Author Topic: BigStock and SS - what's the future going to bring? (Read 16746 times)

click_click · « **on:** January 13, 2010, 18:11 »

This might have been brought up before but I obviously missed it:

BigStock (for me) started slowing down about 1 year ago. With the acquisition through SS I thought this could bring BigStock back to the big players again.

I understand that (certain) changes don't come overnight but I was under the impression that there will be a big marketing push with the help of SS for the credit based "branch" to make things worthwhile.

I have yet to see any significant (and positive) changes that derive from this SS deal (besides copyright guidelines etc.).

That brings me to the next issue how the credit pricing will be attractive to new buyers. I haven't done too much math with the credit pricing at each agency but it appears to me that BigStock is fairly cheap. Is the pricing going to be raised to "match" the competition (FT, IS, DT) or is SS more likely to keep prices low to use it as a marketing point?

Your thoughts.

Tim Markley · « **Reply #1 on:** January 14, 2010, 11:01 »

BigStock has always been a steady producer for me, not great not bad. Lately though it has dropped off the face of the earth. I hope it picks back up soon.

etienjones · « **Reply #2 on:** January 14, 2010, 11:03 »

Quote from: tsmarkley on January 14, 2010, 11:01

BigStock has always been a steady producer for me, not great not bad. Lately though it has dropped off the face of the earth. I hope it picks back up soon.

^^ +1

Stu49 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 14, 2010, 11:14 »

Quote from: etienjones on January 14, 2010, 11:03

^^ +1

what's that mean ??

GeoPappas · « **Reply #4 on:** January 14, 2010, 11:26 »

Quote from: Stu on January 14, 2010, 11:14

Quote from: etienjones on January 14, 2010, 11:03

^^ +1

what's that mean ??

+1 is similar to saying "ditto"

etienjones · « **Reply #5 on:** January 14, 2010, 11:32 »

^^ refers to above

ComfortEagle2095 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 14, 2010, 17:52 »

BigStock has been flat for me all last year until November when I had my BME there. In fact it was 3x the previous BME. I have no idea why that happened.

But since then it's dropped off the face of the earth. December was down 75% from December a year ago and it looks like January will be even worse.

sharpshot · « **Reply #7 on:** January 15, 2010, 06:45 »

I had two nice EL's this month with BigStock but other than that, sales are down. It looks like some PPD buyers are switching to shutterstock and I don't mind that.

willie · « **Reply #8 on:** January 16, 2010, 17:26 »

BigStock is actually my oldest micro stock site. at this moment there are neck and neck with FT which is my most recent site along with IS which is only not even one year old. my earning with BigStock is the same as FT in this short time, which isn't impressive when you consider that FT took a quarter of that time to earn equally, although per sale, BigStock paid more. but i cannot ignore the fact the FT gave me an EXt Lic within a couple of months of joining them.

i thought SS takeover would improve their sales but to date it hasn't been so.

but now i read on another thread that SS is giving discounts on BigStock images.
which means we are going to earn a fraction per sale if this is so.

would anyone care to share their insight on this SS discount for BigStock images?
what would this mean ? less happy campers on BigStock?

mwp1969 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 13, 2010, 18:35 »

I am really hoping for SS to take the reins of BigStock and find a way to capitalize on it. Sales there have really dropped off since SS took over. I hope there is a SS plan other than to do nothing and just accept BigStock for its existing revenue stream ...

-Mark
http://markwpayne.wordpress.com

click_click · « **Reply #10 on:** February 13, 2010, 19:14 »

All the latest developments especially StockXpert's shutdown and Shutterstock's takeover of BigStock resulted in a big dive in my monthly royalties income.

I'm not happy.

I thought I read somewhere that Shutterstock's takeover was a well planned move in order to become more flexible in the Microstock market.

Well now they own BigStock and would be able to increase credit based sales but nothing is happening.

BigStock used to be quite promising although NEVER playing a major role in terms of royalties for me but this is just a very bad development.

As "usual" we're not getting any news or announcement of what will be happening next, so I guess we have to sit tight and wait for the big "bang".

I hope this time it's good news...

tdoes · « **Reply #11 on:** February 13, 2010, 19:18 »

BigStock is doing nothing for me at the moment!

FD · « **Reply #12 on:** February 13, 2010, 19:22 »

Quote from: click_click on February 13, 2010, 19:14

I hope this time it's good news...

There is no such thing as "good news" in microstock.

