Author Topic: Dreamstime Web extended license only 12 $ ?!? (Read 8293 times)

ljupco · « **on:** March 26, 2010, 09:41 »

I just sold a photo in a W-EL ( Web extended license ) for which the buyer paid 50 credits and I only got 12$ !!! I thought we get 50 % comission on all sales. The image is level 1 but this was still an extended license purchase. Is this normal or there was a mistake of some sort made ?
Thanks, Ljupco

Perry · « **Reply #1 on:** March 26, 2010, 09:51 »

Dreamstime's royalty structure used to be very easy to understand. Nowdays it's just all confusing with different value of credits etc. I gave up trying to understand why they are paying me the amounts they do.

As long as the sales rised I didn't care that much (now DT seems to have stuck on the fourth place).

gostwyck · « **Reply #2 on:** March 26, 2010, 09:56 »

Quote from: ljupco on March 26, 2010, 09:41

I just sold a photo in a W-EL ( Web extended license ) for which the buyer paid 50 credits and I only got 12$ !!! I thought we get 50 % comission on all sales. The image is level 1 but this was still an extended license purchase. Is this normal or there was a mistake of some sort made ?
Thanks, Ljupco

We discussed this issue fairly recently here;

http://www.microstockgroup.com/dreamstime-com/commission-on-el's-at-dreamstime/

Commission on EL's now depends on image Level with Level 1 only paying 30%.

ljupco · « **Reply #3 on:** March 26, 2010, 11:00 »

Thanks for the explanation Gostwyck. I'm just amazed how these days the agencies have become so shrewed in trying to lower the commission for the photographer. It's just appalling. Any news from them keeps me wondering if they are going to try and lower the commission in another way. Sad but we have an option, carry on or just abandon them all together. Regards, Ljupco

gostwyck · « **Reply #4 on:** March 26, 2010, 11:15 »

Quote from: ljupco on March 26, 2010, 11:00

I'm just amazed how these days the agencies have become so shrewed in trying to lower the commission for the photographer. It's just appalling.

I couldn't agree more. Me thinks they will eventually drive us all into exclusivity with IS.

stockastic · « **Reply #5 on:** March 26, 2010, 11:26 »

This is what happens in a technology company as the marketing guys gradually start calling the tune. That happens after the basic product is complete and the period of develpment and innovation is over. The low-hanging fruit has been picked, but the owners and investors aren't satisfied - so the focus shifts to new marketing schemes which get progressively more complicated and convoluted. Subscriptions, pricing tiers, introductory offers, targeted discounts, packages, contracts, distribution "partners", "bundling", re-packaging, re-branding. The list is endless.

Albert Martin · « **Reply #6 on:** March 26, 2010, 14:04 »

Well... It will be very easy with CS5 Patch Fill tool to post-process images... So, you should expect even less royalties in the future!

$5 will do for microstockers ;-)

sharpshot · « **Reply #7 on:** March 26, 2010, 14:06 »

Quote from: gostwyck on March 26, 2010, 11:15

Quote from: ljupco on March 26, 2010, 11:00
I'm just amazed how these days the agencies have become so shrewed in trying to lower the commission for the photographer. It's just appalling.

I couldn't agree more. Me thinks they will eventually drive us all into exclusivity with IS.

But istock have the lowest commissions and I am sure they are the reason why the other sites have lowered theirs. DT and FT have seen istock paying just 20% to non-exclusives and decided to move their commissions closer to that level. And if we all went exclusive, istock could pay us much lower commission. Istock get away with it because they have more sales but I still don't like 20% and I wouldn't want to go exclusive for less than 50%.

Kngkyle · « **Reply #8 on:** March 26, 2010, 15:41 »

Quote from: sharpshot on March 26, 2010, 14:06

Quote from: gostwyck on March 26, 2010, 11:15
Quote from: ljupco on March 26, 2010, 11:00
I'm just amazed how these days the agencies have become so shrewed in trying to lower the commission for the photographer. It's just appalling.

I couldn't agree more. Me thinks they will eventually drive us all into exclusivity with IS.
But istock have the lowest commissions and I am sure they are the reason why the other sites have lowered theirs. DT and FT have seen istock paying just 20% to non-exclusives and decided to move their commissions closer to that level. And if we all went exclusive, istock could pay us much lower commission. Istock get away with it because they have more sales but I still don't like 20% and I wouldn't want to go exclusive for less than 50%.

They don't just get away with it because they have more sales. Their prices are much higher as well. 20% of $25 is better than 50% of $7. Also Istock must spend a great deal on advertising. I see their advertisements all over the internet yet I don't think I've ever seen a Dreamstime advertisement. Not to mention more and more sales at Dreamstime are 30c subscriptions.

I'll take Istock's 20% with high sales volume and higher prices over Dreamstime's 50% with less sales and lower prices.

lisafx · « **Reply #9 on:** March 26, 2010, 16:50 »

Quote from: gostwyck on March 26, 2010, 11:15

Quote from: ljupco on March 26, 2010, 11:00
I'm just amazed how these days the agencies have become so shrewed in trying to lower the commission for the photographer. It's just appalling.

I couldn't agree more. Me thinks they will eventually drive us all into exclusivity with IS.

