MicrostockGroup
Agency Based Discussion => General - Top Sites => Topic started by: WarrenPrice on June 28, 2010, 18:09
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There was an at length discussion of the purchase back in March. I never did find any understanding from those discussions. I had hoped to see an increase in Big Stock sales, a major marketing campaign, changes in business models. Has anyone noticed any changes? Is BS prospering? Has it caused any change at SS? Does anyone have any expectations for the future .. of either SS or BS?
Is there any news on any front?
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Can't speak for anyone else, but my sales there have improved dramatically over the past couple of months. Also, they did a complete site overhaul recently.
I don't know why they bought it, but it appears to me they SS has put some energy and effort into improving the site.
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Shutterstock is an expensive place to get images (subscriptions and lesser used $49 image credits) while BS is a lower market provider featuring cheaper credits ($15 minimun). Without polluting the SS brand, they get to compete in the lower tier market. Seems a good move.
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I guess I was expecting something more evident. I haven't seen any drastic changes, nothing like the furor over Getty buying StockXpert. There is nothing happening at Big Stock to convince me that Shutterstock is interested or hands-on.
Unlike Lisa, my sales have not increased. My portfolio is certainly not comparable to Lisa's but I have more images online at BS than at any other site. And, sales are slower there than at any other site. Maybe I am a natural pessimist. I had just expected (or hoped) for more.
Maybe i am in too big of a hurry? Oh... and I had the date wrong. The sale was last September.
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They did a visual overhaul, but yes, I agree, the benefit of being owned by a more powerful company has not translated to much market push (yet?).
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Unlike Lisa, my sales have not increased. My portfolio is certainly not comparable to Lisa's but I have more images online at BS than at any other site. And, sales are slower there than at any other site. Maybe I am a natural pessimist. I had just expected (or hoped) for more.
From one natural pessimist to another... It's entirely possible that my recent upturn there is just the result of a search engine change, especially if others aren't seeing it.
Sales there had been abysmal for over a year, so I probably just finally got lucky.
If its any comfort my drop in IS sales is more than eating up any gains at BigStock ;)
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Unlike Lisa, my sales have not increased. My portfolio is certainly not comparable to Lisa's but I have more images online at BS than at any other site. And, sales are slower there than at any other site. Maybe I am a natural pessimist. I had just expected (or hoped) for more.
From one natural pessimist to another... It's entirely possible that my recent upturn there is just the result of a search engine change, especially if others aren't seeing it.
Sales there had been abysmal for over a year, so I probably just finally got lucky.
If its any comfort my drop in IS sales is more than eating up any gains at BigStock ;)
Lisa, Sounds like we're in the same boat. I've also had a dramatic increase at BigStock and a drop at IS.
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Unlike Lisa, my sales have not increased. My portfolio is certainly not comparable to Lisa's but I have more images online at BS than at any other site. And, sales are slower there than at any other site. Maybe I am a natural pessimist. I had just expected (or hoped) for more.
From one natural pessimist to another... It's entirely possible that my recent upturn there is just the result of a search engine change, especially if others aren't seeing it.
Sales there had been abysmal for over a year, so I probably just finally got lucky.
If its any comfort my drop in IS sales is more than eating up any gains at BigStock ;)
Au contraire, Lisa. Seeing a drop in sales for anyone at any site is not at all comforting. And, I am envious of anyone with good sales at BigStock. I would love to their sales (and mine) take off. I just can't understand why there seems so little coordinating (selling and marketing) between BigStock and SS. I had really expected a huge boost with the announcement of the sale.
Maybe there is a secret plan that is just waiting to be announced. ??? ??? ???
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I just can't understand why there seems so little coordinating (selling and marketing) between BigStock and SS.
Didn't they try a clumsy attempt at that when they were directing on demand sales to Bigstock? I don't think I want that to happen again.
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nothing drastic for me either....
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nothing changed for me. sales very low as always :'(
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I'm seeing a slow increase in sales at BS compatible with my growing number of pictures there, and not necessarily related to the SS acquisition
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Very slight increase but nothing to shout about.
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I have seen a big increase in sales at BigStock and have even had a payout since they redesigned their site. They were never on the same level sales-wise as IS for me, but lately, because of the drop in sales at IS, BigStock is catching up.
I would love to see SS and BigStock do a huge marketing campaign and overtake them all.
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I guess they bought BS to increase their share of the market and to make money. These microstock agencies are incredibly profitable if they make it big.
The previous 3 months have shown significant growth for me, albeit from a very low base, although they've slipped back a bit this month. To be fair though I haven't bothered to upload to BS for about a year. With the re-design of the site I think things are slowly moving in the right direction.
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1. One less agency to compete with and/or to have at least control over its operations.
2. Completely different pricing model and cheaper as well, which includes a different type of buyer.
BigStock hasn't improved to a point that used to be better than without SS in the past for me. I wish I could see the promised improvements made by SS.
The upload process is just a mess and doesn't make me want to upload there anymore. I feel sorry for people uploading 10+ images there a day, or ever uploading 10+ images in a batch trying to keyword them. No idea how the experience of SS wasn't applied in the site re-design.
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~60% increase between the first half of 2009 and and the first half of 2010
~3.5% share of my total earnings, 5th place this month,
but the earnings from BS are still smaller than monthly +/- variations in IS or SS
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in my statistics BigStock havenīt changed, a lot less than 123RF
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I have seen some nice big adverts for BigStock in design magazines. Sales have picked up a bit but are still below where they were at their peak. SS could cut costs by only having one review for SS and BigStock and it would save us time uploading. Hopefully they will implement that in the future. I am pleased BigStock hasn't been closed like StockXpert was, might be good if SS buy a few more sites.
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I am pleased BigStock hasn't been closed like StockXpert was, might be good if SS buy a few more sites.
Excellent point! I would be very sad to see my BigStock income evaporate like my StockXpert income did.
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BME at BigStock!
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I kind of excited too. I just had a $3 sale. What I am getting at, however, is just what did Shutterstock have to do with it? What has changed (other than a new look) at Big Stock.
And, I too am glad that Shutterstock/Corbis did not follow the Getty example by closing down the BS site or blindly continue that unsuccessful attempt at transferring OD sales to Big Stock.
There must be more going on behind the scenes than is evident. Maybe the resolution of a cash flow problem? Also wondering if there is more to come?
Oh well, mine is simply to do and die. And continue selling $3 images. :o ;D
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This month on BigStock has been the best in sales for the last 28 months. I would agree with Lisafx, things are looking up on BigStock. On the other hand DT did less than half of BigStock sales this month.
-Larry
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deleted by me
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And, I too am glad that Shutterstock/Corbis did not follow the Getty example by closing down the BS site or blindly continue that unsuccessful attempt at transferring OD sales to Big Stock.
Eh... Corbis have nothing to do with either Shutterstock or Bigstock
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And, I too am glad that Shutterstock/Corbis did not follow the Getty example by closing down the BS site or blindly continue that unsuccessful attempt at transferring OD sales to Big Stock.
Eh... Corbis have nothing to do with either Shutterstock or Bigstock
SS and Corbis :)
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And, I too am glad that Shutterstock/Corbis did not follow the Getty example by closing down the BS site or blindly continue that unsuccessful attempt at transferring OD sales to Big Stock.
Eh... Corbis have nothing to do with either Shutterstock or Bigstock
Corbis owns Veer.
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And, I too am glad that Shutterstock/Corbis did not follow the Getty example by closing down the BS site or blindly continue that unsuccessful attempt at transferring OD sales to Big Stock.
Eh... Corbis have nothing to do with either Shutterstock or Bigstock
Corbis owns Veer.
My bad. I was under the impression that Shutterstock was a subsidiary of Corbis. Maybe that is why I expected more from the purchase? ???
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My bad. I was under the impression that Shutterstock was a subsidiary of Corbis. Maybe that is why I expected more from the purchase? ???
Yes, if Corbis owned SS I would expect more too. But it doesn't look like it mattered. Maybe Corbis does great things for Veer, but so far the Marketplace hasn't profited any from the association. Hopefully this summer, when they do the big marketing push.