Author Topic: Etsy bestselling photographer reselling Shutterstock files-$1000 a day earnings! (Read 26481 times)

Dakota · « **on:** September 16, 2017, 19:03 »

I was shocked to find this shop called LILAxLOLA reselling tons of shutterstock files as downloadable digital files and making huge amounts of money, upto $1000 a day. (total $368,000!)

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LILAxLOLA?ref=l2-shopheader-name

It's disgusting that this is allowed. It costs a lot of money to produce special photos for some lazy stay at home designer to resell for huge amounts of money.

Check your files are not on there, I noticed tons of Shutterstock files there. I emailed Etsy and they took my files down quickly.

Report the shop on the Etsy home page, bottom left where it says: "Report this shop to Etsy"

Also report to Shutterstock. This thief must be stopped!

namussi · « **Reply #1 on:** September 17, 2017, 05:47 »

Perhaps Shutterstock contributors could learn from this: you can make $1k a day on Etsy, so why bother with Shutterstock?

Zalee · « **Reply #2 on:** September 17, 2017, 16:15 »

That's amazing that they could earn that sort of money on those images. Does anyone else here sell on etsy?

stockastic · « **Reply #3 on:** September 17, 2017, 16:32 »

Those sales numbers are hard to believe. I wonder if they've been inflated by shil buyers.

travelstock · « **Reply #4 on:** September 17, 2017, 19:21 »

In a case like this, the relevant artist shouldn't just contact Etsy, they should Seek the identity of the seller and seek damages for breach of contract & require an account of profits from them. This isn't just a DCMA situation - its a situation where Etsy has paid out royalties that should be due to the original copyright holder.

jonbull · « **Reply #5 on:** September 18, 2017, 14:10 »

any hint to photo in shutter stock used? i saw the files on sale right now and cannot find any in ss. in case i will contact ss and ask to do something, or if not i will do the same, buy some images in ss, digitalize with some filters and resell as digital files...if a war is in act let's play the war game. i'm full of being fuckd up.

natalie_board · « **Reply #6 on:** September 18, 2017, 15:45 »

Thanks for posting this Dakota. I discovered one of my files for sale (cropped and filtered). The seller had bought an EL so I actually wondered at first if this was an OK usage (I checked on the SS forum). I've notified Etsy and SS and my image is now no longer on sale.

Semmick Photo · « **Reply #7 on:** September 18, 2017, 16:01 »

How do you know these are downloaded from Shutterstock? They might have been bought elsewhere which allows resale as POD, such as CanStockPhoto and Fotolia

increasingdifficulty · « **Reply #8 on:** September 18, 2017, 16:03 »

Quote from: Semmick Photo on September 18, 2017, 16:01

How do you know these are downloaded from Shutterstock? They might have been bought elsewhere which allows resale as POD, such as CanStockPhoto and Fotolia

But isn't that different from this example? This is not a printing service, you just get the digital image and then you can print it if you want. Or not.

shiyali · « **Reply #9 on:** September 18, 2017, 17:27 »

Quote from: increasingdifficulty on September 18, 2017, 16:03

Quote from: Semmick Photo on September 18, 2017, 16:01
How do you know these are downloaded from Shutterstock? They might have been bought elsewhere which allows resale as POD, such as CanStockPhoto and Fotolia

But isn't that different from this example? This is not a printing service, you just get the digital image and then you can print it if you want. Or not.

That would be considered re-selling, which is usually not allowed.

Sedge · « **Reply #10 on:** September 18, 2017, 19:19 »

The problem with Etsy is a familiar one: you have to figure out how to drive people to your shop. I have a shop on Etsy, and get one or two small sales a month; it's worth doing but just barely. I don't do any social media advertising (hate doing that), and as a result I get very few daily views; usually 1 to 5 if that. The really successful people on Etsy are the crafters; they'll complain if they get less than several hundred views a day.

Another problem with Etsy, is that it's a hive of illegal stuff being ripped-off and sold. Just do a search for Disney or Star Wars and you'll see what I mean.

Dakota · « **Reply #11 on:** September 18, 2017, 19:42 »

There are plenty of Shutterstock files on there. I would not of made such a statement without evidence. Reverse image search does not work on many of the files because the images are flipped, cropped or placed in frames. Look deeper by searching for subjects. Some might come from other agencies.

Zero of those images have been created by that designer. What I think she has done is bought a basic subscription, maybe tweaked a few, made B&W and watched the money roll in. What is crazy is she is not even offering prints just downloads!

Here is one example:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/484188644/black-cockatoo-print-large-wall-art?ref=shop_home_active_53

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/black-cockatoo-on-perch-112430822?src=6DHsHj2--35Vj0HMQgQD7g-1-14

Can everyone do that? Buy a basic subscription to Shutterstock, download hundreds of images and resell as digital files Etsy, no printing involved, sounds like a great plan to get rich!

shiyali · « **Reply #12 on:** September 18, 2017, 20:35 »

Quote from: Dakota on September 18, 2017, 19:42

There are plenty of Shutterstock files on there. I would not of made such a statement without evidence. Reverse image search does not work on many of the files because the images are flipped, cropped or placed in frames. Look deeper by searching for subjects. Some might come from other agencies.

Zero of those images have been created by that designer. What I think she has done is bought a basic subscription, maybe tweaked a few, made B&W and watched the money roll in. What is crazy is she is not even offering prints just downloads!

Here is one example:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/484188644/black-cockatoo-print-large-wall-art?ref=shop_home_active_53

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/black-cockatoo-on-perch-112430822?src=6DHsHj2--35Vj0HMQgQD7g-1-14

Can everyone do that? Buy a basic subscription to Shutterstock, download hundreds of images and resell as digital files Etsy, no printing involved, sounds like a great plan to get rich!

Utterly shameful. Thanks for exposing that scam.

shiyali · « **Reply #13 on:** September 18, 2017, 22:21 »

Etsy copyright infringement seems to be a chronic problem for others as well and there are not many good options. Read this

https://artlawjournal.com/etsy-copyright-infringement/

stockastic · « **Reply #14 on:** September 19, 2017, 10:58 »

Etsy used to be a unique site selling hand-made items. Then it become a Big Company in search of Growth and began steadily destroying its identity and becoming just another site trying to sell everything to everybody and not caring about any ethical nonsense.

Tyson Anderson · « **Reply #15 on:** September 19, 2017, 15:22 »

She might not even be a real person. Just a fake identity as a front for whoever set this system. That's what I'd do if I were to set up an unethical thing like this.

niktol · « **Reply #16 on:** September 19, 2017, 15:40 »

Quote from: Zalee on September 17, 2017, 16:15

That's amazing that they could earn that sort of money on those images. Does anyone else here sell on etsy?

No. Because they don't sell.

cobalt · « **Reply #17 on:** September 19, 2017, 16:28 »

Thank you for warning us.

I hope Shutterstock goes after them as well with whatever legal means they have.

This is truly frightening.

shiyali · « **Reply #18 on:** September 19, 2017, 22:36 »

Investors are also not happy with Etsy's rampant copyright violations

http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2015/05/17/368456.htm

Etsy Sued by Investors Alleging Firm Hid Products’ Trademark Risks

"Etsy Inc. is facing fraud claims from investors after allegations that millions of items sold through its online crafts and specialty wares marketplace likely violate trademarks.

Investors filed a proposed class action against the Brooklyn, New York-based company and its executives after an analyst said this week that more than 5 percent of about 40 million listings may be counterfeit or otherwise infringe well- known brands."

Update: the investors lost the suit in 2017

Pauws99 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 20, 2017, 00:51 »

Any know if those "sales" figures are really accurate....seem remarkably ie unfeasibly high to me

eyewave · « **Reply #20 on:** September 20, 2017, 03:44 »

Just found another etsy member reselling images, here's an example with one of my photos

https://www.etsy.com/de/listing/517053752/beach-photography-aerial-people-on-the#item-reporter%3Ffrom_reg%3D2%26joined%3D1

My original:
https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-images-beach-scene-aerial-view-image20325324

That seller has had 3385 sales and I bet none of the photos is her own work

Dakota · « **Reply #21 on:** September 20, 2017, 05:19 »

Sadly there are tons of these shops reselling digital downloads from micro sites.

I looked at another one of her beach prints:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/506655694/beach-photography-aerial-people-on-the?ref=related-7

on Shutterstock,

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/aerial-view-above-ocean-sea-beach-482253985

Quote from: eyewave on September 20, 2017, 03:44

Just found another etsy member reselling images, here's an example with one of my photos

https://www.etsy.com/de/listing/517053752/beach-photography-aerial-people-on-the#item-reporter%3Ffrom_reg%3D2%26joined%3D1

My original:
https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-images-beach-scene-aerial-view-image20325324

That seller has had 3385 sales and I bet none of the photos is her own work

increasingdifficulty · « **Reply #22 on:** September 20, 2017, 05:39 »

Quote from: Dakota on September 20, 2017, 05:19

Sadly there are tons of these shops reselling digital downloads from micro sites.

I looked at another one of her beach prints:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/506655694/beach-photography-aerial-people-on-the?ref=related-7

on Shutterstock,

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/aerial-view-above-ocean-sea-beach-482253985

Hold on now, she (or he) zoomed in, surely that's entirely OK and a new work!

salparadis · « **Reply #23 on:** September 20, 2017, 16:46 »

I've just had discussion with a shop owner on Etsy and she claims that Getty agreed with the resale of modified files purchased with Extended Licence. If this is truth, then perhaps Getty is to blame in this case.

angelawaye · « **Reply #24 on:** September 20, 2017, 16:48 »

This is why I'm opted out of EL's. (Except fotolia because I can't but it is set at $100)

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Author Topic: Etsy bestselling photographer reselling Shutterstock files-$1000 a day earnings! (Read 26481 times)

Dakota

namussi

Zalee

stockastic

travelstock

jonbull

natalie_board

Semmick Photo

increasingdifficulty

shiyali

Sedge

Dakota

shiyali

shiyali

stockastic

Tyson Anderson

niktol

cobalt

shiyali

Pauws99

eyewave

Dakota

increasingdifficulty

salparadis

angelawaye

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