MicrostockGroup

Well, I for one, have certainly stopped uploading.
I even ignored private requests received via IStock - mail.
It's the 15% commission - I can't wrap my mind around it. It hurts.

I believe there are a few other artists, (very successful), who have done the same - Anja Kaiser, Thomas Amby, 9 Lives, Cory, to name just a few.
But I'm not sure, it's not my business, so let's just wait for them to come visit themselves and tell you their story.

Changes taking place in January are bad for everyone, but the pain is certainly worse for vector artists.
Vector artists need a higher number of R Credits to climb up the levels, they have no access to Vetta anymore and no access to Agency.
Not fair.
On top of that, uploading a vector file to IStock is a seriously irritating process. (forget about Deep Meta, it doesn't work with vectors).
All in all, Istock is pushing vector artists to the limits.
I wonder why.
Their vector collection used to be one of the best in the world. Seems like a strange way to reward some of your most successful artists.
But hey, the very intelligent people at Getty know what they're doing. We should trust them.
Or maybe not.

Sounds like great news, if it means that the unhappiness and boycotting by some artists is getting through to them.

Hahaha!
No Sadstock
God, I wish I was that good
I meant custom work - individual buyers contact you to request custom work and they do it via the site's mail. They send you private messages.
You get those from time to time, not only at IStock and not only for vector artists
Unfortunately for me, IStock couldn't care less if I keep on uploading or not. 
But hey, that's life. 

Rather than ignore a private request from a buyer, why not create the image (if you think it is worth your while) and tell them it is available at another site which pays you a fair commission?  That way you make a sale, convert a customer to another site, and improve your commission percentage all at once.

I have never found it to be so. In what way?

Actually, that's a very good idea DPadanova.
Not quite fair to IStock, but given the circumstances it's probably what Getty deserves.
Use IStock for the exposure, get the work, but send buyers to sites that offer a better commission.
Not bad
Anyhow, too late now

John,
uploading vectors is never quite as easy as uploading photos. However, IStock's vector uploading system is the worst. By a distance.
The 3 preliminary steps to go through each and every time, (are you sure ...? is this your image ...? what about the elements ...?), no title, no description, no keywords, and sometimes not even a thumbnail.
A blank page with a red img placeholder is all I get.
And then there aer the categories, the scrolling windows, horizontal, vertical, back and forth, the errors and the bugs and the failed uploads.
Not easy.  

Try uploading to other sites, ANY other site, and you'll see immediately what I mean.
They're all doing a better job of it, and the best of them are super fast.
Well, I can only hope IStock will fix this problem. One day.

I feel foolish for doing so, but I've got two images pending over there since November 3 (which leads me on topic, because the review process is definitely not quicker than usual at my end). I wish I could afford not to, but at least for now I can't 

Can I clarify Thomas, are you talking about istock? I couldn't see a link to your portfolio there and as Eireann put you in the 'very successful' class I was interested to see your IS portfolio. For non-exclusives 14 days does seem to be within the parameters of normal at IS, I'm exclusive and have had images recently inspected in 2 hours but have also had to wait a few days for some too.

Yes, I was talking about iStock. I'm not a big fish, far from. My images sell well but I don't have many, here's my link: http://www.istockphoto.com/user_view.php?id=3771611

All my images have been approved within 14 days but I believe never in less than 5 days.
Is the topic originator an IS exclusive ?

John Woodcock,

Let me repeat it - just to make it clear - IStock's vector upload system is the worst.
Of them all.

I haven't uploaded anything in the past 2 months, but this is what I would normally get - no title, no description, no keywords, and sometimes not even a thumbnail.
A blank page. 
Not ever has the IStock upload sytem managed to keep my keywords/title/description in place. Not once.
Seriously irritating and the worst of them all. 

Off topic - for John Woodcock only : 

Every single time I post something even remotely negative about IStock, I get the IStock Exclusives to go straight to my port and start criticising - 'Oh, but you only have this X number of files, you've only been doing for this X number of months, you only have X number of sales, your port s**ks, you should shut up and never dare to criticise IStock anymore!'.

Basically, you're ignoring my point, (and the original subject of the topic), and you're bullying me.
You're using my IStock port and sales. You mention (sarcasm?) something about me being faced with 'insurmountable difficulties'.
By that you actually mean  - I was rejected by Istock.

OK. I've had enough. This time I'm going to defend myself.

Facts :
My Istock acceptance rate before the F5 - 89%.
Not that bad. Not much uploaded since, and indeed a few rejections.

Been accepted as a vector contributor on my very first try.
Again, not that bad. It doesn't happen very often.

Most of my vectors on IStock have a maximum of 3 keywords, (not including 'vector' and 'illustration'.
This fact alone should be enough to tell you how keen I was to sell my work on Istock.
3 keywords, that's how keen.

Compare that with my port on the other sites.
Are you trying to tell me that I was rejected by IStock? Only gave them my best work?
(By the way, that's another IStock myth).
In my case, not ever.
Think twice John. Polish that pixels crown, make it shine.
Be nice to new contributors, it can make a difference and it doesn't cost a thing

Ah, yeah, and IStock's vector upload system is the worst. Have I mentioned that?

Hang on, I reject that accusation completely. You are being paranoid. I was not being sarcastic, I was commenting on the fact that you did seem to face a lot of difficulties considering the number of vector images you have on IS, which, you must admit, is not a lot. You have completely misunderstood the meaning of my post and it was not suggesting 'you were rejected by iStock', and I don't even understand what you mean by that, as I can see you are an IS vector contributor.
You consider the IS upload system worst of all, I accept your opinion and have nothing to add as it's the only one I have used. I'm quite happy to take your word on that.
What I was commenting on was the fact that, considering you have a small vector portfolio, that you have had a reletively large number of problems uploading and had been unlucky in your experience.


Now I've had a few of those too, and the site is annoyingly buggy at times, but to have as high an acceptance rate as you have ( higher than mine) AND to have a small portfolio means proportionately you have been pretty unlucky IMHO in experiencing so many bugs. I might experience problems maybe 1 in 50 or 100 uploads, I thought you had been unlucky, that was what I meant. To launch some paranoid attack on me is unjustified, and to accuse me of bullying is completely unwarranted. I think you need to remove the large chip on your shoulder.

Just to remind you, here is my 'bullying' post. If you can point out the bullying part of it I'd be happy to apologise. And I said 'inordinate', not 'insurmountable'.


I said 'insurmountable' here, but not relating to you, just as a general point.