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Author Topic: Non-exclusive big portfolios out there. How are they going?  (Read 6877 times)

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lucato

  • [<o>] Brasil


« on: December 22, 2009, 16:38 »
0
Hi folks, I'm wondering if you are not an exclusive member and upload in several sites such as Sutterstock, iStock, Fotolia, Dreamstime, etc. I'd like to hear from you how some stuffs like:

- How are your sells doing in percentage comparing to iStock?
- Have uploaded the same amount of files on all them?
- What is you amount of files average per site?
- What sites are you in and how much of your income in percentage they represent to you?
- What is your favorite you like to use?
- Which one brings you more income?
- etc.

Thanks in advance.


lisafx

« Reply #1 on: December 22, 2009, 16:48 »
0
Hi Lucato.  Me again :)

You can check this and other end-of-the-month threads to see how people are doing on the various sites.  http://www.microstockgroup.com/general-stock-discussion/november-2009-earnings/

There are some cool graphs there.  I am not good at that sort of thing, so I just post my earnings as a %.

ISP   38%
SS   14%
DT   11%
Fot   22%
BigStock   3%
StXp   7%
123   2%
Crest   1%
CanStockPhoto   1%
Almy   2%

In my case I have around 5200 images on all the sites and they are pretty much the same ones excepting for the occasional rejection.

I think the earning breakdown is likely to change dramatically after the new year when the changes at the various sites kick in.

lucato

  • [<o>] Brasil


« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2009, 16:58 »
0
Hey Lisa, thanks a lot for the link and the percentage info. Based on the folks percentage.
I'll calculate mine without the exclusivity percentage, how much I would make if I weren't exclusive. :0)
Of course, it is totally relative, and I think if I decide to give up, it would take more than a year to upload files to other sites and keyword all again and start to sell them well to compensate the quit.
If it is just one or two sites that will give good earnings, I'm not sure if would worth the effort and the risk. ;0)

iStock should allow at least the exclusives to use the rejected files into other sites!

« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2009, 17:06 »
0
My %'s are also very similar to Lisa's (although on a much smaller scale!).

IMHO it's probably not the right time to consider giving up the crown (or indeed donning one). Everything is about to be chucked up in the air with IS's latest initiative and it will take time to see where it all settles out. Those 'How was your month' threads should make interesting reading for the next few months.

lucato

  • [<o>] Brasil


« Reply #4 on: December 23, 2009, 05:36 »
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Hi Gostwyck, thanks for your reply and advice I'll stay tunned. ;0)

« Reply #5 on: December 23, 2009, 06:08 »
0
In my case I have around 5200 images on all the sites and they are pretty much the same ones excepting for the occasional rejection.

Is this also true for your Alamy portfolio? Because if yes, I'm surprised that Alamy is only contributing 2% to the total. I'm nowhere near your level in quality and quantity, but my first year at Alamy shows them head to head with FT, DT and IS - maybe I just got lucky  :D

« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2009, 07:19 »
0
I have 6-9k images uploaded to different sites. Only 2.5k on IS because of the upload limitation.

Average income %...

IS  2,6K images - income: 27%
SS  6,5K images - income: 25%
FTL   9K images - income: 23%
StockXpert 6,5K images - income: 12%
DT  8,3K images - income: 8 %
All the rest 5%

My favourite is IS. They give the highest RPI, they respect contributors the most and I love the contolled voculabry thing.
DT is the easiest to upload to but their recent too many similar rejections are bothering me a lot. And income is not too much.
SS is great in many factors but I dislike their batch based reviewing system and the fact that mostly new images are selling.
FTL is a great site but they are changing conditions too frequently and usually not for the favour of contributors. Actually their support is non-existing.

If you are looking for an answer about IS exclusivity my answer is definitely YES - go for exclusivity if you are allowed to.

« Reply #7 on: December 23, 2009, 08:29 »
0
iStock should allow at least the exclusives to use the rejected files into other sites!

If this clause is in the contract I don't see how it can be legal!    How can Istock legally control an image that they rejected?  ???

« Reply #8 on: December 23, 2009, 09:06 »
0
iStock should allow at least the exclusives to use the rejected files into other sites!

If this clause is in the contract I don't see how it can be legal!    How can Istock legally control an image that they rejected?  ???

Because you are a "Getty Family" exclusive _artist_ .   Of course they can control how you sell your rejected images royalty free, under the contract terms.

« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2009, 11:34 »
0
How can Istock legally control an image that they rejected?

Serfdom.

« Reply #10 on: December 23, 2009, 11:39 »
0
How can Istock legally control an image that they rejected?

Serfdom.


fascinating !! ;)

quote :
A freeman became a serf usually through force or necessity. Sometimes freeholders or allodial owners were intimidated into dependency by the greater physical and legal force of a local baron.

That fits !  :)

KB

« Reply #11 on: December 23, 2009, 11:44 »
0
Because you are a "Getty Family" exclusive _artist_ .   Of course they can control how you sell your rejected images royalty free, under the contract terms.

You mean control how you can not sell your rejected images, period, don't you?

I thought the contract specifically states you cannot sell rejected images ANYWHERE, even as RM?

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #12 on: December 23, 2009, 12:15 »
0
Because you are a "Getty Family" exclusive _artist_ .   Of course they can control how you sell your rejected images royalty free, under the contract terms.

You mean control how you can not sell your rejected images, period, don't you?

I thought the contract specifically states you cannot sell rejected images ANYWHERE, even as RM?
Yes it's bizarre:
"You further agree that any Exclusive Content that is not accepted by iStockphoto and does not form Accepted Exclusive Content cannot be sold, licensed or otherwise made available to purchasers, licensees or other potential users without the prior written consent of iStockphoto. iStockphoto reserves the right to sell non-accepted Exclusive Content through another site or distribution venue determined by it, the compensation for which will be subject to a new rate schedule agreed between the parties"
I guess you can always ask for 'prior written consent' - looks as if you couldn't even sell or give away rejected images privately. As usual, the wording of this iStock legalese is unclear and subjective, but it looks as though rejected images which 'cannot be sold, licensed or otherwise made available to ... other potential users" shouldn't, technically be given to models.
I really, really wish they'd get someone to write their legalese in Plain English. It really shouldn't be a matter for interpretation.

lisafx

« Reply #13 on: December 23, 2009, 13:24 »
0
In my case I have around 5200 images on all the sites and they are pretty much the same ones excepting for the occasional rejection.

Is this also true for your Alamy portfolio? Because if yes, I'm surprised that Alamy is only contributing 2% to the total. I'm nowhere near your level in quality and quantity, but my first year at Alamy shows them head to head with FT, DT and IS - maybe I just got lucky  :D

Yes, it is true of Alamy.  Mostly the same pictures and only 2% of my total.

Although to be fair to Alamy, it may be the fact that the images are available elsewhere cheaper that makes them not sell too well on Alamy. 

One of my plans for the new year is to start shooting some RM stuff to upload just to Alamy.  I would love to get more sales there.

« Reply #14 on: December 23, 2009, 13:34 »
0
.
« Last Edit: December 23, 2009, 13:42 by FD-amateur »

« Reply #15 on: December 23, 2009, 13:41 »
0
Serfdom.

That fits !  :)

Well not totally. A serf was allowed a little yard to grow stuff for himself in his (rare) spare time. An iStock contributor isn't allowed even that.  ;)
On the other hand, the Lord owed the serf protection (against the evil Heroturkos and the infringing Hanoi food joints) while the freemen were left in the cold.
Sign a pact with the devil to sell your soul and you will reap the rewards in front of the best match, but once in Hell, you will get a stiff neck looking up to the independents making stitched panos of Heaven.  ::) ::)
« Last Edit: December 23, 2009, 13:44 by FD-amateur »

« Reply #16 on: December 23, 2009, 14:25 »
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The OP doesn't specify what constitutes a big portfolio but here are my numbers:

With 826 files on IS, my largest port
IS 48%
SS 18%
DT 15%
StockXpert 12%
BigStock 7%

I am VERY surprised that IS makes up that much of my income. Last year it was around 35%. Wow. I either have to stay independent and get my butt in gear with the other sites, or throw in the towel and go exclusive with IS!


« Reply #17 on: December 23, 2009, 14:36 »
0
Below is my breakdown for November, 2009 with an average of 1,100 images online (except IS with 920)


« Reply #18 on: December 23, 2009, 15:09 »
0

Yes it's bizarre:
"You further agree that any Exclusive Content that is not accepted by iStockphoto and does not form Accepted Exclusive Content cannot be sold, licensed or otherwise made available to purchasers, licensees or other potential users without the prior written consent of iStockphoto. iStockphoto reserves the right to sell non-accepted Exclusive Content through another site or distribution venue determined by it, the compensation for which will be subject to a new rate schedule agreed between the parties"
[/quote]

I guess that's another reason why I won't consider becoming exclusive with Istock at this time with the contract clause stating a rejected file is still an exclusive file for them. 


 

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