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Poll

Are you going exclusive with Istock in the next 6 months ?

I am already exclusive
33 (15.2%)
I am going to be exclusive
12 (5.5%)
I am not sure yet
28 (12.9%)
No I will stay independant
138 (63.6%)
Other (exclusive at DT/can't in the next 6 months)
6 (2.8%)

Total Members Voted: 194

Author Topic: Who is planning exclusivity ? -Poll-  (Read 47254 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

« Reply #75 on: December 17, 2009, 16:23 »
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Hi Helix7,

 Really enjoyed your post you bring some great thought to the table. You opened my eyes to some things I had not considered.

Thanks big time,
Jonathan


helix7

« Reply #76 on: December 18, 2009, 00:20 »
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Hi Helix7,

Really enjoyed your post you bring some great thought to the table. You opened my eyes to some things I had not considered.

Well I'm glad to contribute something noteworthy to the discussion. There is a lot to digest in all of this, and I won't pretend to have the answers to any of the big questions. All I know is that there are a lot of factors in play here, too many to draw any real conclusions from just yet. All of a sudden istock exclusivity works out mathematically, something it hasn't done for me for as long as I've been in microstock (going on 3 years). It's a lot to think about.

I won't ever tell anyone what to do in this business. I might offer an opinion, but in the end I know that everyone is different, everyone's portfolio is different, and in this particular case the factors that lead someone to make a decision about exclusivity can be different. My numbers aren't the same as someone else's. I might earn 37% of my income from istock, while I know of people around these forums who earn 10% or less. What I will do, however, is to suggest that everyone who is seriously considering exclusivity take a good long time to think about this, watch the market over the next 6+ months (which is the least amount of time most of us would have to wait anyway before going exclusive thanks to DT), and really keep an eye on how things progress in the new year over at istock. I have a feeling that things are going to be changing in ways we haven't even predicted, once all of these new changes are in place.

It's great to share ideas about this stuff in these public forums, and if I've brought something interesting to the table, then I'm glad to help. But in the end, this is going to be a very personal decision for anyone considering making a switch over to exclusivity, and everyone needs to do their homework and figure out what is best for them.

« Reply #77 on: December 18, 2009, 01:10 »
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I have a feeling that things are going to be changing in ways we haven't even predicted, once all of these new changes are in place.
Agreed and there is still probably a bomb or two that hasn't dropped yet.

« Reply #78 on: December 18, 2009, 01:36 »
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Hi Helix7,

 Once again very well written an a good point of view at this time in the industry. I especially like how you pointed out that everyone has their own path to the top of their hill. What works for one person might not be the same for another, great advice. Thanks again.

Best,
Jonathan
« Last Edit: December 18, 2009, 01:50 by Jonathan Ross »

lisafx

« Reply #79 on: December 18, 2009, 09:37 »
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I have a feeling that things are going to be changing in ways we haven't even predicted, once all of these new changes are in place.
Agreed and there is still probably a bomb or two that hasn't dropped yet.

I agree with this.  With Istock there is ALWAYS another shoe ready to drop...

RacePhoto

« Reply #80 on: December 18, 2009, 14:58 »
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It would be interesting to know since the new year announcement. I tried to keep the poll the more simple as possible, as there is many options available.


Please save the results when the poll is closed and bring it back next year for review. Does anyone honestly believe that 23% of the people here will be exclusives by Jan. 2011?

Nothing against IS or exclusives, but lets not jump off a cliff based on a forum poll.  ;D
« Last Edit: December 18, 2009, 15:03 by RacePhoto »

vonkara

« Reply #81 on: December 18, 2009, 15:24 »
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Yeah, there is only 7 people who are planning. I am in the 7 lol. I think many of those who are in the "I'm not sure yet" might never make the jump. I don't think there will be more aligned planets than today in the next years, for exclusivity

« Reply #82 on: December 18, 2009, 17:18 »
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istock seems to want to attract more pros as exclusive contributors. To do this they need to make it a competitive option. General consensus here seems to be that up 'til now independents do better financially. If istock has done the research properly then maybe that is about to change.

« Reply #83 on: December 19, 2009, 00:40 »
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For me, it works financially, so I will be re-exclusifying.

« Reply #84 on: December 20, 2009, 01:34 »
0
I will probably go exclusive.
Don't like what happens at DT and FT. I don't trust them.
 I like Vetta concept. I can provide higher quality images but I will never accept to sell them at subscription or regular low mikrostock prices. I can take a risk to invest lot of money only if I don't have impression to be stupid making presents to arrogant sites owners.
Only one site makes me hesitate : SS. Even if I hate subscription I always found SS fair,transparent and clear. No surprises and no fine print traps here. 
The time when I was happy to see my image published is over. I don't care anymore. Only money count and IS always was my best selling site. I'm very surprised how huge can be difference in earning between sites. This month IS gives me 10x more than DT! Maybe there is some kind of contributor preference in best match engine that each site has given us in the beginning. So maybe if later I change my mind and become non-exclusive again my ranking will improve on other sites - while I will start re-uploading with much better images than I took few years ago.

« Reply #85 on: December 20, 2009, 05:13 »
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Going exclusive! only when I reach 50% of my income from istock. I just trust what I can see now, is not an estimate!

« Reply #86 on: December 20, 2009, 05:42 »
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While I'm definitely considering exclusivity, two points about the new announcements really concern me (specifically for vector files):

1. The vast majority of my illustrations are currently in the 'detailed: 10 credit' price range. If I choose exclusivity, these will become '14 credit files' - which in itself seems quite a significant price increase to expect buyers to pay (?).

