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Author Topic: Deposit Photo's - 3% Royalty Confirmed  (Read 33894 times)

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stock-will-eat-itself

« on: July 01, 2014, 09:25 »
+11
For those that have missed this new plan: 30 for 5 images - 1 month plan: the royalty paid is 30c per image.
In reality this is an image pack similar to Shutterstock repackaged as a 1 month subscription with a 3% royalty payout.

Here is a transcript of a live chat I've just had with DP over their 5 images per month Plan.

ME:
Hi Marina, can you confirm what the royalty % is paid to contributors via the 1 month - 5 images per month plan at 30? Thanks

DP:
You receive the same commissions for all subscription sales since the image price for one image starts at $0,15 per image under our daily plans.

Even though one image purchased by subscription is $0,15, you receive your fixed commission rate.

So, if a customer pays $0,15, you receive your fixed rate.

ME:
Yes but if a customer buys a 1 month - 5 images per month plan the royalty is 3%. This plan appears to be an image pack not a subscription, is this an error on your site? Thanks

DP:
It is a monthly plan which allows customers to download 5 images within one month.

Please take a look at our daily plans, you don't receive less than 30 cents per subscription download even though one image is 15 cents or 20 cents.

So, it is a win-win situation. If we raise your royalties per monthly subscription download, then we will have to lower your royalties for daily subscription downloads.

Your commissions are much higher when your files are sold by credits.

ME:
Yes but I also receive 30c even if the individual image is sold for over 9$ through this plan. I'm not so sure this is a win-win situation for me. I think I have all the information I need, 3% royalty is too low for me. I'll be in touch about my future as a contributor at Deposit Photo's. Thanks for your time.

DP:
It is not an individual sale, it is a monthly subscription plan.

If we raise your royalties per monthly subscription download, then we will have to lower your royalties for daily subscription downloads.

Please double check our daily plans.

ME:
I'm not convinced this is really a subscription plan, how is this any different to an Images on Demand pack that ShutterStock offers - they offer 29 for 5 image downloads? Their royalty is 30%.

DP:
In a month these downloads expire.

ME:
OK thanks Marina, I'm still not convinced this plan is fair balance between agency and artist with this plan. Thank you for your time.

DP:
Would you agree to receive less for daily subscription sales than $0,30?

ME:
I'd be happier if the 1 month Plan was resold as an Image Pack with a fair percentage paid.

DP:

We will take it into account.

We are currently working on our new plans and payment methods.

ME:
OK thank you, do you know when the new plans and payments will be reviewed?

DP:
Currently, we are working on API re-sales.

API re-sellers will be able to purchase images by credits only in order to re-sell them.

I already explained you our subscription policy.

We cannot pay higher royalties for monthly subscription sales while keeping the same rate for daily plan sales.

___________________________________________________

More info on this plan in this thread.

http://www.microstockgroup.com/depositphotos/depositphotos-pays-3-to-contributors-on-5-image-'subscription'/

« Last Edit: July 01, 2014, 09:35 by stock-will-eat-itself »


Valo

« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2014, 09:36 »
+12
Quote
We cannot pay higher royalties for monthly subscription sales while keeping the same rate for daily plan sales.

Of course they can, we have put a man on the moon, surely they can pay any royalty they want, they just won't.  :(

« Reply #2 on: July 01, 2014, 09:45 »
+17
What the support spiel ignores is that the way subscription plans work, buyers do not download all their allotment.

Shutterstock survived for years (prior to the ramp up of all the non subscription products) with a payout per sub download that exceeded the buyer price *if* a buyer purchased everyone of the 750 images they were entitled to.

To suggest that they'd have to drop the royalty to 15 cents in order to pay more than 30 on a $9.80 sale is ridiculous. And I wonder how many people let their one month allotment expire without purchasing all they paid for - probably fewer than for a 25 a day subscription, but if/when it happens, DP makes out like an even bigger bandit.

And credits expire too - at most sites after 12 months - so having an expiration date doesn't make something a subscription.

fujiko

« Reply #3 on: July 01, 2014, 09:52 »
+6
Quote
We cannot pay higher royalties for monthly subscription sales while keeping the same rate for daily plan sales.

