pancakes

MicrostockGroup Sponsors


Author Topic: BigStock e-mail about subscriptions and an RC-like payment system  (Read 59143 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

« Reply #100 on: February 08, 2013, 09:29 »
0


Same here. I think we're going to get extra screwed on this. Probably make us start out at the lowest rate.

Well I am a bridger and while I get the 38cents rate on SS I will be level 1 and get only 25 cents on BS. Don't see why i should keep my portfolio on BS.

« Last Edit: February 08, 2013, 09:33 by Dark_Angel »


« Reply #101 on: February 08, 2013, 09:37 »
+2
Those levels are so ridiculous that they would only make any sense at all if they were the rates for SS itself, not BS. Even on SS which sells vastly more than BS I would drop a couple of levels if they brought that in, but on BS I wouldn't even make level 3.

Which makes me fear that suggestions of a full BS+SS merger are in the pipeline and this rate will be applied to the joint agency (and, of course, it won't matter if you have left BS if they manage to migrate the buyers to SS, along with the payment scheme, the way iS tried to migrate the StockXpert buyers.)

« Reply #102 on: February 08, 2013, 09:58 »
+2
SS
- 10k $ to reach the 38 cents (even at 38 cents RPD which nobody has, the 10k $ / 38 cents = 26316 downloads)

BigStock
- 50k downloads in the latest 12 months to get the same 38 cents

EmberMike

« Reply #103 on: February 08, 2013, 11:04 »
0
...Which makes me fear that suggestions of a full BS+SS merger are in the pipeline and this rate will be applied to the joint agency...

This rate schedule makes that idea look very plausible. 50k at Bigstock is bonkers. But at SS it's do-able. Not easy, but it can be done. And the schedule makes more sense if you look at it as being applied to SS instead of Bigstock. So yeah, maybe these numbers were decided upon with some future merger in mind.

Scary stuff.


« Reply #104 on: February 08, 2013, 11:23 »
+1
Currently are only rumors and conjecture ( with high percentage the RC system will be implemented on SS).... If SS will implement the BS like system than our only chance ( to make a fair income from microstock) will be that Yuri opens Peopleimages.com to the general public. If this will happen I believe we will see another leader in the forum Top Tier - Big 4 section in max. 2 years.

I'm sure nobody from the BS/SS management has thought about this possibility.
« Last Edit: February 08, 2013, 11:34 by nicku »

« Reply #105 on: February 08, 2013, 11:35 »
0
Currently are only rumors and conjecture ( with high percentage the RC system will be implemented on SS).... If SS will implement the BS like system than our only chance will be that Yuri opens Peopleimages.com to the general public. If this will happen I believe we will see another leader in the forum Top Tier - Big 4 section in max. 2 years.

There are several other options. Look around!

« Reply #106 on: February 08, 2013, 11:41 »
0
Currently are only rumors and conjecture ( with high percentage the RC system will be implemented on SS).... If SS will implement the BS like system than our only chance will be that Yuri opens Peopleimages.com to the general public. If this will happen I believe we will see another leader in the forum Top Tier - Big 4 section in max. 2 years.

There are several other options. Look around!

Regarding microstock?? i don't see nothing coming close to SS this days.

« Reply #107 on: February 08, 2013, 11:47 »
+14
this tells me I need to work harder to make my own site my best earner.. It is the only place I am sure I won't get screwed..

« Reply #108 on: February 08, 2013, 12:08 »
+4
this tells me I need to work harder to make my own site my best earner.. It is the only place I am sure I won't get screwed..

That was my thought. I have that and a couple fair partners. I switched to just uploading to those sites and nobody else two years ago. I also made a concerted effort to double my portfolio, so those sites had the best selection of my work.

It's not a bulletproof strategy, but it feels a lot more stable. Honestly, I could probably close my account at SS tomorrow and still pay the bills. It wouldn't be ideal, but there is some comfort in knowing it is possible.

« Reply #109 on: February 08, 2013, 12:52 »
+14
I received a reply from BigStock just now - not from Mr. Pfeifer but from an account executive. Not a great start to pass off your brush-off letter to an underling (and I'm sure the account executive is a wonderful person; it's the tone of the response being set by whether you get it from the person you wrote to vs the janitor's second helper)

"Thank you for your email and feedback.

I absolutely understand your concerns. But please keep in mind that with the launch of subscriptions next week we will be adding an additional way to download images. That means, you will continue to receive between $0.50 and $3.00 per image for credit image sales, 30% of partner sales as well as up to $29.70 for Extended License sales. We will continue to keep the Bigstock and Shutterstock website separate targeting different types of customers.
Please be assured that we will closely monitor the performance of subscriptions and how they influence royalties and will keep in touch with our colleagues at Shutterstock. Additionally and as we have in the past, we will keep all of our contributors informed and communicate all and any changes to you.
All of us at Bigstock are very passionate about the company and want our products to be successful and with the help of contributors like you we are sure that we can accomplish that.

We look forward to continuing to work with you and should you have any questions or concerns in the future please reach out at any time!

Warm regards,"


Blah, blah - new business - blah blah - big EL number (I don't think I've ever had one at BigStock) - blah blah - passionate - blah blah - let's tackle this together! - blah blah

Not doing for me. I'm not getting any specific answers to the real concerns and a continuation of this crap about "it's just incremental revenue"

I'll touch my forelock now, thank the govna for the crumbs and go back to my hovel :)

Poncke

« Reply #110 on: February 08, 2013, 13:26 »
-4
But if its a new revenue stream isnt that a good thing? Or are you concerned it will replace credit sales ?

sc

« Reply #111 on: February 08, 2013, 13:42 »
0
I received a reply from BigStock just now - not from Mr. Pfeifer but from an account executive. Not a great start to pass off your brush-off letter to an underling (and I'm sure the account executive is a wonderful person; it's the tone of the response being set by whether you get it from the person you wrote to vs the janitor's second helper)

"Thank you for your email and feedback.

I absolutely understand your concerns. But please keep in mind that with the launch of subscriptions next week we will be adding an additional way to download images. That means, you will continue to receive between $0.50 and $3.00 per image for credit image sales, 30% of partner sales as well as up to $29.70 for Extended License sales. We will continue to keep the Bigstock and Shutterstock website separate targeting different types of customers.
Please be assured that we will closely monitor the performance of subscriptions and how they influence royalties and will keep in touch with our colleagues at Shutterstock. Additionally and as we have in the past, we will keep all of our contributors informed and communicate all and any changes to you.
All of us at Bigstock are very passionate about the company and want our products to be successful and with the help of contributors like you we are sure that we can accomplish that.

We look forward to continuing to work with you and should you have any questions or concerns in the future please reach out at any time!

Warm regards,"


Blah, blah - new business - blah blah - big EL number (I don't think I've ever had one at BigStock) - blah blah - passionate - blah blah - let's tackle this together! - blah blah

Not doing for me. I'm not getting any specific answers to the real concerns and a continuation of this crap about "it's just incremental revenue"

I'll touch my forelock now, thank the govna for the crumbs and go back to my hovel :)

That is almost verbatim the same e-mail I got in reply to my questions / concerns.

« Reply #112 on: February 08, 2013, 13:51 »
+6
But if its a new revenue stream isnt that a good thing? Or are you concerned it will replace credit sales ?

I don't believe it for a nanosecond. They're not growing the market in any way I can see which means they're stealing business from existing segments of it.

We heard from iStock (with the introduction of their own subs scheme and then with the Partner program), Dreamstime, Veer, CanStock, Fotolia: subscriptions are a new source of revenue and that they won't eat into credit sales.

Horsepuckey!

Am I hearing how they're going out to find a pool of buyers that hasn't yet been tapped and marketing some new package or product - or even a variant of subscriptions - to them? Not a word.

Right now they're all just jockeying for position in divvying up the existing pie. I don't think the market is saturated, but what we're seeing is agencies either who see things differently, or who are just lazy and trying to make easy money (easier to steal customers from another site than develop new business), or don't have the skills or cash to develop new markets.

« Reply #113 on: February 08, 2013, 13:53 »
0
...That is almost verbatim the same e-mail I got in reply to my questions / concerns.

At least they're not wasting time and money writing individual responses - quick cut and paste will do fine for these peons.

Gotta love it :)

« Reply #114 on: February 08, 2013, 14:04 »
+1
...That is almost verbatim the same e-mail I got in reply to my questions / concerns.

At least they're not wasting time and money writing individual responses - quick cut and paste will do fine for these peons.

Gotta love it :)

There seems to be a bit of irony in Bigstock thinking we are peons (if they think that). I thought about writing something to them too, then I said... Oh wait, it's Bigstock. I don't really give a...  ;D

« Reply #115 on: February 08, 2013, 14:05 »
+4
I've just sent my email in asking if there is an 'Opt out' button for subs and stating why I am not able to work with them if one isn't there.

« Reply #116 on: February 08, 2013, 14:11 »
+3
this tells me I need to work harder to make my own site my best earner.. It is the only place I am sure I won't get screwed..

I must be having a very negative day, but my first thought was "If Google derived traffic is any part of your plan to get buyers to your own site, have you read the threads about traffic falling off a cliff as a result of the image search changes?"

WarmPicture and GL Leftovers have both mentioned how traffic has dropped drastically as a result of Google's recent changes. I don't know if you're seeing it too, but that's the element of risk for collectives/own sites.

« Reply #117 on: February 08, 2013, 14:33 »
+1
I'm guessing there won't be any more threads complaining about no raise at SS for the past 5 years.

If there were more threads demanding fair treatment or the door, we would not have to deal with this.  That is exactly why I wrote the thread, I had a gut feeling this was coming.

Instead we wrap our tail between our legs and accept the unacceptable!

I will ask you a question, if we don't ask for our fair share ourselves who will? 

Jon, SS, it's investors and employees are doing well, it is about time we put a fork in the spreading/rampant greed.

« Reply #118 on: February 08, 2013, 14:34 »
+4


 
[b]Please be assured that we will closely monitor the performance of subscriptions and how they influence royalties and will keep in touch with our colleagues at Shutterstock. [/b]

This is the phrase that worries me...  :o :-\ :-\ :-\ If they declares that the two sites ( SS and BS ) are two different agencies aimed to different clients.. why they will keep in touch with their ''colleagues at Shutterstock''.

Get ready for Phase 2  >:(

A Deactivation Day on BS is urgently required.
« Last Edit: February 08, 2013, 14:40 by nicku »

« Reply #119 on: February 08, 2013, 14:43 »
+7
Has anyone asked BS for the total downloads from their site? Is that in itself 50000?

« Reply #120 on: February 08, 2013, 15:08 »
+7
I sent back a reply to the Account Executive:

"M. xxx,

I appreciate you sending a response but it didn't really address any of the issues or concerns I raised. You restated a view of what you're planning to do next week that can most charitably be described as optimistic.

I would like to see an opt out button for contributors who do not wish their images to be offered in BigStock subscriptions. If you can sell us all on why BigStock subscriptions are great, we'll opt in. Otherwise it seems it probably isn't a good idea anyway.

If you wanted to launch something new with full contributor support, you could have considered something like 6 months, or through the end of 2013, of 38 cents for each subscription download with a realistic table of earned downloads to follow after that. And allow an opt out. In this way you'd have to put something on the table to try and build success at a web site that has never been one in terms of sales volume. If the sales volume builds, you'll have no trouble getting contributors to opt in.

If these low-ball royalties are the best you think you can do, at least an opt-out would allow me to continue at BigStock instead of leaving. I'm willing to take the minuscule risk that I miss out on wonderful new sales opportunities with BigStock subscriptions so that I avoid undercutting my royalties at just about every other subscription site.

regards,

Jo Ann"

« Reply #121 on: February 08, 2013, 15:40 »
+4
How depressing that they come out with the same sorry story we've heard so many times before. Any incremental value in this will only benefit SS/BS.
I think I feel more depressed about the insulting way they spin this to us than I do about the actual fact of yet another company reducing commissions.
I can quit BS, but I still resent being taken for a fool.

« Reply #122 on: February 08, 2013, 15:40 »
+2
You know, I really wouldn't have a problem with subs at all if they were fair for everyone involved.  I will never in my lifetime agree that a super extra large vector/photograph/template  should be included in a subscription equalling one credit or download.   I have no issue receiving a quarter for a xs/sm and maybe even a m download but it is simply riddiculous that we are giving soooo much away for so little. 

Shouldn't a subscription scheme be more of a marketing tool to bring the buyers to your site and collect great images for their magazines and brochures yet when they need a poster/billboard they will stay to purchase larger more useful files (at a price that is still incredibly reasonable if you ask me!)?   Or if the sub small-buy regular theory doesn't fly, why not charge more than one of their daily downloads for higher resolution files?  Seriously - what MBA thought up this great plan?

It was brought up before that when SS started their subs venture photographers only had 4 or 6 mpx cameras and yet today we are giving away 21 mpx photos today for what - 13 cents more per download?

« Reply #123 on: February 08, 2013, 15:50 »
+2
You know, I really wouldn't have a problem with subs at all if they were fair for everyone involved.  I will never in my lifetime agree that a super extra large vector/photograph/template  should be included in a subscription equalling one credit or download.   I have no issue receiving a quarter for a xs/sm and maybe even a m download but it is simply riddiculous that we are giving soooo much away for so little. 

Shouldn't a subscription scheme be more of a marketing tool to bring the buyers to your site and collect great images for their magazines and brochures yet when they need a poster/billboard they will stay to purchase larger more useful files (at a price that is still incredibly reasonable if you ask me!)?   Or if the sub small-buy regular theory doesn't fly, why not charge more than one of their daily downloads for higher resolution files?  Seriously - what MBA thought up this great plan?

It was brought up before that when SS started their subs venture photographers only had 4 or 6 mpx cameras and yet today we are giving away 21 mpx photos today for what - 13 cents more per download?

Exactly. Having been exclusive for several years at IS, it's obvious that these companies are leaving so much money on the table.
Instead, they scrabble around on the floor, trying to grab market share from one another, and we suffer the consequences in reduced earnings.
Of course we are to blame too, by uploading to the cheap cheap sites when they open their doors.
It's a pity IS has gone the way it has, we were very happy there for a long time. But it is what it is.

« Reply #124 on: February 08, 2013, 15:59 »
+5
And a prompt - if content free - reply from the account executive:

"We really appreciate the feedback. Please know that our goal is to create a royalty model that is fair and competitive.

Please let us know if there's anything we can do for you.

Best,"


...our goal is to create something fair and competitive, so the fact that we've come up with something wildly one-sided and stingy is just collateral damage...

And as far as what they can do for me, how about find a boat load of eager buyers for BigStock images and give me an effing opt out button for subscriptions!


 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
8 Replies
6237 Views
Last post August 24, 2007, 02:03
by jeancliclac
23 Replies
8495 Views
Last post August 29, 2012, 18:26
by Jo Ann Snover
13 Replies
5507 Views
Last post January 07, 2016, 15:56
by emjaysmith
5 Replies
5634 Views
Last post August 28, 2016, 13:08
by aeonf
12 Replies
3839 Views
Last post September 08, 2021, 10:32
by For Real

Sponsors

Mega Bundle of 5,900+ Professional Lightroom Presets

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors