MicrostockGroup

Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Stock Discussion => Topic started by: robsters on June 12, 2017, 16:59

Title: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: robsters on June 12, 2017, 16:59
Just wondering if people are still angry and pulling there content off istock, i currently have no stock on there and selling on other sites but wondering if its worth bothering? will the content be safe on there?
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: ShadySue on June 12, 2017, 17:22
Just wondering if people are still angry and pulling there content off istock, i currently have no stock on there and selling on other sites but wondering if its worth bothering? will the content be safe on there?
Your content is no less 'safe' there than anywhere else (viz once it's sold and out on the internet, it's up for grabs).
Whether you think it's worth bothering is up to you. You'll see different answers from different people, and as we are mostly unknown, you have no really objective way of weighing up what people say. You need to carefully comb through their terms and conditions, read threads here, and decide for yourself.

FWIW, I have kept my port there, but haven't uploaded there for almost exactly a full year.
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: Brightontl on June 13, 2017, 01:31
Just wondering if people are still angry and pulling there content off istock, i currently have no stock on there and selling on other sites but wondering if its worth bothering? will the content be safe on there?
I have never uploaded to istock, but several times I have considered it.
So I have asked around this forum, followed the threads, studied their conditions, analysed their content for sale.

I came to the following conclusions:
- Regarding video, I do not even consider it remotely: their commissions are an insult and their content for sale is a joke. They really look as a sunked ship to me (at least for video)
- Regarding photo I only upload to agencies where the uploading process is extremely simple and fast. istock seems to be the most cumbersome agency to deal with. Even if they sold a lot, I simply cannot waste all the time involved
- Finally they have the nastiest way of communication of any other agencies and put all their efforts to make everything as complicated and muddy as possible
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: Pauws99 on June 13, 2017, 02:17
Just wondering if people are still angry and pulling there content off istock, i currently have no stock on there and selling on other sites but wondering if its worth bothering? will the content be safe on there?
I suspect there are more people talking about pulling their ports than doing it ;-). For me its OK but lower on my priority list to upload.
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: Chichikov on June 13, 2017, 02:49
Just wondering if people are still angry and pulling there content off istock, i currently have no stock on there and selling on other sites but wondering if its worth bothering? will the content be safe on there?
I suspect there are more people talking about pulling their ports than doing it ;-). For me its OK but lower on my priority list to upload.

As always, on the forums you will find 10 persons unsatisfied about anything.
But you will not find the 1 000 000 persons telling nothing because they are simply happy like this.
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: qunamax on June 13, 2017, 07:20
I find it rather good, in line with SS. Yes there are some cents sales but there are more than $1 too so it levels out to be similar to SS which orbits around $0.25 mostly. Also I got a couple of $40 sales in last 6 months or so and the best I had on SS is $5, so there is that too. Uploading is rather fast and simple with deepmeta3.
But take it with grain of salt as I'm pretty new here with tiny portfolio. 
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: niktol on June 13, 2017, 07:29
Just wondering if people are still angry and pulling there content off istock, i currently have no stock on there and selling on other sites but wondering if its worth bothering? will the content be safe on there?

You should decide for yourself, everyone's portfolio is different. What works for one person might not work for you. Look at their average RPD (not extremes) and total volume sold.
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: ShadySue on June 13, 2017, 08:16
@OP, I've just noticed you are video only. The payment for video on iS is really poor. I'd have pulled any videos I had there ages ago (if I did video).
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: JPSDK on June 13, 2017, 14:32
I have earned about 5000 dollars on istock, that was as a low ranking idiot, being paid less than 20 %. Maybe only 12. I cannot remember the numbers.

I found myself pissed off every time I looked at my stats, and I got arrogant answers in the forums and had to disambiguate keywords in a language only known to chearleaders in the Midwest of the USA, and unknown to the rest of mankind. I did a lot of work, and they pissed on me. Then I did the calculation and found out how much money they earned on me,  you know 80/ 20, and I got more angry, especially by the arrogancy and non communicative way they had, like floating in the air communication sort of way, dead end homepages: I love uploading with flags and all, and that sort of crap.. I earned enough to pay someones house and they still pissed on me!
So I left them one evening, when I was extra mad. Thats 3-4 years ago and Im still mad, with a vengeance. I have no regrets. Its nice to not be mad and not feel abused every evening, when you go to bed. Is there a loss? Yes, but it is 80% on them. Ha!
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: jodijacobson on June 13, 2017, 17:40
Still pays my mortgage. And I get answered with respect. The same respect I give them. Still upload as much as I can. The more I upload the more I make. Speaking as an Exclusive. As Much as 2012 in comparison to uploads, No, but still happy.
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: jonbull on June 13, 2017, 18:04
Still pays my mortgage. And I get answered with respect. The same respect I give them. Still upload as much as I can. The more I upload the more I make. Speaking as an Exclusive. As Much as 2012 in comparison to uploads, No, but still happy.


i agree with you..despite the doom and bloom after january stock is the best performer...sure i would have more money with old royalty scheme, but with royalty scheme i sold practically 1/5 download for month compared to now, and the return per image is still 0,56 cent, with very few images sold for less than 0,15. i agree the more i upload slowly more sale and growth every month. i was so stupid to not upload during the boom era of micro stock, collecting travel and travel and file over file, so now i have an immense backlog that i 'm uploading month after month. and despite the growths is 10-20'% the results are better than what i thought last year when i decided to upload all my backlog.
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: jonbull on June 13, 2017, 18:05
I find it rather good, in line with SS. Yes there are some cents sales but there are more than $1 too so it levels out to be similar to SS which orbits around $0.25 mostly. Also I got a couple of $40 sales in last 6 months or so and the best I had on SS is $5, so there is that too. Uploading is rather fast and simple with deepmeta3.
But take it with grain of salt as I'm pretty new here with tiny portfolio.

i agree...i sell like crazy in think stock especially with more than 15 40 dollar sales in last 3 months. really despite the 15% the growth of sals is amazing in stock. so for now the merging haas been a good choice.
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: Lostlenscap on June 13, 2017, 19:13
Agree with  most all the posts above, I hate the 15% commission rate, but as most of my sales are through partner sites- my returns are on par with SS & AS. Not knowing your portfolio or current sales dynamic... the best option maybe to upload a test port of 300 to 500 photos for a 6 month run. You are aready on the fence about it, give it a go and if you aren't happy... close your account and be done with it.  At least then you will know for certain.
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: Desintegrator on June 13, 2017, 19:56
I haven't logged in to Istock in like 7-8 months or so..

Now I did it. Where do you find reports about individual sales? I see some monthly graphs only.

I can't even see my current balance or all time earnings

Can't even find my images...
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: Mantis on June 13, 2017, 20:04
I haven't logged in to Istock in like 7-8 months or so..

Now I did it. Where do you find reports about individual sales? I see some monthly graphs only.

I can't even see my current balance or all time earnings

no more stats like the old days.  They send you a monthly report, that's it.
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: Desintegrator on June 13, 2017, 20:09
I haven't logged in to Istock in like 7-8 months or so..

Now I did it. Where do you find reports about individual sales? I see some monthly graphs only.

I can't even see my current balance or all time earnings

no more stats like the old days.  They send you a monthly report, that's it.

I see monthly earnings, but no number of dowmloads.
Where should I find my uploaded images? What if i want to delete something? Or just want to know what sells?
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: sgoodwin4813 on June 13, 2017, 20:40
FWIW, I have kept my port there, but haven't uploaded there for almost exactly a full year.

Me, too, except it's been more like 2.5 years.
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: trek on June 13, 2017, 21:30
I haven't logged in to Istock in like 7-8 months or so..

Now I did it. Where do you find reports about individual sales? I see some monthly graphs only.

I can't even see my current balance or all time earnings

no more stats like the old days.  They send you a monthly report, that's it.

I see monthly earnings, but no number of dowmloads.
Where should I find my uploaded images? What if i want to delete something? Or just want to know what sells?

They no longer allow contributors to delete their own content.  You have to write support and have a legal reason for a image to be removed.  It's the main reason I no longer upload to istock/getty. 
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: niktol on June 13, 2017, 21:45
I haven't logged in to Istock in like 7-8 months or so..

Now I did it. Where do you find reports about individual sales? I see some monthly graphs only.

I can't even see my current balance or all time earnings

no more stats like the old days.  They send you a monthly report, that's it.

I see monthly earnings, but no number of dowmloads.
Where should I find my uploaded images? What if i want to delete something? Or just want to know what sells?

My Performance -> Royalties -> Export -> Download Files

gives you a detailed monthly report on the number of downloads and royalties
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: namussi on June 14, 2017, 01:54


As always, on the forums you will find 10 persons unsatisfied about anything.
But you will not find the 1 000 000 persons telling nothing because they are simply happy like this.

And you will also not find the other 1000000 people who are unsatisfied but can't be arsed to post.
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: dragonblade on June 14, 2017, 03:48
Yes there are some cents sales but there are more than $1 too so it levels out to be similar to SS which orbits around $0.25 mostly.

Sales were not good at all in my April report. Out of those, the highest payment was 26c. Most other sales were considerably less. Doesn't inspire me with confidence.

On the other hand, I'm pretty happy with how SS is going and am very close to making my second payout there.
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: Vlad on June 14, 2017, 13:27
Getty is the most miserable agency in regards to artist:

- You cannot see your own sales!
- You cannot delete your own files!
- All of the above++ for only 15%?
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: Allsa on June 14, 2017, 16:22
I have a portfolio there, but I stopped uploading a few years ago.
Title: Re: is it worth still uploading to istock
Post by: EnginKorkmaz on June 15, 2017, 11:46
I have a portfolio there, but I stopped uploading a few years ago.
That's what I did too. Happy since.