Of course they can, we have put a man on the moon, surely they can pay any royalty they want, they just won't.  :(

Completely agree.
Even Fotolia could do that.
If they can't pay higher royalties for the so called "monthly subscriptions" we can't keep our content there.

« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2014, 09:55 »
+11
dont understand.. why is someone still uploading there.. lol

« Reply #5 on: July 01, 2014, 10:02 »
+8
Thanks to SWEI for your persistance in getting a detailed answer to the questions we all have.   Replies suggest they are rethinking some of the worst policies like Shotshop deal.  They might rethink this too if they get enough complaints.  Less than .30 would be unacceptable for any sub sale tho.

FT now gives our earned % of sub packages but you won't get less than your base sub rate .30 or whatever it is, so no lowering of royalties.  If they can manage it then so can DP.
« Last Edit: July 01, 2014, 10:23 by PixelBytes »

« Reply #6 on: July 01, 2014, 10:37 »
+10
That conversation is like talking to a robot. They just keep repeating the same stuff over and over again, ignoring the real problem. Classic  ::) I dont believe they will change something in our favour.

« Reply #7 on: July 01, 2014, 11:23 »
+10
It seems to be a BIG MISTAKE that I ever became a contributor to Depositphotos.  Would not recommend them to anyone else, contributor or buyer, due to the experiences with them - first the shotshop deal and now this!! 

The agency priced its own sub rates - and they themselves set the contributor share on that.  So there seems no rationale for them to now come up with a monthly pack with 5 images and call it a sub plan paying out a sub rate to contributor - while keeping a huge chunk of revenue (97%) for themselves. 

I have already deactivated a big part of my port at DP.  This only motivates me toward more deactivations - while keeping a close watch on them. Because - and this is another issue of concern - they reportedly don't delete deactivated content. Instead I understand that they hang on to it in full resolution, for reasons that beat my understanding.

This is a no win agency from my perspective as a contributor.   >:(

« Reply #8 on: July 01, 2014, 11:52 »
+8

Anyone else sensing an attitude from DP support? They seem annoyed that we're even asking about this.

Summer is the leanest time of the year for my family, with my wife being off (she's a teacher) and no paychecks coming in. I hate to even think about dropping any agency this time of year, but man is it hard to ignore just how bad this mess is with DP.

MxR

« Reply #9 on: July 01, 2014, 11:53 »
+8
How many post more we need for a deactivation day? I open the first... this is the third post in a week!

stock-will-eat-itself

« Reply #10 on: July 01, 2014, 12:12 »
+10

Anyone else sensing an attitude from DP support? They seem annoyed that we're even asking about this.

Summer is the leanest time of the year for my family, with my wife being off (she's a teacher) and no paychecks coming in. I hate to even think about dropping any agency this time of year, but man is it hard to ignore just how bad this mess is with DP.

I fear if this is just sucked up by contributors then it becomes the norm for all agencies and image packs disappear and these new 1 month subscriptions with a 3% royalty will take their place.

Deposit Photos are setting a really scary precedent by putting everything under the "subscription" umbrella, its a fallacy to think other agencies won't follow suit.

« Reply #11 on: July 01, 2014, 12:45 »
+9
Well, all my images are off DP but one of a whore house brothel bed. Fitting.

This is yet another project to contact other contributors, or it will indeed likely become the norm.  I am sure they could care less about my 2800 images but the way they screw contributors (like FT) they are raking in the doe.  A few million meaningful deactivations could mean something.   
« Last Edit: July 01, 2014, 18:38 by Mantis »

« Reply #12 on: July 01, 2014, 12:58 »
+10
...I fear if this is just sucked up by contributors then it becomes the norm for all agencies and image packs disappear and these new 1 month subscriptions with a 3% royalty will take their place.

Deposit Photos are setting a really scary precedent by putting everything under the "subscription" umbrella, its a fallacy to think other agencies won't follow suit.

Aren't others already doing it? This is exactly what DPC is. Sell 10 images for a buck each and call it a "subscription".

DP and DPC are just at the forefront of this trend to push things under a "subscription" banner so they can pay us less.


stock-will-eat-itself

« Reply #13 on: July 01, 2014, 16:09 »
+14
I'm not a fan of DPC but at least you can opt out.

This plan from Deposit Photo's is far more disturbing, selling image packs under a subscription banner and getting away with paying 3% is truly shocking, and no opt out as far as I can tell.

