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Author Topic: Depositphotos invite - join or not join?  (Read 6484 times)

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« on: November 08, 2015, 10:26 »
0
Two days ago I received an email by Depositphotos, "waiting to establish prosperous and effective cooperation" with me. I assume that they found me through Shutterstock or Fotolia, where I have a link to my website with my contact details.
I'm a newby, I started with Microstock at the beginning of this year, I do vector illustrations. I had joined Depositphotos in March but only earned $0.44 the following month. I didn't want to accumulate income that I can never withdraw due to low earnings, so I de-activated all images.

Ignore their email or give them another chance? What's your experience with Depositphotos, especially with vectors? Has anybody ever joined after an invitation? (they promise to promote my stuff, will they really?). I read some posts here of people hesitating to join, so I would like some more opinions.

Moreover I thought about joining 123RF, since they appear to be in the "middle tier". Worth it? (I'm currently on SS, IStock, Dreamstime, Fotolia and Creative Market)

Thanks in advance for your input!


« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2015, 10:41 »
0
Same story here but without the email "come back to us". Only 3 months with a small portfolio, started at SS, IS, DT, 123RF, Fotolia and Deposit. While at the big 4s I have regular (daily on some) sales, Deposit only sold 1 picture of mine, so I deactivated my files. On 123RF had only 2 sales so for now stopped uploading.

BTW, Deposit fell to Low Earners, and that reflects my experience, probably very inaccurate due to the short time and small port

« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2015, 10:56 »
+3
Don't bother.

« Reply #3 on: November 08, 2015, 12:43 »
+5
We uploaded the first part of our portfolio to Deposit and then I started reading about all the dis-rest and frustration over their partner programs. I decided to pause uploading there and just leave our initial port online. We have 655 images there and some videos. We have never sold a video there and make $5 or less per month from deposit. So you're not missing out on much.

I'd give 123RF a go. They are slipping a little these days but their review process (if long) is also easy (no categories) and it's feasible to jump up a level or two without an industrial-sized portfolio. Note that I don't have vectors in the port yet so I am speaking from photo & video experience.

« Reply #4 on: November 08, 2015, 13:03 »
+4
I would not bother with Deposit. I think they are not a reliable agency and do some obscure practices behind photographers back. 123 RF was doing quite good when I was independent. Upload process was fast ( Deposit too) and support friendly.

« Reply #5 on: November 08, 2015, 14:02 »
+7
There are a couple of reasons to join an agency - or not to. One is earnings potential and one is the reputation and trustworthiness of the agency.

You should read the past threads here about Deposit Photos and their many underhanded dealings, probably the most prominent of which was the ShotShop deal where contributors were paid a subscription royalty on a sale at a partner site (ShotShop) where images were sold for up to 99 euros (I can't remember exactly, but not subscription prices)

http://www.microstockgroup.com/depositphotos/the-german-shotshop-reseller-of-depositphotos/

They have also played all sorts of sleazy games where contributors would opt out of partnership programs, then find themselves on a partner site, only to have DP claim that the site was an API reseller, not a partner and thus the opt out didn't apply.

I never joined them, primarily because I found their initial approach to me to be fundamentally dishonest. I got e-mail offering a special deal - not to start at the lowest royalty rate and preferred search placement for my images. As you can't give "preferred" placement to everyone, I assume this is just some ephemeral thing that would last until the next contributor signed up. Not to mention how you're not really serving buyers if you're not even trying to give them the best results for each search.

I'd stay away...

memakephoto

« Reply #6 on: November 08, 2015, 14:34 »
+2
I think you could get a number of different stories on this site about DP depending who you ask.

I have had a couple of positive experiences that made me stay with them through all the non-sense. A few years ago I noticed a discrepancy in the reported earnings and my balance and contacted support. They didn't respond and I sent another less polite email. They actually called me on the phone to say that they had problems with email and that they had responded and fixed the problem but I never got the email. I am a small timer with a small port and I thought it was admirable for them to call directly to sort out the issue. I've also never had a problem with finding images on partner sites after opting out.

However, their recent changes to royalties have had a big impact on my earnings. For the last 2 months I haven't seen any sale for more than .30 and my revenue with them has been  reduced to a pittance compared to where it was at the beginning of this year. So while I may not consider them sleazy as others do, it is all about the money and I can't recommend them anymore now that they made a grab for an even bigger piece of the pie and left contributors with crumbs.


memakephoto

« Reply #7 on: November 08, 2015, 14:43 »
+3
Also, regarding 123RF: I dumped them back in 2012/13 after they initiated their RC scam. I went from .36 per subscription sale down to .25. Small ports naturally have fewer sales and it was a slap in the face I could not accept for them to say my work was worth less because there was less of it.

Had i started with them after the RC scam came in, I would probably not think twice about it. Funny how we all decide what we are willing to take. I won't go back to them.

« Reply #8 on: November 08, 2015, 16:57 »
+9
don't join!
They have  one of the lowest earning ratio per image, too much subs and deflation every year for contributors, in my eyes they are some sort of thieves.

« Reply #9 on: November 09, 2015, 19:00 »
+3
Thank you so much everybody for your input. I was really close to re-joining Depositphotos when I received the email (I guess I was flattered that they contacted me). Glad that I asked for advice and I will simply not bother now.

« Reply #10 on: November 09, 2015, 19:28 »
+3
Thank you so much everybody for your input. I was really close to re-joining Depositphotos when I received the email (I guess I was flattered that they contacted me). Glad that I asked for advice and I will simply not bother now.

Really not worth the effort for 1% or the total sales.

50%

« Reply #11 on: November 10, 2015, 08:17 »
+3
Don't join!

« Reply #12 on: November 16, 2015, 18:17 »
+2
Ignore they can't be trusted. Only people who stay are the few who make money, rest have left. That means the poll only shows best earning and doesn't show the many who left for low earning or because DP cheats us with sub pay for full size sale to their own partner sites. Has been dropping here and will some day be off the list as people are disguised by the way they treat us.

Chichikov

« Reply #13 on: November 20, 2015, 05:55 »
+1
Don't join, they are the evil
And they have an outdated understanding of the market.

« Reply #14 on: November 21, 2015, 11:45 »
0
If you enjoy being used and abused, then join depositphotos.

« Reply #15 on: December 02, 2015, 08:38 »
0
They invited me to join with a number of promises that never happened. I haven't added anything new recently.

Sales have gone from minimal to non existent. I have had two good size sales show up recently but both disappeared without explanation the next day. I'm sure they would say the are refunds but they are beginning to smell like a dead fish to me.

« Reply #16 on: December 02, 2015, 08:49 »
0
Honestly, I've had no issues.  No refunds I've noticed.  Quite a few sales that pay $5-something.

« Reply #17 on: December 02, 2015, 11:11 »
0
Me too never had any refunds, at leats that I know of. . And I even had one EL sale about a week ago.

« Reply #18 on: December 16, 2015, 04:14 »
0
I've joined and they have turned down 80% of the photos I've submitted as not being suitable for commercial .They are all selling on Shutterstock , Istock and Fotolia  and bring regular  sales . So I can't quite get my head around Deposits rejection reason


 

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