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Author Topic: DepositPhotos and Shotshop- standard purchases gives only subscription amounts?  (Read 132454 times)

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« Reply #125 on: February 16, 2014, 11:40 »
+2
DP:
"Yes, you get $0,30 even though our API re-seller sells a file for 24.90. Our API re-sellers have the right to set their own prices. If you want to opt out of all our partner programs, please confirm and your files will be sold only on depositphotos.com"

Me:
"Yes, absolutely OPT me OUT of any partner programs and re-sellers now."

DP:
"...It will take some time to remove your portfolio from API re-seller/partner sites".

I'm waiting only for the replay to my question - what is the "some time".

Why should I have worries? I think it's clear situation... If I find my images anywhere else, they immediately loose my 1k files (every day some sells) and that's it. They're to low earner for me to be sad after all. They'll loose much more than I do :)

That's the first bit of good news from this debacle.  I hope that is TRULY AN OPTION.

I wrote to them yesterday. They did not reply - but my images have already been removed from Shotshop!
(Hope, they wont put them up again later on  ;) )

Exactly.  Once the waters calm, then what? Geeze why should we have to worry so much?


« Reply #126 on: February 16, 2014, 13:41 »
0
DP:
"Yes, you get $0,30 even though our API re-seller sells a file for 24.90. Our API re-sellers have the right to set their own prices. If you want to opt out of all our partner programs, please confirm and your files will be sold only on depositphotos.com"

Me:
"Yes, absolutely OPT me OUT of any partner programs and re-sellers now."

DP:
"...It will take some time to remove your portfolio from API re-seller/partner sites".

I'm waiting only for the replay to my question - what is the "some time".

Why should I have worries? I think it's clear situation... If I find my images anywhere else, they immediately loose my 1k files (every day some sells) and that's it. They're to low earner for me to be sad after all. They'll loose much more than I do :)

That's the first bit of good news from this debacle.  I hope that is TRULY AN OPTION.

I wrote the exact same thing two days ago. I asked them to opt me out from all partners and all API-resellers, and the same day my files were gone from Shotshop.

Don't know why so many people still write that there is no opt out from the API, maybe you should just write to them and request to be opted out.

Don't get me wrong, I am not defending them and still think the whole deal stinks. But at least there seems to be a way to get the images removed from the reseller sites, that's what I think is most important in the short term.

« Reply #127 on: February 16, 2014, 14:15 »
+1
Did you check for your port on ibugdgetphotos.com ? My pictures are gone from Shotshop, but they are still up over there ...

« Reply #128 on: February 16, 2014, 15:18 »
0
My images are on there twice, from Dreamstime and from Yay, but not from Deposit anymore.

« Reply #129 on: February 16, 2014, 15:23 »
+4
I think Sean said he had email promising his work would be sold only on deposit's own site and his work ended up on shot shop anyway.   Be careful to check.

« Reply #130 on: February 16, 2014, 16:59 »
+9
More importantly, why should their letting us opt out by email make us forgive a low earner with terrible terms that are the most hostile thing since Getty/Google? I mean, it's not like they're iStock. Most of us won't even feel the loss of earnings from them. And they should not get off this easily.

« Reply #131 on: February 16, 2014, 18:31 »
+1
Requested to remove my port from the shotshop scam too. This is outrageous, shotshop are guilty as well, maybe even more than deposit.
« Last Edit: February 17, 2014, 04:31 by niserin »

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #132 on: February 16, 2014, 18:51 »
+6
Requested to remove my port from the shotshop scam too. This is outrageous, jerks from shotshop are guilty as well, maybe even more than deposit.
IMO, as a disinterested, but not uninterested, observer, DP is totally at fault. Shotshop are only doing what DP willingly allow them to do. I can't believe their gall in admitting, "you get $0,30 even though our API re-seller sells a file for 24.90. Our API re-sellers have the right to set their own prices."

« Reply #133 on: February 16, 2014, 19:21 »
+3
shotshop "classifies" you and your royalties depending on wether you supply micro stock or not. If you supply the micros they pay out the lowest royalty of 35%. It gives the impression that they look down on microstock and want to set an example with higher prices and no subs package.

http://photographer.shotshop.com/page/briefing/b4 (in German)

So to discover that they have been secretly taking content they normally reject from deposit and are happy to license micro files for 30 cents is really insulting to the artist.

