MicrostockGroup

After reading the recent news at iStock, I'm definitely considering becoming exclusive. I've got a while to think over the decision.

I was wondering if anyone had some advice on making the transition. I know Dreamstime is a 6 month wait and I think BigStock is 3 months. Were there any other pitfalls from other agencies that I need to be aware of?

I haven't made up my mind on the final decision, but I'd like to start the long term preparations now.

Not at all surprising.  

I never in a million years thought I would reconsider going exclusive with Istock, but with royalties dropping at the other sites, the potential 40% increase in contributor revenues that exclusives stand to gain is mighty tempting.   I posted my thoughts in the IS year end thread, but to summarize, exclusivity may make the most economic sense going forward.  

The things I would watch before making a final decision are:  

1.  Is best match going to go haywire again?
2.  Will many customers leave as a result of the price increase? and
3.  What will the other sites do to counter the appeal of what IS is offering?

Certainly the lure of exclusivity has definitely grown a lot with this announcement, I will be putting a final decision on hold until I see how the above questions are resolved.

I don't have any advice for you since I am in a similar boat, but I will be watching the thread to see what others advise.

OK, here is my little research project for today. These are the agencies that I submit too. Feel free to add to the list.

Dreamstime

Contributors are required to keep at least seventy (70%) percent of their portfolio online with Dreamstime.com for a period of at least six (6) months. You may disable all files older than six months from the date of review at any time. You will be allowed to disable a total of thirty (30%) percent of your total images submitted within the past six (6) months. Images that were disabled and then enabled again will be counted as new submissions, no matter of their original upload date.

Shutterstock

You have the right to remove any of your Submitted Content from the Shutterstock website at any time for any reason whatsoever. However, you may not remove Red Carpet Images for a period of two (2) years from the date any Red Carpet Images are accepted by Shutterstock.

iStockphoto

I didn't see any wording on image removal, but they did talk about termination of account.

This Agreement is effective until terminated. You may terminate this Agreement at any time by giving thirty (30) days written notice to iStockphoto using [email protected] or such other means of written notice acceptable to iStockphoto which enables confirmation of your identity and your intention to terminate.

Fotolia

I didn't see any wording on image removal, but they did talk about termination of account.

You may at any time terminate this Agreement by logging into your Membership Account on the Website and then sending a termination request to Fotolia.

StockXpert

Both parties can terminate your membership account for any reason with a written notice and proof of identity. Upon termination Stockxpert removes all your Images from the Website.

Big Stock Photo

Once submitted to the Image Approval Queue, Member may not remove images from site until after they have been posted for 90 days, regardless of whether the Member chooses to terminate their account.

123RF

I didn't see any wording on termination or image removal.

Crestock

I didn't see any wording on termination or image removal.

Can Stock Photo

Within thirty (30) business days after receiving written notice from Supplier to remove any Data Files, Company shall use reasonable efforts to remove such Data Files from the Site, and shall use reasonable efforts to cause such Data Files to be removed from the web sites of any sub-distributors.  Any withdrawal or removal of Data Files will not affect existing rights or licenses granted by Company or sub-distributors to end users.

Veer Marketplace

You may request the removal of Content from the Site at any time, however, Content may persist in a User’s shopping cart up to sixty (60) days, and if purchased by a User, will remain available for download and sublicensing by such User for a sixty (60) day period.  Further, Content may appear for a longer period on affiliate and partner sites, however Veer Marketplace will use reasonable efforts to cause Content to be removed form the Sites of any affiliates and partners within sixty (60) days from the removal from the Site.

Vectorstock

This Agreement is effective until it is terminated. You can terminate this Agreement by removing the content from VectorStock.com. The Agreement also terminates without notice from VectorStock® if at any time you fail to comply with any of its terms.

ClipArtof

ClipArtOf.com has the right to remove any image from the site or not accept an image for any reason at any time. In such a case, you will be notified with a reason. Contributors also have the right to remove any of their images or terminate their account at any time for any reason.

Graphic Leftovers

I didn't see any wording on termination or image removal.

Thanks I'll check that out.

Sort your DT portfolio by date, and see how many have been approved within 6 months.

Let's say you have 100. You are allowed to deactivate any 30 of those 100. (You would chose the most recent 30, of course.) 

That's all it means.

That should be the correct strategy, keep the acount but disable the photos.  Is it ok with iStock?  I mean keeping accounts with other sites?  I guess so.

Let us know how it will go, Vonkara.

Claude

Sure I will do. If we can't and get rejected for exclusivity you will hear about it  

____________Edited_____________
Full artist Exclusivity means no images, video or audio files may be sold on other royalty-free sites or businesses with the exception of Getty Images.
They don't talk about other accounts, just don't sell images there.

Exclusivity only covers your royalty-free stock files. iStock does not require Exclusivity for:

•Rights-managed files with other organizations
•Personal portfolio sites
•Work for hire/editorial work contracts
•Prints for sale
•Prints, t-shirts and the like produced on art-only sites such as cafepress.com
That mean you can still sell Editorial and RM at Alamy to me

Yeah, that's where the fun start or is ending. I would really like to be able to do Editorial somewhere though

Let's hope.

Back on topic, the only new thing to watch for as far as closing accounts is getting things off partner sites. Partners of Fotolia (I think) caused a problem for one recent would-be exclusive. I don't think they even knew about the files, but iStock did and they were turned down.

I don't have any data on times required to clear the many partners, but back when Jupiter was starting up JIU/Photos.com+ at StockXpert they said up to 90 days, I think.

Still 30% of your portfolio uploaded in the last 6 months change nothing, as there is 70% remaining. I know I only uploaded 3 at DT in the last 6 months and I can't deactivate any of them...

Thanks for the info. I just unchecked all the partnership options. But I can't figure where is this option at 123RF yet..?

Yeah, unfortunately in your case, you could deactivate only 0.9 of a file -- worthless. 

But there are situations where it can be very helpful. Someone who uploaded 30 files in Sep and 10 files this month could deactivate all 10 of those files in Feb (before any of the 30 Sep files turned 6 months old) and then just wait a few days or weeks for those Sep files to turn 6 months old.

if you opted into the YayMicro 3rd party program it is for 3 years - but you can opt out after 1 year.

5. TERMS AND TERMINATION
Consequently the photographer agrees that his/her images will be licensed non-exclusively through a third-party. YAY's contributor agreement will be valid also for third party licensing.
The deal is valid for three - 3 - years and will be renewed for one - 1 - year after this
initial period. It is possible for the photographer to opt-put of the deal after one - 1- year by contacting YAY.

So, I've decided to start prepping for a potential switchover to exclusivity as well, just in case.   I realized that my very productive June and July meant that I was able to disable almost everything I've uploaded since the start of August on Dreamstime.  I have now done so, and I went ahead and removed all options from Shutterstock with the exception of the Shutterstock site itself.  I already closed my miniscule Crestock account a few days ago.

So the earliest I could switch over is Feb 10th since it takes 60 days to clear Shutterstock's partner sites, right?

123RoyaltyFree, StockXpert, and Fotolia should all be instant removal, right?  I saw someone mentioning some kind of partner site of Fotolia, was that something that you had to opt into?  I don't recall ever doing anything like that.