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Author Topic: New Pricing from Dreamstime  (Read 24670 times)

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WarrenPrice

« on: December 14, 2009, 11:25 »
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http://www.dreamstime.com/thread_19813

Above is a link to the new Credit Schedule at Dreamstime.  Looks good to me.  Hope those old credits get used up soon.   :P


« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2009, 11:41 »
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Good news:) they will modify also  the image levels in a good way:)

level 1:  0-4 dls (0-4 in 2010)
level 2:  5-19 dls (5-9 in 2010)
level 3:  20-49 dls (10-24 in 2010)
level 4:  50-99 dls (25-49 in 2010)
level 5:  > 100 dls (>50 in 2010)

« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2009, 11:45 »
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Good news but very difficult to estimate the actual increase we will see to our monthly incomes there, especially so with all those subscription sales.

KB

« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2009, 11:51 »
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Good news but very difficult to estimate the actual increase we will see to our monthly incomes there, especially so with all those subscription sales.
Indeed.

Higher prices on credit sales without any change in subscription terms will almost certainly mean only one thing: More subscription sales.  >:(

« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2009, 11:54 »
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There will be more of these news as a result of istockphoto announcement.

I am expecting all other agencies to make non-exclusivity more appealing.

WarrenPrice

« Reply #5 on: December 14, 2009, 11:58 »
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There will be more of these news as a result of istockphoto announcement.

I am expecting all other agencies to make non-exclusivity more appealing.

I too had wondered if this was influenced by announcements at iStock.

« Reply #6 on: December 14, 2009, 12:02 »
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Good news:) they will modify also  the image levels in a good way:)

level 1:  0-4 dls (0-4 in 2010)
level 2:  5-19 dls (5-9 in 2010)
level 3:  20-49 dls (10-24 in 2010)
level 4:  50-99 dls (25-49 in 2010)
level 5:  > 100 dls (>50 in 2010)

That is VERY good news.

« Reply #7 on: December 14, 2009, 12:09 »
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Is this part of the increased prices and lower commissions that they announced a few months ago?

http://www.microstockgroup.com/dreamstime-com/royalties-subscriptions-and-sr-el-update-on-dreamstime/
« Last Edit: December 14, 2009, 12:16 by sharpshot »

« Reply #8 on: December 14, 2009, 13:00 »
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Is this part of the increased prices and lower commissions that they announced a few months ago?

http://www.microstockgroup.com/dreamstime-com/royalties-subscriptions-and-sr-el-update-on-dreamstime/


That's a good question. I was wondering that too. I remember them talking about increased prices and level bumps before, but I'd never seen a boost to sales. Maybe, they just hadn't implemented it. Regardless, it is good news. I hope other sites are paying attention too. I really don't want to go exclusive with iStock.

WarrenPrice

« Reply #9 on: December 14, 2009, 13:05 »
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Is this part of the increased prices and lower commissions that they announced a few months ago?

http://www.microstockgroup.com/dreamstime-com/royalties-subscriptions-and-sr-el-update-on-dreamstime/


That's a good question. I was wondering that too. I remember them talking about increased prices and level bumps before, but I'd never seen a boost to sales. Maybe, they just hadn't implemented it. Regardless, it is good news. I hope other sites are paying attention too. I really don't want to go exclusive with iStock.


A large part of the referenced thread was pointed toward going exclusive at DT.  I think that "exclusive" push will continue ... at several sites.

lisafx

« Reply #10 on: December 14, 2009, 13:18 »
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I hope other sites are paying attention too. I really don't want to go exclusive with iStock.

Yeah, this sums up my feelings too.  I much prefer my independence, but can't ignore the money.  

With the carrots dangled at Istock combined with the loss of sub sales on Photos.com and JIU, Getty is certainly turning the screws.   

I hope it remains financially viable to be independent.  

