MicrostockGroup

Agency Based Discussion => Crestock.com => Topic started by: Lee Torrens on October 15, 2007, 12:15

Title: New Crestock Website
Post by: Lee Torrens on October 15, 2007, 12:15
I'm surprised nobody here has mentioned it yet, but Crestock have launched their new updated website today.

I have a full review on my site, but in short, I think it takes them from near the bottom of the pile to near the top in terms of site design and usability. They've got some new features and thankfully kept their slick upload process.

Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: nialat on October 15, 2007, 12:30
Yes, I did notice the new site, but I did not had the time to look around much.

And yes, it does look better.
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: sharply_done on October 15, 2007, 12:53
I just noticed it when I went to upload there this morning - looks pretty good at first glance.
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: josh_crestock on October 15, 2007, 12:58
:) Well, I thought it was launching tomorrow, so I'm a little surprised too ;)

We'd really welcome some feedback on the site, and if you have any suggestions for new features, we'd like to hear them too. Post them either on this thread, or over at Crestock's forums.

Regards,

Josh
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: Kngkyle on October 15, 2007, 14:16
I really like the new site design. I think I will upload about 100 or so of my images there and see how it goes. I have been registered there for awhile but have never uploaded.
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: diego_cervo on October 15, 2007, 15:30
finally we got decent stats!!
thanks Josh. You guys from Crestock did a very good job.
diego
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: kosmikkreeper on October 15, 2007, 17:19
I don't upload there yet but could someone with a good sized portfolio tell me how it stands compared to other sites?  8)  I might consider contributing.

Thx!
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: Kngkyle on October 15, 2007, 17:21
I don't upload there yet but could someone with a good sized portfolio tell me how it stands compared to other sites?  8)  I might consider contributing.

Thx!


These two topics can likely help you.

August Earnings Breakdown:
http://www.microstockgroup.com/index.php?topic=2381.0

September Earnings Breakdown:
http://www.microstockgroup.com/index.php?topic=2569.0
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: kosmikkreeper on October 15, 2007, 17:35
Thx but that doen't realy help since Crestock isn,t really in there much.
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: stokfoto on October 15, 2007, 17:37
sales seems to be getting better too.Lately I started to get regular sales,nothing amazing but it's an improvement and hope will get  even better. I have a small folio there but thinking of uploading more.
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: epixx on October 15, 2007, 19:25
I'm not sure if it looks better or not, and it doesn't seem to display correctly on my browser (Firefox on Mac). Nice to have some kind of statistics, although it shows that this month, I've only had subscription sales at Crestock.
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: leaf on October 16, 2007, 03:00
Thx but that doen't realy help since Crestock isn,t really in there much.

exactly.  and when it is in peoples stats, it is between 0-2% of people monthly earnings.

It is pretty slow there - hopefully things will pick up though.  Perhaps they are planning on trying to turn over a new leaf with the fancy new site.
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: epixx on October 16, 2007, 03:48
Perhaps they are planning on trying to turn over a new leaf with the fancy new site.

I thought there was only one leaf   :D
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: Lee Torrens on October 16, 2007, 07:26
it doesn't seem to display correctly on my browser (Firefox on Mac).

Epixx, I had the same issue with Firefox on Mac when I upgraded my website. Turned out to be that the old stylesheet was cached. Hold the Shift key and click Refresh and it'll download the latest stylesheet (hold the shift key until the page has finished loading).
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: Bateleur on October 16, 2007, 07:52
Looks good, but a pity about the second image overlaying the first on the opening page. I would have thought it would have been better to change the images regularly, as some sites do. As it is the viewer is left looking at half an image with another, apparently unrelated on on top.

Also, I notice that Judge Ross (bless his cotton socks) only seems to be accessible when you've logged on. I must admit, although I don't always agree with his judgements, the images he shows are entertaining. Especially the worst of the day. It amazes me what some people submit.
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: jsnover on October 16, 2007, 11:38
Also, I notice that Judge Ross (bless his cotton socks) only seems to be accessible when you've logged on. ... the images he shows are entertaining. Especially the worst of the day.

I was able to get to the Judge via the forums page - there's a little side bar with links from there. I don't have a Crestock a/c, but I do occasionally check ou the worse image archive - guilty pleasure :)
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: sharpshot on October 16, 2007, 12:45
I have joined today and uploaded a batch. 

The worst images of the day are great.  This one made me lol  :)

http://www.crestock.com/todays-worst-image.aspx?id=427
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: leaf on October 16, 2007, 15:08
ha, that image is great!  :)  It is even without a watermark. :)
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: Bateleur on October 16, 2007, 15:12
Looking at Crestock's worst image of the day collection, I'm constantly amazed at the stuff people upload, obviously believing it to be a saleable image.

I mean ... if that's their standard, how do they get accepted in the first place?
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: Kngkyle on October 16, 2007, 15:26
Looking at Crestock's worst image of the day collection, I'm constantly amazed at the stuff people upload, obviously believing it to be a saleable image.


It makes me feel better about my photos. ;D
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: madelaide on October 16, 2007, 15:36
Sometimes I wonder if people submit such images on purpose, to make it to this section...

Regards,
Adelaide
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: Bateleur on October 16, 2007, 16:00
Yeah ... I wouldn't be surprised. There's probably a group out there somewhere, members competing to see how many worst images of the day they can get   ;D
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: madelaide on October 18, 2007, 14:26
Uh-oh.  The site doesn't work in NS7.  I can't log in.  I hate when I'm forced to use IE instead...

