MicrostockGroup Sponsors


Author Topic: Stock Photo Site Refund Policy  (Read 3211 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

« on: June 01, 2019, 02:49 »
0
Hi,

Has anyone tried  getting a refund after purchasing a credit pack or subscription from a stock photo site?

How successful have you been in getting a refund?

The refund policy of stock websites, are for the most part, not very clear in their terms.

Generally, in what instances are you entitled for a refund and in what instances you're not?

Would anyone care to explain the refund policy for the following sites?

1)Shutterstock
2)iStock
3)Adobe Stock
4)123RF and others.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.


« Reply #1 on: June 01, 2019, 03:59 »
+2
Why buy when you need refund?

These are digital products and what you see is what you get..
I still wonder why people first buy a subscription or download the source files and ask for refund. This hurts agencies as well as contributors.

« Reply #2 on: June 01, 2019, 05:04 »
+5
You do realise you're on a forum for those who sell their work and you're asking them how you can get their work for free? How about you create the work yourself so you can see for yourself how much time it takes and at what cost.

« Reply #3 on: June 01, 2019, 06:03 »
0
Thanks Artist and Microstock Posts for your replies.

If you read my post carefully, you'll understand that I was asking about refund on credits and subscriptions.

Not refund on downloaded photos.

I can be a contributor who has a  buyer's account with a stock site and if I don't use the credit and subscription plans, may I   not not ask for cancellation and refund without thowing sand into a contributor's rice bowl?


ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2019, 06:28 »
+2
Thanks Artist and Microstock Posts for your replies.

If you read my post carefully, you'll understand that I was asking about refund on credits and subscriptions.

Not refund on downloaded photos.

I can be a contributor who has a  buyer's account with a stock site and if I don't use the credit and subscription plans, may I   not not ask for cancellation and refund without thowing sand into a contributor's rice bowl?

How would we know the policies other than by reading the terms and conditions like  you did?
Without reading them, I'd assume no refunds unless you haven't downloaded anything at all.

« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2019, 06:40 »
+3
Thanks Artist and Microstock Posts for your replies.

If you read my post carefully, you'll understand that I was asking about refund on credits and subscriptions.

Not refund on downloaded photos.

I can be a contributor who has a  buyer's account with a stock site and if I don't use the credit and subscription plans, may I   not not ask for cancellation and refund without thowing sand into a contributor's rice bowl?

You are asking about the refund policies of Shutterstock, iStock, Adobe Stock, 123RF and others, just in case you purchase credits or a subscription and then change your mind and don't want to download anything.

I have a very simple solution for you, decide first if you want to download something, you can search for images and videos for free without making any purchase and then once you have decided, you can purchase.
« Last Edit: June 01, 2019, 07:22 by Microstock Posts »

« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2019, 06:53 »
+3
Why not ask those agencies you want refunds from directly? Each one may be different. Better to get the information right from the source. Most have a customer service phone no. or email, especially for buyers.

« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2019, 06:55 »
+2
You do realise you're on a forum for those who sell their work and you're asking them how you can get their work for free? How about you create the work yourself so you can see for yourself how much time it takes and at what cost.

Knock off the attitude. He's just asking for refund policy information, which is a perfectly acceptable question. You're treating him as a thief who's looking for freebies, directing your general anger about refunds on a potential customer who didn't do anything wrong.
Besides, getting a refund on purchased credit packs or subscriptions without downloading anything is completely different than refunds on purchased images.
It's not even asking to get 'our work for free', because even if you refund an image, you -officially- lose the license to use an image, making you prone to lawsuits.
« Last Edit: June 01, 2019, 06:57 by Noedelhap »

« Reply #8 on: June 01, 2019, 07:07 »
+1
Why not ask those agencies you want refunds from directly? Each one may be different. Better to get the information right from the source. Most have a customer service phone no. or email, especially for buyers.

Yes you would think asking the agencies that you intend to purchase from would be the obvious place to ask. Why wouldn't he/she ask them directly, they reply quickly to customers/potential customers.

georgep7

« Reply #9 on: June 01, 2019, 07:19 »
+1
Guess  shamohan22 is asking for first person experience if anyone of us have.
Anyway,
I have no personal experience on refunds to help you
 but for a start, do your homework! :)

https://www.shutterstock.com/support/pkb_sstk_core_customerkb_home?c=CustomerKB%3ARefunds&l=en_US

https://www.istockphoto.com/faq/purchasing#refunds

https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2053159

Sorry for 123rf only found this

Quote

Can I cancel the auto-renewal on my subscription plan?
Yes, you can. Just go to My Account > My Purchased Plan / Invoices to turn off the auto-renewal.

If youre currently on an installment plan, the auto-renewal will take effect upon completion of the final payment.


« Reply #10 on: June 01, 2019, 08:49 »
0
Thanks georgep7 for your reply and links.

Yes, I had that in mind - personal experience of getting a refund on subscription and credit packs.

 The first line of my post says that:
Has anyone tried  getting a refund after purchasing a credit pack or subscription from a stock photo site?

I was expecting a 'personal experience' reply, but that's alright.

Thanks for your reply Noedelhap. You're right. In these days of free stock websites and CC0 visuals  one doesn't have to resort to the underhand tactic of purchasing a stock photo and then asking for a refund.

I hope folks treat this topic as part of the knowledge a stock photo contributor should have.

No question should be sensitive as long as it's relevant and valid.

cathyslife, the info is actually available in the FAQ or Terms of Use sections of the websites - it's perfectly legal to ask for a refund on your credit pack or subscription when unused.

However, I was eager to know answers to such questions below:

1) Whether the stock sides give prompt attention to a request for refund?
2) Is it easy to get approval for a refund?
3) Does one have to satisfy any other requirements not mentioned in the terms?
4) How long does it take before you can get your money back etc?

A fellow contributor has mentioned that a request for a refund sent to one stock photo site was never replied even after months, despite the claim of prompt support.

Thanks.

« Reply #11 on: June 01, 2019, 10:33 »
0
A fellow contributor has mentioned that a request for a refund sent to one stock photo site was never replied even after months, despite the claim of prompt support.

What is the reply # for that answer? I scrolled back thru the thread and dont see that.

« Reply #12 on: June 01, 2019, 11:04 »
+4
I've not read the terms for credit pack or subscription purchases but would be surprised to find a refund option available. The whole idea is that the buyer commits to purchase a certain value of content at a reduced rate. The agency makes a commitment to sell for less with the advance payment for a credit pack.

dpimborough

« Reply #13 on: June 01, 2019, 17:03 »
+4
Thanks georgep7 for your reply and links.

Yes, I had that in mind - personal experience of getting a refund on subscription and credit packs.

 The first line of my post says that:
Has anyone tried  getting a refund after purchasing a credit pack or subscription from a stock photo site?

I was expecting a 'personal experience' reply, but that's alright.

Thanks for your reply Noedelhap. You're right. In these days of free stock websites and CC0 visuals  one doesn't have to resort to the underhand tactic of purchasing a stock photo and then asking for a refund.

I hope folks treat this topic as part of the knowledge a stock photo contributor should have.

No question should be sensitive as long as it's relevant and valid.

cathyslife, the info is actually available in the FAQ or Terms of Use sections of the websites - it's perfectly legal to ask for a refund on your credit pack or subscription when unused.

However, I was eager to know answers to such questions below:

1) Whether the stock sides give prompt attention to a request for refund?
2) Is it easy to get approval for a refund?
3) Does one have to satisfy any other requirements not mentioned in the terms?
4) How long does it take before you can get your money back etc?

A fellow contributor has mentioned that a request for a refund sent to one stock photo site was never replied even after months, despite the claim of prompt support.

Thanks.

I really don't get why you are asking these questions.

What is the real reason/motive for asking?


« Reply #14 on: June 01, 2019, 17:15 »
+1
There are some here who are buyers as well as contributors, but by and large, mostly contributors. So there might not be a whole lot of experience with this. Why dont you converse directly with the sites?

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #15 on: June 01, 2019, 17:24 »
+3
I hope folks treat this topic as part of the knowledge a stock photo contributor should have.
Why? It's not as though I'll ever need to know.

marthamarks

« Reply #16 on: June 02, 2019, 01:49 »
+3
However, I was eager to know answers to such questions below:

1) Whether the stock sides give prompt attention to a request for refund?
2) Is it easy to get approval for a refund?
3) Does one have to satisfy any other requirements not mentioned in the terms?
4) How long does it take before you can get your money back etc?