This move by Dreamstime is a good start. :)
« Last Edit: December 14, 2009, 13:21 by lisafx »

« Reply #11 on: December 14, 2009, 14:16 »
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I think it's all about herding buyers onto subscription plans.  And the intent of a subscription is to get the buyer to either buy more than they actually need, or even better - never actually download all the images they're paying for.  Contributors only get paid for images actually downloaded. 

« Reply #12 on: December 14, 2009, 14:38 »
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Higher prices on credit sales without any change in subscription terms will almost certainly mean only one thing: More subscription sales.  >:(

There is one positive thing about sub sales at DT: They pay more for subs from level 3 on (IIRC). And level 3 will need half the downloads it used to from next year on...

« Reply #13 on: December 14, 2009, 15:03 »
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Good news but very difficult to estimate the actual increase we will see to our monthly incomes there, especially so with all those subscription sales.
Indeed.

Higher prices on credit sales without any change in subscription terms will almost certainly mean only one thing: More subscription sales.  >:(

That's my fear too.  If they would only let me opt out...  I would happily live without that extra income.

vonkara

« Reply #14 on: December 14, 2009, 15:09 »
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Exactly, I was still getting around 60-70% subscriptions sales at DT 3 days ago, before I disable my portfolio there. It's useless to me, when you own a subscription plan who is giving away images almost free, for one month.
« Last Edit: December 14, 2009, 15:13 by Vonkara »

« Reply #15 on: December 14, 2009, 17:11 »
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I like this "merry christmas" part of the announcement. good stuff. Also the dropping of the levels is nice, esp. as it pertains to the level 3 and up sub sales. On a side note, today with a level 4 small sale (8 credits $3.30) I passed my total for last month (which was absolutely horrible).

I fear the other side of the shoe - the "happy new year" for DT will be more for them, less for us.  Still, at least maybe with the IS increase all the sites can increase their prices giving them a lot more and us a bit more.

Edit to change - what I meant about the other shoe is I fear that this means the further dropping of out % will now happen. Still, I like what they said this time.
« Last Edit: December 18, 2009, 12:57 by pancaketom »

« Reply #16 on: December 14, 2009, 19:56 »
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Someone please tell me I'm wrong, but have we seen the whole reduction in our payments yet?  Weren't they rolling it out gradually?  Will we actually see an increase? 

« Reply #17 on: December 14, 2009, 21:23 »
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As far as subscription sales go there has to be some factors we are missing that result in an increase in subscription sales because I always hear people complaining about them but subscriptions account for only a very small portion of my sales .. I just flicked back through my last 200 sales and only 25 of them were subscriptions .. so that's only 12%. I dont want to sit here and figure every single percentage up but at a glance I see mostly large-max sales .. followed by small-medium .. not to many extra small or subscription sales.

I don't have a massive amount of sales on DT, just over 6,000 total but the thought of those being 60-70% subscription sales would freak me out. So, my point is .. maybe people should try looking into why they get so many subscription sales and not just the fact that they are getting them.

Are there any patterns you can see in your subscription sales versus normal sales? There has to be a correlation somewhere that you're not seeing. I'm guessing it probably has something to do with subject matter in relation to portfolio size (too many generic shots with little diversity) or technical quality of the images in general.

« Reply #18 on: December 14, 2009, 22:34 »
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Quote
Are there any patterns you can see in your subscription sales versus normal sales? There has to be a correlation somewhere that you're not seeing.

That's a great point!

I'm not unhappy with the amount of subs that I get so I guess that I never thought about it before. No time like the present!

« Reply #19 on: December 14, 2009, 22:41 »
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Subs don't bother me too much, but I don't really see a pattern. I sell the whole spectrum small, max, additional and subscriptions. The only thing I notice about the subs is that people will buy multiple images in a series frequently. Which is weird because Dreamstime likes to reject images that are in a series. If you're reading Dreamstime, think about it. I'm just saying this because the customer is always right. ;D

« Reply #20 on: December 15, 2009, 04:22 »
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This looks good.  If Dreamstime finds that everyone switches over to subscription they will be loosing money as well and can put up subscription prices / commissions if they have to.  Dreamstime also has a very fair system of increasing the level of an image even with subscription sales.

