Quote from: MisterFX on May 13, 2014, 14:21

SHAME ON YOU, MICROSTOCK GROUP!!!!  If you haven't noticed, you have lost a more than nine-year member in good standing from this forum.  Thanks to the number of negative [-1] ratings on LisaFX's posts, her posts have been taken down.[/b] [/color]

Lisa has always been my favorite member here.  A class act, and a lot of wisdom to share based on her years of experience doing this. 

I've pretty much remained silent for the past year or so, but this moves me enough to chime in and say if she's truly gone, I will miss her a great deal.

I also appreciate Lisa's input and insight.  She has been generous and helpful to part timers like myself.  Lisa come back! 

Regarding DPC:  I am opted out because I prefer not to sell large size photos for one dollar.  I also opted out of Clashot for the same reason.  I also opted out of every possible partner program because I am not comfortable with dozens of third parties writing their own licensing terms for my material.  These are personal business decisions and I respect other points of views.

Regarding the future:  The top sites will have 100 million images by the end of the decade.  Cell phones with SLR like quality will soon add fuel to the fire.  The return per upload will drop but there will always be a need for fresh art and value in owning good or unique material.  So I do not see the stock photo industry as being doomed... just highly challenged. 

I'm seeing endless DPC ads on Facebook. They must be spending a small fortune on advertising. FT are clearly putting everything they've got behind this initiative....

This just arrived in my email inbox:

Dear Contributor,

We have some great news - our subscription payouts have all increased, starting from today!

Depending on whether your images are opt-out or opt-in with DPC, your new subscription payout will grow to either 20% or 25% of the face value of the download - with a guaranteed minimum of the commission you earn now.

So you can potentially earn five times more per subscription download (if you opt-in with DPC).

We notice you have opted out from DPC - to fully benefit from commission increases with Fotolia and additional revenue from untapped markets, we recommend you opt-in to our new fast-growing subscription website, Dollar Photo Club.

If you want to add your images back to Dollar Photo Club click here if not, then you need to do nothing.

We hope these changes will bring you significant additional revenues, starting now.

Thank you

The Fotolia Team

This just arrived in my email inbox:

Dear Contributor,

We have some great news - our subscription payouts have all increased, starting from today!

Depending on whether your images are opt-out or opt-in with DPC, your new subscription payout will grow to either 20% or 25% of the face value of the download - with a guaranteed minimum of the commission you earn now.

So you can potentially earn five times more per subscription download (if you opt-in with DPC).

We notice you have opted out from DPC - to fully benefit from commission increases with Fotolia and additional revenue from untapped markets, we recommend you opt-in to our new fast-growing subscription website, Dollar Photo Club.

If you want to add your images back to Dollar Photo Club click here if not, then you need to do nothing.

We hope these changes will bring you significant additional revenues, starting now.

Thank you

The Fotolia Team

Mr Tscheltzoff = Desperate Marketing

I like how he uses the word commission as if Fotolia are acting like an Agent.

I'm seeing endless DPC ads on Facebook. They must be spending a small fortune on advertising. FT are clearly putting everything they've got behind this initiative....

They're heavily advertising in graphic design magazines as well, clearly targeting existing customers of competing stock image agencies. They've got the inside back cover of HOW Magazine this month. They have something going on with GDUSA, I haven't seen the latest issue but I imagine they have an ad or "advertorial" in there as well. Who knows how many other publications.

Fotolia is at the HOW Design Live Conference in Boston this week. I'm sure they're promoting DPC there.

Oh man.. check this out...

That DPC ad in the back cover of HOW Magazine? They crowdsourced the design and paid $270 for it in a contest: http://www.crowdspring.com/print-design/project/2368598_design-print-ad-for-dollar-photo-club/details/

On 3rd May DPC had 18% less files than Fotolia (calculated with the search tearms Business, People, Animal, Nature and Beautiful).
On 10th May it was 21%.
Today it is 23,9% (or 6.750.000 files less).
I suppose that means that since the announcement of the higher subscription royalties, MORE files/contributors are opted out instead of less ... 
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that their next move will be :  DPC entry level 99 $

Doesn't necessarily mean that, as it takes a few days for opted out files to disappear from the searches. But hopefully their numbers will keep on decreasing.

On 3rd May DPC had 18% less files than Fotolia (calculated with the search tearms Business, People, Animal, Nature and Beautiful).
On 10th May it was 21%.
Today it is 23,9% (or 6.750.000 files less).
I suppose that means that since the announcement of the higher subscription royalties, MORE files/contributors are opted out instead of less ... 
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that their next move will be :  DPC entry level 99 $

how do you think the 99$ would make things any better? are we trying to push down the subscription prices? do we want to see SS pulling down the 250$ mark?

I really don't see the advantage of driving buyers from one agency to another to get the same or less, please tell me your thoughts, cheers!