Author Topic: Fotolia D-Day (Deactivation Day) - May,1 (Read 361772 times)

ShadySue · « **Reply #1050 on:** May 15, 2014, 09:56 »

Quote from: Jo Ann Snover on May 15, 2014, 09:54

The tweet about "greedy photogs" - if I have the one Liz was referring to - is more an anti-iStock/Getty rant (I think the poster assumes all that extra money is going to the photographer...

https://twitter.com/jordankettner/status/466655532812877824

That's the one, but the 'greedy photographers' quote was what riled me.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #1051 on:** May 15, 2014, 10:06 »

I wonder if these tweets are some type of paid promo for Dollar Photo Club? I replied to one back on April 27th and got a "Wow, I had no idea" reply, but...

https://twitter.com/franveal/status/460930204383600640

this morning I see yesterday's tweet - the same tweet from that person who seemed to have been enlightened - promoting DPC and a search for murder scenes (she's apparently not very savvy as if you click the link you get no results! You have to uncheck the Safe Search option to see anything - not that I'll bother to tell her that

https://twitter.com/franveal/status/466542258767273985

Ron · « **Reply #1052 on:** May 15, 2014, 10:12 »

Quote from: Jo Ann Snover on May 15, 2014, 10:06

I wonder if these tweets are some type of paid promo for Dollar Photo Club? I replied to one back on April 27th and got a "Wow, I had no idea" reply, but...

https://twitter.com/franveal/status/460930204383600640

this morning I see yesterday's tweet - the same tweet from that person who seemed to have been enlightened - promoting DPC and a search for murder scenes (she's apparently not very savvy as if you click the link you get no results! You have to uncheck the Safe Search option to see anything - not that I'll bother to tell her that

https://twitter.com/franveal/status/466542258767273985

thats what I mentioned in a previous comment. The tweets look fake, like small sales pitches. People dont tweet like that. You see the same kind of comments on slimming products. WOW, lost 15 kilos in 2 days. I can recommend these pills to everyone.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #1053 on:** May 15, 2014, 10:18 »

she doesn't look fake to me with 23k tweets

robhainer · « **Reply #1054 on:** May 15, 2014, 10:20 »

"Greedy photogs" is a bit much. It's not like we're working on Wall Street making millions while producing nothing of value.

roede-orm · « **Reply #1055 on:** May 15, 2014, 10:34 »

Quote from: Monty-m-gue on May 15, 2014, 08:02

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 is simply not true, Fotolia! I've got the same subscription payouts today as before

roede-orm · « **Reply #1056 on:** May 15, 2014, 10:34 »

double posting deleted

EmberMike · « **Reply #1057 on:** May 15, 2014, 10:41 »

I guarantee the $10 buy-in doesn't increase, ever. Or should I say "always".

That number wasn't chosen at random. It's a sort of psychological tactic. 10 is a number that buyers are pretty used to in this business. $10 for a large photo is pretty common. Shutterstock's 5-pack and 25-pack amount to around $10 per image. Stock used to price large images around 10 credits. Some companies still do. Fotolia is aiming to get buyers to see $10 and think, "I used to just get 1 image for that price. Now I can get 10!".

That plus they'd royally annoy their newly-acquired customers jacking up the minimum so soon into this.

It's not going to happen. And adding to the list of things that won't happen, opt-outs won't take the image count below 20 million and DPC won't shut down.

Sorry, I hate to say it, but I think this effort is dead in the water. Looking at today's stats, image count at DPC is holding steady and isn't really any less than it was 2 days ago, hovering around 21.7 million. Opt-outs will be harder to encourage now that there's an incentive to opt-in in the form of an additional subscription raise at FT.

I've done what I can do. I emailed back and forth with Mat, but he seems convinced that this is a good thing for everyone. You could also add that to the list of things I think won't change. I got a few people to opt out, but at least one of them already seems to be wavering on the decision. Even if we did get a ton more people to opt out, Fotolia can just yank the opt-out option. Honestly I'm surprised they even have one. Other companies require participation in some partner programs. This could be the same.

