Author Topic: I deactivated all my video clips on iStock due to the new pricing coming soon. (Read 34594 times)

helloitsme · « **on:** September 03, 2014, 20:25 »

According to the iStockvideo forum there,

http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=362762&page=1

"As officially posted elsewhere, credits under the new system will be $8 - $15 each, depending on the amount purchased.

So, assuming this new (and much anticipated) information is accurate, we can assume that "essential" videos will cost $48 - $90 each, with our royalties being:

15% = $7.20 - $13.50
16% = $7.68 - $14.40
17% = $8.16 - $15.30
18% = $8.64 - $16.20
19% = $9.12 - $17.10
20% = $9.60 - $18.00 (but really, who actually can reach 20%?)

If the above is correct (please correct me if I'm wrong), that's quite a drop in commissions here for us, unless something else is changing that we don't know about.

(Edited on 2014-09-03 12:00:20 by OrlowskiDesigns)"

Mantis · « **Reply #1 on:** September 03, 2014, 20:41 »

This is exactly how i read it. Simply frustrating. Im running out of agencies to dump.

helloitsme · « **Reply #2 on:** September 03, 2014, 20:57 »

Quote from: Mantis on September 03, 2014, 20:41

This is exactly how i read it. Simply frustrating. Im running out of agencies to dump.

This new iStock pricing for video is plain disgusting for contributors. Newcomer non exclusive contributor will get average of only $10 for a sale of 1080P full HD video clip. That's equivalent of pricing your video clip at $20 on Pond5. Only some junk home video quality contributor will price their video clip that low on pond5.

Will · « **Reply #3 on:** September 03, 2014, 21:25 »

With this scheme I hope istock soon experiences a lack of quality video submissions. My sense is that many video contributors are very aware of the price / royalty problems on the photo side and will not be as willing to put up with this kind of crap for videos.

So far video contributors do have an excellent option with Pond5 offering 50 percent royalty, set your own price and a great sales record. In my opinion if Pond5 has been able to do very well with that percentage of payout other agencies don't really have a good excuse to offer less!

Mantis · « **Reply #4 on:** September 03, 2014, 21:46 »

Quote from: Will on September 03, 2014, 21:25

With this scheme I hope istock soon experiences a lack of quality video submissions. My sense is that many video contributors are very aware of the price / royalty problems on the photo side and will not be as willing to put up with this kind of crap for videos.

So far video contributors do have an excellent option with Pond5 offering 50 percent royalty, set your own price and a great sales record. In my opinion if Pond5 has been able to do very well with that percentage of payout other agencies don't really have a good excuse to offer less!

Right. The pricing customers will pay is close to shutterstock but Istock keeps 85% of the money. I support fair trade sites. Istock is not a fair trade site. Sick of them. Once this doesn't work they will restructure everything all over again and find another way to cut our commissions.

PeterChigmaroff · « **Reply #5 on:** September 03, 2014, 21:52 »

Normally I would just yank my stuff but in this rare case I'm leaving it put- for a while. I haven't uploaded any new material on iStockVideo for quite a while. Sales there have dropped to less than a dribble. It's pretty easy to get $75 or $100 for a sale on P5 and keep half of that. Why soil the well; or in this case, the Pond?

KB · « **Reply #6 on:** September 03, 2014, 22:03 »

Quote from: Zeus on September 03, 2014, 21:52

Normally I would just yank my stuff but in this rare case I'm leaving it put- for a while. I haven't uploaded any new material on iStockVideo for quite a while. Sales there have dropped to less than a dribble. It's pretty easy to get $75 or $100 for a sale on P5 and keep half of that. Why soil the well; or in this case, the Pond?

You can do what I'm going to do: Remove all keywords except for 5 generic ones (e.g., video, hd, etc.). That way they'll continue to eat up their server space, and be available to be put back into circulation if they ever get their heads out of ....

