MicrostockGroup

...the funny (better sad) thing is that you can take a look to the latest pictures accepted on dreamstime and still find series of 5 and more pictures which are really almost identical... hmmmm

But isn't it the case that many 'macro' agencies have lock-in clauses for 3-5 years? It costs an agency money to both accept content and usually also to remove it too. Images can spend months in a customer's lightbox and then they get angry if it subsequently becomes unavailable.

If I ever started an agency I would insist on at least a six-month lock in too. A content provider who can't even commit to a six-month business relationship is exactly the sort of content provider that I wouldn't want to be wasting my time with.

Agreed. I'm sure if you'd insisted on closing your account with DT due to a major unilateral change in the T&C then you'd have been well within your rights. The truth is of course that 99% of contributors to DT also upload to SS so any objection to subscriptions, at least in their case, seems inconsistent.

Astonishingly crap review times lately - they make IS look like a rocket ship in comparison.

The similars rejection thing I can understand, to some extent, but I don't think their reviewers get it - definitely a lack of consistency there.

And the community makes me cringe. I cannot,will not read any more threads like "I have a difficult decision to make (about exclusivity)" from people with 50 files and 7 dl in a year.  Or along the lines of "Dreamstime is the bestest most perfect site in the Universe and I go to sleep at night knowing I am part of a loving, sharing wonderful community of fellow artists. Sigh." ......makes them sound like besotted teenagers. Retchworthy.

But I earn real folding money out of them so, hey ho.

wow... that blows my mind. my sales at DT suck.   IS and SS still fight it out with me...   IS larger images(money)  and SS subs by the pound.. in the end... it's still a battle that IS usually wins with top dollar, but SS has been known to beat them once in awhile.  Right now, not counting Thinkstock (who does).. DT is my lowest sales. =tom

I think like that too Eireann. allso Dreamstime new review is sometime mystery too  expecially when new reviews
use mostly subjective reasons. but no big deal for me. My sales are good for the oldest stuff and no sales for new stuff, so no reason to worry for new uploads because I don't give new stuff anymore.

Shutterstock is opposite. New stuff get download instant. So I like balance with Shutterstock for today and Dreamstime for 2 years older pictues in port

It depends on when they uploaded them. This similar policy is something fairly new. I dare say the port you speak off got started early in microstock especially if it has that many pictures in it. In other words you'll find a lot of similar shots from early on already on there.

so true, sir.   there is no shortage of hypocrisy in microstock.  the rules seem to change with the direction of the blowing wind.  however,  it is what it is. that's how they play the game.  we can play, or take our ball and go home.

another item I found very humorous from DT...    they called me on a few old pix that have never sold.  told me, they would do well in the free section, be used alot and give attention to my port...   ha ha ha ha... 
my thinking is,  if the pictures suck that bad that someone won't pay 35 cents for the things...  I don't think 'free' will make a heck of a difference.  ha ha ha ha.   if it isn't worth 35, it ain't worth zip.   =tom

I've decided to stop uploading there and to FT until after the first of the year.  After I quit uploading my sales went up on both sites.  Which is weird to me.  I'm a little under $25 away from my first payout at DT (took payout from FT last week) which is why I quit uploading to begin with.  Needed to reasess if the sites are worth it in relation to how many files get downloaded and how long it'll take me to reach my first payout with them both.  Since I recently got EL's on both sites I'll probably start re-uploading there in January.

Last month I uploaded several hundred new images, increasing my port by about 10%. Naturally I hoped that this would help sales and I anticipated a significant boost with it being September too. Wrong __ I'm staggered to find that revenue is projected to be 25% down compared to August. What on earth is going on at DT and how come they are down (at least for me) this month when every other agency is enjoying a substantial seasonal boost? Bizarre.

I am sure buyers like choice, DT have taken a lot of that away by rejecting most of the images in series, even only selecting a landscape version and not the portrait version.  If I was a buyer, I would be looking at peoples portfolios elsewhere to get a better choice.

Yes, they have an unfathomable skill at that.