Author Topic: Begun, the Price War has... (Read 14476 times)

melastmohican · « **on:** May 30, 2008, 19:20 »

Is this subscription trend a start of price war in microstock industry? It look like in order to survive agencies need to offer images cheaper than competition...

vphoto · « **Reply #1 on:** May 30, 2008, 20:37 »

may be that the supply is already greater than demand and one way to lower prices is subs.

Pywrit · « **Reply #2 on:** May 31, 2008, 04:46 »

Next step is to farm out all the photography work to China, just like like the manufacturing industry is doing. That'll drop the prices - but they may have to allow for substantially lower quality.

sharpshot · « **Reply #3 on:** May 31, 2008, 06:42 »

StockXpert and DT still make much more for me with pay per download. Will be interesting to see if istock make subscriptions work but aren't they paying us more?

sharpshot · « **Reply #4 on:** May 31, 2008, 06:44 »

Quote from: Pywrit on May 31, 2008, 04:46

Next step is to farm out all the photography work to China, just like like the manufacturing industry is doing. That'll drop the prices - but they may have to allow for substantially lower quality.

I don't see this as being similar to the manufacturing industry. What about the music industry?

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #5 on:** May 31, 2008, 07:21 »

Quote from: Pywrit on May 31, 2008, 04:46

Next step is to farm out all the photography work to China, just like like the manufacturing industry is doing. That'll drop the prices - but they may have to allow for substantially lower quality.

Except for the fact that Americans and Europeans don't want images with chinese people in them.

Pywrit · « **Reply #6 on:** May 31, 2008, 07:32 »

Quote

I don't see this as being similar to the manufacturing industry. What about the music industry?

My comment was in jest, mostly, but what if they were to drop prices to say 5 cents per download? The people who derive a the bulk of their income from microstock would no longer be able to support themselves.

I do agree that there are some definite similarities between this and the music industry - especially the fact that the music industry has consistently shot itself in the foot and blamed everyone but themselves. Both have also boosted the importance of generic technical quality over creative innovation. That does not mean that some creative individuals do not succeed, but it has been made more difficult when the technical aspects are weighted more heavily than creative aspects. Those that do succeed at both are very talented individuals. My hat (if I wore one, that is) is off to those folks.

louoates · « **Reply #7 on:** May 31, 2008, 09:56 »

Reality Check #1

Like in any other endeavor those of us that want more income in the evolving micro world will do the things that will earn it. Shooting better. Shooting more. Uploading to more sites, regardless of the "income per download".

In retail language, more shelf space. In wholesale language, more sales reps and more direct sales. If it gets to be too much work for the reward, hit the want ads. None of us can change the dynamics of microstock.

It is what it is and what it is evolving into. For us contributors it's either row a little harder or dive overboard and swim somewhere else.

marcopolo · « **Reply #8 on:** June 02, 2008, 00:41 »

Remember when various traditional microstock photographers like Ian Murray were saying that Microstock would result in a "race to the bottom"? That is, the agencies would undercut each other until the price dropped to almost nothing. Looks like they may have been right after all.

sharpshot · « **Reply #9 on:** June 02, 2008, 02:38 »

Am I the only one who is seeing much higher prices then? Subscriptions are still a small part of the market except for SS and they have put the prices up each year. Pay per download prices have increased more than I expected and the buyers are still buying and it looks like they will pay more.

Joyce · « **Reply #10 on:** June 02, 2008, 02:47 »

Quote from: Pywrit on May 31, 2008, 04:46

Next step is to farm out all the photography work to China, just like like the manufacturing industry is doing. That'll drop the prices - but they may have to allow for substantially lower quality.

... and for copyright infringement. Photos are easier to do than cars, and China's already done cars.

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #11 on:** June 02, 2008, 06:34 »

Quote from: marcopolo on June 02, 2008, 00:41

Remember when various traditional microstock photographers like Ian Murray were saying that Microstock would result in a "race to the bottom"? That is, the agencies would undercut each other until the price dropped to almost nothing. Looks like they may have been right after all.

