1. DT has announced that they are going to be giving a pay raise on 02/15/2007!

The min royalty is still 0.50 cents, but the max royalty has changed from $1.00 to $2.00 (for the lowest level).

2. DT is adding new image sizes as well.  The new sizes are as follows:

Web (800x600)
Medium (up to 5 MP)
Large (up to 8 MP)
Max (> 8 MP)

3. There are also new levels, which are as follows:

Level 1: 0 - 24 DLs
Level 2: 25 - 49 DLs
Level 3: 50 - 99 DLs
Level 4: 100 - 199 DLs
Level 5: > 200 DLs

Image prices are a combination of image size and sales level.

4. Extended Licenses have been reduced to $50.

5. There is now a Free upload section.

For all the details go here:

http://www.dreamstime.com/thread_6421

here are the new commisions

I definitely don't like the 25c earnings for subscription sales. 

I asked them in the forum to consider letting people opt out the subs sales.

Regards,
Adelaide

So there are subscriptions too? And you only get 25 cents for those?

I'm really not getting the benefit here. I really want to understand.

I don't really know if I understand the structure of how things work at DT. Can someone clarify this for me? Here's what I THINK I'm seeing. Tell me if it's right. Okay thanks.

-- Pictures all start at level 1 where the cost and payout is the lowest.
-- If it is a successful picture it will move up to other levels where the cost and payout are more.
-- Most images will eventually reach a higher level given enough time.

Questions:
Do you find that the rate of sales decrease as your image moves through the higher and more expensive levels?

Do you find that there is constant pressure to upload new images in order to compete with the lower priced files?

Do you feel like you will ever reach a point where you can feel secure enough to "retire" on the income from your images (by this I mean reach a point where, say, it pays your mortgage each month), or do you feel that if you ever decide to stop uploading regularly, your income will suffer?

I guess I am attracted to the idea of uploading good useable timeless stock and it being there as an earner in several years. The structure at DT seems to favor newer files because they cost less. Even if the older images are of equal quality the buyer will go with the cheaper one if at all possible. Just because an image is new does not mean that it isn't good.

This is my perspective as a designer and as a photographer. I'm looking for someone to shoot holes in these theories. Tell me how pushing my photos out of favorable price point range is going to be beneficial if I do not want to be a slave to the upload tool.

I have only one image that is currently 'the old' level 2 which is over 100 sales.  I haven't seel the sales drop on that image at all.  I think if a person wants an image, it doesn't matter if they have to pay $1.00 or $3.00 they are going to buy it.  I don't see any sign of sales slowing down after not uploading for a while.  I stopped uploading in april (due to other photography things taking priority) and my income has stayed pretty level since.  I hope to upload a pile in the spring but we shall see what i have time for.  I think it is a very good revenue  and i really like the extra $$ it gives every month.

I think after a given time sales will die off, but i don't know how long that will be.  I don't think you can expect to work for 5 years uploading then 'retire'.  However if you had microstock as a full time job, i think you could be more than satisfied with the wage it paid you (if you were prepared to live for half a year with a meager income).

Exactly in the same Situation as Fotografer, 2 at DT and 1 at IS. I agree with him.

I think it is a great idea to clean the database up and get rid of images more than a year old with no downloads.

It really must be a pain to find stuff.

I noticed Jaimie Duplass has close to 1000 files that have never been downloaded. And most of them are old, just check out the hairstyles.

If you can find that many from one super user, imagine just how much crap there really must be on the system.

I agree it's a good idea and have donated a few. Also checked the new box on some new uploads.

I'll have to see how that goes. My only problem with checking the make it free if rejected box is I tried that with Fotolia, and had the feeling that it increased my rejection rate slightly. Also, I had pix rejected there and put out for free that were accepted and selling elsewhere, so I quit doing it.

no i don't think your images will be pushed out of the market by cheaper better images.  Microstock sites are getting higher prices if nothing else.  Yes there are newer images all the time, but they don't accept that many flower shots for example anymore.  If you have a good selling flower shot now, i think it will keep selling for a while yet.  I also don't think other start up companines that sell images EVEN LOWER are going to make that much difference.  The prices are so low now that i don't think they are going to scare anyone away who is serious about buying an image.

yep, i'm an optimist

I guess I don't understand completely what the panic is all about.  I mean, every time an agency changes something everyone panics and runs around thinking the sky is falling.

1) The new prices are going to make us more money as contributors.

2) The only difference between the DT subscription model and the SS subscription model is you will get less of them at DT (which means more money based on #1) and it will attract more customers.

3) The free image section is nothing new to microstocks.  Fotolia and StockXPert have the same thing.  If you don't want to participate then don't.

4) The purging of portfolios will be a blessing to everyone who has ever complained about "too many similars" in that older similars will be removed making room for newer and better stuff (or different similars if that makes sense).

I've calculated that I will need to purge 14% of my portfolio.  Not a big deal - most of those images are of lower quality and if they aren't lower quality, then 1) I know DT is not the right market to sell those images or 2) I have similar images in my portfolio that sell better.

I also have 3 images that have been selling like crazy since I uploaded them.  They haven't made level 2 yet I am anticipating they would have made it early next year anyway.  I'm looking forward to the new levels and making a little more money from them.  The ironic thing is that my best selling image was uploaded last year prior to the price increase from last year.  My second best seller has made me more money than the first simply because of timing (even though it has 10 less downloads).

I think this is a very positive thing for the agency and it's contributors and since I'm exclusive there - I'm betting on it and putting my money where my mouth is!

2) The only difference between the DT subscription model and the SS subscription model is you will get less of them at DT (which means more money based on #1) and it will attract more customers.

I'm not sure about that for two reasons.

(1) The current SS subscription is $159/month for 750 images.  That calculates to 0.21/image (if they download all 750 images).

The current DT subscription is $139.99/month for 300 images.  That calculates to 0.47/image (if they download all 300 images).

SS obviously wins there, since you get a lot more images for your money.

But now DT wants to drop their subscription to $89.99/month for 300 images.  That calculates to 0.30/image (if they download all 300 images).  That is over a 50% reduction in cost and it brings it much closer to the SS model.  I think that  this will mean that there will be an increased amount in subscription downloads.  If you do a direct interpolation, then you are looking at 50% more downloads than before.

(2) The second reason that I think that there will be an increase in DT subscriptions is because it is much easier to download 300 images (10/day) from DT, then it is to download 750 images (25/day) at SS.

SS is basically using the business model that counts on buyers from not being able to take full advantage of the offer.  It is hard to find and download 25 images/day, especially when you have weekends and holidays (and other work to do).

But it will be much easier for buyers to take advantage of the DT deal, since it will be a lot easier to download 10 images/day and therefore take full advantage of the deal that is offered.

I guess time will tell...

I sure hope you're right, Ed.  The one thing that bothers me about working with SS is their hold on the subscription market.  It would be nice to not have to rely so much on one agency for my income and see it spread around a little more.   

I'm not crazy about the free images program or the removal of images that haven't sold in a year.  I would much rather see a program like IS's dollar bin implemented, so we actually have a chance to earn something before the image is toast.  Sometimes a true gem appears that was overlooked by buyers for some reason, and they sell like crazy when offered for a dollar.  The true duds might only see a sale or two, but even then at least the photographer's work isn't going unrewarded.