There are many ex-exclusive iStock contributors there who migrated thinking they were supporting a fair trade agency, I doubt any of them would be happy if they knew what was happening here.

I'm pulling my port and shutting my account, they can go and mug someone else.

« Reply #14 on: July 01, 2014, 18:39 »
+3
I'm not a fan of DPC but at least you can opt out.

This plan from Deposit Photo's is far more disturbing, selling image packs under a subscription banner and getting away with paying 3% is truly shocking, and no opt out as far as I can tell.

There are many ex-exclusive iStock contributors there who migrated thinking they were supporting a fair trade agency, I doubt any of them would be happy if they knew what was happening here.

I'm pulling my port and shutting my account, they can go and mug someone else.

Here Here

PZF

« Reply #15 on: July 04, 2014, 13:32 »
+6
$1.09 to go and I pull my (very small) port too!
THREE PER CENT????????

« Reply #16 on: July 25, 2014, 12:58 »
0
API resellers will be able to purchase for credit price and resell?! Resell as in cut us out by at credit price and sell on their site ???

« Reply #17 on: July 25, 2014, 13:01 »
0
Gee, I don't want someone to compete with me with my own image for $12 bucks, please tell me I misunderstood that :)

« Reply #18 on: July 25, 2014, 13:36 »
0
Gee, I don't want someone to compete with me with my own image for $12 bucks, please tell me I misunderstood that :)

That's the same message I received from them and I interpreted it the same way.

« Reply #19 on: July 25, 2014, 14:09 »
+4
Scam machine.

« Reply #20 on: July 25, 2014, 14:18 »
-7
Relax, now from Depositphotos told me that the contributor payout scheme will be changed!

« Reply #21 on: July 25, 2014, 15:02 »
+15
Relax, now from Depositphotos told me that the contributor payout scheme will be changed!

Is that on the site somewhere? In writing somewhere?

In addition to waiting until something actually changes to "relax", with Deposit Photos past behavior as a guide, contributors need to continue to check after an improvement to ensure things stay improved (the Shotshop scam being a recent example).

I'm fully relaxed as Deposit Photos doesn't have any of my work, but unless you were joking, I can't see any reason a Deposit Photos contributor would want to relax.

« Reply #22 on: July 25, 2014, 15:28 »
+1
Relax, now from Depositphotos told me that the contributor payout scheme will be changed!

As of today, July 25, 2014, per DP: "Based on your feedbacks, we are reconsidering our daily and monthly plans to have a win-win offer for buyers and the sellers."

Here was their entire response to me:

"First of all, I would like to mention that we have changed our API policy, so our re-sellers are able to purchase our files by credits only to re-sell them on their websites.

Our monthly plans allow our customers to download images on a monthly basis. For instance, $49 subscription allows to download 5 images per month, while with credits they will pay $60 for 5 vector files. So, this subscription is the most convenient plan for designers with tight budgets who download images rarely. Unlike credits, monthly downloads expire every month.

We offer daily subscription plans as well starting at 15 cents per image. Those subscriptions are highly popular among high-volume customers. Even though one image under daily plans is much less than 30 cents, you receive your fixed rate.  Based on your feedbacks, we are reconsidering our daily and monthly plans to have a win-win offer for buyers and the sellers.

Concerning your royalties: I recommend you to reactivate all your portfolio and join our updated API re-seller program to start selling again. I can't promise but if you expand you portfolio and your sales grow, you will be moved to the next level with higher commissions."

« Reply #23 on: July 25, 2014, 15:39 »
+2
Relax, now from Depositphotos told me that the contributor payout scheme will be changed!

changed to screw the contributors more?

« Reply #24 on: July 25, 2014, 15:43 »
+7
We offer daily subscription plans as well starting at 15 cents per image. Those subscriptions are highly popular among high-volume customers...
Concerning your royalties:
 I recommend you to reactivate all your portfolio and join our updated API re-seller program to start selling again. I can't promise but if you expand you portfolio and your sales grow, you will be moved to the next level with higher commissions."

Whh...  ;D ;D ;D  Pleasseeee... some ..*.. have no mercy  ;D

So glad I'm done with them and don't have to "expand the portfolio".

Wake up people  ::)


 

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