Phil · « **Reply #13 on:** February 13, 2010, 19:31 »

for me it has always been that one month it will almost be 5% of my sales, the next it will 2%, then somewhere in the middle, like everyone, I'd hoped (and still do) that SS would make BigStock 'big'

Beach Bum · « **Reply #14 on:** February 13, 2010, 19:35 »

My sales at BigStock have picked up dramatically in the past 10 days. They were very slow for the 3 months prior to that.

gostwyck · « **Reply #15 on:** February 13, 2010, 19:45 »

Quote from: dehooks on February 13, 2010, 19:35

My sales at BigStock have picked up dramatically in the past 10 days.

What? You mean you had one?

Actually, for the first time ever this month, BigStock will probably not be my lowest earning agency __ but only because StockXpert was brutally murdered on the 11th. Bt even then it'll probably be close.

click_click · « **Reply #16 on:** February 13, 2010, 19:59 »

Quote from: FD-amateur on February 13, 2010, 19:22

...There is no such thing as "good news" in microstock.

Right. I should have said:

I hope we don't get ANY news. No news is good news

corepics · « **Reply #17 on:** February 13, 2010, 20:01 »

Quote from: dehooks on February 13, 2010, 19:35

My sales at BigStock have picked up dramatically in the past 10 days. They were very slow for the 3 months prior to that.

Dramatically is a big word. BigStock has been steady with a slight increase over the past few months. Sales seem to happen in bursts, though - a couple of days of dormancy, and then all of a sudden several sales per day - random images, too.

Beach Bum · « **Reply #18 on:** February 13, 2010, 21:19 »

Quote from: taglist on February 13, 2010, 20:01

Quote from: dehooks on February 13, 2010, 19:35
My sales at BigStock have picked up dramatically in the past 10 days. They were very slow for the 3 months prior to that.

Dramatically is a big word. BigStock has been steady with a slight increase over the past few months. Sales seem to happen in bursts, though - a couple of days of dormancy, and then all of a sudden several sales per day - random images, too.

Just telling my experience.

FD · « **Reply #19 on:** February 14, 2010, 03:57 »

Quote from: click_click on February 13, 2010, 19:59

I hope we don't get ANY news. No news is good news

The good news is that DT (after silently having the 30% in effect the past week) did not announce an IS scheme of 20% today. Tomorrow is another day. Hopefully, it will a good/no news day too then.

RacePhoto · « **Reply #20 on:** February 14, 2010, 03:58 »

Quote from: mwp1969 on February 13, 2010, 18:35

I am really hoping for SS to take the reins of BigStock and find a way to capitalize on it. Sales there have really dropped off since SS took over. I hope there is a SS plan other than to do nothing and just accept BigStock for its existing revenue stream ...

-Mark

Same here. I hoped that the new ownership would make for better marketing and more sales. Instead BigStock has dropped off the map for me. Less sales now, with more files. I hope they either do something new and interesting or put it out of it's misery.

Oh wait, maybe StockXpert customers will go to BigStock and the whole deal will work out for the best?

sharpshot · « **Reply #21 on:** February 14, 2010, 05:59 »

Perhaps the good news was that SS bought them and not Getty?

When a site is taken over, we should be told about its future, otherwise contributors and buyers are going to presume it will be closed. I gave up on StockXpert before it was closed, if there isn't some positive news about BigStock soon, there doesn't seem to be much point uploading there. If SS told us they were going to spend money marketing BigStock, it would be a good site to use again.

Reef · « **Reply #22 on:** February 14, 2010, 06:30 »

Companies are bought for all kinds of reasons, tax write-off's, eliminating competition, enhancing a company before selling etc. and we will never know until its happened.

cathyslife · « **Reply #23 on:** February 14, 2010, 08:37 »

Quote

Perhaps the good news was that SS bought them and not Getty?

I would agree with that, but maybe SS bought BigStock to pump up their presence so they can sell to Getty. That would suck.

FD · « **Reply #24 on:** February 14, 2010, 11:48 »

Quote from: cclapper on February 14, 2010, 08:37

I would agree with that, but maybe SS bought BigStock to pump up their presence so they can sell to Getty. That would suck.

Ahem...

cathyslife · « **Reply #25 on:** February 14, 2010, 12:56 »

trek · « **Reply #26 on:** February 14, 2010, 13:26 »

I would like to see them consolidate the upload and review process for dual account contributors. A "Big Stock opt in" button at Shutterstock would improve everyones productivity.

madelaide · « **Reply #27 on:** February 14, 2010, 14:04 »

Quote from: FD-amateur on February 14, 2010, 03:57

The good news is that DT (after silently having the 30% in effect the past week)

What 30%?

borg · « **Reply #28 on:** February 14, 2010, 14:37 »

When a big agency buys some other agency, they actually don't want it because theirs assets, they just want their market...
They don't want double crew members on both side and bigger expenses , they only want their buyers to migrate on their main site...

gbalex · « **Reply #29 on:** February 14, 2010, 15:58 »

Quote from: borg on February 14, 2010, 14:37

When a big agency buys some other agency, they actually don't want it because theirs assets, they just want their market...
They don't want double crew members on both side and bigger expenses , they only want their buyers to migrate on their main site...