Especially because their royalty model does not allow you to differentiate,i.e. even if a small portion of your images are available at subs or micros you will be on the lower royalty rate. They dont classify according to the single image. They "label" you completely as a "subs" or Microstock" photographer even if you have content available at all price points and all the major agencies in the industry.

farbled

« Reply #134 on: February 16, 2014, 19:29 »
0
Here's where I'm struggling. Do I reactivate my images to get the last few dollars to hit payout and then close? Or just close. The money is incidental, but I hate defaulting it to them. I also hate the idea of letting more of my images go through this scheme. So I'm not sure which way to lean.

To switch them to buyer credits, apparently you need to open a buyer account with a 50 credit minimum. Otherwise I'd do that and spend it on other shooters close to payout.

« Reply #135 on: February 16, 2014, 20:45 »
+1
Here's where I'm struggling. Do I reactivate my images to get the last few dollars to hit payout and then close? Or just close. The money is incidental, but I hate defaulting it to them. I also hate the idea of letting more of my images go through this scheme. So I'm not sure which way to lean.

To switch them to buyer credits, apparently you need to open a buyer account with a 50 credit minimum. Otherwise I'd do that and spend it on other shooters close to payout.

you could say something like "i am so disgusted with your actions that you can keep the money i have and just close my account, thats how fast and bad i want out." at least let them know.

« Reply #136 on: February 16, 2014, 20:53 »
+1
Here's where I'm struggling. Do I reactivate my images to get the last few dollars to hit payout and then close? Or just close. The money is incidental, but I hate defaulting it to them. I also hate the idea of letting more of my images go through this scheme. So I'm not sure which way to lean.

To switch them to buyer credits, apparently you need to open a buyer account with a 50 credit minimum. Otherwise I'd do that and spend it on other shooters close to payout.

if your only a few bucks away just wait and then pull the plug - either way their going to get money from you, either through the last few sales or by you just handing them over $40 or so

farbled

« Reply #137 on: February 16, 2014, 21:00 »
+1
you could say something like "i am so disgusted with your actions that you can keep the money i have and just close my account, thats how fast and bad i want out." at least let them know.
I like that.

My actual words were along the lines of needing to protect my reputation and brand by not associating with...., and the rest I won't post here just in case (I'd hate to get sued)..

I'm going to get the payout though, then say goodbye. I just can't let them keep my money (its not much but again, the principal of the thing). If anyone has 2.70 in buyer credits to spend, let me know and I'll reciprocate via Symbiostock or something.

« Reply #138 on: February 16, 2014, 21:17 »
+2
This whole issue sounds entirely unfair to contributor interests.  I am wondering how a reseller can be permitted to get our files on subscription, as they are not end-users who are buying in bulk at highly discounted sub rates. They are resellers apparantly taking high markups at contributor expense.

I have asked DP to remove my files from all partners, resellers, API and any other affiliate sites of this company.


« Reply #139 on: February 17, 2014, 00:42 »
+2
I've just sent them my opt-out request of all partner site and made clear that I want to sell my files solely on depositphotos. Let's see how that goes. I am still a few weeks from cash-out. I'll sit back until then and just watch. After that, at the slightest hic-up, I'll be out of there. I actually hope that someone higher up at Depositphotos decides to do some damage control and comes up with a solution that will appease contributors. Am I nave?

« Reply #140 on: February 17, 2014, 02:55 »
+3
Same for me, I send opt-out too. To be honest if they do such things, that means there is no one driving the business properly and fairly and they are just trying to squeeze the maximum from the library they have whatever it takes. It doesnt seem to me like bright future for this company.

« Reply #141 on: February 17, 2014, 03:28 »
+2
We ewidently have a good lesson today - read your agreement before first upload.

As an author, photographer (or any other artist) you must take care of your work, that's obvious. You decide where images go, who sells them, how, for what price, what partners (never again! That is no control), etc...

I'm so dissapointed with all that situation, I feel done in... and just can't believe that. Of course, that's my fault, that I didn't understand agreement for 3 years (I read it before). Today it's to late to repair my mistake but I can make the decision for future - no more partner programs, re-sellers, secret PP list, no control, ...
They have their business, I have mine. I don't want to be part of this game. Phew!

About agencies - who wants to much, gets nothing.
In Polish it is: sly man looses twice.

« Reply #142 on: February 17, 2014, 03:46 »
+15
I read the agreement. I thought that a partner sale meant I would get 44% of whatever deposit got for a credit sale and I would get a subs royalty if the END customer bought a subs license through the partner.

