I just received my first "buyout" request for an image at 123rf. I guess that just means that I am releasing all the rights to that image, and that I can no longer sell that image on 123rf or any other site. I have never sold an image in that way, so I am not really sure what kind of price to offer.

Anyone else have any thoughts about buyouts? Good idea? Bad idea?

How odd, had the same request yesterday from 123RF for two of my images.
Maybe they refused my offer and went after yours

Like Barry says, all depends on what it's worth to you.

I have actually sold exclusive images.. The biggest headache is removing them from your portfolio, especially if you have them on nearly 20 sites like me..

My price is usually $3000 to $10000 depending on the image.. (25000 to 50000 for some special images)

Never sold an exclusive image for less money.. (talking about vectors btw)

Also, I suggest that you eliminate 123rf.. I am not interested in selling exclusive rights through any site.. I received about 5-6 requests from dreamstime throughout the years I have been there and refused them all.. because If I want to get let's say $4000 from that sale, I should ask for $8000 so dreamstime gets paid as well.. This also makes it twice more difficult for the buyer..

Dreamstime is definitely not getting paid for my exclusive sale. I don't think any agency should be offering exclusive buyout options. Whatever I sold exclusively I sold it myself. No agencies involved. Even if you are going to sell it, you MUST either eliminate 123rf, or never sell it at all..

Maybe just me, but if I get the chance of selling any image for $1000 or more, I will jump at the opportunity, even if the agency takes 50%. Will take nearly 4000 sales of the image at SS to make that amount (snowball's hope in hell of doing that).

Maybe I am just cheap, or too old to wait and see how many times an image sells in 20 year's time, but I 'll take the money with a big smile.

The agency takes 50% alright but they double your price to the buyer.  So if you say you want $1,000 they tell the client $2,000.  So keep that in mind.  Doubling the price can be a deterrent to actually landing that kind of sale.

Quote from: Mantis on August 08, 2012, 07:17

Quote from: CD123 on August 08, 2012, 07:11

Maybe just me, but if I get the chance of selling any image for $1000 or more, I will jump at the opportunity, even if the agency takes 50%. Will take nearly 4000 sales of the image at SS to make that amount (snowball's hope in hell of doing that).

Maybe I am just cheap, or too old to wait and see how many times an image sells in 20 year's time, but I 'll take the money with a big smile.

The agency takes 50% alright but they double your price to the buyer.  So if you say you want $1,000 they tell the client $2,000.  So keep that in mind.  Doubling the price can be a deterrent to actually landing that kind of sale.

I know, that is why my doubled price of $2000 is still a $1000 less than the minimum suggested above. I will even consider taking half of the $1000 (still 2000 sales at SS).  

Well I said depending on the image.. I said it was my price.. I didn't suggest everybody do the same.. A non-selling image has no equal value to an image that has alrady made more than $1000. People usually are interested in good selling images.. it is very rare that people will be interested in a non-selling image..

who on earth would sell an image that already made $1000 in a year or two, for just $500

If it's only made $10 on all sites, yeah go for it give it for $500.. you would be crazy not to..

For me, the determining factor would be if there were recognizable people in the image.   I wouldn't be comfortable releasing the rights to an image of someone else without their specific approval.  If it's a photo without people, I would definitely go for it.  Depending on the difficulty and rarity of the image, I would charge anywhere from $200 "to infinity and beyond" 

Ah... I was referring to this - didn't remember you could delete it from the site.

�Once you move a file into Photo+ it will be locked into Photo+ for six months.

Make that 3 of us now. 123 sent me an email about 2 weeks ago with a buyout request. It was for an image that has been online for 6 months and has sold a few times on all sites. I never heard back, so assume it's dead, unless the buyer is still hunting and gathering. Do you suppose it's a photographer trying to nail down a fair price for his/her own work?

BTW, my photo would be in the aromatherapy category.

No idea mate, I didn't expect much from it, after all, this is still microstock, so no surprise I don't hear back.
We're so cheap buyers probably think we're going to sell the rights for a 100 bucks max.

Flower image here.

My name/email is in IPCT but most sites remove all data.