Author Topic: I will not boycot SS. (Read 11764 times)

RCerruti · « **Reply #25 on:** June 13, 2020, 14:46 »

I'm a dead branch for SS - more explanation below (*). I used to be level 3, now I'm level 2, so yes, my RPD dropped for sure, but if they want to cut me out, I see their point. Maybe someone who started uploading recently and is doing a good job, but had not yet reached level 2 or 3 on the old system, maybe is now level 3 or 4 with the new structure and is earning an higher RPD?
Someone here is in such a situation?
I would understand if SS would prefer to favour him/her at my disadvantage!

(*) I stopped uploading to SS and to any other MS agency about 5 years ago, without ever thinking of removing my images. It was a work done, it gave a small income, it would become a trifle soon, but why work to stop it sooner? I decided to starve the beast! Five years later the beast is still alive and makes over 1000 $ per year to me, asking me to check once a month if I should ask the payment to any agency. Of course I could do this because I never thought to have MS as a primary source of income. I was level 3 on SS and I was thinking I could become level 4 this year or the next.

medveh · « **Reply #26 on:** June 13, 2020, 14:57 »

Quote from: Pauws99 on June 13, 2020, 13:52

Quote from: pgkfleming on June 13, 2020, 13:32
I think it's possible to make more rather than less revenue from the new Shutterstock earnings structure.

It depends on the quantity of your image sales and what the portion is between subscription and on-demand/single & other.

James Wheeler posted a video about his calculations based on the new earnings structure https://youtu.be/UJT1RqMGHkY
Its possible I will win the lottery tonight and its a double rollover!!! Its not very likely but it doesn't mean a vanishingly small proportion wont achieve it. I don't think even SS are hiding the fact that overall the changes are designed to reduce overall payouts.

Unfortunately the calculations in this video are not what Shutterstock is giving us. According to this me, at level 5, should not have $0.10 downloads, but I do get them every day in a higher number than I expected. First week wasn't as bad for me as I thought it would because with big single sales my RPD was quite ok, but second week came with mostly subs and some ODs and it showed what the future might look like. With my regular download numbers my revenue dropped to around 40% of what it was before the new earnings structure. It was really disappointing to see this after 15 years of actively contributing to SS.

Mir · « **Reply #27 on:** June 13, 2020, 15:20 »

Quote from: pgkfleming on June 13, 2020, 14:31

Some of us are not so deeply pessimistic https://youtu.be/Jpup7dEnD-8

Some of you have figured out that it's getting more and more difficult to make money from stock images but there's still money to be made with courses and affiliate marketing.

cascoly · « **Reply #28 on:** June 13, 2020, 15:28 »

Quote from: Chichikov on June 13, 2020, 12:40

« Josephine, tu me fais perdre la tête ! »
(Louis XVI)

a cutting remark!

DigitalPro · « **Reply #29 on:** June 13, 2020, 15:33 »

"Josephine", "Pgkfleming

Do you have the guts to show your portfolio here in this Forum? Then I can tell you how much your art is worth of.

Many of us are at Levels 5 and 6, and many of us have seen our images travel around the world, and we are proud we have created such images. And the majority of us here respect our efforts in creating useful art, and will not accept to sell it for 10c.

Make a note of this: If you are real contributors, January 1, 2021, you - that is your portfolio - will be swimming at the bottom of the ocean. Your income too!!! You will need to swim in filthy waters struggling to come up to the surface....

But the way to the surface will be a dream that may never come true then...

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #30 on:** June 13, 2020, 15:34 »

Quote from: medveh on June 13, 2020, 14:57

...unfortunately the calculations in this video are not what Shutterstock is giving us. According to this me, at level 5, should not have $0.10 downloads, but I do get them every day in a higher number than I expected. First week wasn't as bad for me as I thought it would because with big single sales my RPD was quite ok, but second week came with mostly subs and some ODs and it showed what the future might look like. With my regular download numbers my revenue dropped to around 40% of what it was before the new earnings structure. It was really disappointing to see this after 15 years of actively contributing to SS.

There are two of the packages of 750 images a month that will give a 10¢ royalty to a level 5 contributor. The annual commitment paid monthly & annual paid up front. Even the month to month will only get you 12¢

Level 6 is hardly better. They still get 10¢ for the annual paid up front/750 a month. And the other two options for 750 are only 11¢ and 13¢.

There is no good news out of the 350 or 750 subscriptions with the new royalty schedule. I predicted (blog post) that if buyers were happy with the lower volume/higher price per image options, Shutterstock wouldn't have introduced (recently) the annual paid up front choice. The new royalty rates were necessary to make the annual-paid-up-front option profitable.