Regards,
Adelaide (strict HTML code fan)
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: epixx on October 18, 2007, 19:10
Uh-oh.  The site doesn't work in NS7.  I can't log in.  I hate when I'm forced to use IE instead...

Regards,
Adelaide (strict HTML code fan)

Isn't it time to upgrade to Firefox?
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: madelaide on October 18, 2007, 20:43
Only when I buy a new PC.

I think anyway that sites should be "clean" in terms of coding, to work easily and flawlessly, and also open fast in dial-up connections (yes, they still exist!).  CSS are nice, but sometimes overused.

Regards,
Adelaide
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: sharply_done on October 19, 2007, 11:47
One minor revision that would be nice is a "Totals" line added to either the top or bottom of the "Sales Overview" page.

Other than that I can't see much to want for - very well done, Crestock!
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: Kngkyle on October 27, 2007, 21:21
Well, after 1 week at Crestock, they have Bigstock beat for the entire month. Not to mention uploading is quicker. So far, so good for me. $50 payout would be better though. >.>
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: josh_crestock on October 28, 2007, 07:17
thats great news! nothing is more rewarding for us than to hear that photographers are starting to sell pictures... we've put a fair bit of hard work into the new site and since its been up, so have sales, by about 30%...

its small steps but lets hope the momentum can carry us onto larger things.. Keep uploading, guys!!

Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: Freezingpictures on October 28, 2007, 09:48
Yes I am quite impressed with crestock, they are doing for me better as well than BS, but I think I received a good rating.. In about a month I had more downloads than images online. But I have not send them a lot and only the better ones. I hope you guys from Crestock will do some more marketing. With only 20% commission for the photographer you have an advantage over other stock agencies. I do not mind the low percentage, but in turn hope for more marketing. I think I will upload some more soon :-)
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: Pixart on October 28, 2007, 10:43
So, I think from this thread if I find time to focus on one new site in November it should be Crestock over SV?
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: Kngkyle on October 28, 2007, 10:54
So, I think from this thread if I find time to focus on one new site in November it should be Crestock over SV?

I would yes. I do submit to both, but I am slowly uploading to SV since there is no FTP and you can only upload 5 at a time.  :-\
Crestock review times are a little lengthy.
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: sharply_done on October 28, 2007, 12:22
So, I think from this thread if I find time to focus on one new site in November it should be Crestock over SV?
Yes, go ahead with Crestock, but don't expect to earn money from them anytime soon.

I'm having my best month at Crestock (37 DLs, $12.50), which is $20+ less than my other low earning portfolios at BigStock & 123RF. Crestock's minimum payout is $100 - given their low $/DL amount (my average this month is 34c, my overall average is 43c), it may take a long time to receive the money you earned by uploading there.

Crestock is on a bit of a roll, and I hope things continue to go well for them.
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: madelaide on October 28, 2007, 14:09
we've put a fair bit of hard work into the new site and since its been up, so have sales, by about 30%...
That's good news, but what about subscriptions?  They're what seems to sell basically, and 25c is just lame.

Regards,
Adelaide
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: josh_crestock on October 29, 2007, 04:37

The commission rate realistically is 30%. Its set at 20% only for the photographers first 100 sales, after that, its automatically upgraded to 30%.. We're also working on dynamic commissions to give photographers further incentives for raising their commissions. At the moment, we're thinking, for example if you upload more than 500 images in a month, then for the next month you have a 5% bonus in commission. We're still formulating ideas about this, so feedback would be appreciated.

Single image sales occupy a much larger percentage of total sales than subscription sales, which in the short term is better for photographers. I can definitely understand how unattractive $.25 may seem, but thats something that attracts customers giving them more flexible buying options. When those numbers are higher and pictures sell at subscription rates, 10s or 100s (1000s of times?) thats when the impact first becomes apparent for photographers. Subscription sales are a framework thats in place more for the future, when we're all moving much larger numbers of pictures.

I personally think Crestock's payout of $100 is a little ambitious, though I would like to be proven wrong.  I'll make sure this gets discussed in the near future.

Review/inspection times are speeding up, this is a top priority. If we want to maintain the good momentum of uploads coming in, then we need to have the fastest turnaround in the business.

Regards,

josh
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: sharpshot on November 02, 2007, 13:19
Another worst photo of the week that gave me a good laugh :)

http://www.crestock.com/todays-worst-image.aspx?id=460
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: sharply_done on November 02, 2007, 18:07
... we're thinking, for example if you upload more than 500 images in a month, then for the next month you have a 5% bonus in commission. We're still formulating ideas about this, so feedback would be appreciated.
500 images/month? That's crazy - it's impossible to have that level of productivity while maintaining creativity. 200 per month is much more realistic.
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: anonymous on November 03, 2007, 07:54
that's 16-17 images a day (factor in their rejection rate and it's 30-40 a day) for a whopping 1.5 cent bonus....
That's really nice...
Title: Re: New Crestock Website
Post by: josh_crestock on November 04, 2007, 06:17
Hmmm... yeah ok, maybe 500 was an ambitious statement, despite many photographers uploading much more than this per month right now, thats probably more due to that they want their collections up as soon as possible. Long term, fair enough, not too many photographers are able to produce 500 a month. Though we haven't worked out too many details regarding this yet. We are looking for solutions that are beneficial for both parties.. And, solutions that will be sustainable with the future growth of Crestock. For those who are willing to view the bigger picture and not just base judgements on present, unflattering statistics... Please, we invite you to let us know what you would like to see...