Thanks.

I too am baffled by your expectation that we stock contributors would have ready answers to the kinds of questions that only would be of interest to those who might possibly purchase our work.

Can't speak for everyone here, but I, for one, have never bought a photo from a stock site, much less requested a refund of my subscription money, and probably never will do either. Whatever answer(s) I might throw out to you would be 100% worthless.

You've already gotten the best advice you could get here: ask the stock sites themselves.

« Last Edit: June 02, 2019, 22:27 by marthamarks »


« Reply #17 on: June 02, 2019, 17:58 »
0
Thanks everyone for your replies.

Just asked whether members had a certain experience. Hugely surprised at the level of antagonism shown.

I had expected those without the experience to ignore the question but they choose to answer and express their dissatisfaction at the question.

Instead of answering the question they question a member's right to ask the question.

Some asked me to ask go directly to the sites themselves for the answers, which I had doine before asking the question here. I posted here to know and  learn the experience of getting a refund.

Here I share my findings although it may be of no interest to anyone here:

iStock

Credit packs  are entitled for refund if refund request is made within 14 days of invoice date
Condition : No credit should have been used.

Monthly subscription can be cancelled any time - request must be made 14 days from invoice date:
Condition:
1)Must not have downloaded more than 5 images
2) Must not have used the downloded images (How do we find out if the images have been used?)

Dreamstime
Refund  request must be submitted  at  least 30 days from date of purchase
Condition: Credit or subscription must not have been used to download any image

Shutterstock
Only annual plan is entitled for refund - a request must be made and a cancellation fee will be imposed.

123RF
Cancellation and refund policy not clear:

They just mention subscription plans cannot be upgraded or downgraded once the first  piece of content is downloaded.

Credit plans cannot be downgraded but an upgrade request can be submitted.

Stocksy
All purchases are final and non-refundable. 

Refund for Photo Wrongly Downloaded 
Adobe Stock offers a credit refund for photos wrongly downloaded . But must mention which photo you intended to download and which you wrongly downloaded. Both picture must be about same subject.

in one instance a member had wrongly downloaded 5 images and given credit refund for all 5.

In most instances they only allow you credit refund once as an exception, to ,maintain goodwill.

Notes
When credits are refunded for wrongly downloaded images , it creates goodwill with customer, but is demoralising for contributor.

« Last Edit: June 02, 2019, 20:01 by shamohan22 »

marthamarks

« Reply #18 on: June 02, 2019, 21:20 »
+2
I had expected those without the experience to ignore the question but they choose to answer and express their dissatisfaction at the question.

Instead of answering the question they question a member's right to ask the question.

You joined this group two whole days ago. You've now posted a grand total of four times, the last of which was to complain about the reception your irrelevant-to-most-of-us question has received.

Consider that this group has been in existence for a very long time. Its members have heard just about every kind of question imaginable, both relevant and irrelevant to the interests of stock photographers. When the question asked is relevant and sincere, the answers tend to be helpful and kind. Unfortunately, your particular question is not relevant to the interests of most stock photographers.

I feel safe in saying that the tolerance level here for irrelevant questions is not high.

Had you perhaps chosen to join and spend some time exploring the types of issues that members of this forum routinely addressperhaps even taking part in those conversations in a meaningful way before asking your irrelevant-to-most-of-us questionyou would have learned enough to ask the kind of question that would have received a more receptive answer. Or you might have decided not to ask your question at all because you realized it was, ya'know, irrelevant.

At this point, I suspect, most in the group have tuned you out. I'm out too, after this post.
« Last Edit: June 02, 2019, 23:06 by marthamarks »


 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
12 Replies
6094 Views
Last post January 04, 2013, 11:40
by brmonico
2 Replies
6546 Views
Last post April 29, 2013, 15:19
by Simply
47 Replies
23314 Views
Last post January 23, 2014, 22:16
by lbarn
22 Replies
7169 Views
Last post February 04, 2015, 21:18
by Ava Glass
13 Replies
5127 Views
Last post March 04, 2015, 09:39
by adriana_manni

Sponsors

Mega Bundle of 5,900+ Professional Lightroom Presets

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors