a good deal. 

-Mat

YAY FT YAY!

sc

« Reply #390 on: November 01, 2012, 21:49 »
0
They have NEVER paid 50%.  They give away promotional credits like senior citizens with Almond Joy mini bars on Halloween.  They deduct that from the purchase price, then they give you 50% of what's left.  Do some research, check your commissions.  It's never been a good deal. 

-Mat

YAY FT YAY!
:) :) :)

THP Creative

  • THP Creative

« Reply #391 on: November 01, 2012, 22:25 »
0
Something else we have no info on as far as I can tell - what is an LEL license worth with their RC system? This license isn't even listed, although it is available to certain clients (i sold one in October). So what do we get for those?

« Reply #392 on: November 02, 2012, 06:59 »
0
I think we need to keep something in perspective.  If 35 or 40% is so unfair, I'm curious which sites you think treat you so much more fairly?   Yes, no one likes getting a cut, but when you're happily submitting to so many other agencies giving you well under 40%, how long can you expect 123RF to ignore this competition and continue paying you 50%?

By all means, if you're angry about the cut, exercise your anger by dropping your accounts at 123RF.  But given their position in the poll results (look at the list on the right... they're currently #5 of the 20 ranked agencies) I think very few people will put their money where their mouth is.

The truth is that if you were a business owner in the shoes of 123RF you would probably do the same thing.  You would adjust what you pay your suppliers to reflect the competitive marketplace.  If your suppliers were gladly selling their wares for far less money to your competition, wouldn't you hold their feet to the fire?  Of course, you wouldn't want to risk losing those that were supplying your top-selling products... in fact, you might even give those suppliers a raise to reflect how important they were to you.  But if suppliers of lower-selling products didn't like your new deal and wanted to walk away, you probably wouldn't feel much pain. 

The ball is in our court.  I'm just hoping that after Jan 1, people will make their decision and move on.  You cut the cord or you decide it's a deal you can live with.  Either way, you'll have made a decision and the complaining should stop.

I only signed up this year knowing this was coming so its not even about the cut.  The problem is that volumes are very low compared to the top 4, prices are rock bottom and now the commissions will be rock bottom also.  This will be fine for the established folks who keep what they have but very unattractive for anyone new. Critically, the subs rate for the small guy will be abysmal and, coupled with tiny volumes it wont be worth the effort of unloading even given the painless mechanism and almost 100% acceptance.  IS PP is currently making double what I get from 123 with 10% of the port.

rubyroo

« Reply #393 on: November 02, 2012, 07:17 »
0
Low RPD with high volumes is acceptable, low RPD with low volumes is not.

I totally agree, and I used to be a big cheerleader for 123RF, but I think they've completely missed this point from the contributor's perspective.  I think they will either lose a lot of images from their database or a lot of fresh uploads over this, and they really need to stop and think about it.

It's killed my enthusiasm for them stone dead.  Sorry to say.  But they've been so decent in the past that I keep crossing my fingers and hoping they'll see the light on this one.

« Reply #394 on: November 02, 2012, 08:39 »
0
Critically, the subs rate for the small guy will be abysmal

To me this is the worst part - the subs rate will be the lowest in the industry and totally unacceptable at 22 cents to start.  It seems they don't care and are determined to go through with this.  If they had stuck with their original plan to grandfather in the previous rates there would be no complaints.  I will see what rate I will be at after the change and most likely will stop submitting there in protest (not that they will notice).  At those low rates there certainly will be no incentive for new people to join or contribute.

« Reply #395 on: November 08, 2012, 10:21 »
0
Agreed. The subscription rates are too low for the majority of contributors to be considered acceptable. While I concur with Jo Ann that moving the goal posts is going to be viewed as a negative, I don't have a huge problem with commission %'s in the 35-40 range. But the subscription commissions are ridiculous and I fully plan to pull my portfolio sometime in December or January.

« Reply #396 on: November 09, 2012, 17:22 »
+1
Having only 127 photos on 123RF , the decision is simple:

Stop uploading there, portfolio will stay at 127 photos forever.

I just don't like being treated like that!

« Reply #397 on: November 10, 2012, 08:39 »
0
the fact that 123 hasn't chimed in is our answer.  It's gonna happen.  Why? Greed. They saw that Istock got away with it so why not.  They saw brilliance in IS's move and simply replicated the model.  What's next? Pay to upload?

« Reply #398 on: November 10, 2012, 09:53 »
+1
Having only 127 photos on 123RF , the decision is simple:

Stop uploading there, portfolio will stay at 127 photos forever.

I just don't like being treated like that!

I haven't uploaded there since they announced this scheme. I continue to earn from what I've already uploaded (which is a nice sign) but to the extent that they sell subscriptions, they need new content to keep continuing subscribers happy.

123rf is a small enough agency that I think it's possible we could - if enough people wanted to pressure them - change their mind by withholding new content from them. All the other agencies will have new content they won't have. Subscribers would be less likely to renew. We get to make reasonable money from what we've already uploaded, at least for a while.


EmberMike

« Reply #399 on: November 10, 2012, 11:37 »
0
...my sales have gone up considerably on 123 the past couple of months.  October was my BME there, and very nearly double what they were a year ago.

Same here. It's just frustrating because we're seeing growth, and then the rug will get yanked out from under us and our rates will be cut. I don't understand how these companies expect to remain in business years from now when they take back every gain contributors see. Forget about cuts, we can't even maintain past earnings at some of these companies. And the ones like 123RF who are showing gains just take those gains back for themselves.

I can make a living in this business right now. Will I still be able to in 5 or 10 years when costs of living continue to rapidly increase, I continue to work, but my income doesn't increase because these companies keep taking money back from us? I doubt it.


 

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