Went with FP in Jan 2007...  uploaded only pix that were highest sellers with SS, DT, BigStock and now IS.  Used the same keywords.  Kept the portfolio small, didn't want to invest a mega-amount of time uploading... Started out with $3... later dropped to a dollar, then to 25 cents, just to see if anyone would bite.   Nada.    By July,  I had minimal views (3 dozen or less),  no sales.       So, at the end of July I deleted all my pix.  My account is still open, maybe I'll try again in the future with some fresh work.   In the meantime, it's one less site I have to check.

   I know, perhaps not the clearest thinking... but....   I figured, I  should've sold ... one?   Then again, the views weren't there, even at 25 cents...   

and that's my experience, Hatman! No Ciderella story for this kid.       

                    -tom

made about 450,- Dollar with them so far(i think i started with about autumn last year) they definately don't sell much but i love the model and i can upload anything to them because i can adjust the price freely so i have  all the pics with them i don't have with the micros. Would love to see the model to succeed but i'm pretty sure they will remain a tiny player but i will definately support them as long as they stay alive (it's not all about money at least for me)

I have a few sales now and then and even had one EL there, but I must say even I am loosing my enthusiasm. The site is difficult to navigate and to find things is tiring, it gets more and more cluttered up and there search doesn't work very well. I keep uploading, it is easy and straightforward and the occasional sale at 70% is still nice. But I wouldn't put up any RM or higher priced images there. My images are all priced at $3.99. My 2cents, SY

Been with them for a while now.  Have about 200 images with them.  Every time I try to upload through FTP, I can't get FileZilla to connect, so I need to upload manually.  Haven't had a single sale as of yet, with the majority of my images around the $4 mark, some higher.  It's gotten to the point where I won't even upload to them anymore and I'm about to just jump ship completely.

-Shannon

1. To the OP: yes FP can be worthwhile. I'm with them since end last year and I had a payout in July. Upload is very simple, no categories, IPTC, FTP, everything iStock should have. Model Releases directory. Very well programmed and stable, right from the start. Never saw a downtime. Can't see why SnapVillage can't do all that, with Bill's deep pockets.

2 - FTP: works fine but caveat: you should upload in the folder you are assigned, not to the main site directory. Works in Firefox and with a plain FTP client.

3 - Among all beginning Microstock sites, FP is unique, in that it lets you set your own price. And you get a whopping 70%. In fact, EL, smaller sizes, price, it's all yours to decide. As far as I can see, there are roughly 3 models in Microstock: ShutterStock, Dreamstime, and Featurepics. All the other beginning sites are more of the same. FP is different.

4 - Since FP accepted all my shots till now, and FP is very easy for the occasional buyer (no subscription), I use FP to host my portfolio on my own website (it's their bandwidth!) automatically with a direct link back to the sales page of that shot on FP. It's easy to do... you can do it with simple HTML snippets, all explained on FP's site. Anybody with a site on a free server (no php, no mysql) can host his portfolio on FP with no hassle.

And yes, I got sales coming from my own site on FP. I don't care any more to set up a CPG gallery with e-commerce, since FP is giving me 70%. No separate uploads any more to my own gallery. When it's on FP, it's in my portfolio on my own site (included search funtion).

Example: http://www.flemishdreams.com/jl/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=30&Itemid=48

5 - Two weeks ago I was brainstorming with Elena, who manages the site, about free use of thumbs for blogs, as a way to drive traffic back. They were very quick to respond:
http://www.microstockdiaries.com/featurepics-gives-bloggers-free-images-almost.html

6 - I started a Flickr group for Featurepics photogs, as another way to drive traffic.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/featurepics/

In short, yes FP is a very valid model for microstock since it leaves most decisions to the photog. It sells too, for me 7 times more than LO.
If people are whining often about being serfs to the big sites, well... there is an answer: FP.