I opted out myself and deleted half of my portfolio at FT. I guess I could do the other half but it doesn't matter really. I don't think FT even cares if FT is still around in a few years. DPC is their future. They're asking customers to go over there. So who would care if some contributors delete their portfolios?

The one and only way that this gets stopped is if other companies step in. And I'm not even sure what they could do, if anything. They could require their contributors to not do business with Fotolia, but I doubt most companies would want to go down that road and the legalities of such a move are questionable.

I'm done. Moving on. I'd rather not waste another minute worrying about DPC when there is really nothing more I can do about it. It's here to stay.

Shelma1 · « **Reply #1058 on:** May 15, 2014, 11:02 »

I respectfully disagree. I think the amount of images that have been opted out in just a few days is phenomenal, considering the number of years it took to build up that library. More buyers are getting aggravated with disappearing files and tweeting about it. More of us are making those buyers aware of the boycott and other options for images. I see the message getting out there even more.

I'm sure every boycott, protest, and revolution seemed impossible at the beginning. Yet many of them worked. If citizens can overthrow governments, we can shut down one little website.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #1059 on:** May 15, 2014, 11:08 »

6 M files are 30 weeks of 200k files/week

it's a major achievement guys, so keep it up!

EmberMike · « **Reply #1060 on:** May 15, 2014, 11:09 »

Quote from: Shelma1 on May 15, 2014, 11:02

I respectfully disagree. I think the amount of images that have been opted out in just a few days is phenomenal, considering the number of years it took to build up that library. More buyers are getting aggravated with disappearing files and tweeting about it. More of us are making those buyers aware of the boycott and other options for images. I see the message getting out there even more.

I'm sure every boycott, protest, and revolution seemed impossible at the beginning. Yet many of them worked. If citizens can overthrow governments, we can shut down one little website.

I wish we could, but it's not going to happen. We can already see the stagnation of opt-outs. The image count isn't changing and will likely begin to go up.

Even if the protest succeeded in getting more images opted out, Fotolia has the trump card. They can just shut off the opt-out and force inclusion. There is no scenario in which they just agree to shut the thing down. It won't happen.

H2O · « **Reply #1061 on:** May 15, 2014, 11:33 »

Quote from: EmberMike on May 15, 2014, 11:09

Quote from: Shelma1 on May 15, 2014, 11:02
I respectfully disagree. I think the amount of images that have been opted out in just a few days is phenomenal, considering the number of years it took to build up that library. More buyers are getting aggravated with disappearing files and tweeting about it. More of us are making those buyers aware of the boycott and other options for images. I see the message getting out there even more.

I'm sure every boycott, protest, and revolution seemed impossible at the beginning. Yet many of them worked. If citizens can overthrow governments, we can shut down one little website.

I wish we could, but it's not going to happen. We can already see the stagnation of opt-outs. The image count isn't changing and will likely begin to go up.

Even if the protest succeeded in getting more images opted out, Fotolia has the trump card. They can just shut off the opt-out and force inclusion. There is no scenario in which they just agree to shut the thing down. It won't happen.

We need anther Opt Out Day Promotion to keep the momentum

LesPalenik · « **Reply #1062 on:** May 15, 2014, 12:10 »

Quote

Even if the protest succeeded in getting more images opted out, Fotolia has the trump card. They can just shut off the opt-out and force inclusion. There is no scenario in which they just agree to shut the thing down. It won't happen.

Not in my book! Since they won't be selling my images at DPC, they don't have the trump card.

EmberMike · « **Reply #1063 on:** May 15, 2014, 12:36 »

Hey, can we all try to not harass buyers on twitter about this? Send one tweet to someone if you want, fine. But don't cross the line and repeatedly contact the same person even after they've asked you to stop.

Ron · « **Reply #1064 on:** May 15, 2014, 12:41 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on May 15, 2014, 10:18

she doesn't look fake to me with 23k tweets

I didnt say she was fake, I said the tweet looks fake. She could have been hired to tweet for DPC.

bunhill · « **Reply #1065 on:** May 15, 2014, 12:58 »

There are lots of services which allow you to buy tweets, retweets and followers. $2 gets your Tweet sent to 50K followers. Probably mostly bot accounts but it still affects the trending. For not much more you can get something which seems much more real. The services advertise themselves as being from real looking accounts with real followers (many people will still follow anyone who follows or retweets them - especially if they have a nice profile picture - so many of these accounts probably really do have real followers).

So there's an idea for anyone looking to get their message out to 50K people eh!

ArtesiaWells · « **Reply #1066 on:** May 15, 2014, 13:23 »

…so maybe Microstockgroup could open a Twitter account.
We could all follow it and retweet important messages.

Possible?

Fairplay · « **Reply #1067 on:** May 15, 2014, 13:52 »

https://twitter.com/microstockgroup

EmberMike · « **Reply #1068 on:** May 15, 2014, 13:56 »

Quote from: H2O on May 15, 2014, 11:33

We need anther Opt Out Day Promotion to keep the momentum

The momentum is already dead. Stats for today show an increase in the number of images at DPC. About 27,000 were removed while 30,000 were added.

I'm all for as many opt-outs as possible, but it's just not going to do anything in the end. It's a losing battle. We're working against people opting back in and people already opted in who are uploading more to Fotolia. Opt-outs will never be enough to counteract the uploads and opt-ins.

Opt-out, and tell whoever you know to opt out as well. But let's be realistic here and recognize that opt-outs aren't going to get anything done. If anyone really believes that DPC can be stopped, then there needs to be a new strategy to make that happen. The current one isn't going to get there.

Ron · « **Reply #1069 on:** May 15, 2014, 14:05 »

Quote from: EmberMike on May 15, 2014, 13:56

Quote from: H2O on May 15, 2014, 11:33
We need anther Opt Out Day Promotion to keep the momentum

The momentum is already dead. Stats for today show an increase in the number of images at DPC. About 27,000 were removed while 30,000 were added.

I'm all for as many opt-outs as possible, but it's just not going to do anything in the end. It's a losing battle. We're working against people opting back in and people already opted in who are uploading more to Fotolia. Opt-outs will never be enough to counteract the uploads and opt-ins.

Opt-out, and tell whoever you know to opt out as well. But let's be realistic here and recognize that opt-outs aren't going to get anything done. If anyone really believes that DPC can be stopped, then there needs to be a new strategy to make that happen. The current one isn't going to get there.

Did anyone report it to that UK website someone got from the EU?

CatTheCat · « **Reply #1070 on:** May 15, 2014, 14:06 »

Quote from: EmberMike on May 15, 2014, 13:56

Quote from: H2O on May 15, 2014, 11:33
We need anther Opt Out Day Promotion to keep the momentum

The momentum is already dead. Stats for today show an increase in the number of images at DPC. About 27,000 were removed while 30,000 were added.

I'm all for as many opt-outs as possible, but it's just not going to do anything in the end. It's a losing battle. We're working against people opting back in and people already opted in who are uploading more to Fotolia. Opt-outs will never be enough to counteract the uploads and opt-ins.

Opt-out, and tell whoever you know to opt out as well. But let's be realistic here and recognize that opt-outs aren't going to get anything done. If anyone really believes that DPC can be stopped, then there needs to be a new strategy to make that happen. The current one isn't going to get there.

Raise Your Head, a lot was achieved in 2 weeks and a lot more can be achieved. I was able to reach one more contributor today, he didn't know at all. More will see these treads in the following days, as the majority don't visit the forums everyday.
They could win the battle today but they will lose the war.

fotoramka · « **Reply #1071 on:** May 15, 2014, 14:18 »

Mike, you're wrong.
At first - Fotolia increases comissions for it pseudo-subscriptions so anyway, people who opted-out in DPC but continue cooperate with FT will get more honest earnings. Even this - big success for our boycott.