If you have an image with 10 sales and the buyer buys a medium resolution license - under the old system it would get you a 5 credit sale.  Under the new system you will be getting a 10 credit sale.  That is a great increase for us!

I still think that Dreamstime's image level system is one of the best.  Great images that sell over and over are boosted into the higher earning bracket and continue to sell at the high price, while other images, perhaps less desirable stay cheaper.  If the cheap images are better they will be very attractive to buyers and will be quickly boosted up to a higher image level.  Since the rank increases are done on a per image basis - not entire portfolio basis, so someone who is new to the site can benefit just as much as someone who has been online for 5 years.
« Last Edit: December 15, 2009, 04:26 by leaf »

« Reply #21 on: December 15, 2009, 04:38 »
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That is a great increase for us!

I still think that Dreamstime's image level system is one of the best.  Great images that sell over and over are boosted into the higher earning bracket and continue to sell at the high price, while other images, perhaps less desirable stay cheaper.  If the cheap images are better they will be very attractive to buyers and will be quickly boosted up to a higher image level.  Since the rank increases are done on a per image basis - not entire portfolio basis, so someone who is new to the site can benefit just as much as someone who has been online for 5 years.

I totally agree with you :)

RT


« Reply #22 on: December 15, 2009, 04:39 »
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Any news about an increase in commissions is good news, however I also feel that Dreamstime should put some effort into their marketing of the site to try and get themselves up there along with iStock, Shutterstock and Fotolia.
At a time when a number of their contributors are being forced into considering exclusivity at iStock a price rise isn't enough, they need to be seen to be actively promoting the site in order to get the volume of sales to make it worth while staying.
I've just bought the yearly review of a trade mag for everyone involved in the 'visual communications' industry, Shutterstock and Fotolia both had full page ad's and iStock where mentioned in a feature, no mention anywhere of Dreamstime and I see the exact same thing in other design related media all the time, it's always the same three microstock names, if Dreamstime don't market themselves properly a price rise is pointless.

« Reply #23 on: December 15, 2009, 04:40 »
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I don't have a pattern, but there were months when subs were over 50% of downloads.  They are normally below 20%, but I would anyway prefer not to have them.  I simply disagree with the philosophy of cheap subscriptions the way most sites handle them.  Microstock images are already too cheap.

« Reply #24 on: December 15, 2009, 06:38 »
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I see a pattern, but I don't understand it. Some pictures sell only as subs (e.g. my obesity series), while my iceberg pictures have a RPD of close to 2$. Could it be that the iceberg pics are used to illustrate news stories (the last sale had the keywords "climate change"), while the sub sales go to commercials?

« Reply #25 on: December 15, 2009, 07:11 »
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I think this is good news for independents. Its a shame they cut commissions before bringing this in, but overall I think its going to result in a fairly significant increase in earnings - the combination of the increased prices with the new image levels should be significant, particularly for contributors who have been there for a while.

The change in levels will more than triple the number of level 3 and above files that I have - so there will be a boost to subscription earnings as well as on demand earnings.

Now... what's SS up to???

« Reply #26 on: December 15, 2009, 10:13 »
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yeah, hopefully SS responds.

Nice update from DT!

« Reply #27 on: December 15, 2009, 10:15 »
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I think this is good news for independents. Its a shame they cut commissions before bringing this in, but overall I think its going to result in a fairly significant increase in earnings - the combination of the increased prices with the new image levels should be significant, particularly for contributors who have been there for a while.

The change in levels will more than triple the number of level 3 and above files that I have - so there will be a boost to subscription earnings as well as on demand earnings.

Now... what's SS up to???


Yeah, I really hope that now with DT's price increase, and iStock's as well, that the other sites might take advantage of the situation and increase their prices as well.