I agree for this type of business 99% of the time companies acquire similar companies so that they will have access to their customers.

RacePhoto · « **Reply #30 on:** February 14, 2010, 16:08 »

Quote from: gbalex on February 14, 2010, 15:58

Quote from: borg on February 14, 2010, 14:37
When a big agency buys some other agency, they actually don't want it because theirs assets, they just want their market...
They don't want double crew members on both side and bigger expenses , they only want their buyers to migrate on their main site...

I agree for this type of business 99% of the time companies acquire similar companies so that they will have access to their customers.

And eventually they close down the company they bought and migrate the customers to the parent company.

Lets see, by July will we be down to tracking the big three? IS, SS and FT?

mwp1969 · « **Reply #31 on:** February 14, 2010, 18:38 »

Probable Reasons for SS acquisition of BigStock acquisition

Acquire a competitor
Acquire their marketshare & customer base to compliment or augment their own
Acquire their revenue stream ("Cash Cow" if BigStock were profitable on its own)
Consolidate infrastructure & eliminate costs where applicable when and whereever possible (likely to happen in the future ... this is where we may see BigStock disappear one day)

Hope that decision to make acquisition is a good one where 1+1 equals 3 when it comes to profit.

Hope the acquisition isn't a bad fit like AOL+Time Warner.

-Mark
http://markwpayne.wordpress.com

FD · « **Reply #32 on:** February 15, 2010, 02:17 »

Quote from: madelaide on February 14, 2010, 14:04

Quote from: FD-amateur on February 14, 2010, 03:57
The good news is that DT (after silently having the 30% in effect the past week)
What 30%?

The reduction to 30% commissions for level 1-2 images they announced last year. The pill was a bit sweetened then by Achilles stating that it would be implemented gradually and only after careful follow-up of sales. It might even never reach 30%. Well it did... as some people on the forum found out.

FD · « **Reply #33 on:** February 15, 2010, 03:04 »

Quote from: scoutingstock on February 14, 2010, 13:26

I would like to see them consolidate the upload and review process for dual account contributors. A "Big Stock opt in" button at Shutterstock would improve everyones productivity.

And get a clash between the two clans of reviewers with a different culture and acceptance rules? The integration of both sites is, technically and management wise spoken a very costly process that will inevitably produce many glitches, hurting sales and worrying buyers. SS already did some experiments last year by discouraging OD for some content/contributors and that turned out not too well.

If Toyota would acquire Mercedes, they couldn't share the same production belt to make different models. The synergy can only be in developing common parts, sharing the dealers network, get some scale advantage out of shared marketing. All very marginal gains and a long term process. Microstock is very volatile and short-term.

BigStock suffered a major blow after March 2008, probably because some of their major resellers broke down. Anybody remembers the big row after it was discovered that BigStock content was sold on some design sites for 70$ and we still got our 0.5-2$ commission? That was never sorted out decently, just swept under the carpet. Probably SS got it for a bargain.

Most likely is the StockXpert scenario, where BigStock will serve as a redirecting front for SS with some perks for BigStock customers to join SS, pointing them to ODs. SS didn't acquire any fresh content with BigStock since most contributors are uploading on both sites. The only real asset that SS acquired are the BigStock customers. So why keep two different production belts, especially since BigStock customers are bleeding away by the hour to other sites than SS?

a.k.a.-tom · « **Reply #34 on:** February 15, 2010, 17:03 »

.....all I can say about SS reviewers is, I've had a boatload of rejections the past two weeks all for "bad lighting"... sad thing is... all the images I submitted sell on IS.... that's why I uploaded them.
I look at the pix and just shake my head... bad lighting?
oh well, to each his own. I just figured... they sell on IS... also, many of them have been on BigStock for some time... who knows? guess all of a sudden I suck or maybe just now after 4 years they want to tell me I've sucked all along, they were just being kind. LOL

=tom

melastmohican · « **Reply #35 on:** February 15, 2010, 17:06 »

Quote from: a.k.a.-tom on February 15, 2010, 17:03

.....all I can say about SS reviewers is, I've had a boatload of rejections the past two weeks all for "bad lighting"... sad thing is... all the images I submitted sell on IS.... that's why I uploaded them.
I look at the pix and just shake my head... bad lighting?
oh well, to each his own. I just figured... they sell on IS... also, many of them have been on BigStock for some time... who knows? guess all of a sudden I suck or maybe just now after 4 years they want to tell me I've sucked all along, they were just being kind. LOL =tom

Maybe they merged review teams?

a.k.a.-tom · « **Reply #36 on:** February 15, 2010, 17:20 »

Quote from: melastmohican on February 15, 2010, 17:06

Maybe they merged review teams?

