Author Topic: Photo+ - new iStockphoto collection for non exclusives (Read 56259 times)

jbarber873 · « **Reply #50 on:** May 06, 2011, 07:36 »

I think what i might try is to NOT put the best sellers into photo+, but put images that sell well elsewhere and have gotten lost in the snarf at IS into photo+ . This way they might get a new life at IS, having already proven their worth elsewhere. The best sellers are already selling, so why jinx that?

BaldricksTrousers · « **Reply #51 on:** May 06, 2011, 07:57 »

Is it just an accident that we independents now have a getty images sales button or is it preparation for something in the pipeline?

click_click · « **Reply #52 on:** May 06, 2011, 08:01 »

Quote from: BaldricksTrousers on May 06, 2011, 07:57

Is it just an accident that we independents now have a getty images sales button or is it preparation for something in the pipeline?

Either way it looks like an attempt to get the non-exclusives excited and get the "community" engine humming again. Probably successfully unless their IT-experts pushed the wrong button (again).

Nonetheless, maybe they will offer image-exclusivity at Getty. I'm sure we'll see, just a matter of time.

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #53 on:** May 06, 2011, 08:08 »

Quote from: click_click on May 06, 2011, 07:31

Quote from: PaulieWalnuts on May 06, 2011, 07:26
...What happens when there are a ton of similar images on IS? If there are 1,000 almost identical handshakes and you price yours as E+ why would a buyer just not buy the almost identical cheaper one next to it?...

If you would price your generic hand shake as a + file then you don't understand the benefits of the new collection.

Naturally you would put images into the + collection that have almost none to none competition...

Exactly.

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #54 on:** May 06, 2011, 08:10 »

Quote from: BaldricksTrousers on May 06, 2011, 07:57

Is it just an accident that we independents now have a getty images sales button or is it preparation for something in the pipeline?

It's IS jumping the gun for whatever reason and once again, being unprepared. Sigh.

Elenathewise · « **Reply #55 on:** May 06, 2011, 08:57 »

I am not sure why they require the files to be locked-in for 6 months in this collection. Anyone has any idea?
I am reluctant to trust Istock... big surprise. In their Photo+ explanation, they definitely put a lot of emphasis on this 6 months lock-in. As if they about to reveal something else after enough people lock in their files there. Or am I being paranoid?

BaldricksTrousers · « **Reply #56 on:** May 06, 2011, 09:02 »

Quote from: Elenathewise on May 06, 2011, 08:57

I am not sure why they require the files to be locked-in for 6 months in this collection. Anyone has any idea?

Maybe just to stop people changing their minds constantly and confusing buyers even more. I can't think of another reason.

gostwyck · « **Reply #57 on:** May 06, 2011, 09:23 »

Quote from: Elenathewise on May 06, 2011, 08:57

I am not sure why they require the files to be locked-in for 6 months in this collection. Anyone has any idea?
I am reluctant to trust Istock... big surprise. In their Photo+ explanation, they definitely put a lot of emphasis on this 6 months lock-in. As if they about to reveal something else after enough people lock in their files there. Or am I being paranoid?

You can be forgiven for being paranoid with Istock __ due to their recent history we all are. I think the lock-in however is simply to stop contributors from changing their minds. I beleive it has always been the same for Exc+.

Freedom · « **Reply #58 on:** May 06, 2011, 09:39 »

You don't have to like it or opt in, but at least you have one more option, don't you? I don't understand why it sounds so bad to some.

lisafx · « **Reply #59 on:** May 06, 2011, 09:43 »

Quote from: Elenathewise on May 06, 2011, 08:57

I am not sure why they require the files to be locked-in for 6 months in this collection. Anyone has any idea?
I am reluctant to trust Istock... big surprise. In their Photo+ explanation, they definitely put a lot of emphasis on this 6 months lock-in. As if they about to reveal something else after enough people lock in their files there. Or am I being paranoid?

Nope, not paranoid. Your reasoning makes perfect sense to me. I was almost taken in by their "preserve your canister" scam. Some little voice in the back of my mind said let's wait and see. I am glad I listened to that intuition.

