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Author Topic: Fotolia D-Day (Deactivation Day) - May,1  (Read 305714 times)

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Shelma1

  • stockcoalition.org
« Reply #275 on: April 29, 2014, 18:33 »
+10
I was planning to remove the few files I had there for years (that were making no money), but when I logged in yesterday my account was blocked. After I wrote to them asking why, my account disappeared. Can't find any of my images on the site. Fine with me.


« Reply #276 on: April 29, 2014, 19:07 »
-2
Are you employed by Fotolia?

Yes, after volunteering as a moderator in the Fotolia forum for many years I made the decision to leave the restaurant business I had been in for more than 25 years and turn my focus to my true passion of photography.  The timing was fortuitous as an opening came available on the Customer Service team at Fotolia that I happily accepted this past September...

Thanks for the clarification, Mat. I hope you realize that this was misleading, though, by earlier emphasizing the point that you are a contributor but never mentioning that you are an employee as well.

I also hope you realize that misrepresenting yourself only adds to the mistrust we already feel towards many agencies these days. Since you are a contributor, you know as well as all of us that it isn't easy being in the microstock business, especially recently. Many companies look to exploit every angle and opportunity to get the most profit from our work while paying us the least amount possible.

So you coming in here acting like a regular joe, hawking the DPC product and expecting us to buy into it all while under the employ of the very company that sells the product is pretty shady.

Frankly, it doesn't speak well to what Fotolia is about today. We need more honesty in this business, not less. I'm opted out of DPC, not just because I think it's a bad deal for artists but also because I'm concerned about the direction Fotolia seems to be going in. If you are truly intent on doing a good job for Fotolia and representing the company here and as a customer service rep in a positive way, I hope we can expect to see some better contributor relations going forward. That needs to include some real transparency and disclosure.

Fair enough Mike, thanks for the feedback.  The truth is, this forum is very hostile.  Yes, my employment status has changed in recent months, but sharing that here was not something I felt compelled to do.  It's not about being "shady" it's simply an unpleasant place to attempt a reasonable discussion/debate or to share news.  How many times have we seen agency representatives attempt to engage in a discussion here only to get the digital equivalent of an angry mob with pitchforks and torches?  I've been a member of this forum a lot longer than I've been an employee at Fotolia and I know how this place works. 

My offer stands, I've shared my email address [email protected].  Feel free to write to me directly if you have any questions, (reasonable) comments or concerns and I will do my best to respond as quickly as possible.

Kind regards,

Mat

« Reply #277 on: April 29, 2014, 19:21 »
+24
Are you employed by Fotolia?

Yes, after volunteering as a moderator in the Fotolia forum for many years I made the decision to leave the restaurant business I had been in for more than 25 years and turn my focus to my true passion of photography.  The timing was fortuitous as an opening came available on the Customer Service team at Fotolia that I happily accepted this past September...

Thanks for the clarification, Mat. I hope you realize that this was misleading, though, by earlier emphasizing the point that you are a contributor but never mentioning that you are an employee as well.

I also hope you realize that misrepresenting yourself only adds to the mistrust we already feel towards many agencies these days. Since you are a contributor, you know as well as all of us that it isn't easy being in the microstock business, especially recently. Many companies look to exploit every angle and opportunity to get the most profit from our work while paying us the least amount possible.

So you coming in here acting like a regular joe, hawking the DPC product and expecting us to buy into it all while under the employ of the very company that sells the product is pretty shady.

Frankly, it doesn't speak well to what Fotolia is about today. We need more honesty in this business, not less. I'm opted out of DPC, not just because I think it's a bad deal for artists but also because I'm concerned about the direction Fotolia seems to be going in. If you are truly intent on doing a good job for Fotolia and representing the company here and as a customer service rep in a positive way, I hope we can expect to see some better contributor relations going forward. That needs to include some real transparency and disclosure.

Fair enough Mike, thanks for the feedback.  The truth is, this forum is very hostile.  Yes, my employment status has changed in recent months, but sharing that here was not something I felt compelled to do.  It's not about being "shady" it's simply an unpleasant place to attempt a reasonable discussion/debate or to share news.  How many times have we seen agency representatives attempt to engage in a discussion here only to get the digital equivalent of an angry mob with pitchforks and torches?  I've been a member of this forum a lot longer than I've been an employee at Fotolia and I know how this place works. 

My offer stands, I've shared my email address [email protected].  Feel free to write to me directly if you have any questions, (reasonable) comments or concerns and I will do my best to respond as quickly as possible.

Kind regards,

Mat

This forum is the only place contributors can speak about agencies in an uncensored way. After the way Fotolia has treated contributors over the years, how do you expect them to act? Fotolia has a history of shafting contributors without any explanation in a totally secretive and underhanded manner so I'm sorry if it seems a little unpleasant for you...but I respect the fact that you are making an attempt to communicate at least.

farbled

« Reply #278 on: April 29, 2014, 19:30 »
+7
I'll take a quick slightly off-topic second to apologize to Tickstock and Shudderstock about being anonymous. I can see how, in light of events like this, it can be necessary for contributors.

« Reply #279 on: April 29, 2014, 19:43 »
+2
Are you employed by Fotolia?

Yes, after volunteering as a moderator in the Fotolia forum for many years I made the decision to leave the restaurant business I had been in for more than 25 years and turn my focus to my true passion of photography.  The timing was fortuitous as an opening came available on the Customer Service team at Fotolia that I happily accepted this past September...

Thanks for the clarification, Mat. I hope you realize that this was misleading, though, by earlier emphasizing the point that you are a contributor but never mentioning that you are an employee as well.

I also hope you realize that misrepresenting yourself only adds to the mistrust we already feel towards many agencies these days. Since you are a contributor, you know as well as all of us that it isn't easy being in the microstock business, especially recently. Many companies look to exploit every angle and opportunity to get the most profit from our work while paying us the least amount possible.

So you coming in here acting like a regular joe, hawking the DPC product and expecting us to buy into it all while under the employ of the very company that sells the product is pretty shady.

Frankly, it doesn't speak well to what Fotolia is about today. We need more honesty in this business, not less. I'm opted out of DPC, not just because I think it's a bad deal for artists but also because I'm concerned about the direction Fotolia seems to be going in. If you are truly intent on doing a good job for Fotolia and representing the company here and as a customer service rep in a positive way, I hope we can expect to see some better contributor relations going forward. That needs to include some real transparency and disclosure.

Fair enough Mike, thanks for the feedback.  The truth is, this forum is very hostile.  Yes, my employment status has changed in recent months, but sharing that here was not something I felt compelled to do.  It's not about being "shady" it's simply an unpleasant place to attempt a reasonable discussion/debate or to share news.  How many times have we seen agency representatives attempt to engage in a discussion here only to get the digital equivalent of an angry mob with pitchforks and torches?  I've been a member of this forum a lot longer than I've been an employee at Fotolia and I know how this place works. 

My offer stands, I've shared my email address [email protected].  Feel free to write to me directly if you have any questions, (reasonable) comments or concerns and I will do my best to respond as quickly as possible.

Kind regards,

Mat

+1 This place is quite negative. I didn't see any offer but, can you schedule my portfolio for deletion and take any portion of the $5.25 I've earned and keep it or send it to paypal? Thanks Mat.

« Reply #280 on: April 29, 2014, 19:52 »
+29
...It's not about being "shady" it's simply an unpleasant place to attempt a reasonable discussion/debate or to share news.

Even if I agreed with your assessment of this forum (which, for the record, I don't), you have to deal with contributors as you find them and deliver news - or not if you choose not to be a company PR rep - and take the reactions you get.

I think that you need to speak for yourself, as a contributor, or speak for Fotolia - and you need to get one of Leaf's badges that identifies agency representatives if you're going to do that.

If a Shutterstock rep came in here and announced a 20% raise for contributors, I'm guessing that news would be very pleasantly received. People get suspicious when they're repeatedly misled; angry when their royalties are cut or images misused. It's a pretty direct cause and effect relationship.
« Last Edit: April 29, 2014, 21:05 by Jo Ann Snover »

« Reply #281 on: April 29, 2014, 20:59 »
+16
... We need to get the word out to all our friends in the business.

I added a note on Facebook, Google+ and sent out a Tweet - not to that large of an audience, but if we all do what we can to get the word out...

I help to inform Thai microstocker about this issue as well. Now the news are being spread. Thai microstocker has a large role in this industry.

EmberMike

« Reply #282 on: April 29, 2014, 22:52 »
+26
Fair enough Mike, thanks for the feedback.  The truth is, this forum is very hostile.  Yes, my employment status has changed in recent months, but sharing that here was not something I felt compelled to do.  It's not about being "shady" it's simply an unpleasant place to attempt a reasonable discussion/debate or to share news.  How many times have we seen agency representatives attempt to engage in a discussion here only to get the digital equivalent of an angry mob with pitchforks and torches?  I've been a member of this forum a lot longer than I've been an employee at Fotolia and I know how this place works...

This is an unpleasant place to share news that is bad for artists. Agency representatives are met with very positive feedback when the news they are sharing is good news.

Maybe the problem is that we just have way too many agency representatives coming in here trying to sell us on bad ideas. Often the good ideas, the ones that are fair to agencies and artists, don't need to be sold. You wouldn't need to come in here and defend fair pricing or fair royalties. Good ideas and fair deals for artists don't often even get discussed here. I work with a couple of companies that are almost completely off the radar here, because they're not doing anything that is damaging to the stock image business.

Maybe MSG is a little hostile. But that hostility is almost exclusively directed towards companies who are doing things worthy of such hostility.

lisafx

« Reply #283 on: April 29, 2014, 22:59 »
+4
I disagree we have way too many agency reps coming in here to sell us on any ideas at all, bad or otherwise.  There are actually very few agency reps that bother coming in here anymore, regardless of what's going on.  There definitely is a perception that this is a hostile place for agency reps. 

Personally I am always appreciative when a representative of any agency comes here to take questions and provide clarity, regardless of whether or not I like the policy they are explaining, or whether I agree with their explanation.  At least it shows an effort at contributor relations. 

There's way too much shooting the messenger going on around here and it is already biting us on the hind end because so few agencies even bother with us (at MSG) anymore. 

Thanks Mat, for braving the shark tank.  Hope you continue to do so. 

« Reply #284 on: April 29, 2014, 23:22 »
+6
I disagree we have way too many agency reps coming in here to sell us on any ideas at all, bad or otherwise.  There are actually very few agency reps that bother coming in here anymore, regardless of what's going on.  There definitely is a perception that this is a hostile place for agency reps. 

Personally I am always appreciative when a representative of any agency comes here to take questions and provide clarity, regardless of whether or not I like the policy they are explaining, or whether I agree with their explanation.  At least it shows an effort at contributor relations. 

There's way too much shooting the messenger going on around here and it is already biting us on the hind end because so few agencies even bother with us (at MSG) anymore. 

Thanks Mat, for braving the shark tank.  Hope you continue to do so.

It would have been nice if we knew he was an agency representative in the first place....but it is more Fotolia than Mat which is the problem here. Tough job to sell something like this.

Rinderart

« Reply #285 on: April 29, 2014, 23:38 »
+11
Mat, I like you and I respect you. You seem like a very Likeable guy. But now that your a company Man. Your coming across Like you have been drinking The Kool Aid My friend. Sorry.
Best wishes on the job.

« Reply #286 on: April 30, 2014, 00:04 »
+5
Focusing a lot on mat and not on the problem.

I'm glad I got my own stuff off of dpc... However, I think that it should be a bit more obvious and maybe even mass e-mailed out to contributors...

I didn't realize how crappy it was when they first introduced the program in January. I still just want my files off Fotolia, I don't care for business practices that hide things (and obviously aren't above lying) to their partners. Hopefully they have a lot of Mats.

« Reply #287 on: April 30, 2014, 01:04 »
+1
Fotolia is my second earner; so.... deactivation is OPT OUT in my case. Regarding Dollar photo club... less than 5% are 1 credit sale  ;)

« Reply #288 on: April 30, 2014, 01:14 »
+7
i have deleted one hundred more, show must go on

« Reply #289 on: April 30, 2014, 01:57 »
+13
I started deleting images years ago when FT showed to be cheap. Also haven't uploaded files for years (apart from a few just to see how FT evolved) I just deleted all my last selling images. I still have some left but they will go. My guess is that when an agency is this dishonest they will not suddenly go the other way. Not much good will come from them.Just run from there and don't look back!

« Reply #290 on: April 30, 2014, 02:04 »
+12
What I am curious is that why Fotolia didn't report or advertise this DCP program to all the contributors in the first place before launching it?

And even after all these ethic matters, and also worst consequence to overall stock business... Fotolia still doesn't seem to inform all the contributor to let them decide whether to join or not? (but just put a little link hidden deep in the profile page)

Why don't report this program via Fotolia homepage or facebook fanpage, or other official media for contributor to see????

What is your intention?
please clarify 

« Reply #291 on: April 30, 2014, 02:26 »
+1
I already deleted my 700+ images from fotolia on 28/4/2014 and yesterday received following email from fotolia.


Dear contributor,
 
You probably heard that we have launched Dollar Photo Club . We would like to share with you what we aim to do at Fotolia with Dollar Photo Club (DPC) and how it works. Lots of information have been circulated and first we would like to lay out the facts, so you can take the best informed decision. Whatever that decision might be we will always respect it and should you wish to opt out from DPC or stay, you now simply need to select the right option here.
 
Here are the facts about Dollar Photo Club

    The offer
        Dollar Photo Club is a subscription model. Clients register and pay with their credit card, subscribing for a monthly or yearly rolling contract. Renewal rate so far has been close to 90% meaning people use it as a real subscription
        Price per image is $1 for a standard license, which means up to 5x times higher than the daily-quota or monthly-quota subscriptions sold by main actors on the market nowadays
    Payouts
        Dollar Photo Club payouts are the same than any subscription at Fotolia and basically depend on your rank. Payouts range from 25 cents to 40 cents, which is well in line with the market
        Dollar Photo Club sales count towards your ranking at Fotolia, increasing your level of commission. Being part of Dollar Photo Club will increase both your sales AND your commission level
        At Dollar Photo Club, contrary to standard subscriptions, unused downloads never expire. That is a very different model than standard subscriptions, where agencies get all the money from unused downloads. As a result, DollarPhotoClub is a subscription model where a higher percentage of money spent goes to the photographer.
    Licensing
        Photos at Dollar Photo Club are sold under a standard commercial license, with a recent update limiting the print-runs to just 500k, inline with the market. Full licence terms can be seen here: http://r.fotolia.com/redirect/jdx0tzhv2sdfo92cdp4zdj/us.dollarphotoclub.com/Info/RoyaltyFreeLicense
        All Dollar Photo Club licenses are mono-seat and do not grant any extended rights
    Extended license (to come)An extended license will be added shortly that should be very similar to Fotolias in term of pricing, and payments to contributors.

Why did we launch Dollar Photo Club?

At Fotolia, our aim is to take microstock to the next level: going after the millions of companies around the world who don't purchase yet any license for the images they use, especially in new markets.  We estimate to millions of downloads a day what could be the market tomorrow. That's why we have launched DPC and we spend lot of time, efforts and money in educating markets and promoting your images.  We truly believe that the stock market is only at an early stage and we need you to build a sustainable win-win business profitable to all of us.
From monitoring of customer spend on Dollar Photo Club since we began trading three months ago we have confirmed that client spending has been consistently higher, than traditional on-demand client spend in an entire year. We firmly believe this proves how a simple affordable offer helps to increase usage and spend, all of which is good for the market. By converting illegal users of images to paying clients, the microstock market ten times bigger imagine that! This is what Dollar Photo Club wants to achieve.

Please be assured that we highly appreciate your trust and are absolutely aware that this business would be nothing without the hard work, creativity and trust of all of you.

You have been one of the first to put your trust in the microstock model; hopefully you will trust our belief in the potential of the microstock market to grow and flourish to ten times its current size.

Thank you
 
The Fotolia Team


« Reply #292 on: April 30, 2014, 02:29 »
+12
I dont have an account with Fotolia so I cant delete anything but at least I joined the petition. I think its amazing that in a short time over 1000 contributors gathered for the same cause. Some people may complain it is too few but hey, it happened just in a few days and it will continue. Contributors will be removing their images and they will stop submitting new ones. They will be replaced by others, sure, but it will be different content. Other agencies which will keep on receiving the content missing from Fotolia may benefit from that.

Lets not underestimate outselves, it takes some time to gather more contributors as we are scattered all over the world and there are language barriers. But gradually more and more people will be informed and will be making decisions. Just keep spreading the word.

« Reply #293 on: April 30, 2014, 02:35 »
+17
Hi to all.
Just for inspiration:
There was my portfolio on fotolia 6469.
It became 70.
These 70 I save for tomorrow to take a part in D-Day.

For thothe who trusts in the button - I wrote to fotolia 8 letters with a request to remove my photos and my account from a fotolia. At first to me wrote think again, bla, bla, and now in general ceased to answer. So make your own desigion to stay on fotolia or not. I have already made.
Good luck to all.
Appreciate your work and your time.

« Reply #294 on: April 30, 2014, 02:40 »
+2

My offer stands, I've shared my email address [email protected].  Feel free to write to me directly if you have any questions, (reasonable) comments or concerns and I will do my best to respond as quickly as possible.

Kind regards,

Mat


but why do not you answering first the many open questions here in the thread?
Want Fotolia probably no public discussion or why have Fotolia the threads closed in Fotolia-forums about the DPC?

« Reply #295 on: April 30, 2014, 02:44 »
+9
Hi to all.
Just for inspiration:
There was my portfolio on fotolia 6469.
It became 70.
These 70 I save for tomorrow to take a part in D-Day.

For thothe who trusts in the button - I wrote to fotolia 8 letters with a request to remove my photos and my account from a fotolia. At first to me wrote think again, bla, bla, and now in general ceased to answer. So make your own desigion to stay on fotolia or not. I have already made.
Good luck to all.
Appreciate your work and your time.

I have left only 1 image for tomorrow for participating in D-Day.  Bye Bye fotolia.

« Reply #296 on: April 30, 2014, 02:45 »
+7
Hi, I'm fotolia emerald and want to join you gyus, please help - where do I find the opt out button?

« Reply #297 on: April 30, 2014, 02:50 »
+1
Hi, I'm fotolia emerald and want to join you gyus, please help - where do I find the opt out button?


My Profile  --->  Contributor parameter --->  Sell my files on DPC  (click on MODIFY) button

« Reply #298 on: April 30, 2014, 02:54 »
+1
Hi, I'm fotolia emerald and want to join you gyus, please help - where do I find the opt out button?


Go to My Account > My Profile > Contributor Parameters

Click on MODIFY after "Sell my files on DPC". The text will change to "Don't sell my files on DPC".

And this is the link to sign the Petition: http://boycottfotolia.org/en/petition.html#.U2CrofldUmv

« Reply #299 on: April 30, 2014, 02:57 »
+11
Done, thank you. Sorry if that subject was here before - why don't we - artists - invest and launch our stock agency? Is it to complicated? Not worth it if we pay professionals to run it? We have got the power for a huge ad campaing to start, there is so many of us.


 

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