Don't know. I've always had a good acceptance results at both SS & BigStock. ... who knows...
It doesnt stop me.. I'm still uploading to both.
I learned real fast years ago that rejection is part of the every day scheme of things in micro. I don't take it personal and really in the big picture, couldn't care less. But sometimes, I will sit for a moment, stare at a rejected pic and.......... wonder. I'm not upset... just clueless... ha ha ha.
No biggie. They're selling elsewhere, I was just trying to up my sales ( and SS's too- as said, if IS can sell them, figured SS could too). Guess not. Hope they like the next batch!! LOL

=tom

melastmohican · « **Reply #37 on:** February 15, 2010, 17:27 »

Quote from: a.k.a.-tom on February 15, 2010, 17:20

Quote from: melastmohican on February 15, 2010, 17:06

Maybe they merged review teams?

Don't know. I've always had a good acceptance results at both SS & BigStock. ... who knows...
It doesnt stop me.. I'm still uploading to both.
I learned real fast years ago that rejection is part of the every day scheme of things in micro. I don't take it personal and really in the big picture, couldn't care less. But sometimes, I will sit for a moment, stare at a rejected pic and.......... wonder. I'm not upset... just clueless... ha ha ha.
No biggie. They're selling elsewhere, I was just trying to up my sales ( and SS's too- as said, if IS can sell them, figured SS could too). Guess not. Hope they like the next batch!! LOL =tom

The other option would be outsourcing reviews to some third-party to cut costs. Some agencies probably already did it. I wonder if such contract require exclusivity of reviewers ?

a.k.a.-tom · « **Reply #38 on:** February 16, 2010, 16:58 »

Quote from: a.k.a.-tom on February 15, 2010, 17:20

Hope they like the next batch!! LOL =tom

hate to quote myself...but... no, they didnt like the next batch... more... poor lighting...
guess I'll stop uploading for awhile.... I can take a hint.

reallly... all pix that are selling at IS. oh well, hummm....

=tom

madelaide · « **Reply #39 on:** February 16, 2010, 19:35 »

Quote from: FD-amateur on February 15, 2010, 02:17

Quote from: madelaide on February 14, 2010, 14:04
Quote from: FD-amateur on February 14, 2010, 03:57
The good news is that DT (after silently having the 30% in effect the past week)
What 30%?
The reduction to 30% commissions for level 1-2 images they announced last year. The pill was a bit sweetened then by Achilles stating that it would be implemented gradually and only after careful follow-up of sales. It might even never reach 30%. Well it did... as some people on the forum found out.

And how did people find about it? Since long ago I find DT sales impossible to understand, because of varying credit prices and the different % per level... I don't have the patience to follow it.

Let me see. My latest credit sale was a level 2, got US$1.04 for 3 credits, roughly 35c per credit. Prior to that, in December, the image was a level 1, and I got 40c per credit. Credits start at US$1.25 down to 77c (for 50,000 credits!). The guy in DT forum - the only reporting a low value credit - sid 26-30c per credit. 26c looks very low indeed, even at 30% (a 87c sale credit). But can't this be from partner sales?

(oops. I think we've hijacked the thread.)

FD · « **Reply #40 on:** February 17, 2010, 06:04 »

Quote from: madelaide on February 16, 2010, 19:35

Let me see. My latest credit sale was a level 2, got US$1.04 for 3 credits, roughly 35c per credit. Prior to that, in December, the image was a level 1, and I got 40c per credit. Credits start at US$1.25 down to 77c (for 50,000 credits!). The guy in DT forum - the only reporting a low value credit - sid 26-30c per credit. 26c looks very low indeed, even at 30% (a 87c sale credit). But can't this be from partner sales?

Yes we're hijacking. My latest 1 credit sales were 0.28-0.38$ on level 1. Apparently, it reflects the price the buyer paid for the credit. I also don't have time to figure it all out, but I trust them. That's more than what I can say of some other siteolias.

Looking at my RPD of this month (1.34), it's the highest of all sites (IS 1.09, SS 0.54). Much has to do with the level system that tempers the worst effects of the decrease in commission. IS has no level system whatsoever for independents. A sale is a sale, even a sub or an XS and you enter level 2 already after 5 sales now. You can be obsessed with the minima but don't forget to look at average RPD, and especially volume.

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Author Topic: BigStock and SS - what's the future going to bring? (Read 16746 times)

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