MicrostockGroup
Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Stock Discussion => Topic started by: Dreamframer on June 02, 2009, 03:04
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I see lately that some agencies are trying hard to simplify their submission system. I guess we all appreciate their effort. We see Zymmetrical, Cutcaster, Canstockphoto and Bigstockphoto trying to ease our upload and submission process by removing categories, or guessing them from IPTC data, making submission page more convenient, with easier model releases attaching system etc...
Few main people from agencies above even asked me which site has easiest upload system because they are really trying to make our lives easier. But again, I see no real improvements.
I don't know for you, but from my experience, by far the best submissions page has Yaymicro. I don't have any sales there, and the only thing that keeps me uploading is their upload system.
If one have IPTC data ready, submitting images needs only few seconds. Model releases, and all image data is editable in the place, with no opening new pages, without checking any checkboxes, and without looking into different places on the screen to see if everything is OK with all data.
I am sorry I don't have any image uploaded right now to post some screen shots (and I don't know if I am aloud to do this), but I would like to show how it looks like to people who don't have account on Yaymicro.
What are your experiences?
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I agree. Yaymicro has the easiest and most intuitive submission system by far. Other sites without categories are very good too. I think CanStockPhoto is one example where submission process has improved dramatically. Also good are FP and 123rf. I really hope the rest of the sites follow their examples and make our life easier!
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I think StockXpert is the easiest one. Especially their web uploading system. No clicks needed after uploading, no categories etc.
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I think StockXpert is the easiest one. Especially their web uploading system. No clicks needed after uploading, no categories etc.
They do have categories. I still feel uneasy about leaving those blank when they are available.
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canstock, fp, StockXpert, 123, crestock are good imo. but it varies if they are model released images, probaly then crestock & 123rf
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Just thinking out loud..
Is it possible that all those extra steps might actually improve the experience for the customer? And that that might have something to do with the "simplest" ones, for the most part, also being the lowest selling?
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Just thinking out loud..
Is it possible that all those extra steps might actually improve the experience for the customer? And that that might have something to do with the "simplest" ones, for the most part, also being the lowest selling?
I don't think so. SS falls into simpliest ones. It's not about final result. It's about submitting images without checking too many check boxes, without popups, or even opening new pages. Final result is always very similar. You get an image, with Title, Description, keywords, with or without MR or PR, and maybe categories.
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Just thinking out loud..
Is it possible that all those extra steps might actually improve the experience for the customer? And that that might have something to do with the "simplest" ones, for the most part, also being the lowest selling?
I don't think so. SS falls into simpliest ones. It's not about final result. It's about submitting images without checking too many check boxes, without popups, or even opening new pages. Final result is always very similar. You get an image, with Title, Description, keywords, with or without MR or PR, and maybe categories.
Oh okay, I missed where someone mentioned Shutterstock. Guess my thoughts were totally off-base then. :)
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:)
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CanStockPhoto, Crestock, Yaymicro, 123RF, FeaturePics, Shutterstock, Cutcaster
Noticed a pattern, only one Big 6. Guys with sales do not care about contributors :-)
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CanStockPhoto, Crestock, Yaymicro, 123RF, FeaturePics, Shutterstock, Cutcaster
Noticed a pattern, only one Big 6. Guys with sales do not care about contributors :-)
rofl, I think more accurately, the microstock sites are like the designer clothing business. the more successful ones don't really give a hoot for the general proliterian. they only fawn to their top clients.
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If anyone votes for Istock, Fotolia or Dreamstime they should immediately be banned from the forum as either a) crap stirrers or b) insane. ;)
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If anyone votes for Istock, Fotolia or Dreamstime they should immediately be banned from the forum as either a) crap stirrers or b) insane. ;)
Masochists :-)
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If anyone votes for Istock, Fotolia or Dreamstime they should immediately be banned from the forum as either a) crap stirrers or b) insane. ;)
Nice :D
I'd like to see some streamlining of the vector submission process. Some sites want an EPS file(some ver8 some ver10 some whatever . you feel like), Some EPS zipped with jpg (some with large jpeg some with small jpeg, some with specific sized jpg), some just the EPS file zipped, some uploaded separately, some read IPTC, some don't, some require all vectors to have one category as "illustration."
This is the only thing that makes me wish I was iStock exclusive (well that and the fact that vectors sell really well there)
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Crestock. Upload + press submit.
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Crestock. Upload + press submit.
that, and the model release addition works very smooth. A touch easier than 123RF
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I don't get how Yay or Crestock beat FeaturePics. Set the image options once, tick off every non MR shot, push submit, tick off all the same model, find the model in the list, submit. Repeat for all models - one tick per image, find the MR once, submit.
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Clipartof.
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call me crazy, but i actually think the istock+deepmeta combo is quite good. Embedded metadata + copy/paste of categories within deepmeta makes it pretty fast to work with.
Sure istocks keywords might be a bit of a pain, but I actually like their keywording system and think its worth the extra time.
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Is it possible that all those extra steps might actually improve the experience for the customer? And that that might have something to do with the "simplest" ones, for the most part, also being the lowest selling?
The customer is at the front end of the site, the contributor at the back end. There is no relation between both.
123RF undoubtedly has the fastest upload system. Assuming you got your IPTC right (who hasn't?) import from FTP = 1 click and they are submitted. No categories. The only extra step needed then is attach MRFs. The bulk attach system of 123RF is by far the best and the fastest. YAY is cool too, but you still need to submit and attach MRF image by image. Cutcaster has bulk attach but the tiny windows you have to scroll in destroy the workflow.
The new CanStockPhoto is great too, an ex aequo with 123RF.
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Unofortunately ease of upload does not equal sales. Yay would be a big six if it did. 123 is also fairly easy.
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If anyone votes for Istock, Fotolia or Dreamstime they should immediately be banned from the forum as either a) crap stirrers or b) insane. ;)
I don't know what you mean about Fotolia. There's no wasting time on unnecessary description. Just copy paste your title, keywords in comma , category, etc.. It's all a simple menu. What's so UNEASY about that?
There's no disambiguation as in IS. Maybe you're referring to FTP and bulk, but I don't upload that many to use FTP. Given that, I actually find Fotolia very EASY.
And guess what? They sell images too.
So if you're saying you prefer EASY upload and no sales, well, that's your thing I guess ! Then , OK , I take being banned for choosing Fotolia as EASY!
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and yes, that one fotolia vote was me !
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Ahem, actually... make that 2 for FT.
I didn't see this thread earlier, as I only pay attention to thread on the top of the page. But Perseus revived it, and I was curious .
Unfortunately , like Perseus, I am a masodhist, crap stirrer and insane. I voted for FT also.
Unofortunately ease of upload does not equal sales. Yay would be a big six if it did. 123 is also fairly easy.
Weell actually, you are almost correct , tsmarkley. Yay is not the (MOST) easiest and does not equal sales. Flickr and Mostphoto are easier ;D
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iStock is so much easier with DeepMeta - if you upload to iStock and you're not using it then do check it out. It changed my life!
Easiest for me has to be 123rf - no categories and simple MRF attachment. After that, CanStockPhoto, CS are easy too. Mind you, the good news is we've just employed someone to do all this for us - yay!! :-)
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iStock is so much easier with DeepMeta - if you upload to iStock and you're not using it then do check it out. It changed my life!
Easiest for me has to be 123rf - no categories and simple MRF attachment. After that, CanStockPhoto, CS are easy too. Mind you, the good news is we've just employed someone to do all this for us - yay!! :-)
DeepMeta was great relief. It really makes life much easier. Too bad it doesn't work for audio files. I had hard time yesterday uploading 2 audios. I had to fill all data 2 times for each audio because all data disappears when you make a mistake and write one keyword two times for example.