I fully understand why you don't want to work with them. I don't like them either, though I still have my portfolio with them.
 
 But what I don't understand: why are you still with IS? Their attitude towards contributors is no better, and they have been - for the longest time - the role model for all other agencies to keep commissions down. They had the lowest percentage in the business since they started. And when they decided that 80% is too much, I left them.
 I don't think that decision had any positive effect for me. Since then I'm a bit more cautious with deleting portfolios, even at agencies that screw contributors like FT and 123RF.
 
 And by the way, my sales at FT have been up last month, although I am opted out of DPC. Must have some other reason.
 

Quote from: spike on October 12, 2014, 11:37

I'm not opted.in to DPC, but my earnings at Fotolia continue to grow month after month.

So I don't think there's necessarily a causation between being opted in or out and your normal fotolia sales. If there is, I'm not aware of it.

Realistically I don't see how those who have opted-out of DPC can be deliberately 'punished' with fewer sales at FT. It could only be achieved via modifications to the default sort-order and I can't see FT investing money to achieve that end. Let's face it, FT have the least sophisticated sort-order of any of the main agencies which indicates how little they do invest in such things. For example they seem to be the only agency that don't even give any weighting whatsoever to keywords. The likelihood that FT have actually spent money just to make their search even worse for buyers is highly improbable.

Apart from anything else they appear to already have 80-90% of the content at FT mirrored at DPC. Try a search on any particular subject on each site and there's not much difference in the quantity.

Quote from: gostwyck on October 12, 2014, 12:07

Quote from: spike on October 12, 2014, 11:37

I'm not opted.in to DPC, but my earnings at Fotolia continue to grow month after month.

So I don't think there's necessarily a causation between being opted in or out and your normal fotolia sales. If there is, I'm not aware of it.

Realistically I don't see how those who have opted-out of DPC can be deliberately 'punished' with fewer sales at FT. It could only be achieved via modifications to the default sort-order and I can't see FT investing money to achieve that end. Let's face it, FT have the least sophisticated sort-order of any of the main agencies which indicates how little they do invest in such things. For example they seem to be the only agency that don't even give any weighting whatsoever to keywords. The likelihood that FT have actually spent money just to make their search even worse for buyers is highly improbable.

Apart from anything else they appear to already have 80-90% of the content at FT mirrored at DPC. Try a search on any particular subject on each site and there's not much difference in the quantity.

Interesting side-track here.
They do such things, but for a different cause.
I do have an image that shows up pretty high (now top thirty in a search leading to over 3000 results, was top 5 a few weeks ago) in their relevant search order.
But only if I search in German on the German FT site.
If I switch to English (US) the same (translated) search term shows a bit more than 5000 results, and my file can't be found in the first 500 (stopped looking after that).
Interestingly enough, if I switch to English (UK) my image is number two (of over 5000).

I suspect this is because I get paid in Euros. Somebody from the US buying in US-$ and them having to pay me in Euros is their worst case. And they know how to avoid that.

Proof: FT shows you a statistic how many files were bought from US buyers. From beginning of 2011 on until today, in my case that is about 1,5% of all sales.

Dallas, the only thing that counts is whether u make money there . if u do, what others say is not important. also, if everyone hates fotolia...means less ppl submit their work to them. if that means u earn more there, who cares?

Quote from: dirkr on October 12, 2014, 10:42

I fully understand why you don't want to work with them. I don't like them either, though I still have my portfolio with them.

But what I don't understand: why are you still with IS? Their attitude towards contributors is no better, and they have been - for the longest time - the role model for all other agencies to keep commissions down. They had the lowest percentage in the business since they started. And when they decided that 80% is too much, I left them.
I don't think that decision had any positive effect for me. Since then I'm a bit more cautious with deleting portfolios, even at agencies that screw contributors like FT and 123RF.

And by the way, my sales at FT have been up last month, although I am opted out of DPC. Must have some other reason.

I agree with what you are saying, but each agency is different.

IStock milks its contributors for everything it can get, but it's incompetence and high prices mean that it isn't really a threat to the other agencies. In fact it's mostly cutting its own throat by taking such a high percentage (as already discussed).

They also haven't been caught out misleading contributors in the same way as FL (using generous language). FL's hypocrisy is also hard to swallow, throwing their toys out of the pram when DP came along and threatening their contributors then coming up with DPC that is much worse.

Also before evaluating whether leaving IS had any positive effects for you think about all the time and frustration you have avoided by not uploading to them. Then think about all the subsequent (and future) shenanigans you don't have to worry about. Then factor in that their market share is ever decreasing. Seems like you could have made the right decision, no?

Quote from: etudiante_rapide on October 12, 2014, 16:18

Dallas, the only thing that counts is whether u make money there . if u do, what others say is not important. also, if everyone hates fotolia...means less ppl submit their work to them. if that means u earn more there, who cares?

Lagereek in Troll-mode again........ 

Quote from: Dook on October 13, 2014, 02:06

Quote from: etudiante_rapide on October 12, 2014, 16:18

Dallas, the only thing that counts is whether u make money there . if u do, what others say is not important. also, if everyone hates fotolia...means less ppl submit their work to them. if that means u earn more there, who cares?

In virtual world of anonimity on forums- yes, you are right. But, in real world, in your town, in your neighborhood, among your friends and people you live with - do you really live this way? Not caring about anybody, just going for money?
I know you don't. It's just that these internet world made us tell stupidities.

I'm not going to give up income just because my neighbor says it would br good for him. And I'm not anonymous. I would tell you the same thing to your face.

Quote from: dirkr on October 12, 2014, 10:42

I fully understand why you don't want to work with them. I don't like them either, though I still have my portfolio with them.

But what I don't understand: why are you still with IS? Their attitude towards contributors is no better, and they have been - for the longest time - the role model for all other agencies to keep commissions down. They had the lowest percentage in the business since they started. And when they decided that 80% is too much, I left them.
I don't think that decision had any positive effect for me. Since then I'm a bit more cautious with deleting portfolios, even at agencies that screw contributors like FT and 123RF.

And by the way, my sales at FT have been up last month, although I am opted out of DPC. Must have some other reason.

I agree with what you are saying, but each agency is different.

IStock milks its contributors for everything it can get, but it's incompetence and high prices mean that it isn't really a threat to the other agencies. In fact it's mostly cutting its own throat by taking such a high percentage (as already discussed).

They also haven't been caught out misleading contributors in the same way as FL (using generous language). FL's hypocrisy is also hard to swallow, throwing their toys out of the pram when DP came along and threatening their contributors then coming up with DPC that is much worse.

Also before evaluating whether leaving IS had any positive effects for you think about all the time and frustration you have avoided by not uploading to them. Then think about all the subsequent (and future) shenanigans you don't have to worry about. Then factor in that their market share is ever decreasing. Seems like you could have made the right decision, no?