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Author Topic: Getty images or distributors like Westend61... confused  (Read 14183 times)

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« on: May 25, 2016, 08:45 »
0
Hi, I am wondering if there is a difference in contributing to GI alone (through the Moment collection) or through some of the distributors, like W61? I have been accepted by GI and as they are exclusive, I don't know if I want to limit myself only there.

If I understood correctly, if I contribute to a distributor such as W61, they will take a certain percentage (50% or more) from the already low 20% (or 30?) from GI and other outlets? What is the advantage in submitting to distributors instead of going directly to the agency except in the fact that they distribute it to more places (but the question is if those places are profitable at all..)

What would your suggestion be for a person like me... I have some higher end imagery I am almost certain would not sell well on microstock, and also I don't feel like selling those shots for 25c. Submit to GI as an individual or use a distributor?

Thanks!


« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2016, 08:49 »
+2
For example, WE has it's own site, so you'd get 50% royalty on what you sell there.  But yes, if they distribute to Getty, based on whatever they negotiate from that, you get your %50.  So, if they negotiate 20%, you end up getting %10.  Since most Getty licenses seem to be for less than a dollar these days, you aren't losing out on much.  Hopefully you make it up in volume from the number of agencies the distributor goes through.  They may be able to start with a higher % too from Getty or whoever - whatever they work out.

« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2016, 11:02 »
+2
What would your suggestion be for a person like me... I have some higher end imagery I am almost certain would not sell well on microstock, and also I don't feel like selling those shots for 25c. Submit to GI as an individual or use a distributor?

If you don't want to sell them for 25c, you shouldn't sell them through Getty at all. Not even through distribution partners. Also a lot of other agencies that are marked as "macrostock" sell web licenses in subscription packages to customers at very low rates. It's illusionary to believe that with larger agencies you wouldn't get small sales. Actually the smallest sales I had last year were coming in through Corbis (which is now gone). Then again, I also get sales in the range of $50-100 through those channels but not in huge numbers.

Another option would be to exclusively sell your images through a smaller agencies that only offers direct sales at higher prices like Stocksy, 500px, Offset...

As I am also selling through Westend61 (I have given up submitting to Getty directly), most of the larger sales come through other partner agencies. Then again, some partners mostly sell smaller licenses. It's just a mix of sales with a wider variety you get. My personal average sale still is ten times higher through Westend61 than it is through the microstock channels.

Rose Tinted Glasses

« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2016, 12:06 »
0
  Since most Getty licenses seem to be for less than a dollar these days, you aren't losing out on much.

Really???

« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2016, 13:00 »
+1
That is nothing new.

Just because an agency has a list price for several hundred dollars in their window, doesnt mean it wont get sold for cents.

And offering your files on a subs agency like SS doesnt mean you cant get licenses for over 100 dollars.

My average sale on the macros is higher than on the micros, but sales volume is much lower, so the micros can still outsell macro even today. And refunds are not common on the micros.

And macrostock can be very picky, they might just take 2 images from a series, instead of placing 10 files on the micros. The burden to bring in the money is much higher on a smaller portfolio.

It takes time to figure out what sells best where and for which prices.

If you want to avoid micro downloads altogether, you have to either sell direct from your own shop or work with a specialised exclusive agency like stocksy or others.

« Last Edit: May 25, 2016, 13:02 by cobalt »

« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2016, 13:34 »
+1
If you just got accepted as a Moment contributor at Getty, I wouldn't bother. Most of your images will go to the Moment Open collection which is low in the search rankings. Some will go to Moment RF or RM which are higher in the search rankings. And then some images will go to the Prestige collection after a couple of months, but even then you can get sales of 40 cents.
It used to be easier to get into the RF and RM collections, but now it's different, how they choose the images for the collections puzzles me. From the same series I had my best going to the Open collection while some of the not so good ones going to the RM collection. Also from the same series they sometimes select only 1 or 2 and reject the rest as similar even if it's not similar. I hardly upload there nowadays.

IMHO agencies like Westend and the likes are more worth it. From photographers I heard that these agencies are getting a lot of applications at the moment, if you apply it will take some time before you get a reply, sometimes you don't get a reply at all.


« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2016, 16:21 »
+4
These distributors hardly make any direct sales from my experience, all they do is send files out to other 3rd parties and take a big cut. So yes you will see plenty of tiny sales. Most of these distributor agencies made most money from Corbis and Getty, now Corbis is gone and Getty is selling more for low prices.
People are doing less better in Moment but a few are reporting good sales each month. Try and join westend. Test them out.

« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2016, 00:04 »
+1
These distributors hardly make any direct sales from my experience, all they do is send files out to other 3rd parties and take a big cut. So yes you will see plenty of tiny sales. Most of these distributor agencies made most money from Corbis and Getty, now Corbis is gone and Getty is selling more for low prices.

There certainly is some truth in it, it's not just those two but in fact four partner agencies made about 75-80% in number of sales volume for me. However, the other 20-25% typically are bigger sales and they come from agencies that I would never have access to, some names of Australian, Swedish, Chinese or Korean agencies popped up that I've never heard of but also collections like Fotolia Infinite or Shutterstock Premier. So while the number of sales is low, their share in the revenue is rather big in my personal experience.

