Author Topic: Vector files - no raster versions for sale in the different sizes - why not??? (Read 5950 times)

toots · « **on:** September 09, 2011, 13:22 »

With all the changes made recently ie new site design etc, I would still like to see raster versions of vector files for sale in the different sizes that the photographers sell their jpg's at. I just feel us vector contributors are missing out on selling the smaller sized jpg's of our images.

Not everyone wants a vector file or the largest sized raster file of a particular image. Some buyers only require smaller sizes and I feel they would not be prepared to pay the price of a vector file in order to get a small sized jpg version of it.

All other sites I contribute to offer jpg versions in the different sizes or the vector file, they have that option. Why can't Cutcaster offer this as well

cthoman · « **Reply #1 on:** September 09, 2011, 13:41 »

Nooooooo!!!!!!! Please, no.

toots · « **Reply #2 on:** September 09, 2011, 14:45 »

Quote from: cthoman on September 09, 2011, 13:41

Nooooooo!!!!!!! Please, no.

Why noooooooooooo?

?

Ooops they were supposed to be question marks, not smileys haha.

cthoman · « **Reply #3 on:** September 09, 2011, 15:05 »

Since screaming NO like I'm being mauled by a bear probably isn't very helpful, I'll elaborate.

iStock never sold sizes for vectors, and they were (probably still are) one of the best earners for vector contributors. I regularly had the same number of sales on IS as I did at DT, but I would make about 3 times more (even at 20% royalty) on IS because DT has subs and sells smaller sizes. If iStock would have paid me 50% like DT did at one time, they would have easily equaled the earnings of all the other agencies combined while selling a much smaller amount. I just think selling smaller sizes vastly undercuts earnings.

From a buyers perspective as well, I regularly would buy the smallest size I need when purchasing images for clients. If all they offered was the largest size, then I would buy that for my client instead. So, contributors lost out on the price difference because there was one.

Yes, you could argue that you might miss out on sales for more budget conscious clients, but I think they don't necessarily help your earnings as much as they hurt them. In the end, if you offer someone the option to save money, they'll take it. Even if they don't care or it doesn't matter to them.

toots · « **Reply #4 on:** September 10, 2011, 06:46 »

I get what you're saying, however with so many agencies today offering various jpg sizes of the vectors would the case not be that buyers will just go to the other agencies to buy those smaller images, rather than staying with Cutcaster who does not offer that option. I don't know, maybe I am wrong in my thinking here.

I sometimes buy images from stock sites for websites I design for clients. I am normally on a tight budget so when I buy in images I am price conscious as whatever price I pay for an image will come out of my profit, so the cheaper I can get them the better. Ok, I'm only small fry, the big advertising companies will more likely have a different view to me and will not need to be so price conscious, just interested in getting the right image for their project, so I can see this scenario working with regard to the large companies, but there must also be a number of small freelancer designers out there just like myself which Cutcaster could possibly be missing out on getting their business.

Oh, and thanks for elaborating, rather than making me wonder why you said 'nooooooo'

johngriffin · « **Reply #5 on:** September 12, 2011, 11:24 »

We will have this feature shortly, but it'll be optional, so any contributor will be able to disable this "copy creation" feature. To start this feature will be disabled for any older files previously on Cutcaster, and enabled by default for all new. You will start to see this feature by the end of the month.

cthoman · « **Reply #6 on:** September 12, 2011, 11:29 »

Quote from: johngriffin on September 12, 2011, 11:24

We will have this feature shortly, but it'll be optional, so any contributor will be able to disable this "copy creation" feature. To start this feature will be disabled for any older files previously on Cutcaster, and enabled by default for all new. You will start to see this feature by the end of the month.

Good to hear it will be optional.

toots · « **Reply #7 on:** September 12, 2011, 11:37 »

Thanks John, and yeah the optional idea is very good, you can see just by cthoman's posts and mine that we have different views on the subject.

It also means some of us can try it out first to see if it generates more sales without affecting our vector sales. I'm presuming we will be able to disable the feature once we have enabled it.