At this moment i think we need to work with customers. Let me explain - you should make posts and articles not for stockers, but for people who buy pictures in stock.
Why? Because they direct auditory on microstocks. So what advertisment DPC promote? Unique private club? Ok, write about it. But don't forget said that many stockers stopped upload and opt-out from it. Show difference in 25% between FT and DPC. Talk that FT lies to customers when promises exclusive content. Talk about your and your friends, that you're generate great images, but customer didn't find it on DPC.

You can't force all FT contributors to opt-out. But.... You can create bad reputation for DPC. You can make the buyer assume that DPC is shop for poor people with strictly limited content, with poor prospects and without great updates because many stockers stop upload to FT. That if he even will buy images - he can cheat image's author because these works can be sold without his knowledge so cheap.

ArtesiaWells · « **Reply #1072 on:** May 15, 2014, 14:35 »

Quote from: Fairplay on May 15, 2014, 13:52

https://twitter.com/microstockgroup

I was already a follower

Ron · « **Reply #1073 on:** May 15, 2014, 14:41 »

I have sent the following message to '[email protected]' and '[email protected]'

Quote

Dear IPO office,

I am writing to you after being advices by the EU on copyright issues we as photographers are experiencing. Microstock agency Fotolia http://eu.fotolia.com is a microstock photography agency that is selling intellectual property (images and photos) submitted by independent photographers. We allow Fotolia to sell our content, in return for royalties. But I am sure you know all about this. Recenty in 2014 Fotolia has started a sister site called Dollar Photo Club http://www.dollarphotoclub.com offering our images for a different pricing structure. The images on Fotolia are transferred to Dollar Photo Club without our consent, without any notification.

In my opinion reading the above Mr Tsheltzoff and his Fotolia company have done is illegal, he should have asked us if we would like our content sold on another site and the Terms and Conditions of that site before he went ahead and put our content on Dollar Photo Club.

He still has not directly contacted any of the European Contributors with any information about DPC and whether we would like our content on this site, this is breaking the law in the EEC. He and Fotolia seem to be in clear breach of European Copy Write Law.

Even one sale on this DPC from a European Union citizen should have financial ramifications for Fotolia, it's not just about the money but the principle of taking our intellectual property to sell somewhere else.

The EU has advised us to contact you, and here I am bringing this case to your attention. Can you please advice or help us in dealing with Fotolia and the Dollar Photo Club?

Many thanks
Ronald Bxxxxn
http://semmickphoto.com

EmberMike · « **Reply #1074 on:** May 15, 2014, 14:50 »

Quote from: fotoramka on May 15, 2014, 14:18

Mike, you're wrong.
At first - Fotolia increases comissions for it pseudo-subscriptions so anyway, people who opted-out in DPC but continue cooperate with FT will get more honest earnings. Even this - big success for our boycott...

Why is that a success? DPC isn't intended to be an add-on for Fotolia. DPC can't exist without taking customers away from other places, including Fotolia itself. Or, worse yet, from places that pay better than Fotolia. Fotolia was even advertising DPC on it's own website recently. The increase in royalties at FT is negated by the loss of buyers.

You're buying in to what they're trying to sell you on, that some aspects of this are good for you. Please know this: None of what Fotolia has been doing lately is done for your best interests in any way. The royalty increase is an empty gesture intended to make you think you've achieved something. Obviously it's working.

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Author Topic: Fotolia D-Day (Deactivation Day) - May,1 (Read 361772 times)

ShadySue

Jo Ann Snover

Ron

luissantos84

robhainer

roede-orm

roede-orm

EmberMike

Shelma1

luissantos84

EmberMike

H2O

LesPalenik

EmberMike

Ron

bunhill

ArtesiaWells

Fairplay

EmberMike

Ron

CatTheCat

fotoramka

ArtesiaWells

Ron

EmberMike

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