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Author Topic: the new DT  (Read 22108 times)

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« Reply #25 on: August 23, 2012, 08:32 »
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If I were to have a batch of similar images that I wanted all approved (not a big stretch right?) I would consider uploading them at separate times, keywording them at separate times and submitting them at separate times.  Do you really think the editors are going through your entire portfolio when reviewing?

You can only submit 70 images per week anyway..might as well switch it up.

Though it could be connected to the Kennedy assassination.  Maybe he has the Kenyan Obama Birth Certificate?  Just a thought.

Mat
That doesn't work.  They use software to find what they call "similars".  The problem seems to be that lots of reviewers rely on the results for that and will reject images that are actually quite different and in short supply on their site.  I don't mind them only accepting two different versions of each subject but they have taken it to an extreme.  I've had some quite unique photos rejected, probably because there were several elements that I use in lots of other photos and that gets caught by the software.  Some reviewers must be ignoring the software because they accept almost everything.  So they have a bad policy and it's a bit of a lottery.  As I find it tedious uploading there, compared to the newer sites, I don't do it very often anymore.  And I'm annoyed that they seem to be following the istock policy of raising prices and lowering commissions.

It really does seem to vary a lot between reviewers.  My last batch of 10 had 5 isolations of flowers from my garden and 5 architecture-type shots of buildings from a recent trip.  I expected the architecture shots might get a rejection or two for similars because three were of the same building (although very different perspectives), but all were accepted and instead all five isolations were rejected as already being well covered in their database.  That was annoying, because although they may have lots of isolated flowers, they have few to none of the ones I submitted.  For example, one was a spuria iris, of which they have zero in their database, while another was a kniphofia (red hot poker), which gives you 34 results in their database but only one is isolated.  That reviewer was being lazy and just rejecting every isolated flower without checking whether they are present in the database.  Very annoying.  If that keeps up I'll stop submitting nature isolations there as they sell much better elsewhere, but probably with a different reviewer they will be fine and instead they will reject the buildings.  The inconsistency is the hardest part to deal with.

BTW, I have submitted images that might be considered similars in different batches and sometimes they get through no problem, other times they are nailed - it seems to depend on the reviewer.  So that strategy can work as long as they aren't too similar.


« Reply #26 on: August 23, 2012, 09:16 »
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... although they may have lots of isolated flowers, they have few to none of the ones I submitted.  For example, one was a spuria iris, of which they have zero in their database, while another was a kniphofia (red hot poker), which gives you 34 results in their database but only one is isolated.

I guess if they now have reviewers who just think that a flower is a flower, it's becoming pointless. 

Not long ago I submitted a few isolated sea shells, with scientific names as keywords, and they were accepted, but maybe today they'd be rejected.  We don't even know what game we're playing - how can we win?

« Reply #27 on: August 26, 2012, 09:55 »
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DT has been way down this month and I just checked my last 20 sales - 14 are subs. I don't think I've seen that high a ratio of subs to credit sales since I came back last June. I think this month will end up slightly more than half July's total at DT :(

« Reply #28 on: August 26, 2012, 10:40 »
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I'm also seeing nothing but subs - even worse than when I started this thread.   Based on August, there's no point in staying on DT.  I think soon I'll be down to just SS and Alamy. 


   

WarrenPrice

« Reply #29 on: August 26, 2012, 10:49 »
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Also a high ratio of subs and sales are slow at DT ... BUT, it's the same across the board; SS sales are WAY off.  One EL for SS, however, has eased the pain.


« Reply #30 on: August 31, 2012, 11:01 »
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The best part is that DT's wonderful system of 'levels' means nothing for subscription sales - no matter how many times an image has sold, a subscription sale is always just 35 cents.  And all I ever get now are subscription sales.

« Last Edit: August 31, 2012, 13:19 by stockastic »

vonkara

« Reply #31 on: August 31, 2012, 11:15 »
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I left them in 2010 for that reason. Basically, half of my images went to level 2 and 3, and then slowly, started to get over 70% subs. I can't imagine how bad it is now.

Dreamstime was my 3rd best agency before I go exclusive. But I didn't think it was a place to make constant incomes on the long term. The pricing structure might scare small buyers and leave a majority of subs buyer.

« Reply #32 on: August 31, 2012, 11:51 »
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August 2012 is by far the worst month in last 2 or 3 years. $2 with 650 pictures online is just insane. Plus I got 70% rejected because of "too many similar" crap. I wouldn't mind if they sell those "non-similar" but they simply don't :(

Even DepositPhotos or 123RF with just 400 pictures make more then double what DT makes...

« Reply #33 on: August 31, 2012, 12:49 »
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DT has actually bounced back somewhat from an absolutely horrible July for me - It is near my 12 month average and above average for RPD. I must admit the level 4 and 5 subs for .35 are painful to see though.  My acceptance ratio (on a small number submitted) is pretty sad though.

« Reply #34 on: August 31, 2012, 15:02 »
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I don't bother submitting anymore. They've made it clear that they have far too
many submissions to deal with and that reflects in the number of rejections I was getting. Pretty frustrating when YOU KNOW their reasons for rejections are borderline absurd.

DP has, in the past few months, surpassed # of sales. DT is an agency, that I feel, is failing. Weren't they somewhere in the 30-32 "earnings rating" last January? Too bad. This was/is an agency that has the highest "per image payout" in the industry.

« Reply #35 on: August 31, 2012, 15:37 »
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When i read this thread, i wonder why my sales this month are all almost credits and not subscription!!!
It's my BME here and the first time things go up since 3 years, I suppose it's a change in the search algorithm, but it's fit exactly for me!  :D

 

« Reply #36 on: August 31, 2012, 15:52 »
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When i read this thread, i wonder why my sales this month are all almost credits and not subscription!!!
It's my BME here and the first time things go up since 3 years, I suppose it's a change in the search algorithm, but it's fit exactly for me!  :D

It's weird isn't it?  What could explain this?  It's like contributors have been somehow put into 2 categories, one of which is presented preferentially to credit buyers, the other to subscription buyers.  Or maybe the separation is by subject matter.  Whatever it is,  DT for me is now just another ThinkStock, and if nothing changes, I'll leave, rather than continue to undercut sales elsewhere.



« Last Edit: August 31, 2012, 15:55 by stockastic »

« Reply #37 on: August 31, 2012, 15:58 »
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DT has been way down this month and I just checked my last 20 sales - 14 are subs. I don't think I've seen that high a ratio of subs to credit sales since I came back last June. I think this month will end up slightly more than half July's total at DT :(

Same here __ way down. My RPD has slipped from $2.40+ a few months ago to just $1.67 this month.

My sales are so poor at DT that this month that they will almost certainly be pushed into 5th place in my earnings by Istock's PP.

Poncke

« Reply #38 on: August 31, 2012, 16:18 »
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subscription   $0.35
subscription   $0.35
7 credits (2010)   $1.52
2 credits (2010)   $0.50
subscription   $0.35
8 credits (2010)   $2.00
3 credits (2010)   $0.75
subscription   $0.35
subscription   $0.35
subscription   $0.35
1 credit (2010)   $0.25

« Reply #39 on: August 31, 2012, 16:27 »
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Quote
Same here __ way down. My RPD has slipped from $2.40+ a few months ago to just $1.67 this month
OK I see, mine was always around 1$ and this month, for the fist time near 2$.

« Reply #40 on: August 31, 2012, 17:16 »
+1
OK I see, mine was always around 1$ and this month, for the fist time near 2$.

Ouch! That sounds painful for just $2. I'd want much more for 'fist time'.

lisafx

« Reply #41 on: August 31, 2012, 17:43 »
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OK I see, mine was always around 1$ and this month, for the fist time near 2$.

Ouch! That sounds painful for just $2. I'd want much more for 'fist time'.

ROFLMAO!!  Thanks for the much needed laugh ;D

« Reply #42 on: August 31, 2012, 17:55 »
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OK I see, mine was always around 1$ and this month, for the fist time near 2$.

Ouch! That sounds painful for just $2. I'd want much more for 'fist time'.

ROFLMAO!!  Thanks for the much needed laugh ;D

 :D

« Reply #43 on: August 31, 2012, 18:36 »
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It's a very sad day for me too. DT has always been one of my favorites. But this was my worst month since March 2011, and revenue is down nearly 50% since just 2 months ago. Subscriptions are way, way up, but total downloads are holding steady. RPD is down to $1.44 this month.

Very frustrating to see so many Level 3,4, and 5 subscription sales for $0.35. Might just as well do away with Levels altogether if this is going to be a subscription site.

WarrenPrice

« Reply #44 on: August 31, 2012, 18:54 »
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Maybe it's the Olympics; or, maybe they're caught up in their own web.  Results of the "Spin Masters."   :P

« Reply #45 on: August 31, 2012, 19:44 »
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Very frustrating to see so many Level 3,4, and 5 subscription sales for $0.35.

Yes, all this time they led us to believe we were 'getting somewhere' because of their unique level system.  Turns out to be a sand castle.
« Last Edit: August 31, 2012, 19:46 by stockastic »

« Reply #46 on: August 31, 2012, 20:14 »
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August 2012 earnings at DT are the lowest since July 2009.  It seemed as though subs were way up, but when I actually look at the trends, subs are almost exactly the same number as they have been all year (of course earning way less with no levels) - it's the credit sales since "the change" that are less than half what they had been trending.

« Reply #47 on: September 01, 2012, 02:56 »
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I checked my last 100 sales and 48 were credit sales which is about the same as usual.

« Reply #48 on: September 01, 2012, 10:23 »
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August 2012 earnings at DT are the lowest since July 2009.  It seemed as though subs were way up, but when I actually look at the trends, subs are almost exactly the same number as they have been all year (of course earning way less with no levels) - it's the credit sales since "the change" that are less than half what they had been trending.

I started looking more carefully at my numbers from a year ago, and to some extent you're right - what's really happening is that the credit sales have evaporated.   


sc

« Reply #49 on: September 01, 2012, 10:56 »
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I just checked August (2012) sales and it was 63 credit sales and 53 sub sales  (total 116)

last august (2011) it was 56 credit sales and 72 sub sales  (total 128)

RPD was higher in 2012 by $0.38
Fewer sales but more $ in 2012




 

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