With Istock, there's always another shoe about to drop.

Quote from: BaldricksTrousers on May 06, 2011, 09:02

Quote from: Elenathewise on May 06, 2011, 08:57
I am not sure why they require the files to be locked-in for 6 months in this collection. Anyone has any idea?

Maybe just to stop people changing their minds constantly and confusing buyers even more. I can't think of another reason.

I would bet there's some other reason for the lockin. Just because it hasn't been revealed yet doesn't mean it's not coming.

My guess is that all images opted in to P+ will automatically go to the PP. For those of you with images on PP anyway it's probably no big deal, but for those of us who have stayed out of the PP, that would be a sticking point.

cathyslife · « **Reply #60 on:** May 06, 2011, 09:44 »

Quote from: BaldricksTrousers on May 06, 2011, 09:02

Quote from: Elenathewise on May 06, 2011, 08:57
I am not sure why they require the files to be locked-in for 6 months in this collection. Anyone has any idea?

Maybe just to stop people changing their minds constantly and confusing buyers even more. I can't think of another reason.

And the problem is that istock gives plenty of reasons to change one's mind on a daily/weekly basis. There does seem to be a lot of contributors that stand by IS no matter what, so for those contributors I guess the six-month lock is moot.

A lot of folks seem to think that IS is being prepped for a sale. And a lot of folks seem to think that the big swing is towards moving those who qualify over to midstock and the rest to Thinkstock. So, if that's the case, this latest scheme just to be some sort of short-term, stop-gap, desperation move to infuse yet more capital. To me, it doesn't seem like it should be viewed as any sort of long-term goal for non-exclusives, especially with istock's past and the general feeling of mistrust towards them by contributors. Just my 2 cents.

click_click · « **Reply #61 on:** May 06, 2011, 09:53 »

Being paranoid or not, what else is there to lose at iStock?

We finally moved on, accepting the fact that this awesome iStock we once knew has become something else.

As a newbie or hobby contributor I'd have left them a long time ago but like other long time contributors I cannot afford to leave, no matter if they give me 15%, 10% or 5% commission.

I still would be making more there than at most other sites. What am I supposed to do? Tell my wife that we can't afford health insurance anymore because of my pride?

I opted a few files in and see what happens. With the downward trend so many have talked about (I repeat), what else is there to lose?

Gannet77 · « **Reply #62 on:** May 06, 2011, 10:03 »

Quote from: lisafx on May 06, 2011, 09:43

Quote from: BaldricksTrousers on May 06, 2011, 09:02
Quote from: Elenathewise on May 06, 2011, 08:57
I am not sure why they require the files to be locked-in for 6 months in this collection. Anyone has any idea?

Maybe just to stop people changing their minds constantly and confusing buyers even more. I can't think of another reason.

I would bet there's some other reason for the lockin. Just because it hasn't been revealed yet doesn't mean it's not coming.

My guess is that all images opted in to P+ will automatically go to the PP. For those of you with images on PP anyway it's probably no big deal, but for those of us who have stayed out of the PP, that would be a sticking point.

Why would you think that? Surely if anything like that were contemplated, it would be more likely that images NOT in P+ would be put in the PP?

I don't see any reason to suppose any such thing myself. The 6 month lock-in applied to E+ as well, I'd agree with Baldrick and his trousers, it's just for a little stability. And God knows, they need a little stability...

Microbius · « **Reply #63 on:** May 06, 2011, 10:06 »

My guess is that the images are going to made available the Getty site. That would explain the sudden appearance of the G.I. sales button and the emphasis on the the lock in.

gostwyck · « **Reply #64 on:** May 06, 2011, 10:39 »

Having given this some thought I believe this is a win-win opportunity for independent contributors.

Price-wise our P+ images will be no more expensive than all basic exclusive images and the evidence we have suggests that buyers aren't particularly sensitive at that level.

I'm sorting My Uploads by DL/month and, with a few exceptions, moving most of my best-sellers over to P+. At the very least I'm hoping that the gain in higher-priced sales will offset the 10% reduction in commission I had in January. It is usually the case that 60% of a contributor's sales will come from just 10% of their portfolio so having those all P+ should make a big difference to income.