« Reply #28 on: December 15, 2009, 10:29 »
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This looks good.  If Dreamstime finds that everyone switches over to subscription they will be loosing money as well and can put up subscription prices / commissions if they have to.  Dreamstime also has a very fair system of increasing the level of an image even with subscription sales.

If you have an image with 10 sales and the buyer buys a medium resolution license - under the old system it would get you a 5 credit sale.  Under the new system you will be getting a 10 credit sale.  That is a great increase for us!

I still think that Dreamstime's image level system is one of the best.  Great images that sell over and over are boosted into the higher earning bracket and continue to sell at the high price, while other images, perhaps less desirable stay cheaper.  If the cheap images are better they will be very attractive to buyers and will be quickly boosted up to a higher image level.  Since the rank increases are done on a per image basis - not entire portfolio basis, so someone who is new to the site can benefit just as much as someone who has been online for 5 years.

Nicely said Leaf. I also really like the individual image level system and will look forward to higher commissions that will come from the higher pricing across the board.

On another note I already hit BME at DT by the 12th day of this month so I'm having a nice December at DT and overall  ;D

-Mark




« Reply #29 on: December 18, 2009, 12:25 »
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I just saw this thread for the first time. I seem to have fallen in love with Dreamstime, again.

« Reply #30 on: January 12, 2010, 13:32 »
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Just a quick question:
I just sold a TIFF through subscription on DT...for $0,35 (lvl1 image)
I never knew subcription customers could also download TIFF's for the same price before...
Was it always like that...?

« Reply #31 on: January 12, 2010, 13:50 »
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Just a quick question:
I just sold a TIFF through subscription on DT...for $0,35 (lvl1 image)
I never knew subcription customers could also download TIFF's for the same price before...
Was it always like that...?


This was Serban writing on their forum today;

"Tiffs are generated automatically & available to (almost) all images. They weren't announced, left as a nice surprise for you to find. We hope you'll enjoy the royalties they bring ;) "

« Reply #32 on: January 12, 2010, 14:44 »
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Ahhh, thanks a lot for that info gostwyck!

Yeah i'm absolutely thrilled and euphoric about earning $0,35 for a TIFF!!
 :-\
Quite the contrary...

« Reply #33 on: January 12, 2010, 14:56 »
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Yeah i'm absolutely thrilled and euphoric about earning $0,35 for a TIFF!!
 

I'm guessing it wasn't "a nice surprise" then?

Although I don't think that converting a JPEG image into a TIFF is adding any value to it (especially as we don't have to do the conversion) it does highlight once again the absurd notion of these subscription packages and what we get paid for them. It's  just edged me another bit closer to exclusivity with IS.

« Reply #34 on: January 12, 2010, 15:08 »
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edited for brevity

 I just flicked back through my last 200 sales and only 25 of them were subscriptions .. so that's only 12%.

yes, you have a point there. i , like you, don't pay much attention to dissecting which is sales or subs.
but looking quickly at my dls and earnings, it more or less equals dollar per dl. which i suppose isn't that bad for 3MP. (i don't submit any larger to micro, giving them only the min requirement, leaving the XXL to Alamy). 
being recent in micro, i like the idea too that i will reach Level II sooner with this new rating, which i gather would increase potential earning per dl too.

i really don't expect miracles with micro stock as far as earnings go, since everyone seems to go ape with pushing for subs. but i can't knock DT for trying to show they are at least giving our rants
an ear and trying to appease us.  maybe not completely, but as they say, "bad or good; compared to what?" 

compared to other micro sites i'd say DT is getting my images more than any other of the Big 5+3, since DT is my top earner. only other one that i am hoping for a new change would be my #2 earner Stockxpert, which i hope will also give us something to be happy about soon.

whatever, i think now that the tide has moved back to DT, Getty cannot ignore this.
and killing StockXpert is certainly not going to bring StockXpert contributors to move to IS, esp when many of us
already have both IS and StockXpert accounts. and killing StockXpert will certainly not sit well with us,
for those who used to have a site that was earning well before all this screwup with Getty of StockXpert.