2. Even worse, the smallest pay-as-you-go credit pack is 12 credits, meaning anyone that wants to purchase just one exclusive 'detailed' vector at 14 credits, will be forced to buy the larger 26 credit pack - personally I think this is terrible news. I wonder if a lot of buyers will simply purchase non-exclusive 'detailed' vectors at 10 credits, rather than being forced to spend all that extra money on 26 credits that they may not require?

Surely the simple answer would be for istock to increase the minimum credit pack to 14 credits - which would allow buyers to get at least one exclusive 'detailed' vector. Are any other illustrators [that are considering exclusivity] concerned about this?
« Last Edit: December 20, 2009, 05:47 by designalldone »

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #87 on: December 20, 2009, 07:54 »
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2. Even worse, the smallest pay-as-you-go credit pack is 12 credits, meaning anyone that wants to purchase just one exclusive 'detailed' vector at 14 credits, will be forced to buy the larger 26 credit pack - personally I think this is terrible news. I wonder if a lot of buyers will simply purchase non-exclusive 'detailed' vectors at 10 credits, rather than being forced to spend all that extra money on 26 credits that they may not require?

While a customer is a customer and a dollar is a dollar, I don't think iStock worries too much about very small buyers [1]. Looking at my own sales, it seems that very, very few are in the 'small credit bundle' market. Only you can check your own dl stats to see if your buyer demographic is significantly different.

[1] e.g. it's the smaller buyer who feels it most when prices go up, and complain on the forums, to no avail. It was the smaller buyers who were complaining about iStock introducing logos and saying they would not buy from iStock any more if it happened - presumably iStock's bean counters saw that they were comparatively small fish.

« Reply #88 on: December 20, 2009, 08:13 »
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While a customer is a customer and a dollar is a dollar, I don't think iStock worries too much about very small buyers [1]. Looking at my own sales, it seems that very, very few are in the 'small credit bundle' market. Only you can check your own dl stats to see if your buyer demographic is significantly different.

[1] e.g. it's the smaller buyer who feels it most when prices go up, and complain on the forums, to no avail. It was the smaller buyers who were complaining about iStock introducing logos and saying they would not buy from iStock any more if it happened - presumably iStock's bean counters saw that they were comparatively small fish.

I'm sure you're right Sue. IS have been quite deliberately positioning themselves at the high end of microstock, targetting the corporate market, the equivalent of 'business class' for airlines, for some years. It's profit margins that they are after not just sales volume.

« Reply #89 on: December 20, 2009, 09:05 »
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Quote
There is a lot to digest in all of this, and I won't pretend to have the answers to any of the big questions. All I know is that there are a lot of factors in play here, too many to draw any real conclusions from just yet.

I agree. I am in the group that makes about 35% of my income from istock. While I am considering exclusivity, not being anyways near diamond means that my decision could swing either way, based on what happens to independents at istock.

« Reply #90 on: December 20, 2009, 10:07 »
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I would go exclusive if they weren't so strict on raster illustrations.  :-\

« Reply #91 on: December 20, 2009, 10:15 »
0
Thanks ShadySue and Gostwyck for the replies. I really hope you are both right - I'll certainly be following the thread closely over the next few days before making an informed decision  :)


« Reply #92 on: December 20, 2009, 11:40 »
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I find it sort of sad that the thing that is making the exclusive equation looking better for some is the probably collapse of independent sales at IS - so that IS won't actually make more than you make now, but after these changes, the IS contribution to total income will decrease so much that exclusive looks more attractive.

Time will tell, I wish I had a crystal ball.


« Reply #93 on: December 20, 2009, 13:49 »
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Wow so many really really good points here !

Ahhhh decisions decisions, being at Gold level with around 40% of my income from IS the temptation is there for sure esp with recent developments. As already well pointed out in prev posts and something I also have to weigh up is the 'being pushed further back in the search V the possibility of clients choosing to search deeper for cheaper independants files  :-\  have to ask myself if I do nothing will a big chunk of my income drop drastically, with the other side of the coin being the fact that I have a much larger Portfolio at SS plus Fotolia's performance strengthening  for me right now. Dreamstime is not an issue as I stopped uploading there way back as I did not like the six month tie'in and shift to pushing subs. 

One thing not mentioned so much in this thread is the recent 'Go Exclusive' by Feb deadline to ensure that IS honor our natural progression to the next Canister level, for me Diamond. Does this not bother you Guys who are going to wait and see how things develope?  doubt I could ever bring myself to go Exclusive after the deadline and have another 25k target added

« Reply #94 on: December 20, 2009, 14:28 »
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The difference between gold and diamond wouldn't sway my decision about going exclusive.  If they paid 50% commission at the diamond level, I might seriously consider it but 40% for the only site I could sell RF on doesn't interest me.

« Reply #95 on: December 20, 2009, 15:31 »
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True the leap is not great I guess, still it would get to me If it ever made sense to go Exclusive

« Reply #96 on: December 20, 2009, 15:34 »
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No one seems to have mentioned that being exclusive on istock will allow you to build a much larger portfolio there, assuming you've got heaps of images on other sites but not on istock due to upload limits.

« Reply #97 on: December 20, 2009, 16:17 »
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Alas I have heaps more Images on other Sites and not on istock due to the rejections there  ;) never do take up my full uploade slots even as an independant.

« Reply #98 on: December 20, 2009, 17:40 »
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One thing not mentioned so much in this thread is the recent 'Go Exclusive' by Feb deadline to ensure that IS honor our natural progression to the next Canister level, for me Diamond.

One thing I am curious about regarding this proposal by istock...for the independents who don't make a decision by then, does that mean we will be so far back in the search results that we might as well not be there, or even be dropped by IS?

« Reply #99 on: December 20, 2009, 17:54 »
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I don't think there is any need to panic.  There is a lot of speculation about these changes but nobody knows what will happen until they are implemented.


 

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