I never in my wildest dream imagined, they would sell my file for a subs royalty and allow their partners to sublicense my files with 6000% profit.

I also really don't see how you can read that out of the text presented. It takes some very brave legal and english berthinking to even consider that they are saying we can sell it for a subs even if our partner sells it for 30 dollars.

Their license agreement doesn't allow sublicensing anyway, so how could I have known?

I thought deposit was serious about becoming a major player. They have a very good interface for uploading files and managing content. And of course the VIP keywording service made my life very easy, but i also thought this would help keep their library well keyworded so that it is easier to translate into many languages. A real advantage over many other agencies who can suffer from bad results through poor keywording.

They also sold my files more and more.

But of course now I have to assume the growth came from selling our work for pennies to resellers who were happy to avoid paying regular royalties to their own artists.

I am suprised the other agencies are accepting this as well. How can they compete with deposit if they pay out a normal royalty to their contributors and don't do these deals?

Shotshop and deposit are acting like they own the content completly, like we gifted it all to them.

I am lucky I never took the 50 dollar bait, where they pay you for uploading as long as the files remain with deposit for a year. So I can deactivate at will.

I haven't yet written to them to be opted out, they should have the brains to do that themselves after reading this thread. If they give us an unmistakable no nonsense opt out, or better "I will ONLY sell my files via the website depositphotos.com button", I might reactivate what I removed and watch what happens.

On the other hand, the biggest problem is trust. This is such a sneaky and low handed way of dealing with their business partners, it leaves me worried what kind of stupid nonsense will come next.

Whoever makes the business decisions simply isn't thinking longterm. They just need one really expensive court case to go belly up and this reseller scam just might be it.


« Last Edit: February 17, 2014, 06:56 by cobalt »

stockphoto-images.com

« Reply #143 on: February 17, 2014, 03:51 »
+7
At this time I'm thinking of contacting all other agencies inquiring about their pricing policies for their resellers/PPs. I have a funny feeling that DP is by far not the only one doing this... Hopefully I'm wrong.  :-X

fotorob

  • Professional stock content producer
« Reply #144 on: February 17, 2014, 04:02 »
+5
Now just images other agencies might do this as well: Maybe Getty Images does similar stuff with Thinkstock and photos.com?

fotorob

  • Professional stock content producer
« Reply #145 on: February 17, 2014, 04:04 »
+6
Maybe it is of interest for some: I've written a blog article about the deal in my Blog (in german):
http://www.alltageinesfotoproduzenten.de/2014/02/17/weniger-als-1-fotografenhonorar-depositphotos-macht-es-moeglich/

« Reply #146 on: February 17, 2014, 04:18 »
0
Thank you, Robert!

« Reply #147 on: February 17, 2014, 06:55 »
+3
We do have colourbox as a direct comparison. We knew for years that even a credit sale would only net you a subs royalty. They were totally honest about it. They also allow schools and students to download all files for free.

Very clear terms, everyone knew what would happen if you upload there. And as a result there was a lot of content they simply never got.

However, they did communicate with us and when several people complained over the years, they finally changed their system so now you get 20% from a credit sale. Still very low, but miles better than the system they had before.

But with deposit I think it is safe to assume that everyone understood their terms to be simply - credit royalty for a credit sale and subs royalty for an end customer subs sale.

I mean, like a normal agency...

So as a results people sent them their normal content.

With hindsight the "we will pay you for uploading" and the generous VIP keywording service take on a very sinister sub note,like there was a trap being laid out and not a serious agency that works hard to become an industry leader from a humble beginning.

But like others have said, they have done strange things before, I just wasnt affected at the time.

Again, it shows how important it is that we have msg where can exchange information and that the artists keep doing test buys of their own work to check up on the agencies.
« Last Edit: February 17, 2014, 07:05 by cobalt »

« Reply #148 on: February 17, 2014, 07:26 »
+2
ibudgetphotos.com belong to indiapictures. They advertise that they pay out 50% to contributors.

http://www.indiapicture.in/photographers/index.php

How many more agencies are there out there that advertise themselves as artist friendly, but then pay out less than 1% through special "deals"?

My files are still on there, I think should write to deposit to have them removed.I cant find my files anymore on shotshop.

« Reply #149 on: February 17, 2014, 08:28 »
0
I cant find my files anymore on shotshop.

Thats interesting! So they removed them without you asking them to?
That would mean they probably received so many emails / bad feedback that they cancelled the Shotshop API for everybody!??


 

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