Mantis · « **Reply #7 on:** September 03, 2014, 22:22 »

Quote from: KB on September 03, 2014, 22:03

Quote from: Zeus on September 03, 2014, 21:52
Normally I would just yank my stuff but in this rare case I'm leaving it put- for a while. I haven't uploaded any new material on iStockVideo for quite a while. Sales there have dropped to less than a dribble. It's pretty easy to get $75 or $100 for a sale on P5 and keep half of that. Why soil the well; or in this case, the Pond?
You can do what I'm going to do: Remove all keywords except for 5 generic ones (e.g., video, hd, etc.). That way they'll continue to eat up their server space, and be available to be put back into circulation if they ever get their heads out of ....

Great idea

ccbcc · « **Reply #8 on:** September 15, 2014, 03:24 »

I'm in the process of deactivating my files and membership of iStock. It's the only way things may change, although they probably won't.

sharpshot · « **Reply #9 on:** September 15, 2014, 04:05 »

Off to deactivate the few video clips I had left there.

sharpshot · « **Reply #10 on:** September 15, 2014, 04:11 »

I can't see a deactivation link now, how do you do it?

targoszstock · « **Reply #11 on:** September 15, 2014, 06:00 »

I think the price is $28,4 (based on real live sales people are reporting) - $65 each. James has calculated the $90 based on one credit price, when buying video file you get a cheaper 6 credit pack. So here is how it looks right now:

15% = $4.26 - $9.75 (that's what I get)
16% = $4.54 - $10.40
17% = $4.82 - $11.05
18% = $5.11 - $11.70
19% = $5.40 - $12.35
20% = $5.68 - $13.00

ShadySue · « **Reply #12 on:** September 15, 2014, 06:26 »

Quote from: sharpshot on September 15, 2014, 04:11

I can't see a deactivation link now, how do you do it?

I don't know if it's the same with video, but with stills, from the file's homepage:
Click Administration (Under the details section, right hand column).
Nothing seems to happen, but right at the very top left of the page, a Manage File link appears in a dark grey bar. (Yeah, I know, totally counter-intuitive, but it's been like that for a while now.)
Hover over Manage File and Deactivate File is the bottom of your three choices.

KimsCreativeHub · « **Reply #13 on:** September 15, 2014, 06:39 »

Shutterstock still has 5 web size for $79 and 5 HD for $369

My Very Best

KimsCreativeHub.com

sharpshot · « **Reply #14 on:** September 15, 2014, 06:56 »

Quote from: ShadySue on September 15, 2014, 06:26

Quote from: sharpshot on September 15, 2014, 04:11
I can't see a deactivation link now, how do you do it?
I don't know if it's the same with video, but with stills, from the file's homepage:
Click Administration (Under the details section, right hand column).
Nothing seems to happen, but right at the very top left of the page, a Manage File link appears in a dark grey bar. (Yeah, I know, totally counter-intuitive, but it's been like that for a while now.)
Hover over Manage File and Deactivate File is the bottom of your three choices.

Thanks, I still can't seem to find a way to do it. I sent an email asking them to deactivate all my clips or explain how I can do it. Luckily they don't sell many of the few I left there, so I'm not too bothered.

sharpshot · « **Reply #15 on:** September 15, 2014, 17:10 »

I will bookmark this link, just deactivated my first one:-
http://istockfaq.gettyimages.com/how-do-i-deactivate-a-file/

stocker2011 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 16, 2014, 10:37 »

I thought it would be a couple of months before i saw these low royalty sales coming through but yeah it's already beginning to kick in. I'm getting royalties of $8.74 for full HD files which i was previously getting around $24.00. If they wanted to undercut their competitors they could of at least have given us a fair royalty rate or at the very least put it back to 20% or 22% to make drop not quite so harsh.

It's hurting hard. I actually feel quite desperate and not sure what to do, I've been a video contributor with istock for such a long time and this is really pushing it too far. And what if the other sites follow suit? Very worrying overall.

targoszstock · « **Reply #17 on:** September 16, 2014, 11:32 »

Quote from: KimsCreativeHub on September 15, 2014, 06:39

Shutterstock still has 5 web size for $79 and 5 HD for $369

My stupid mistake, sorry. I always saw prices in USD, as it turns out now I see in Euro ; )

KimsCreativeHub · « **Reply #18 on:** September 16, 2014, 11:35 »

Quote from: targoszstock on September 16, 2014, 11:32

Quote from: KimsCreativeHub on September 15, 2014, 06:39
Shutterstock still has 5 web size for $79 and 5 HD for $369

My stupid mistake, sorry. I always saw prices in USD, as it turns out now I see in Euro ; )

Easy mistake

My Very Best

KimsCreativeHub.com

stockmn · « **Reply #19 on:** September 16, 2014, 12:02 »

Quote from: sharpshot on September 15, 2014, 17:10

I will bookmark this link, just deactivated my first one:-
http://istockfaq.gettyimages.com/how-do-i-deactivate-a-file/

Is there anyway to delete video clips other than one at a time? 2,000 clips will take forever to remove.

PeterChigmaroff · « **Reply #20 on:** September 16, 2014, 12:06 »

It started for me today.

16/09/2014 8:16 AM MDT HD 1080 (mov) Regular $7.50 USD

Pathetic!

Gannet77 · « **Reply #21 on:** September 16, 2014, 14:09 »

You're doing better than I am -

16/09/2014 10:45 AM MDT HD 1080 (mov) Regular $4.26 USD

on the other hand, it's only the third clip I've sold there all year, so unless I get to feeling that iStock is taking sales from Pond5 or SS I'm not about to deactivate. Won't be rushing to upload new stuff though...

targoszstock · « **Reply #22 on:** September 17, 2014, 01:22 »

Same here

16/09/2014 9:48 PM MDT HD 1080 (mov) Regular $4.92 USD

Gannet77 · « **Reply #23 on:** September 19, 2014, 04:20 »

Another one - that's the second this week, after having only two all year up to then -

19/09/2014 3:05 AM MDT HD 1080 (mov) Regular $6.24 USD

Worryingly though, the same file sold on SS just the other day and I made $23.33, although the price to the buyer would have been only slightly more than on iStock.

Now that does concern me; they are undercutting the other sites and paying me less. A lot less. Going video exclusive might make up for it, but then my clips could be overpriced and anyway, they don't do editorial video, which would lose me many of my better sellers elsewhere. No can do.

I'm thinking I may have to deactivate any clips on iStock that sell on other sites and just leave the poor sellers with them...

sharpshot · « **Reply #24 on:** September 19, 2014, 04:27 »

I'm not even leaving the clips that don't sell much, I will just leave one clip on the site. Everything can sell and I don't want a buyer to buy something on istock when they could find it on another site that pays me much more.

Gannet77 · « **Reply #25 on:** September 19, 2014, 05:27 »

Quote from: sharpshot on September 19, 2014, 04:27

I'm not even leaving the clips that don't sell much, I will just leave one clip on the site. Everything can sell and I don't want a buyer to buy something on istock when they could find it on another site that pays me much more.

Well, obviously that's your choice - but I don't sell many clips on any sites as a rule, and if iStock were to be able to continue selling my clips at the rate of two a week, even at these low payments, it would be no bad thing for me, provided it has no obvious impact on other sales of course.

So, while it's a concern, I'm not about to jump into any precipitate action. I'll see how things develop over the next couple of months first.

Or, perhaps in future I'll upload to iStock at 720p instead of 1080p....

KB · « **Reply #26 on:** September 19, 2014, 10:16 »

Quote from: Gannet77 on September 19, 2014, 05:27

Quote from: sharpshot on September 19, 2014, 04:27
I'm not even leaving the clips that don't sell much, I will just leave one clip on the site. Everything can sell and I don't want a buyer to buy something on istock when they could find it on another site that pays me much more.

Well, obviously that's your choice - but I don't sell many clips on any sites as a rule, and if iStock were to be able to continue selling my clips at the rate of two a week, even at these low payments, it would be no bad thing for me, provided it has no obvious impact on other sales of course.

So, while it's a concern, I'm not about to jump into any precipitate action. I'll see how things develop over the next couple of months first.

By doing this, you (and any indie who remains on IS) are rewarding them for making these changes. I don't think any indie should accept single digit (or even < $20) commissions for HD files. It's a slippery slope to support any such site.

