Albumo rise from the dead

Eco

« on: March 16, 2011, 12:00 »

#link

Some time ago I joined a site “Buy Stock Sound” to sell my sound effects. Now they have changed their name to “Fantero” and here is the interesting part: Albumo is now part of their network. Very surprising. I though they disappeared from the face of the earth. I still have bad memories from Albumo. Probably the worst site that I have ever contributed to and I remember all the effort it required to get my account closed. Now they emerged from the dead. Wonder what is the source of the image that they have online? Here is the newsletter that I received:

“Our main news is that the new brand name of our network is Fantero. We will work hard to make Fantero.com one of the best sites for your digital needs. Fantero.com is a positive, young company, constantly brimming with new ideas, and our goal is to make life easier for the online world by providing a one-stop shop for all your digital needs.

We are glad to inform you that site for stock photos Albumo.com is now a part of Fantero creative network. As new owners of Albumo.com we`ll do our best for promoting and improving this site.

Everybody who already has account on Albumo now can visit the site and find photos, withdraw earned money and submit new photos.”


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sharpshot

« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2011, 13:41 »

#link

They actually paid for Albumo? I was so pleased to get my portfolio out of there. Seems hard to believe they bought it, perhaps they swapped it for an old pair of socks


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« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2011, 13:50 »

#link

Just took a brief look at "Latest Photos". They seem to have no approval proccess they just take anything.


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jsnover

Premium Member

« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2011, 14:51 »

#link

Elena's portfolio is still there. I checked a few other known names and didn't find anything.

I have very, very bad memories of Albumo and trying to close my account (after my time commitment was up). They were bad news - I think anyone buying the assets would want to change the name


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Phil

« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2011, 15:36 »

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wow.

I was one of those to tried to ride albumo to the end and the site ended with my port still there. So I go to albumo.com and see a shiny new site (it was down for a while - I haven't been there in ages). I hit login and 2997 images & $72 earnings, but I have $0 in my account (so it could be total sales $72, but my records say I earnt $272 but then they paid upload so who knows). My last sale was on 6 July 2008.


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madelaide

Premium Member

« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2011, 16:21 »

#link

I wonder if the contract we sign allows our images to be moved to another company like this. The agreement may be different with another company. If Eco hadn't noticed and reported it, then they would be selling our images without our knowledge, and we would not know of any earnings. Roll Eyes

PS: I've just logged in and my US$36 also appear in "earnings" but "balance" says zero. I never had a payout there.


« Last Edit: March 16, 2011, 16:28 by madelaide »	Ignore \| Logged

sharpshot

« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2011, 17:00 »

#link

Has anyone contacted the new owners and asked them what's going on? I had my account deleted but if I still had a portfolio there, I would want the new owners to keep me informed.


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gbcimages

« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2011, 17:57 »

#link

I emailed them and asked to remove my images,I had 98 that never got removed from albumo. I don't want to deal with them.


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Pixart

« Reply #8 on: March 16, 2011, 22:30 »

#link

Did everyone get a message from them tonight? Welcome to the Fantero Network? Everyone above who sent them e-mails must have poked them into sending an update.


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Phil

« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2011, 22:45 »

#link

hmm doublepost, wonder how I did that


« Last Edit: March 17, 2011, 04:31 by Phil »	Ignore \| Logged

Phil

« Reply #10 on: March 16, 2011, 23:13 »

#link

Quote from: Phil on March 16, 2011, 22:45

yes, couldnt read it on email (dark grey text on black??) but has a link to view in browser

http://www.blog.fantero.com/Fantero-Network-News/Welcome-from-the-fantero-creative-network/Blog-2329.html

I know some people dont like traffic stats but

http://www.cubestat.com/www.fantero.com

959 daily pageviews (scanstock 3404, featurepics ~ 40k)


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RacePhoto

« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2011, 00:28 »

#link

I wonder if these images are still there from the last closing? Cheesy

Quote from: gbcimages on March 16, 2011, 17:57

I emailed them and asked to remove my images,I had 98 that never got removed from albumo. I don't want to deal with them.

Does anyone worry that their photos have been sold by a closed agency to someone new, which means every time you submit to one of these fly-by-night ventures, all of your photos are forever, on someones back-up or a storage system, which is uncontrolled and susceptible to resale without your knowledge.

Doesn't think scare anyone?

Does it make you wonder what's going to happen when the next "pay for uploads" site, closes it's doors and has millions of images, straight from the authors, all keyworded and inspected?