Totally agree, except for the IS part. Considering that Getty seems intent on cannibalizing Istock by both upselling AND downselling its customers there is no telling where IS is headed.

ap · « **Reply #10 on:** March 26, 2010, 17:04 »

Quote from: Kngkyle on March 26, 2010, 15:41

They don't just get away with it because they have more sales. Their prices are much higher as well. 20% of $25 is better than 50% of $7.

I'll take Istock's 20% with high sales volume and higher prices over Dreamstime's 50% with less sales and lower prices.

but for us indies, it's 20% of $10 vs. 50% of $7. i'll take the latter's pricing but the former's sales volume.

lisafx · « **Reply #11 on:** March 26, 2010, 17:22 »

Quote from: ap on March 26, 2010, 17:04

Quote from: Kngkyle on March 26, 2010, 15:41

I'll take Istock's 20% with high sales volume and higher prices over Dreamstime's 50% with less sales and lower prices.

but for us indies, it's 20% of $10 vs. 50% of $7. i'll take the latter's pricing but the former's sales volume.

It's moot anyway, because independents only get 50% on level 5 images now. How many level 5's to you have? The rest are between 30-45%.

WarrenPrice · « **Reply #12 on:** March 26, 2010, 18:00 »

Quote from: lisafx on March 26, 2010, 17:22

Quote from: ap on March 26, 2010, 17:04
Quote from: Kngkyle on March 26, 2010, 15:41

I'll take Istock's 20% with high sales volume and higher prices over Dreamstime's 50% with less sales and lower prices.

but for us indies, it's 20% of $10 vs. 50% of $7. i'll take the latter's pricing but the former's sales volume.

It's moot anyway, because independents only get 50% on level 5 images now. How many level 5's to you have? The rest are between 30-45%.

My highest level at DT is three. And since the two level three images reached that level ... NO SALES!!!

dnavarrojr · « **Reply #13 on:** March 26, 2010, 19:27 »

Quote from: WarrenPrice on March 26, 2010, 18:00

My highest level at DT is three. And since the two level three images reached that level ... NO SALES!!!

I'll be honest, I only buy level 1 (and occasionally level 2) images on DT.

Kngkyle · « **Reply #14 on:** March 26, 2010, 21:04 »

Quote from: ap on March 26, 2010, 17:04

Quote from: Kngkyle on March 26, 2010, 15:41

They don't just get away with it because they have more sales. Their prices are much higher as well. 20% of $25 is better than 50% of $7.

I'll take Istock's 20% with high sales volume and higher prices over Dreamstime's 50% with less sales and lower prices.

but for us indies, it's 20% of $10 vs. 50% of $7. i'll take the latter's pricing but the former's sales volume.

Err no. Independent prices go up to 25 credits for XXXLarge on IS compared to 7 credits for maximum on DT.

ap · « **Reply #15 on:** March 26, 2010, 23:20 »

Quote from: Kngkyle on March 26, 2010, 21:04

Err no. Independent prices go up to 25 credits for XXXLarge on IS compared to 7 credits for maximum on DT.

i have a 12 mp camera and i can get maximum sizes sold at dt. however, with 12 mp, the largest size i can sell at IS is extra large, which is $15 for indies. that's in theory. in practice, when i downsize and the resultant size is large at IS (at $10), i can still sell it at maximum at DT.

until i get a 24mp camera, this is the best i can do at IS. oh, just pity us poor indies, will ya...or i'm gonna start passing a collection box amongst you exclusives.

ap · « **Reply #16 on:** March 26, 2010, 23:25 »

Quote from: lisafx on March 26, 2010, 17:22

It's moot anyway, because independents only get 50% on level 5 images now. How many level 5's to you have? The rest are between 30-45%.

not many...i meant, if any.

but, back to the op's original question, it's pretty sad that they're heading ft's way of reimbursing contributors. even though 123's sales volume sucks, at least, on a similar web el, i got 42% of the $50 and there are no levels. i think levels suck too.

FD · « **Reply #17 on:** March 27, 2010, 09:32 »

Quote from: Kngkyle on March 26, 2010, 15:41

Not to mention more and more sales at Dreamstime are 30c subscriptions.

Wrong. The DT subscriptions are 35c for level 1 and 2, higher for level 3 and up. That is for everybody. Where did you get those nonsense? Istock pays less for a credit sale and there is no growth path via levels at all. First get your facts right.

FD · « **Reply #18 on:** March 27, 2010, 09:41 »

Quote from: Kngkyle on March 26, 2010, 21:04

Err no. Independent prices go up to 25 credits for XXXLarge on IS compared to 7 credits for maximum on DT.

I never got an XXX sale on IS, and even medium sales are scarce. That's fine for me since I will never in my life go exclusive there, but if I upload again (not soon) it will be at 2MP. That's good enough for IS. Those who want more, go to DT or download another shot.

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Author Topic: Dreamstime Web extended license only 12 $ ?!? (Read 8293 times)

ljupco

Perry

gostwyck

ljupco

gostwyck

stockastic

Albert Martin

sharpshot

Kngkyle

lisafx

ap

lisafx

WarrenPrice

dnavarrojr

Kngkyle

ap

ap

FD

FD

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