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Author Topic: Time to create a new sustainable stock agency  (Read 19324 times)

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« Reply #25 on: May 28, 2020, 14:56 »
0
You must have some great items. I have not got the 90-250 dollar sell  from SS in maybe five years. I get maybe one 28.00 sale  ever three or four months. The 28 buck sell I guess will go to 4.80


« Reply #26 on: May 28, 2020, 15:00 »
0
You must have some great items. I have not got the 90-250 dollar sell  from SS in maybe five years. I get maybe one 28.00 sale  ever three or four months. The 28 buck sell I guess will go to 4.80

for me the 90-200 dollar sales are actually a bit more frequent than the 18-29 dollar ELs. Since there is this undefined category of "single and other" sales i havn't seen much ELs

georgep7

« Reply #27 on: May 28, 2020, 15:07 »
0
mj007's base idea is good i think because involves other ways of getting a fee for the image.

I cannot contribute any ideas on it but i like it as alternative and why not innovative way of thinking in photography.

I also cannot see the thread / link mentioned above "off limits" for me too.

« Reply #28 on: June 10, 2020, 19:54 »
0
Bottom line is that there are just too many pictures of the same thing anymore. For all the people leaving SSTK they will still have plenty. Especially for clients that just aren't very discerning. They just want a relevant image for their slideshow and move on.

« Reply #29 on: June 10, 2020, 20:05 »
0
I would hope it would not be an agency that sells out to another one.  Too many businesses start and then get swallowed.

csm

« Reply #30 on: June 11, 2020, 05:33 »
0
Here is a way to beat SS. Unfortunately I have not the intellect to design this . As a group setup a new site, with free images. Yes free images, might as well be free if SS and the other sites go with this new model. Hard to beat free. Not even the evil SS can beat free. You have a site that is just like every other site with the difference all images/videos are free. To get a free image you have to listen to a 30-60 second add . Just like the adds on youtube. The difference you can't rush are turn off the add. At the end of the advertisement you get a unique number/code for one free picture or video that day. You can get as many pictures per day as you listen to different adds and get different codes.The codes are only good per image per 24 hours. The the payout which I guess is small , you get an advertising fee for showing the add. No this most likely won't get you more money than the slims at SS but free is hard to beat. No sure what those  adds pay but I am guessing 20 to 40 cents each. You could also charge a yearly fee like Costco dose, maybe 29 bucks a year to make a little more revenue.



Its already been done.
And I don't think its a viable option.You just need so many views to make any sales.

https://www.clickasnap.com

« Reply #31 on: June 11, 2020, 15:13 »
+1
Here is a way to beat SS. Unfortunately I have not the intellect to design this . As a group setup a new site, with free images. Yes free images, might as well be free if SS and the other sites go with this new model. Hard to beat free. Not even the evil SS can beat free. You have a site that is just like every other site with the difference all images/videos are free. To get a free image you have to listen to a 30-60 second add . Just like the adds on youtube. The difference you can't rush are turn off the add. At the end of the advertisement you get a unique number/code for one free picture or video that day. You can get as many pictures per day as you listen to different adds and get different codes.The codes are only good per image per 24 hours. The the payout which I guess is small , you get an advertising fee for showing the add. No this most likely won't get you more money than the slims at SS but free is hard to beat. No sure what those  adds pay but I am guessing 20 to 40 cents each. You could also charge a yearly fee like Costco dose, maybe 29 bucks a year to make a little more revenue.

I see. So get back at SS low rates by giving your images away for free. Brilliant. Reminds me of a guy who once cut off his nose to spite his face.

Tenebroso

« Reply #32 on: June 11, 2020, 15:37 »
+1
OK. I open a microstock sales space. It takes work, infrastructure, solving problems, time and money directly and indirectly or investment.

Questions, how much are you willing to pay for collaboration in the development of the project, per year? How many exclusive new files are you going to contribute to the project? What is the adequate number of files in the total set that may be necessary to achieve quality, variety, originality, in order for a potential client to approach the new project?

« Reply #33 on: June 12, 2020, 02:06 »
0
I would like to collaborate with the hosting/server side.

« Reply #34 on: June 12, 2020, 02:09 »
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How much funding did Symbiostock got before the project collapsed? How did it failed? Can anybody brief us the history of Symbiostock?

Snow

« Reply #35 on: June 12, 2020, 02:34 »
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Sorry for the double post but it seems more fitting here:

Im hoping someone will come along and create a platform for us.
If it doesnt work out then no harm done right? We already have tools such as symbiostock to get us started or we can start from scratch. I am 100% certain we have enough talented and experienced people amongst us who are capable of that.

We dont actually have to take on the big guns, we just have to set it all up, upload a few dozen (or more) of our best images and see where that takes us.
We can guide buyers on social media, forums like this one, create websites with our microstock profile that points to wherever we want, our own stock agency in this case. We can put a link to this new agency wherever we want and you can bet those same websites that wrote about SS recent change will also pick up on this and write about it, so again extra exposure.

If sales are low but we get 50% or more from each fair priced sale then its still a win situation for us. Sure beats a dozen 0,10 sales!
I think this would certainly be possible without having to start a war against other agencies, so they have no reason to take war on us. I think Stocksy is no threat to others and since we are talking microstock here so far less expensive we could actually perform a lot better then them. Again we dont have to start our own agency with a goal to compete with others or prove something. Thats not a good mind set and a lost cause anyway. We just have to start it as we see no other way forward really.

Imagine if all those who already disabled or will disable their porfolios joined this new agency. Were not talking about a few hundred here. Also others will start getting curious and try it out, that is in our nature. Many are jumping to DT again which they know is a low seller, just to try it out again so why not our own agency?
I think there are enough people amongst us who are willing to donate their time or even money to set this whole thing up.

But then maybe im just daydreaming and we will stick to protest (in any form) but eventually give in or give up!

The choice is ours!

Uncle Pete

  • Great Place by a Great Lake - My Home Port
« Reply #36 on: June 12, 2020, 09:07 »
+1

Im hoping someone will come along and create a platform for us.


Why would they? Charity?

For the question that you and others have asked, why doesn't someone start a new site? If I could have, I would have, years ago. Every year I ask about software, and there isn't anything? K-Tools was the closest and the creator of that abandoned it. Old versions, new, doesn't matter, it's dead.

I mean true self hosted. I keep asking and writing and now here we are again, and the answer is the same. That software doesn't exist. Last site that I read about, having his own software developed (not likely to come to market) cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. The software to operate a site with payments, downloads for electronic files, just isn't out there.

I don't know if that's demand or expense or what. I mean people host document files, pay for download. Photos, vectors, imaging, can't be that more difficult? Video is another thing.

So someone tell me, where's the software?

« Reply #37 on: June 12, 2020, 09:19 »
0
With WordPress and some modules you can do it. Isn't plug and play.

steheap

  • Author of best selling "Get Started in Stock"

« Reply #38 on: June 12, 2020, 09:30 »
0
Quote
How much funding did Symbiostock got before the project collapsed? How did it failed? Can anybody brief us the history of Symbiostock?

I know this is a double post, but there is another thread running about this proposed agency. Here is my "history" of symbiostock: https://backyardsilver.com/do-self-hosted-stock-photo-sites-ever-work/

Steve

Tenebroso

« Reply #39 on: June 12, 2020, 12:33 »
0
I would like to collaborate with the hosting/server side.

I have the technical and human team. In addition, numerous months discussing how to elaborate it, create it, strengthens it. Plus the later plans. Initial plan, short term, medium term and long term.

We have analyzed thousands of possible problems and their possible solutions. We know that we will encounter unforeseen problems.

My team is the best in the course of experience in other wars for years. And I know that I will meet new people to cross the street in this new adventure.

I appreciate your offer, I don't need that help. I do need blood, the answer to my questions. Your attitude is important. I highly value your attitude, your blood worth of the warrior. Thank you.

whtvr

« Reply #40 on: June 12, 2020, 12:50 »
0
Quote
I am 100% certain we have enough talented and experienced people amongst us who are capable of that.

No doubt. But i would start by asking their hourly rate and an estimation of total needed time for an almost working platform. If people were serious and believed in theirselfes and work they would buy what was it? Crestock? 15K divided just to 3000 dissapointed Shutter contributors in this f/b forum mentioned is what? $5 each? The monthly Youtube subscription for a channel to push us gear.

marthamarks

« Reply #41 on: June 12, 2020, 13:16 »
+4
How much funding did Symbiostock got before the project collapsed? How did it failed? Can anybody brief us the history of Symbiostock?

Some of us lived through that experience and put a whole lot of energy and time and thought and money into building our own Symbiostock sites. Very few of them have survived to this day, and of those I know of none that have made a profit from it.

It's exhausting even to think of that now, so I doubt anybody is going to want to come back to brief you on it.

Life is too short.
« Last Edit: June 12, 2020, 13:18 by marthamarks »


« Reply #42 on: June 12, 2020, 14:19 »
0
The key is to do it as a group. Join forces with the stockcoalition.org for example and get all the people that is deleting their portfolios from SS and make a stock site where all contributors get shares. Like a Cooperative so all the revenue goes to contributors.

« Reply #43 on: June 12, 2020, 14:25 »
0
The key is to do it as a group. Join forces with the stockcoalition.org for example and get all the people that is deleting their portfolios from SS and make a stock site where all contributors get shares. Like a Cooperative so all the revenue goes to contributors.


Sent from my motorola one using Tapatalk


mij

« Reply #44 on: June 12, 2020, 15:18 »
+1
The content I've been reading on this thread is encouraging and I believe is the only way things will change. What so many are thinking and talking about all day long (how terrible the changes in SS payment structure are, refusing to contribute further, shutting down their accounts, etc. ) will do nothing more than help these negative policies to grow and manifest. Alternative marketing ideas will eventually create the change we as contributors are looking for. Thank you and keep those ideas coming.

Tenebroso

« Reply #45 on: June 12, 2020, 15:45 »
0
Today, we already know many things.

True. In these times we know many things. We know that three different details have placed freepik as an aspiring agency leader. We know that Shutterstock is the Agency that sells the most. Also, we know that Adobestock closes the circle between software professionals, clients and collaborators.

We know that we live historical moments on the planet.
We also know that microstock is evolving, like other sectors such as music, cinema, ..........

In the course of a relatively short period, cooperatives, groups, consortiums, associations, of artists will appear with the aim of improving the business.

We will also know that a large number of these groups will fail. The relationship of friendship or of the couple is very difficult, here, that there is money through, the difficulties multiply.

These working groups will have imitations and surrogates, new groups will emerge based on the experiences of existing groups.

Over time, the strongest groups will lead 95% of existing groups. Some Agency will give us other misfortunes. Some groups will give us joy other upsets.

Yes, we are in a period of evolution towards new sales systems, true.

Some artists will be in all groups, some in just one and Agency. We already know many things today.

« Reply #46 on: June 12, 2020, 16:06 »
+2
I once created my own personal stock site. I paid $70 for a good template site with database, search functionality, cart and check out, including a backend for editing, customized it, got it working, but in the end no visitors and no sales whatsoever. Granted I didn't really advertise, but I did lots of social media updates and put links to my vector store everywhere I could.

After a few years I pulled the plug because it just wasn't worth the hassle.

Tenebroso

« Reply #47 on: June 12, 2020, 16:24 »
0
How many files are necessary?


Yes, obviously, there are companies with 1 million images and they do not leave the agencies. One of my questions from the first post in this thread is related to this problem. A number of exclusive new images to motivate to approach a possible client. Since many do not buy, but they are not even going to waste time bothering to change. If the fee is small, it is known that people pay for something they signed 23 years ago, so as not to waste time, we let them bill us every year. Normally we decide to cancel the payment, but year after year, it appears in the bank statement. we are comfortable. As for customers, the same, comfort, why are they going to bother to change, if they have been in Shutterstock for years and everyone is in SS? Therefore, a large number of files are needed for the client to have needs covered. in addition to other things that I am not going to mention at the moment.  There is a lot of work, and it must be in groups. But the problem arises, we like to be safe and we like others to try it before. In addition, we will collaborate in getting Google out of the garage, we will collaborate in placing it as the king of search engines, the king of the world and then ....... take time to sink it and criticize it. Any business is very complicated, this one is very, very complicated.

« Reply #48 on: June 21, 2020, 05:24 »
+2
The difference you can't rush are turn off the add.

If by "add" you mean ads, someone already did it. Called youtube. Guess what: adblockers help you skip video ads, or any kind of ads. Plus a lot of people, myself included, would rather fork out a few cents than sit through bloody ads. I never had a single app on my phone that runs on ads. It's either completely free or a one-time payment. Now imagine agency editors who purchase images in bulk, watching ads instead of doing their thing. You seriously think it's a sustainable business model?
A bad idea is not better than no idea at all.

PaulieWalnuts

  • We Have Exciting News For You
« Reply #49 on: December 17, 2020, 12:36 »
+3
Just bumping this due to some news. Photodeck just announced new functionality that provides individuals with the ability to set up an instant agency or photographer collective. I use Photodeck for my photo business website and am pretty happy with them. For anyone who wants to start an agency or collective this may be a good alternative to building from scratch.

https://www.photodeck.com/blog/2020/12/creating-photo-agency/


 

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