I received this email from Fotolia today.

Dear Whitechild,

Recently, we've been receiving a lot of requests from contributors to
remove underperforming files from their portfolios. Apparently, most
photographers think that there is no chance of selling an image if it
hasn't been downloaded at least once in the last year.

Since then, our product and marketing teams have been working hard on
creating a solution that benefits both contributing artists and
customers alike. Our belief is that if one of your images was accepted
into Fotolia's collection, it is an image that deserves to be sold and
used.

To make your images even more attractive to customers, we're
introducing a new pricing strategy for images that have not been
downloaded in the last 12 months. These images will be priced at
Fotolia's best rates - $1 for XS, to $10 for XXL. If your images are
already priced at this level, images in your portfolio will remain
unchanged. Once the affected images are downloaded at least 5 times,
you will be able to set their maximum prices once again.

Along with our other sales and marketing initiatives, we're
anticipating increased sales when this new policy comes into effect
September 1st, 2010.
 

Best Regards,

Team Fotolia

I never touched the prices for my uploaded files, so I guess mine are set to a minimum...

This sound like normal (i.e. the only possible) credit price for all non-exclusive files and non-exclusive contributors up to Emerald level when you can start to set this normal prices higher.

      Maximum sales price
Ranking    Contributor royalty (%)    Standard Licenses    Extended
   Royalty Free    Royalty Free    Royalty Free    Royalty Free    Royalty Free    Royalty Free    Royalty Free
White       25    1    3    5    7    8    10    20
Bronze       28    1    3    5    7    8    10    50
Silver       31    1    3    5    7    8    10    100
Gold       34    1    3    5    7    8    10    150
Emerald       37    2    6    10    14    16    20    200
Sapphire       40    3    9    15    21    24    30    200
Rubis       43    4    12    20    28    32    40    200
Diamond       46    5    15    25    35    40    50    200

Quote from: Dreamframer on August 31, 2010, 08:10

I never touched the prices for my uploaded files, so I guess mine are set to a minimum...

This sound like normal (i.e. the only possible) credit price for all non-exclusive files and non-exclusive contributors up to Emerald level when you can start to set this normal prices higher.

      Maximum sales price
Ranking    Contributor royalty (%)    Standard Licenses    Extended
   Royalty Free    Royalty Free    Royalty Free    Royalty Free    Royalty Free    Royalty Free    Royalty Free
White       25    1    3    5    7    8    10    20
Bronze       28    1    3    5    7    8    10    50
Silver       31    1    3    5    7    8    10    100
Gold       34    1    3    5    7    8    10    150
Emerald       37    2    6    10    14    16    20    200
Sapphire       40    3    9    15    21    24    30    200
Rubis       43    4    12    20    28    32    40    200
Diamond       46    5    15    25    35    40    50    200

Yeah I guess this wont effect most people, only emeralds or exclusive images. Since Fotolia pulled the rug out from under us with the downloads required to reach the tears there's not too many Emeralds out there to get worried! (I'm assuming it doesn't effect the extended license prices, which you can set.......or does it?!)

This whole thing stinks of another one of Fotolia's "favors" to us. Lots of people want to delete their files, so we are helping you out by lowering the price on them. Then, when they sell, you can go through manually and adjust the prices (If you remember). And for your convenience, it will all be automated, so you'll never know it's happening.

Can I opt out of this now or do I have to wait for more details?

So it's just a discount on images from emerald and up non exclusives and for bronze and up exclusives.

This isn't going to impact you at all Cthoman.  It appears that all your files are set to $1 for XS anyway. 

Take care,

Mat

I realize it won't impact me, but I still don't agree with the policy.

Also, the fact that images which sell 5 times at base price are boosted back up to the higher price does give the images a chance to earn more again.

The formulation in the email says that they won't be boosted back. They will allow you to set the price to higher values again. I guess that may be huge issue for someone like you with thousands of images, that is unless they provide some easy to use tool to do so or some type of notification emails.

(And yeah, unfortunately I'm far from being affected either)

Ah.  My mistake.  That will be more difficult to keep track of.  

Might make sense to every 6 months or so just write support and ask that all your base prices be set up.  That way any that have met the sales quota at that time will be upgraded. 

doesnt affect me as my images are all at the base of $1, but sounds like a good plan

This whole thing stinks of another one of Fotolia's "favors" to us. Lots of people want to delete their files, so we are helping you out by lowering the price on them. Then, when they sell, you can go through manually and adjust the prices (If you remember). And for your convenience, it will all be automated, so you'll never know it's happening.

Can I opt out of this now or do I have to wait for more details?

It seems to me that Fotolia (like any other site) wants our images to sell for the most money possible, because they get paid a PERCENTAGE. Why would they not want you to remember to increase your prices again? Would you rather they just delete files that haven't sold in a year?

I'm not affected at all, so I don't really care.
But I do have one question: Do EL prices stay the same or are they lowered (to what) as well? That would be something I could not accept...

Yeah that's what I was asking too, as that would effect everyone

If they are going to have so many levels and rules I wish they would just adopt a system like dreamstime and have automatic image levels that are based on the individual image and not the photographer.

I agree

It seems to me that Fotolia (like any other site) wants our images to sell for the most money possible, because they get paid a PERCENTAGE. Why would they not want you to remember to increase your prices again? Would you rather they just delete files that haven't sold in a year?

Well, I probably overreacted a little bit, but it bothers me when everybody gets painted with the same broad brush. Make it optional, so it works for everyone. I'm a little more patient with my files, and a year without a sale is less than ideal but not out of the ordinary. 2 or 3 makes more sense. As far as FT selling things for the most possible, tell that to the tiered vector system that halved a lot of vector prices for contributors. But nobody cared about that because "it didn't affect them".