« Reply #35 on: January 12, 2010, 15:15 »
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Ahhh, thanks a lot for that info gostwyck!

Yeah i'm absolutely thrilled and euphoric about earning $0,35 for a TIFF!!
 :-\
Quite the contrary...
I'm not sure what the big deal is? Can't anyone convert a jpeg into a tiff? I'm sure a lot of people do convert your photos to tiffs, so they can use them for print. It's not like they are selling your raw files.

« Reply #36 on: January 12, 2010, 15:19 »
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My RPD has been pretty good this month at Dreamstime. It's hard to tell if it will be an overall increase because January seems to still be slumping from the holidays at all the agencies, but the RPD is definitely a good sign.

« Reply #37 on: January 12, 2010, 15:36 »
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Ahhh, thanks a lot for that info gostwyck!

Yeah i'm absolutely thrilled and euphoric about earning $0,35 for a TIFF!!
 :-\
Quite the contrary...
I'm not sure what the big deal is? Can't anyone convert a jpeg into a tiff? I'm sure a lot of people do convert your photos to tiffs, so they can use them for print. It's not like they are selling your raw files.

No way i'll ever upload my raw's anywhere, they might just become available for subscription download before i know it ;P
True, converted from jpg might not add much value, but look at the credit pricing (lvl 5 here):
XS sells for 9  credits, medium for 14, XL for 16 and TIFF for 26 (11 for lvl 1; 15 for lvl2; 20 for lvl3)!  Adding/including that to the subscription plan really angers me and feels like a new all time subscription low.
I have no doubts DT implemented this to make it's contributors happy... but $0,35 for something worth quite a bit more than the largest size...ARGH! (plus, doesnt this make subscription more tempting to buyers? not the way to go imho)
I guess i'm just a party pooper?

Edit:schpelling
« Last Edit: January 12, 2010, 15:46 by Artemis »

« Reply #38 on: January 12, 2010, 15:45 »
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^^^ I'd very much agree. I've just checked my last 200 sales and out of those 95 were subscriptions __ over 47%. It looks to me that more buyers may be moving over to subscriptions so we may get little or no benefit from the new prices/levels.

« Reply #39 on: January 12, 2010, 16:31 »
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Based on data I've seen, DT seems to be aggressively marketing their subscription plan as we are seeing more and more subscription sales. Yet while RPDs drop due this, I am seeing revenue increase despite this. That would equate to making it up in volume.

Perhaps they are beginning to chip away at a tiny slice of SS market share of subs ...


-Mark
http://markwpayne.wordpress.com
 




« Reply #40 on: January 12, 2010, 19:21 »
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^^^ I'd very much agree. I've just checked my last 200 sales and out of those 95 were subscriptions __ over 47%. It looks to me that more buyers may be moving over to subscriptions so we may get little or no benefit from the new prices/levels.

you know, i just realise here  that many of you "experienced" contributors and long time micro stock group ppl here do not approve of   subs with DT.
so why no one is asking DT for an opt out button like we have with IS, StockXpert?
« Last Edit: January 12, 2010, 20:05 by PERSEUS »

« Reply #41 on: January 12, 2010, 20:14 »
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I have asked so many times...

« Reply #42 on: January 12, 2010, 20:54 »
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Ahhh, thanks a lot for that info gostwyck!

Yeah i\'m absolutely thrilled and euphoric about earning $0,35 for a TIFF!!
 :-\\
Quite the contrary...
I\'m not sure what the big deal is? Can\'t anyone convert a jpeg into a tiff? I\'m sure a lot of people do convert your photos to tiffs, so they can use them for print. It\'s not like they are selling your raw files.
It\'s only about money. It makes no sense to download more expensive, often upsized, bigger  tiff file - without any quality gain. But it can work with some customers that are not paying attention on fine prints (they thinking buying real, good quality tiff file). This is why the information about artificial upsizing was removed - they hope  to see people in a hurry fall into the trap. 


 

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