« Last Edit: March 21, 2011, 22:00 by RacePhoto »	Ignore \| Logged

Phil

« Reply #12 on: March 17, 2011, 00:36 »

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hmm, any size $1

most sold photo is 4 sales of myson the 'holly' land

http://www.albumo.com/MY-SON-HOLLY-LAND/stock-photo-842452.html

(yep I have typos too), when we were there a few months back, people thought me and my kids were weird as we spent half and hour following and photographing an absolutely gorgeous snake


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microstockinsider

« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2011, 02:27 »

#link

Quote from: Phil on March 17, 2011, 00:36

hmm, any size $1

Seems prices have taken a tumble, they were not exactly expensive at 2 dollars for 3MP, now it seems you get the full resolution of the original photo for $1

It all looks nice, but it remains to be seen if this is just a nice re branding or if there will be any serious marketing/benefit from becoming part of this "network"


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Phil

« Reply #14 on: March 17, 2011, 03:40 »

#link

the $1 anysize licence allows web template use (although it does specify not to be the main image the theme in centered upon)

just sent email asking to delete my account and images, see how it goes

edit: less than hour later got the message "we'll do it asap!"


« Last Edit: March 17, 2011, 04:56 by Phil »	Ignore \| Logged

oboy

« Reply #15 on: March 17, 2011, 08:26 »

#link

Maybe some of you can get a payout. Here is the information on their payment page:

Quote

If you are old Albumo.com user you can request your first payment at any time when your "Earnings" or "Affiliates" is $70 or more and $50.00 for the next payments.


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Phil

« Reply #16 on: March 20, 2011, 20:21 »

#link

Quote from: Phil on March 17, 2011, 03:40

Dont know when they did it, but I just brought up their page and tried to login and cant. I also cant find any of my images so it definetly looks like I'm gone. Didnt hear from them at all to say it has been done and certainly didnt get any money owed (but I never expected to)


« Last Edit: March 21, 2011, 04:45 by Phil »	Ignore \| Logged

Elenathewise

« Reply #17 on: March 20, 2011, 22:09 »

#link

Quote from: jsnover on March 16, 2011, 14:51

Wow I thought they just closed their doors and disappeared, just like Lucky Oliver did. I was able to login with old info and found that my balance there shows 8 dollars:)
Now what to do - demand this big money?... Undecided

This is the weirdest one ever - we've seen them closing doors officially, being sold, fading quietly into non-existence, but I never saw one re-emerge from the dead! Kinda cool actually:)
But you know what, I think I should remove my images from there. It's a bit too weird...


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microstockphoto.co.uk

« Reply #18 on: March 21, 2011, 02:44 »

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Two things come to my mind when I read these kind of news:

1. I have no direct experience with them but - with all the bad things that have been said - why did the new owner bother to resurrect that brand instead of starting anew?

2. On a general note - while many of us (not all) are whining about the crisis of microstock - more and more new agencies are opening every day - are they just plain crazy or the microstock model is not declining and there's space for further developments?


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Phil

« Reply #19 on: March 21, 2011, 03:18 »

#link

Quote from: microstockphoto.co.uk on March 21, 2011, 02:44

my first thought was that it was the same owners, and I still wonder as I struggle to imagine anyone paying for the site and collection.


« Last Edit: March 21, 2011, 04:45 by Phil »	Ignore \| Logged

sharpshot

« Reply #20 on: March 21, 2011, 04:42 »

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I suppose very few people are likely to make a payout there, so they can keep nearly all the money from sales. They take a persons balance when they close an account. I also wonder if some businesses get government grants and they make some money from that? There could just be a lot of really bad business people that are making losses.


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Noodles

« Reply #21 on: March 21, 2011, 05:29 »

#link

Quote from: Elenathewise on March 20, 2011, 22:09

But you know what, I think I should remove my images from there. It's a bit too weird...

yes, I did exactly that though I was pleasantly surprised how much easier it was to do - shocking site to navigate when it was last on line.


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RacePhoto

« Reply #22 on: March 21, 2011, 22:02 »

#link

Quote from: sharpshot on March 16, 2011, 13:41

They actually paid for Albumo? I was so pleased to get my portfolio out of there. Seems hard to believe they bought it, perhaps they swapped it for an old pair of socks

Someone just sold all of your photos for a price and you or anyone else with pictures still on Albumo, had no notice, warning or control. Spooky!


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PaulieWalnuts

« Reply #23 on: March 21, 2011, 22:25 »

#link

Quote from: RacePhoto on March 21, 2011, 22:02

Quote from: sharpshot on March 16, 2011, 13:41

They actually paid for Albumo? I was so pleased to get my portfolio out of there. Seems hard to believe they bought it, perhaps they swapped it for an old pair of socks

Someone just sold all of your photos for a price and you or anyone else with pictures still on Albumo, had no notice, warning or control. Spooky!

Yeah that's pretty scary. I'll never forget that place. I ended up having to do the "delete the 1 photo per day max" until my photos were gone. What a nightmare. I wonder how many buyers got hosed from Albumo v1. The place seemed to implode and disappear. Kinda like the house toward the end of Poltergeist.