Author Topic: Why are non-exclusives still uploading new images to istock? (Read 5729 times)

sharpshot · « **on:** April 05, 2011, 15:28 »

There are so many posts in the istock section here with people complaining about istock but it seems like a lot of people are still uploading there. I can understand why exclusives would want to continue as normal with istock but why are so many non-exclusives just carrying on as normal when so many bad things have happened lately? I know we might lose some earnings by not carrying on as normal but surely putting up with this is going to make things much worse in the long term.

It isn't as if there's nowhere else to sell our images. There's lots of sites that are easier to upload to, pay a higher commission, have better communications with contributors and buyers, have a more stable website with less bugs and don't keep coming up with nasty surprises.

stockastic · « **Reply #1 on:** April 05, 2011, 15:35 »

Quote from: sharpshot on April 05, 2011, 15:28

There's lots of sites that are easier to upload to, pay a higher commission, have better communications with contributors and buyers, have a more stable website with less bugs and don't keep coming up with nasty surprises.

Everything but....sales...

lisafx · « **Reply #2 on:** April 05, 2011, 16:06 »

Because they are still 35% of my income.

lagereek · « **Reply #3 on:** April 05, 2011, 16:11 »

Because they DO generate income! its basically a great agency and lets say that when this " bad luck" has blown over, it will all go back to normal.

I hope so.

jamirae · « **Reply #4 on:** April 05, 2011, 16:18 »

Quote from: lagereek on April 05, 2011, 16:11

Because they DO generate income! its basically a great agency and lets say that when this " bad luck" has blown over, it will all go back to normal.

I hope so.

i hope so too.

yes, I still contribute to iStock because they are still a good sales outlet for my work.

stockastic · « **Reply #5 on:** April 05, 2011, 16:24 »

sharpshot - at risk of repeating previous postings, I'll give you a better answer.

I have about 150 images that sell reasonably well on SS DT and IS (although less than half are on IS). Every day, I get a couple of sales, sometimes several. I'd like to start doing more, and I don't want to support IS.

I've had those same images on CC for about 2 years without a single sale. I put them on GL last year, made some sales for a few months, made a payout - then absolutely nothing since November - stone cold.

My point is, I'm totally open to these new sites, but I need to see some number greater than zero before I'd invest more time in them. If either one of them started to generate some sales, my whole picture would change. But zero multiplied by any number is still zero.

I remain hopeful.

donding · « **Reply #6 on:** April 05, 2011, 16:25 »

I pulled everything off of there except about 120 photos and have not uploaded to them since September and don't plan to unless there are major changes...which I really doubt there will be. But on the other hand my life style isn't dependent upon iStock as many here are. A lot of them will lose income which they depend on if they stop uploading all together. I can see why they would continue to upload, but it will not have any real impact if they do. That choice is theirs and we must respect their choices.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 05, 2011, 16:30 »

my 2nd best agency.. hard to let go after so many weeks/months of uploading (growing over time too)

sharpshot · « **Reply #8 on:** April 05, 2011, 16:38 »

Quote from: lisafx on April 05, 2011, 16:06

Because they are still 35% of my income.

They're a chunk of my income too but I really feel if the other sites see us putting up with commission cuts and all the other shenanigans, it's going to get harder and harder for us to make money with microstock. They will all squeeze us, its an easy way for them to increase their profits.

sharpshot · « **Reply #9 on:** April 05, 2011, 16:43 »

Quote from: stockastic on April 05, 2011, 16:24

sharpshot - at risk of repeating previous postings, I'll give you a better answer.

I have about 150 images that sell reasonably well on Shutterstock Dreamstime and IS (although less than half are on IS). Every day, I get a couple of sales, sometimes several. I'd like to start doing more, and I don't want to support IS.

I've had those same images on CC for about 2 years without a single sale. I put them on GL last year, made some sales for a few months, made a payout - then absolutely nothing since November - stone cold.

My point is, I'm totally open to these new sites, but I need to see some number greater than zero before I'd invest more time in them. If either one of them started to generate some sales, my whole picture would change. But zero multiplied by any number is still zero.

I remain hopeful.

Why not concentrate on SS and DT until you have a big enough portfolio to get more sales on the smaller sites? I'm not saying we should all dump istock for the small sites that don't have sales but I'm sure if we just carry on as normal with istock things will just get worse.

stockastic · « **Reply #10 on:** April 05, 2011, 16:54 »

Quote from: sharpshot on April 05, 2011, 16:43

Why not concentrate on Shutterstock and Dreamstime until you have a big enough portfolio to get more sales on the smaller sites? I'm not saying we should all dump istock for the small sites that don't have sales but I'm sure if we just carry on as normal with istock things will just get worse.

That's pretty much what I'm doing, but if I'm down to just those 2, it's really hard to get motivated. It was barely worth doing even when I was counting on IS to be part of the future.

I don't quite agree though that the small size of my portfolio is why I get no sales on CC and GL. The total size of their archives is small, too, compared to the big 3. I think they just don't have enough of a customer base yet.

RT · « **Reply #11 on:** April 05, 2011, 16:54 »

Quote from: stockastic on April 05, 2011, 15:35

Quote from: sharpshot on April 05, 2011, 15:28
There's lots of sites that are easier to upload to, pay a higher commission, have better communications with contributors and buyers, have a more stable website with less bugs and don't keep coming up with nasty surprises.

Everything but....sales...

+1

I agree with what you say about the other sites but pure and simply I (and most other people) do this for the money, and those other sites don't produce the same revenue that iStock does.

lagereek · « **Reply #12 on:** April 05, 2011, 16:58 »

Quote from: sharpshot on April 05, 2011, 16:43

Quote from: stockastic on April 05, 2011, 16:24
sharpshot - at risk of repeating previous postings, I'll give you a better answer.

I have about 150 images that sell reasonably well on Shutterstock Dreamstime and IS (although less than half are on IS). Every day, I get a couple of sales, sometimes several. I'd like to start doing more, and I don't want to support IS.

I've had those same images on CC for about 2 years without a single sale. I put them on GL last year, made some sales for a few months, made a payout - then absolutely nothing since November - stone cold.

My point is, I'm totally open to these new sites, but I need to see some number greater than zero before I'd invest more time in them. If either one of them started to generate some sales, my whole picture would change. But zero multiplied by any number is still zero.

I remain hopeful.
Why not concentrate on Shutterstock and Dreamstime until you have a big enough portfolio to get more sales on the smaller sites? I'm not saying we should all dump istock for the small sites that don't have sales but I'm sure if we just carry on as normal with istock things will just get worse.

I think both Lisa and myself are concentrating just as much on SS, DT and FT and some of the smaller sites. Thats the name of the game, is it not? and perhaps thats whats annoying people like Getty, etc. I dont know?

WarrenPrice · « **Reply #13 on:** April 05, 2011, 17:06 »

Using the OP logic, the question would be "Why support ANY microstock site?"

lisafx · « **Reply #14 on:** April 05, 2011, 17:07 »

Quote from: lagereek on April 05, 2011, 16:58

I think both Lisa and myself are concentrating just as much on Shutterstock, Dreamstime and Fotolia and some of the smaller sites. Thats the name of the game, is it not? and perhaps thats whats annoying people like Getty, etc. I dont know?

Absolutely right Christian. I am devoting more of my efforts toward the sites I am on, and toward getting portfolios on some of the smaller "fair trade" sites. I have also sunk considerable time and money into starting my own site, and uploading to Dan's Contributors Collective too.

ITLR I am hoping those avenues will offer a lot more to contributors. But in the short term I am not about to give up the substantial monthly income I make at IS. Unless someone here is offering to finance my daughter's 46k/year college education.....?? Any takers?

luissantos84 · « **Reply #15 on:** April 05, 2011, 17:10 »

Quote from: lisafx on April 05, 2011, 17:07

Quote from: lagereek on April 05, 2011, 16:58

I think both Lisa and myself are concentrating just as much on Shutterstock, Dreamstime and Fotolia and some of the smaller sites. Thats the name of the game, is it not? and perhaps thats whats annoying people like Getty, etc. I dont know?

Absolutely right Christian. I am devoting more of my efforts toward the sites I am on, and toward getting portfolios on some of the smaller "fair trade" sites. I have also sunk considerable time and money into starting my own site, and uploading to Dan's Contributors Collective too.

ITLR I am hoping those avenues will offer a lot more to contributors. But in the short term I am not about to give up the substantial monthly income I make at IS. Unless someone here is offering to finance my daughter's 46k/year college education.....?? Any takers?

make her work, 4k monthly??

rubyroo · « **Reply #16 on:** April 05, 2011, 17:18 »

Quote from: lisafx on April 05, 2011, 17:07

Unless someone here is offering to finance my daughter's 46k/year college education.....?? Any takers?

Holy canola! Is that what it costs over there?

lisafx · « **Reply #17 on:** April 05, 2011, 17:21 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on April 05, 2011, 17:10

make her work, 4k monthly??

She does work. But what 19 year old can make 4k/month? I have money saved since she was a baby, and she has gotten some academic scholarship money.

I'm not saying we can't manage it. Just that I need the Istock money. As much as I would like to pull out, I am not going to "cut off my nose to spite my face".

Quote from: rubyroo on April 05, 2011, 17:18

Quote from: lisafx on April 05, 2011, 17:07
Unless someone here is offering to finance my daughter's 46k/year college education.....?? Any takers?

Holy canneloni! Is that what it costs over there?

If she wanted to stay in Florida and go to a state college it would be much cheaper.

stockastic · « **Reply #18 on:** April 05, 2011, 17:22 »

I think we're in a bad spot right now. I have no real faith that SS and DT will continue to be the "good guys" forever. And the fair trade sites aren't taking off yet.

We may get to a point where IS has alienated so many photographers AND buyers that the fair trade sites start to capture a significant share of the business. Until then it feels like we're just giving up 1/3 of our sales and nothing is filling that gap.

The 'sign' I'm waiting for right now is a couple of sales on GL. If I saw signs of life there, it would be like seeing the first robin of spring, here in Minnesota, where we've just had a very long and brutal winter.

cthoman · « **Reply #19 on:** April 05, 2011, 17:25 »

Quote from: sharpshot on April 05, 2011, 16:43

Why not concentrate on Shutterstock and Dreamstime until you have a big enough portfolio to get more sales on the smaller sites? I'm not saying we should all dump istock for the small sites that don't have sales but I'm sure if we just carry on as normal with istock things will just get worse.

As an illustrator, iStock (despite the low royalties) still pays 2 to 3 times more per sale than DT or FT and about 5 or 6 times more than SS. So, I don't really see why I should treat them any different than any other agency. That said, I've stopped uploading to all the big 4, and ditched FT. None of them are growing very much anyway, so I figured I'd focus on some smaller agencies and my own stuff.

Phil · « **Reply #20 on:** April 05, 2011, 18:06 »

I know its OT but personally DT have cut commissions twice now, while they are still much nicer to their contributors, are they really much better than FT or IS?

sharpshot · « **Reply #21 on:** April 05, 2011, 18:11 »

Quote from: RT on April 05, 2011, 16:54

Quote from: stockastic on April 05, 2011, 15:35
Quote from: sharpshot on April 05, 2011, 15:28
There's lots of sites that are easier to upload to, pay a higher commission, have better communications with contributors and buyers, have a more stable website with less bugs and don't keep coming up with nasty surprises.

Everything but....sales...

+1

I agree with what you say about the other sites but pure and simply I (and most other people) do this for the money, and those other sites don't produce the same revenue that iStock does.

I only do this for the money. I'm not saying we should all ditch istock, I just don't understand why lots of people are complaining about them constantly but carrying on uploading new images. They are going to find it easy to cut commissions again in the future because they know people will kick up a stink but they wont stop supplying them. The other sites will probably do the same.

stockastic · « **Reply #22 on:** April 05, 2011, 18:15 »

Buyers need to start finding out about these 'fair trade' sites, and IS has to become such a pain for them that they're willing to look elsewhere. It could happen.

rubyroo · « **Reply #23 on:** April 05, 2011, 18:16 »

Quote from: lisafx on April 05, 2011, 17:21

If she wanted to stay in Florida and go to a state college it would be much cheaper.

Thanks for clarifying that. I hope she does well, reaps great rewards and is eternally grateful to you!

alexmk · « **Reply #24 on:** April 05, 2011, 18:23 »

Quote from: Phil on April 05, 2011, 18:06

I know its OT but personally Dreamstime have cut commissions twice now, while they are still much nicer to their contributors, are they really much better than Fotolia or IS?

No, they're not. Actually DT is the worst at Big 4