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Illustrators Corner - Microstock Illustrators Forum => Illustration - General => Topic started by: whatwolf on June 04, 2014, 08:48

Title: how to choice?
Post by: whatwolf on June 04, 2014, 08:48
I have upload 3 vectors to SS, and I have applied for IS to upload vectors.
So I am so puzzled because of the following statements to pick up:

1 upload all the stock website, the more means the better income
2 upload as a exclusive contributor to IS and get money from PP and GI sales.

which is better choice now?
(which could get more money than another?)
Could the "Microstock Poll Results" describe the illustration market? or it is just for photographers?
Title: Re: how to choice?
Post by: EmberMike on June 04, 2014, 08:58

The poll results absolutely describe the photography market. Don't make any decisions based on the poll.

You can participate in the iStock partner program without being exclusive. In fact, you have no choice but to participate in it if you're non-exclusive. Being exclusive just gives you the option to opt-out of it if you want to.

As for being exclusive, personally I don't see it working out better for anyone, but that's based on my own data. Over the last couple of years my monthly income from iStock has amounted to between 5% and 12% of my monthly totals on average. No where near enough to think I'd do any better by being exclusive. But that's just me. Some people do better. Some worse. Really no one can tell you whether it's right for you or not. It's just one of those things that only you can decide.
Title: Re: how to choice?
Post by: ShadySue on June 04, 2014, 09:02
Unless you have nearly 250 dls on iS, you're not eligible to become exclusive, so why not submit to various reputable sites (however you define that) and see what works best for your portfolio? Just be aware that if you should want to become exclusive later, some of the sites can make it difficult to get your images off their 'partners'.
Title: Re: how to choice?
Post by: whatwolf on June 04, 2014, 09:11

The poll results absolutely describe the photography market. Don't make any decisions based on the poll.

You can participate in the iStock partner program without being exclusive. In fact, you have no choice but to participate in it if you're non-exclusive. Being exclusive just gives you the option to opt-out of it if you want to.

As for being exclusive, personally I don't see it working out better for anyone, but that's based on my own data. Over the last couple of years my monthly income from iStock has amounted to between 5% and 12% of my monthly totals on average. No where near enough to think I'd do any better by being exclusive. But that's just me. Some people do better. Some worse. Really no one can tell you whether it's right for you or not. It's just one of those things that only you can decide.

Thanks a lot!
Title: Re: how to choice?
Post by: whatwolf on June 04, 2014, 09:20
Unless you have nearly 250 dls on iS, you're not eligible to become exclusive, so why not submit to various reputable sites (however you define that) and see what works best for your portfolio? Just be aware that if you should want to become exclusive later, some of the sites can make it difficult to get your images off their 'partners'.

I know that I cannot become a exclusive contributor untill i have 250 DLs on IS.
And I know some sites make difficult to get my vectors off their partners. Therefore i have to decide to wheather i should be a exclusive contributor for IS now. Because i donnot know which sites will keep my vectors on their partners. So i dare not to upload my vector to various sites.
and if i decide to upload my vectors to sites as more as i can, i would upload them without any worried.
that's the reason of why i am puzzled.

BY THE WAY. ShadySue, you can always find the important point in my treads.
Thanks a lot.
Title: Re: how to choice?
Post by: Shelma1 on June 04, 2014, 09:23
Make it easy for yourself. Upload to the top two sites...Shutterstock and iStock...and see how you do. Then if you decide to become exclusive you only have to remove images from one site.
Title: Re: how to choice?
Post by: cthoman on June 04, 2014, 09:52
I suppose it all depends on what your goals are.
Title: Re: how to choice?
Post by: ShadySue on June 04, 2014, 10:37
You can participate in the iStock partner program without being exclusive. In fact, you have no choice but to participate in it if you're non-exclusive. Being exclusive just gives you the option to opt-out of it if you want to.

New exclusive files are not currently eligible to go to PP.
http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=355606&page=1 (http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=355606&page=1)
However, all files except Vetta can be sold as subs, and who knows if they will even keep TS going for long. They could migrate TS subs to IS if they chose.

One of the problems is that they don't tell in advance what they are going to do. Any facts you base today's decisions on could be negated by some new scheme they start tomorrow.