People are doing less better in Moment but a few are reporting good sales each month. Try and join westend. Test them out.

Well, there is the problem with distribution agencies. You can't just "test them out". If you think, you can just fill out an online form, submit a handful of images and see what happens, you will be disappointed. It takes a long time (12-18 months) and some consistent submissions to get any meaningful results. The distributions takes its time and the reporting of sales back from all over the world takes time as well. Also it's not like the microstocks: Either your new images sell or they get ranked back in the search a week or two later. You will naturally get some quicker sales (which can still be 4-6 months) but those are likely to be only smaller ones. The bigger sales take even more time because there is most likely a designer agency plus a customer involved before things go into print while a typical web use is something the editor decides right away.

So if you just "try" to upload 20 images in a first submission and then wait to see what happens, you will get disappointed. There is no way this way of thinking could work out with a distribution agency.

JaenStock

  • Bad images can sell.
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2016, 03:29 »
+2
I,m with westend61 since September 2015.


In my case seeing numbers W61 is better to be in than to stay at Getty. Offset has a good dividend and then there are agencies which i never would upload the portfolio having one or two sales a year but that W61 does it for us.

I learned to avoid uploading content "too microstock" or "mediocre" because that content works best on microstock.

but this takes time to run...

« Reply #9 on: July 17, 2016, 04:47 »
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Thinking of applying to Getty and/or W61..

Does W61 accept RF or only RM?

Thank you!

PaulieWalnuts

  • We Have Exciting News For You
« Reply #10 on: July 17, 2016, 07:19 »
+1
I'm not familiar with how Westend works but many of these types of secondary agencies work with multiple other agencies like Getty. So they may be able to get your work into other agencies that you may not have been accepted into by yourself.

« Reply #11 on: July 17, 2016, 12:36 »
+2
Thinking of applying to Getty and/or W61..

Does W61 accept RF or only RM?

Mostly RF because it sells better.

« Reply #12 on: July 17, 2016, 12:39 »
+3
I'm not familiar with how Westend works but many of these types of secondary agencies work with multiple other agencies like Getty. So they may be able to get your work into other agencies that you may not have been accepted into by yourself.

Yes. I have images in Offset, Fotolia Infinite, had them at Corbis through Westend61. And I regularly get sales in from agencies that I have never heard of, from Japan, South Korea, Sweden...

And it's not just about "having images at Getty". As everywhere it's also about search ranking. Westend61 has a very tight selection of images, and in exchange they are ranked pretty good.

JaenStock

  • Bad images can sell.
« Reply #13 on: July 18, 2016, 07:59 »
+1
I think RF is best, more posibilities.

In w61 you are not exclusive content Getty contributor, this content can go to other sites. 

Rose Tinted Glasses

« Reply #14 on: August 22, 2016, 13:34 »
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I think RF is best, more posibilities.

In w61 you are not exclusive content Getty contributor, this content can go to other sites.

But is W61 selling images regularly? I have heard very little from those that contribute.

« Reply #15 on: August 22, 2016, 14:20 »
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I think RF is best, more posibilities.

In w61 you are not exclusive content Getty contributor, this content can go to other sites.

But is W61 selling images regularly? I have heard very little from those that contribute.

I don't think I've actually licensed any through W61 itself.  I get a lot of less-than-a-dollar sales from Getty through them.

Rose Tinted Glasses

« Reply #16 on: August 22, 2016, 15:05 »
0
I think RF is best, more posibilities.

In w61 you are not exclusive content Getty contributor, this content can go to other sites.

But is W61 selling images regularly? I have heard very little from those that contribute.

I don't think I've actually licensed any through W61 itself.  I get a lot of less-than-a-dollar sales from Getty through them.

Thanks for that. It's sort of what I was afraid of. I can get a lot of less-than-a-dollar sales going directly via IS. Guess I will have to stick to plan A and mix it up between what I am already doing. Must admit however the whole W61 looks good in print. Shame the whole industry has been brought to it's knees.

« Reply #17 on: August 22, 2016, 15:09 »
+1
There are some larger sales than the typical Getty ones.  My portfolio is relatively small there.

JaenStock

  • Bad images can sell.
« Reply #18 on: August 23, 2016, 15:53 »
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With w61 im happy but try upload not "stocky" images!!

They are a great team and direct sales are coming.

gyllens

« Reply #19 on: August 24, 2016, 02:19 »
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The only distributors I know that also sell out of their own stock is Blend and Science-Library. They have their own editors and art directors and possibly the best placements at Getty.
These are quite specialized agencies so its not easy to become a member.

« Reply #20 on: July 01, 2017, 08:29 »
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I have just found this thread. I am also thinking of joining Westend61. Is it worth it or better to upload to Alamy?

« Reply #21 on: July 01, 2017, 15:53 »
0
 If WestEnd will take you I would go with them definitely.


 

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