Not only that but we should gain additional RC's too. More to the point you could be putting yourself at a significant disadvantage RC-wise if you don't take this opportunity and most others do.

I'm struggling to cope with the concept that we have apparently just had some good news from Istock but at the moment I can't see a downside to P+.

epantha · « **Reply #65 on:** May 06, 2011, 10:51 »

I'm going to go for it and move files into the P+ category. I have a full time job so it doesn't matter if I get more or less sales. Already sold one of my top sellers that was moved into P+ last night so I'm hoping for the best and hope to see improvement in overall sales soon.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #66 on:** May 06, 2011, 11:46 »

I also think that this may be positive.. I have placed a few of mine so far (not that I have big sales but why not trying..) but we do need to actually think of some because a buyer can go to look in cheaper pics, maybe not.. But I do believe that pictures that have less competition should be all photo +

lisafx · « **Reply #67 on:** May 06, 2011, 11:58 »

You guys are very persuasive

I am going to lay down my natural skepticism and add some P+ files.

disorderly · « **Reply #68 on:** May 06, 2011, 12:01 »

Quote from: lisafx on May 06, 2011, 11:58

You guys are very persuasive

I am going to lay down my natural skepticism and add some P+ files.

Lisa, I know how you feel.

I'm still removing my port a few at a time. The way I'm going it'll take another year and a half to get them all gone, and of course I'm deleting the non- and slow sellers first. So I can't see any harm in moving some better sellers to P+. I wouldn't get to them for removal until long after the six months is up. Unless of course they decide that that's the wrong timeframe and up it to a year or more. But they wouldn't do that. They wouldn't, would they?

Risamay · « **Reply #69 on:** May 06, 2011, 12:08 »

I went from making about $500 a month on IS to right around $100. So, for me, it's worth the gamble. My IS earnings are so pathetic, what's the risk, really? I doubt it'll make me much - if any - more, but what the heck. I'll throw a few files in. These days, if anyone buys anything from me via IS it's a miracle.

That said, am I excited about this new program? No. For many reasons others have already outlined.

rimglow · « **Reply #70 on:** May 06, 2011, 12:10 »

I moved 68 files over, but on next try, I got an "Unfortunately, we are unable to move this file into the desired collection. Please try again later."

Is there a 68 file cap?

leaf · « **Reply #71 on:** May 06, 2011, 12:20 »

Quote from: rimglow on May 06, 2011, 12:10

I moved 68 files over, but on next try, I got an "Unfortunately, we are unable to move this file into the desired collection. Please try again later."

Is there a 68 file cap?

How many files you are allowed is listed at the top right of the page where you opt images in. Perhaps 68 images was your max?

ShadySue · « **Reply #72 on:** May 06, 2011, 12:20 »

Quote from: lisafx on May 05, 2011, 18:35

Forgive the cross post, but here are my concerns about this:
...
I would need to know more about best match placement before considering putting anything in P+. ...

Trouble is, even if you're questions were answered, you couldn't trust them. Not in the 'old meaning' of trusting them, at least.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #73 on:** May 06, 2011, 12:20 »

don´t know I had 78 so I had 10% of my port.. all in, getting excited to see how it goes, worst perhaps don´t care

leaf · « **Reply #74 on:** May 06, 2011, 12:22 »

I sorted my images by my best sellers and added a selection to the Photos+ collection. I also took a screen shot of their current downloads/day so I can compare in a month or two to see if it has changed for the worse or better. Then I'll decide what to do with other images.

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Author Topic: Photo+ - new iStockphoto collection for non exclusives (Read 56259 times)

jbarber873

BaldricksTrousers

click_click

Sean Locke Photography

Sean Locke Photography

Elenathewise

BaldricksTrousers

gostwyck

Freedom

lisafx

cathyslife

click_click

Gannet77

Microbius

gostwyck

epantha

luissantos84

lisafx

disorderly

Risamay

rimglow

leaf

ShadySue

luissantos84

leaf

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