Seeing all the low subscription royalties is confirming my suspicions

Mimi the Cat · « **Reply #31 on:** June 13, 2020, 15:39 »

Quote from: pgkfleming on June 13, 2020, 11:56

I've no intension of boycotting Shutterstock by suspending or deleting my portfolio. For one thing, I'm at a higher RPD in June 2020 than in June 2019 or June 2018.

I think there has been a fixation on $0.10 downloads. So far this month I've received an average of $0.44 per sale.

I upload to seven agencies and agree with the view expressed in this video https://youtu.be/XWlNVgC7xuE about exclusive accounts and diversity.

I call bullsh*t you people honestly where do you come from?

shitterstock paying you money to say this?

cascoly · « **Reply #32 on:** June 13, 2020, 16:11 »

Quote from: CommuniCat on June 13, 2020, 08:52

If you do not boycott Shutterstock on Monday, your portfolio will be worthless in 6 to 12 months. If we as a community don't stand together strongly with this action,...

perhaps true, however, deleting/disabling your portfolio means it's worthless TODAY!

and, of course, this 'community' is a tiny fraction of all contributors

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #33 on:** June 13, 2020, 18:19 »

Quote from: cascoly on June 13, 2020, 16:11

Quote from: CommuniCat on June 13, 2020, 08:52
If you do not boycott Shutterstock on Monday, your portfolio will be worthless in 6 to 12 months. If we as a community don't stand together strongly with this action,...

perhaps true, however, deleting/disabling your portfolio means it's worthless TODAY!

and, of course, this 'community' is a tiny fraction of all contributors

Many people who are joining #BoycottShutterstock June 15 are doing it for one week. It's a move more people can afford to make because it won't destroy their portfolio's search position and will only take 1/4 (ish) of that month's earnings

This community isn't the sum total of those boycotting

And the active part of Shutterstock's huge contributor totals is a tiny fraction. Lots of people upload 50-100 images and never do anything else with it.

Mantis · « **Reply #34 on:** June 13, 2020, 18:47 »

Quote from: Josephine on June 13, 2020, 12:16

I am doing illustrations only. I found my nitch with conceptual vector based illustrations with main emphasis on education, medicine, politics, social issues like injustice, poverty and environmental conflicts like global warming, pollution and so on.
When I check the internet, I find that I have a specific group of regular customers.
Shutterstock enables me to live an independent and self-sufficient life. It makes me absolutely happy when I see my images traveling around the globe.

If it makes you that happy have you put your work on freepik? I'm sure you will be very satisfied with their distribution of your work.

Mantis · « **Reply #35 on:** June 13, 2020, 18:49 »

Quote from: cascoly on June 13, 2020, 16:11

Quote from: CommuniCat on June 13, 2020, 08:52
If you do not boycott Shutterstock on Monday, your portfolio will be worthless in 6 to 12 months. If we as a community don't stand together strongly with this action,...

perhaps true, however, deleting/disabling your portfolio means it's worthless TODAY!

and, of course, this 'community' is a tiny fraction of all contributors

And I can live with that. My self respect is far more valuable than 10 cents.

marthamarks · « **Reply #36 on:** June 13, 2020, 22:52 »

Quote from: Mantis on June 13, 2020, 18:49

And I can live with that. My self respect is far more valuable than 10 cents.

^^ This.^^

Exactly.

NeonRobot · « **Reply #37 on:** June 13, 2020, 23:53 »

Quote from: Josephine on June 13, 2020, 07:42

I will not boycot SS.

d.u.m.b.

Josephine · « **Reply #38 on:** June 14, 2020, 02:32 »

for people who are physically disabled it is a tremendous feeling to rise money for their family. Microstock might be the only way, the only one.

NeonRobot · « **Reply #39 on:** June 14, 2020, 03:02 »

They will squeeze royalties to 0.05 for sure.

whtvr · « **Reply #40 on:** June 14, 2020, 04:26 »

Quote from: NeonRobot on June 14, 2020, 03:02

They will squeeze royalties to 0.05 for sure.

For me shitterstocker is anyone forecasting money predictions to a parent wondering if able to feed family.

Justanotherphotographer · « **Reply #41 on:** June 14, 2020, 04:28 »

Quote from: Josephine on June 14, 2020, 02:32

for people who are physically disabled it is a tremendous feeling to rise money for their family. Microstock might be the only way, the only one.

Yes. Yet another reason why this move by Shutterstock in the middle of a pandemic when they have a massive cash reserve and profits is unbelievably cut throat and immoral.

Shelma1 · « **Reply #42 on:** June 14, 2020, 04:53 »

Quote from: Josephine on June 14, 2020, 02:32

for people who are physically disabled it is a tremendous feeling to rise money for their family. Microstock might be the only way, the only one.

Then won’t you be happy when the rest of us fight to keep your income where it is, instead of it being continually cut and cut and cut until you have no microstock income any more? Why do you think we’re boycotting? But why explain it to you, when you come here for only one reason...to troll?

Josephine · « **Reply #43 on:** June 14, 2020, 05:38 »

people with different life conditions must be trolls... ?

Justanotherphotographer · « **Reply #44 on:** June 14, 2020, 05:56 »

Quote from: Josephine on June 14, 2020, 05:38

people with different life conditions must be trolls... ?

A troll is someone who makes purposefully inflammatory posts on the internet.

That is literally what you are. You only ever start threads designed to attack people and get a negative response.

That is why you are a troll

Also you make no sense. But that is a different issue.

Shelma1 · « **Reply #45 on:** June 14, 2020, 05:57 »

Quote from: Josephine on June 14, 2020, 05:38

people with different life conditions must be trolls... ?

“Artists must be like prostitutes, otherwise they won´t sell.”

“ All complains about falling sales are worthless and a waste of time. Make better photos, videos or illustrations, that´s all.”

“ If you do not keep up with the times you are out. This is one reason, why photos or illustrations suddenly do not sell anymore. Is this the reason why the old folks on this forum complain all the time? because they are simple out of date?”

“ A good portfolio makes good money, a bad portfolio goes empty. A bad portfolio means out-dated images which do not meet the demand of the market. The consequence would be, produce better images or leave the business and not to waste valuable time with complaints, petitions or weird accusations.”

“ Everybody in this forum knows the theory of THE WALL.

“I belief that The Wall is related to Burnout. Unhappiness, worries, anger, complaints suck the energy and creativity of your brain, which means that your performance will decrease…. and you finally will hit The Wall”

“ There must be some contributors around in this forum, who are succussful in their microstock business, who are winners, inspite of all the present problems, which we all know in million of details. I want to get inspired, and I want to learn from the peak performers. Are they in this forum at all?

I am tired to read through all the comments from the losers in this business.

Where are the winners?

”

Snow · « **Reply #46 on:** June 14, 2020, 11:08 »

Quote from: Josephine on June 14, 2020, 02:32

for people who are physically disabled it is a tremendous feeling to rise money for their family. Microstock might be the only way, the only one.

But where do you draw the line? 0,05c? Free?
We all have our struggles in life, be it physically, mentally or financially but we are not going to use it as an excuse to keep supporting others greed. You do realize that by accepting these terms you are indirectly destroying other peoples lives? in particular those who can’t live on a 50% reduced income!

Even though I cannot afford it am going to disable my portfolio tomorrow.

WD3 Photography · « **Reply #47 on:** June 14, 2020, 15:56 »

Oh no, I denied the the doomsters and gloomsters and had seven photos approved by Shutterstock which I took on a cycle ride this morning. Can't I have $35 dollars per month or slightly more and be happy with that? I thought when I started stock photography two and half years ago that it was a small side income and it is.

Asthebelltolls · « **Reply #48 on:** June 14, 2020, 16:32 »

I've been in this business for more than 10 years
and when I started no agency gave contributors less
than $0.30 commission for a sale. That changed about
5 years ago when 123RF, IStuck, Fotolia and other major
agencies dropped commissions to as little as $0.19us.
And did it hurt their business and contributor participation?
No. Did Shutterstock take notice? Of course they did.
If the trend in the microstock business is $0.15us commission,
then that will be the benchmark for all agencies.
Shutterstock, like other agencies assume that the vast majority
of contributors have no benchmark. We'll accept whatever
pittance the agency doles out. Frankly, I stopped submitting
to any agency that thought my body of work was worth less than
$0.30us. Thank goodness a benchmark has been found and we
are finally united......

NeonRobot · « **Reply #49 on:** June 14, 2020, 17:23 »

keep downvoting their media and write neat comments on social sites.

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Author Topic: I will not boycot SS. (Read 11764 times)

RCerruti

medveh

Mir

cascoly

DigitalPro

Jo Ann Snover

Mimi the Cat

cascoly

Jo Ann Snover

Mantis

Mantis

marthamarks

NeonRobot

Josephine

NeonRobot

whtvr

Justanotherphotographer

Shelma1

Josephine

Justanotherphotographer

Shelma1

Snow

WD3 Photography

Asthebelltolls

NeonRobot

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