It would take time, but eventually I believe many buyers would learn that indie clips are available on IS for a lower price than other sites. How do you benefit if IS pulls buyers from better paying sites? Do you really think you're going to sell 3x as many clips (just to break even by losing a single sale on another site) than you would by not being on IS?

The good news is, I think most indie producers are smart enough to see what is happening, and will pull their ports from IS. So buyers won't flock there after all, because there won't be a very wide selection of indie clips to choose from. I hope I'm not giving my fellow indies too much credit.

Gannet77 · « **Reply #27 on:** September 19, 2014, 10:33 »

Thank you...

I do value your opinion, but I will make my own choices, as and when I am ready.

KB · « **Reply #28 on:** September 19, 2014, 10:38 »

Quote from: Gannet77 on September 19, 2014, 10:33

Thank you...

I do value your opinion, but I will make my own choices, as and when I am ready.

That's all any of us can (should) do.

Mantis · « **Reply #29 on:** September 19, 2014, 20:22 »

I haven't checked but isn't he video pricing about the same as SS? If this is true, buyers don't care. It's the commission that we get that's the difference between commissions on SS vs. IS. That's basically invisible to the buyer. I think the real root variance is commission level. And by staying with IS we are accepting 1/3 to 1/2 of the commission SS pays.

stockmn · « **Reply #30 on:** September 19, 2014, 22:35 »

An HD video at istock is selling for $48-65 depending on credit pack. So no, they are undercutting SS pricing and paying us less.....WAY less.

Dangerous precedent for both low pricing and low commission. That's a good reason to remove videos.

KB · « **Reply #31 on:** September 19, 2014, 22:37 »

Quote from: Mantis on September 19, 2014, 20:22

I haven't checked but isn't he video pricing about the same as SS? If this is true, buyers don't care. It's the commission that we get that's the difference between commissions on SS vs. IS. That's basically invisible to the buyer. I think the real root variance is commission level. And by staying with IS we are accepting 1/3 to 1/2 of the commission SS pays.

An Essentials video costs 6 credits. Credits (without discounts, which are abundant) cost $8 - $11, so $48 - $66.

On SS, an HD (non subscription) video typically runs $68 - $74.

So the most expensive video on IS is still a couple of bucks cheaper than the cheapest HD video on SS. But your point is still mostly valid; it's the commission rate that really kills us.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #32 on:** September 20, 2014, 09:19 »

Yes, I know the feeling. Two more to go before the new year, and maybe I'll have the last three that pay anything for myself.

Quote from: Mantis on September 03, 2014, 20:41

This is exactly how i read it. Simply frustrating. Im running out of agencies to dump.

targoszstock · « **Reply #33 on:** October 01, 2014, 02:11 »

How about deactivating entire iStock portfolio, and re uploading everything, as well as the new files in 720p resolution only. This way your full HD content elsewhere does not get undercut by iStock pricing.

What do you think?

I have checked with iStock, there is no way of deactivating only full HD and leaving the file with lower resolutions online. You have to deactivate the file itself, and than re upload it in lower resolution.

helloitsme · « **Reply #34 on:** October 01, 2014, 14:36 »

Quote from: targoszstock on October 01, 2014, 02:11

How about deactivating entire iStock portfolio, and re uploading everything, as well as the new files in 720p resolution only. This way your full HD content elsewhere does not get undercut by iStock pricing.

What do you think?

I have checked with iStock, there is no way of deactivating only full HD and leaving the file with lower resolutions online. You have to deactivate the file itself, and than re upload it in lower resolution.

Forget about iStock. I hope they'll close the store in a year or two. Too disrespectful to us creators. Bye bye iStock!

Six Dun · « **Reply #35 on:** October 09, 2014, 04:37 »

I also took all my clips out from iStock because of the drop of comissions for contributors. I think that their lower prices affect sales on another pages as SS and Pond5, where I sell footage.

U11 · « **Reply #36 on:** October 09, 2014, 10:05 »

deactivated all but one video
it was not a lot anyway I stopped to upload due to their low commission a while ago

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Author Topic: I deactivated all my video clips on iStock due to the new pricing coming soon. (Read 34594 times)

Uncle Pete

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