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Author Topic: Fotolia still at it - they closed my account  (Read 34701 times)

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« Reply #100 on: June 17, 2014, 23:49 »
+1
They said it should be paid in one week, but can take up to two weeks sometimes. I'm already waiting 11 days, they are not hurry to much.


Carl

  • Carl Stewart, CS Productions
« Reply #101 on: June 18, 2014, 05:42 »
+3
They closed my account with no appeal or recourse, and they kept the money they owed me.  Since there's no shortage of photographers, I guess that's one way to add to your bottom line.   :P

« Reply #102 on: June 18, 2014, 05:45 »
0
They closed my account with no appeal or recourse, and they kept the money they owed me.  Since there's no shortage of photographers, I guess that's one way to add to your bottom line.   :P

Why did they close your account if you don't mind me asking or did you close it and they didn't push back and ask why?

« Reply #103 on: June 18, 2014, 06:21 »
+6
It took my a few mails to close my account at Fotolia. They appeared to misunderstand me and thought I wanted out of DPC. They wanted to know what they had done that made me want to close. Finally they understood I really wanted out of Fotolia and closed my account. Bye, Bye!

Carl

  • Carl Stewart, CS Productions
« Reply #104 on: June 19, 2014, 05:30 »
+15
They closed my account with no appeal or recourse, and they kept the money they owed me.  Since there's no shortage of photographers, I guess that's one way to add to your bottom line.   :P

Why did they close your account if you don't mind me asking or did you close it and they didn't push back and ask why?

A model with whom I had shot a few years ago changed her mind for some unknown reason and demanded that I remove all photos of her from the stock sites.  When I refused, she contacted the stock sites, all of which except one referred her to me as the photographer, since I had uploaded a valid, signed, and witnessed model release.  That one was Fotolia.  They simply closed my account!  I asked if they'd reopen my account if I removed the photos of the model in question, and they said they would not.  They said the only way they'd reopen my account is if the model withdrew her request.  They even acknowledged the validity of the model release, but it made no difference to them.  Thus, any photographer who has photographs of people on fotolia is in a very tenuous position.

ethan

« Reply #105 on: June 19, 2014, 06:42 »
+4
They're a  total disgrace. What a cowboy outfit Fotolia is :)

« Reply #106 on: June 22, 2014, 07:50 »
+3
They're a  total disgrace. What a cowboy outfit Fotolia is :)

I am waiting to see how the promotion of DPC affects FT. They clearly are desperate to gain back share.  You can see it by all the constant last minute changes they make.  The most laughable is adding the opt out.  My guess is that they learned the law wasn't on their side and had to add it, or that they felt it would create that warm and fuzzy for contributors......but unfortunately it was well after the fact and done as a result of this forum.  I would give you all raises if I could!!! :)

« Reply #107 on: June 22, 2014, 10:49 »
+16
Don't trust Fotolia, that's for sure. I am also anonym in this forum, because I am afraid.

Some years ago, I had some questions about something (tax related), so I politely asked in the support section. They answered with a standard answer, with not really reading my question and definitely not answering it. So I asked again, politely. I received the same standard answer, not about my problem. I finally got a little angry and asked again...not very polite, I have to admit. But I wanted to get noticed without getting again the same wrong answer. I also told the story in the official forum, that the people working in the support-section are not really helping, maybe they are idiots or so.

Next thing was, I was banned from the forum and got an E-Mail, that I want to delete my account, I should name the paypal account. I apologised, because I am exclusive on Fotolia and make a good income on this site - I can't afford to be kicked out. So they didn't closed my account, but I'm still banned from the forum.

I certainly reacted not professional and good to their unprofessionalism. I shouldn't get angry, thats true. But their reaction also just shows, they piss on you. No matter how much you make (and they get more than 50% of it) they don't care about you, they don't listen to you and don't take you seriously. The one thing I learned about Fotolia in this matter is: Don't trust them. The next lowering of your income will come. The next change of their terms will come (against you of course).

The only reason why I'm still working "with" them is, because I don't have the time right now to re upload all my images on another site. But sooner or later I probably have to do it. Maybe they kick me out, maybe they lower the income more, or change the search algorithm...I don't know yet *g*

Valo

« Reply #108 on: June 22, 2014, 11:33 »
+7
With such a specific story and Fotolia personnel present on this forum, you might have given away your identity.

« Reply #109 on: June 22, 2014, 18:35 »
+1
With such a specific story and Fotolia personnel present on this forum, you might have given away your identity.

This may not be such a unique story.  Perhaps it happened to others too.

« Reply #110 on: June 24, 2014, 10:23 »
+20
I hadn't gotten a sale at FT in a few days (very odd) when I check today my account has "Blocked" next to my Rank Icon.
I tried searching for my images but apparently they have been deleted as well.
I have received no notice from them of their action, but I can imagine it has something to do with the 150+ emails I sent out to contributors urging them to opt out of DPC. Obviously I sent one to a loyal FT minion who outed me to the PTB.
Oh well - fun while it lasted - I'll be out a couple hundred a month but feels good to be done with them.

« Reply #111 on: June 24, 2014, 10:56 »
+1
Still waiting for my money. How can I trust agency that says I'll be paid in 1 week or it may take to two weeks, but waiting third now with no "sorry for late"...

« Reply #112 on: June 24, 2014, 12:29 »
+7
I hadn't gotten a sale at FT in a few days (very odd) when I check today my account has "Blocked" next to my Rank Icon.
I tried searching for my images but apparently they have been deleted as well.
I have received no notice from them of their action, but I can imagine it has something to do with the 150+ emails I sent out to contributors urging them to opt out of DPC. Obviously I sent one to a loyal FT minion who outed me to the PTB.
Oh well - fun while it lasted - I'll be out a couple hundred a month but feels good to be done with them.

Welcome to the dark side, PhotoBomb.  I too was excommunicated.  And I am very happy I am no longer affiliated with such an unethical agency.  I may now make a little less each month, but the warm and fuzzy I have now as a result of our separation far outweighs the loss of revenue.  To be honest, IT'S THEIR LOSS, not mine.

« Reply #113 on: June 24, 2014, 13:32 »
+2
Update:

I sent FT a message asking why.
They replied, rather quickly, that the issue was being escalated to a higher level for response.

I got a 2nd email telling me I had a new message in my account and to login to view.
Went to log into my acct but I am now not able to login.

Sent another message via contact us to ask them to forward me their response or let me login to read it.

We'll see what happens.

« Reply #114 on: June 24, 2014, 14:12 »
+10
I hadn't gotten a sale at FT in a few days (very odd) when I check today my account has "Blocked" next to my Rank Icon.
I tried searching for my images but apparently they have been deleted as well.
I have received no notice from them of their action, but I can imagine it has something to do with the 150+ emails I sent out to contributors urging them to opt out of DPC. Obviously I sent one to a loyal FT minion who outed me to the PTB.
Oh well - fun while it lasted - I'll be out a couple hundred a month but feels good to be done with them.

If you still have those 150+ e-mail addresses, you could always let them know what happens to photographers who try to protect their interests at Fotolia.

OM

« Reply #115 on: June 25, 2014, 12:23 »
+1
Don't trust Fotolia, that's for sure. I am also anonym in this forum, because I am afraid.

Some years ago, I had some questions about something (tax related), so I politely asked in the support section. They answered with a standard answer, with not really reading my question and definitely not answering it. So I asked again, politely. I received the same standard answer, not about my problem. I finally got a little angry and asked again...not very polite, I have to admit. But I wanted to get noticed without getting again the same wrong answer. I also told the story in the official forum, that the people working in the support-section are not really helping, maybe they are idiots or so.


I remember in 2010? when the question of US tax reporting was introduced. Support was worse than useless and gave completely wrong advice about which form was required for European residents. That little farce involved some submitters in costs to obtain notarized copies of forms they never needed in the first place. At that point, I decided never again to have anything to do with their 'support' which I reckon, in reality, was probably 'Son of HAL9000' installed somewhere in Mumbai.  ;D

stealthmode

« Reply #116 on: June 25, 2014, 14:16 »
+2
Don't trust Fotolia, that's for sure. I am also anonym in this forum, because I am afraid.

Some years ago, I had some questions about something (tax related), so I politely asked in the support section. They answered with a standard answer, with not really reading my question and definitely not answering it. So I asked again, politely. I received the same standard answer, not about my problem. I finally got a little angry and asked again...not very polite, I have to admit. But I wanted to get noticed without getting again the same wrong answer. I also told the story in the official forum, that the people working in the support-section are not really helping, maybe they are idiots or so.


I remember in 2010? when the question of US tax reporting was introduced. Support was worse than useless and gave completely wrong advice about which form was required for European residents. That little farce involved some submitters in costs to obtain notarized copies of forms they never needed in the first place. At that point, I decided never again to have anything to do with their 'support' which I reckon, in reality, was probably 'Son of HAL9000' installed somewhere in Mumbai.  ;D

I'm not saying this in excuse for Fotolia's poor support, but to be fair a lot of sites gave wrong advice about the (supposed) need for an ITIN for foreigners on that occasion. Poor support is a constant across the board in microstock.
« Last Edit: June 25, 2014, 14:20 by stealthmode »

« Reply #117 on: June 25, 2014, 16:13 »
+5
I hadn't gotten a sale at FT in a few days (very odd) when I check today my account has "Blocked" next to my Rank Icon.
I tried searching for my images but apparently they have been deleted as well.
I have received no notice from them of their action, but I can imagine it has something to do with the 150+ emails I sent out to contributors urging them to opt out of DPC. Obviously I sent one to a loyal FT minion who outed me to the PTB.
Oh well - fun while it lasted - I'll be out a couple hundred a month but feels good to be done with them.

Silly move from Fotolia. Now you can continue the campaign against DPC just as before, as they can't do anything else to you, no more risk. Yet your interests of being against DPC didn't get any lesser. (Actually it being against DPC is the interest of all contributors who have images on other sites...) 


 

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