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Microstock Photography Forum - General => Newbie Discussion => Topic started by: gerg on July 27, 2017, 10:55

Title: Extended licence
Post by: gerg on July 27, 2017, 10:55
Hello,

i see on many microstockagencie  that we  can sell  photo with extended licence. For example on dreamstime, we can set our own price, and on other like fotolia we cant, its a fixed price (100 credit at this moment).

So my question is  must we set an extended licence when if possible or just disable it? I ve see a lot of contributor disable it.
And if you accept EL how to set a price?

Thanks
Title: Re: Extended licence
Post by: Jo Ann Snover on July 27, 2017, 11:10
Where you have control, it's entirely up to you to decide what to do.

On dreamstime, for example, I disabled ELs when they started giving them away (I don't mean that literally; they had some really cheap subscription deals that paid us a fraction of a credit EL). I disabled ELs on Shutterstock when they cut the royalties, but renabled them in April to see if it made a difference to SOD sales (I had a theory that perhaps images with ELs disabled were not included in searches for corporate clients).

If you don't think the price is fair, you can disable ELs. If you sell through your own site, you could hope to steer EL sales there by disabling at the agencies, but it'd be the rare portfolio for which that would make a difference - there's too much choice at most of the agencies and buyers will likely find something similar to yours that they like well enough to license it.
Title: Re: Extended licence
Post by: gerg on July 27, 2017, 11:18
Thank you for your detailed answer.
Title: Re: Extended licence
Post by: angelawaye on July 28, 2017, 21:58
Jo Ann, did it make a difference?
I disabled the EL on SS and I feel like I was punished (my theory) ... I love how FT lets you set the EL.
Title: Re: Extended licence
Post by: gerg on July 29, 2017, 01:03
We need to ask the support now.
Title: Re: Extended licence
Post by: Jo Ann Snover on July 29, 2017, 01:33
Jo Ann, did it make a difference?
I disabled the EL on SS and I feel like I was punished (my theory) ... I love how FT lets you set the EL.

I can't be sure, but I think it did. The high value SODs (versus those for a few dollars or a few cents) had disappeared completely - but other people were seeing declines in those, so you can't be sure.

The day after I turned ELs back on, I got a $66 SOD and two (rather lowball) ELs! I realized this wasn't going to be a daily occurrence - and it hasn't been, sadly - but I have seen a few high-value SODs each month since then. The theory that lowering EL prices would increase volume is bollocks - as everyone knew it was when SS made the change - but I decided I was willing to put up with those $17 and $19 royalties for ELs to try (for a year) and see if the SODs  returned.

I think a decent agency would be fully transparent about what happens if you opt out of various items, but I don't expect SS to do that, so I figured a 12 month experiment would give me enough of a guide that I could then decide whether to leave ELs turned on or not. If ELs are few and far between, access to SODs would make the overall deal a good one for contributors.
Title: Re: Extended licence
Post by: Mir on July 29, 2017, 03:20
We can't disable the  Unlimited Seats (U-EL) license on dreamstime as it is included in the normal royalty free license , is that right ?
Title: Re: Extended licence
Post by: angelawaye on July 29, 2017, 08:30
Thanks Jo Ann for your reply. I hate selling EL's for so little.
It is a shame they dropped the price. I wonder what cuts will happen in 2018 ...
Title: Re: Extended licence
Post by: Mantis on July 29, 2017, 09:08
I have seen no big EL for months. All now just a few bucks. So I believe that SS has moved their model down into the price war basement and we are seeing it in our total revenues.  Over the last three months alone I have gone from over $1200 then to mid $800's and now to mid $400's (July). Thanks SS.
Title: Re: Extended licence
Post by: angelawaye on July 29, 2017, 10:32
Very true mantis. I just can't believe how bad it is getting. You aren't alone.
Title: Re: Extended licence
Post by: gerg on July 31, 2017, 09:26
thanks for the replies.
Title: Re: Extended licence
Post by: Dumc on August 02, 2017, 09:36
Jo Ann, did it make a difference?
I disabled the EL on SS and I feel like I was punished (my theory) ... I love how FT lets you set the EL.

I can't be sure, but I think it did. The high value SODs (versus those for a few dollars or a few cents) had disappeared completely - but other people were seeing declines in those, so you can't be sure.

The day after I turned ELs back on, I got a $66 SOD and two (rather lowball) ELs! I realized this wasn't going to be a daily occurrence - and it hasn't been, sadly - but I have seen a few high-value SODs each month since then. The theory that lowering EL prices would increase volume is bollocks - as everyone knew it was when SS made the change - but I decided I was willing to put up with those $17 and $19 royalties for ELs to try (for a year) and see if the SODs  returned.

I think a decent agency would be fully transparent about what happens if you opt out of various items, but I don't expect SS to do that, so I figured a 12 month experiment would give me enough of a guide that I could then decide whether to leave ELs turned on or not. If ELs are few and far between, access to SODs would make the overall deal a good one for contributors.

Since the change I definately got more ELs than before.