Author Topic: Video sales on IS?? (Read 5988 times)

stokfoto · « **on:** September 21, 2012, 08:22 »

I am an exclusive videographer on IS and have more than 500 approved footages there, I know that is not a big port , but lately sales have been absolutely terrible not even getting a single sale over a week or ten days. and even when I get sales somehow it all shrunk to small web size ,which doesn't bring much

I was wondering if it is only me affected by it, I notice footage prices a bit higher on IS now, especially SS and FT offering subs, I don't know if this has a bad effect on IS video sales. But these days I am seriously considering dropping exclusivity ,lately it has been so disappointing,and it all started all of a sudden, things were fine until lately:(

sharpshot · « **Reply #1 on:** September 21, 2012, 08:59 »

My footage portfolio isn't very commercial and I never did well with istock. Removed most of my portfolio when they cut my commission to 15%. Pond5 has been the best site for me and SS has picked up a bit in recent months. Didn't bother with FT. It's a shame there's not an exclusive option with Pond5, that would be an easy decision for me.

PeterChigmaroff · « **Reply #2 on:** September 21, 2012, 09:05 »

I have a smallish video non exclusive with iS and started off last year making regular sales. But I agree, the sales lately have been really bad at iS. It's a bit like this all over though. Pond5 and RevoStock have been poor as well but there at least I see some sales. SS is about the best right now for me. Funny I thought it must be the exclusives making all the sales at iS.

rene · « **Reply #3 on:** September 21, 2012, 09:06 »

I absolutely cannot understand video contributors staying exclusive. I left exclusivity (video) over 2 years ago. Never regret it. Pond5 alone earns more then 5 times more then IS! And I can fix my price, get 50% commission.
Majority of sites accept different files formant. I can upload files directly from my camera. Files are smaller and transfers faster.
I still see few advantage to be exclusive photographer at IS. I'm one of them. But in 2 years I haven't found one reason to be exclusive videographer. It's completely illogical.

KB · « **Reply #4 on:** September 21, 2012, 09:58 »

My port size is only about 80% of yours, so not too much to go on.

Sales have completely died for me this month at iStock, currently running at 20% of last month's total (which was just about my average for the entire year).

But it isn't just iStock. Sales at the other sites I contribute to are also nearly completely dead, after being quite steady all year. I don't understand what's happening, but whatever it is, hopefully it will be very short-lived.

By contrast, last September was my second-best month of 2011.

Smithore · « **Reply #5 on:** September 21, 2012, 10:14 »

I have had some video sales on istock until last year or a little more, and now sales are very very rare.

stocker2011 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 21, 2012, 15:38 »

Nice to see someone bringing up this subject, i too have been very disgruntled with video sales at istock, but to be fair it appears to be pretty bad all around. However as a fellow non-exclusive it's not just the poor sales performance lately which i am annoyed about it's everything. Review times have gone back to 1 month+ and now the instant purchase feature for a video really does highlight the degree to which we are all getting shafted in terms of commission.

The review team have high standards and will reject for any small reason which in turn forces you to plan, execute and scrutinize your work even harder in order to get it accepted which isn't a bad thing in itself. But then add to that the annoying ftp upload procedure and then on top of that you have to create screenshots of your work to prove that you didn't use any 3rd party plugin preset or what not. This all takes time and it would be nice if you got a fair commission to compensate all the time lost, or at the very least some healthy sales.

And to add insult to injury i will be dropping a level because i didn't earn enough redeemed credits. And because of their RC system I'm well on my way to a pay decrease at the end of the year.

Sigh.

velocicarpo · « **Reply #7 on:** September 21, 2012, 15:47 »

You are selling exclusively with company which has shamelessly lied to its contributors and ignored all sustainable market strategy in order to suck out the maximum amount of monetary Profit from their Contributors. It was and is foreseeable that this company will fail or lose in significance. Now sales drop. And it is no secret that other companies which actually treat their suppliers well (like Pond5) outsell istock by far.

Question: What else do you need to quit exclusivity?

ccbcc · « **Reply #8 on:** September 23, 2012, 03:49 »

iStock accounts for around 10% of my monthly earnings. I cannot understand why people want to go exclusive there. Just dealing with them, trying to get support and reading the forums you can tell how little respect they have for contributors. $:-\$

Zerkalo · « **Reply #9 on:** September 30, 2012, 10:45 »

Some people don't have enough time for spreading their portfolio on other sites. They have a daytime job. Furthermore, there is a chance of getting into Vetta club and make more money if you're exclusive. And exclusive files are slowly transferred to Getty. I know, it's not sufficient but there is some progress. So you can make some extra through Getty.

I am one of these and I will stay exclusive for the time being. But I am definitely checking my options.

StockProducer · « **Reply #10 on:** September 30, 2012, 11:04 »

I have found Sales have been awful for the last couple of Months on all sites .. not just for Footage but after effects Templates as well ..

According to User Poll IS has also come up near the bottom for Sales as well this month

http://www.stockproducer.com/selling-resources/where-to-sell.html [nofollow]

I also couldn't consider going exclusive anywhere either and relying on One site to make an income

and Zerkalo

Quote

Some people don't have enough time for spreading their portfolio on other sites.

Its much easier to spread the portfolio around with something like Picworkflow .. upload once and spread it around with a single click .. by the time you get home from work your footage is on all sites .. copy and paste in keywords and done .. it everywhere