Don't let him see you call him a "microstock" photographer

DanP68 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 02, 2008, 06:48 »

Quote from: sharpshot on June 02, 2008, 02:38

Am I the only one who is seeing much higher prices then? Subscriptions are still a small part of the market except for SS and they have put the prices up each year. Pay per download prices have increased more than I expected and the buyers are still buying and it looks like they will pay more.

I think you are absolutely right. I don't see Fotolia as under cutting the competition so much as they are probably just undercutting us with a very low commission percentage.

Of course we will know more when we see a package price.

RT · « **Reply #13 on:** June 02, 2008, 06:55 »

Quote from: sjlocke on June 02, 2008, 06:34

Quote from: marcopolo on June 02, 2008, 00:41
Remember when various traditional microstock photographers like Ian Murray were saying that Microstock would result in a "race to the bottom"? That is, the agencies would undercut each other until the price dropped to almost nothing. Looks like they may have been right after all.

Don't let him see you call him a "microstock" photographer

Haha... he hasn't got the talent to be a microstock photographer, but it's always good fun winding him up.

nativelight · « **Reply #14 on:** June 02, 2008, 10:42 »

Quote from: Pywrit on May 31, 2008, 07:32

Quote
I don't see this as being similar to the manufacturing industry. What about the music industry?

My comment was in jest, mostly, but what if they were to drop prices to say 5 cents per download? The people who derive a the bulk of their income from microstock would no longer be able to support themselves.

Is there really that many people who derive the bulk of their income from microstock? I'm guessing this is a fairly small number, but I certainly don't know for sure. If the prices were to drop to 5 cents per download, I think the industry would collapse. I would think most people that currently submit to micro would then stop. The industry would be left with noobs trying to get rich quick. They would quickly learn it's too much work. Just keywording and captioning alone (not to mention set up, shooting and post-processing) is not worth 5 cents per download. I know I'd quit micro if that were to happen.

rjmiz · « **Reply #15 on:** June 02, 2008, 10:44 »

Isn't that why its called "Microstock"?

Cranky MIZ

Snufkin · « **Reply #16 on:** June 02, 2008, 11:55 »

The next big thing will be "freestock" or "zerostock".
The customers will get the images for free but will also have a "subscription" to spam emails.
For the photographer it will take 100 downloads to earn 0,01 USD, but oh man, the market is going to expand big time! So, there will be crowds hoping to get accepted by the major zerostock sites. Minimum requirements: those with newest digital Hasselblads or Mamiyas should be fine as far as noise and min. resolution are concerned, flagship Canon might be borderline. As for the initial submission you're gonna need 97 out of 100 to pass the test.

The microstock oldboys will surely complain and dream about good old days when they were getting 0.25 $ per download...

Why $0.00 is the future of business?
Here are some links about freeconomics, if you're sceptical:
http://www.economist.com/theworldin/business/displayStory.cfm?story_id=10094757

http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/magazine/16-03/ff_free?currentPage=all

sharpshot · « **Reply #17 on:** June 02, 2008, 13:05 »

istock started as free. There are already free sites but it doesn't make much sense to upload to them when the other sites are paying us does it

Lizard · « **Reply #18 on:** June 02, 2008, 13:23 »

That depends on how much they pay as I'm concerned.

If this industry goes in the direction where they continue to compete who will give our work for less , and if their profit will target to get as many images as they can get even if they earn 2 cents on a download and offer us 1 cent some day in future , just because they can , then giving my whole portfolio that is now more than 5000 images for free (but not on their sites) would make sense , just because I can. The only question is what is the price that would draw the line.

I know for fact that there are many people thinking the same , so if we have to go down , what a hell , lets go down with style.

lisafx · « **Reply #19 on:** June 02, 2008, 15:21 »

Quote from: Lizard on June 02, 2008, 13:23

That depends on how much they pay as I'm concerned.

If this industry goes in the direction where they continue to compete who will give our work for less , and if their profit will target to get as many images as they can get even if they earn 2 cents on a download and offer us 1 cent some day in future , just because they can , then giving my whole portfolio that is now more than 5000 images for free (but not on their sites) would make sense , just because I can. The only question is what is the price that would draw the line.

I know for fact that there are many people thinking the same , so if we have to go down , what a hell , lets go down with style.

Guess I am not one of those "many people". If the bottom falls out of the micro industry then I will have to look harder for other lucrative outlets for my portfolio. Frankly, I would rather see my portfolio sitting on my hard drive gathering dust (figuratively) than to give it away.

cdwheatley · « **Reply #20 on:** June 02, 2008, 15:35 »

Quote from: lisafx on June 02, 2008, 15:21

Quote from: Lizard on June 02, 2008, 13:23
That depends on how much they pay as I'm concerned.

If this industry goes in the direction where they continue to compete who will give our work for less , and if their profit will target to get as many images as they can get even if they earn 2 cents on a download and offer us 1 cent some day in future , just because they can , then giving my whole portfolio that is now more than 5000 images for free (but not on their sites) would make sense , just because I can. The only question is what is the price that would draw the line.

I know for fact that there are many people thinking the same , so if we have to go down , what a hell , lets go down with style.

Guess I am not one of those "many people". If the bottom falls out of the micro industry then I will have to look harder for other lucrative outlets for my portfolio. Frankly, I would rather see my portfolio sitting on my hard drive gathering dust (figuratively) than to give it away.

Totally agree. I would hope there are not to many people that have invested their time and money in equipment, props, models, locations, willing to give away their material for free..turns my stomach to think about it

Lizard · « **Reply #21 on:** June 02, 2008, 16:05 »

And even if prices go that low , there would be people ready to contribute , and claim that those are the games rules and we cant do anything about it , and thats what turns my stomach. Thats worse than giving them for free.

And I was probably misunderstood , but giving my portfolio for free was also figurative thought , what I was trying to say was that if I had only two choices , sell my images for 2 cents (or 100 of images for 1 cent) as someone before stated or give it all for free , then I would throw them away in a moment.

I don't know yet where I would pull a line , but in the future if the (give our images for a bit more than free) competition between sites continues , I will surely pull my images from those sites , and let them (as Lisa said) collect dust on my hard drive.

An just to add one more thing cdwheatley , people that have invested their time and money in equipment, props, models, locations, willing to give away their material for free..turns your stomach .Well same thing happened to old school stock photographers when micro came , and the difference in price that you and me and most of us here accepted to sell our images and the price they sell their work , is much bigger than the difference in price that we got on our work and if someone starts giving images for free. So I guess you know how did they feel.

rjmiz · « **Reply #22 on:** June 02, 2008, 16:09 »

Complain complain complain "Boo hoo" sniff, sob....weep, cry

Cranky MIZ

lisafx · « **Reply #23 on:** June 02, 2008, 16:10 »

Quote from: Lizard on June 02, 2008, 16:05

And I was probably misunderstood , but giving my portfolio for free was also figurative thought , what I was trying to say was that if I had only two choices , sell my images for 2 cents (or 100 of images for 1 cent) as someone before stated or give it all for free , then I would throw them away in a moment.

So relieved you weren't talking literally! Sounds like most of us are of the same opinion on this.
(except of course for Miz who marches to his own drummer

)

jsnover · « **Reply #24 on:** June 02, 2008, 16:22 »

I can guarantee I won't be putting my images on free sites. If I can't earn decent money from microstock any more, I'll find another source of part time income.

Yuri wasn't the first contributor of a huge portfolio of stock images to the micros. WizData - a conglomerate from (I think) Korea has some 15,000 images in its portfolio. They've done OK, but nothing like as well as the size of their portfolio might lead you to believe. You can outsource production of images to low cost locations, but there's no guarantee buyers will flock to it just because it's cheap. Won't stop companies from trying, but it may not be easy to turn a crank on the "highly saleable but no commission" stock producing machine.

MicrostockGroup Sponsors

Author Topic: Begun, the Price War has... (Read 14476 times)

melastmohican

vphoto

Pywrit

sharpshot

sharpshot

Sean Locke Photography

Pywrit

louoates

marcopolo

sharpshot

Joyce

Sean Locke Photography

DanP68

RT

nativelight

rjmiz

Snufkin

sharpshot

Lizard

lisafx

cdwheatley

Lizard

rjmiz

lisafx

jsnover

Related Topics

Sponsors

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors