I just received an email from Shutterstock (see below), and at first I was afraid they were announcing what Fotolia seems to do a lot -- refunding of purchases. And this email applied to ELs.

But, no, just the opposite. It was to inform me that one or more ELs will be added to my account in the next day or two!

Yea! to Shutterstock!!!

Shutterstock Images LLC recently settled a claim against one of its Subscribers. We found the Subscriber had exceeded the circulation limits of the Standard Licenses granted to it by Shutterstock.  As a remedy the client has agreed to purchase the Enhanced License for all the images it has used in this way.
Our research indicates that one or more of your images was downloaded and used by the Subscriber.
Rather than deduct the legal and administrative expenses incurred by Shutterstock in reaching the settlement, Shutterstock has elected to distribute the bulk of the settlement proceeds to affected Submitters and absorb the majority of the costs of the settlement.   We believe the settlement to be fair and reasonable given all of the circumstances surrounding the breach of our Terms of Service.
Within 24-48 hours you will notice an Enhanced License credit in your account for each of your images downloaded and used by the Subscriber.

Very Cool

I had one of those too.  Nice to get some good news from a site.

I'll admit to a moment of tension when I saw this email, especially after losing an EL at Fotolia due to a chargeback.  But I shouldn't have worried.  Shutterstock has always treated me with fairness, and this is another example of why I think of them as the gold standard for micros.  Okay, they're still my top earner by a wide margin; that helps too!

Way to go, Shutterstock!

Does Shutterstock have exclusives? 

Quote from: WarrenPrice on August 13, 2009, 23:18
Does Shutterstock have exclusives? 

Nope.  But if they did, it would be an offer I'd have a hard time refusing.

I got this letter today also at 3:55.  Since the last time I checked I have also had an EL today for $28 (which would seem the full amount), I wonder if this is the same purchase.  

KB, have you received an EL today?  Mine was an isolated pool table (unless this was a new sale) - do you know what yours might have been?

I am certainly impressed with Shutterstock. 

I got the letter too.  Wish every site was as aggressive in protecting our interests.  I was really happy with the way SS handled this whole thing. 

I haven't gotten any EL's though today, so Pixart, I think yours was a regular EL, not part of this payout.

Would be nice if you are right Lisa!  But I thought I would stop by the SS forum, and I counted the EL's reported on the thread and it was around 32 so far, sounds like you have some and must be many others.  Oh, my that's a lot of photos.  Hopefully they are not on a disc being mass distributed.   

I got three ELs after the letter.  Have to believe they were the ones I was told to expect; I've not had three in one day before.  As for subjects, they were a Silicon Valley office building, a couple of homes in San Francisco and a head shot of a very pretty woman.  Makes me wonder just who the buyer was and what they were doing with all these shots.

I had 3 EL's before I saw the letter, and figured it was some kind of mistake.  What nice surprise.  Mine were a house and 2 vehicles.

I had 2 EL's after the email, a stack of blank business cards and a rubbish truck.

Commendable.  Extremely commendable.  Thank you, Shutterstock.

Hope you find all the rest!



(PS - anyone know who the offender was?)

Quote from: Pixart on August 14, 2009, 00:17
Would be nice if you are right Lisa!  But I thought I would stop by the SS forum, and I counted the EL's reported on the thread and it was around 32 so far, sounds like you have some and must be many others.  Oh, my that's a lot of photos.  Hopefully they are not on a disc being mass distributed.   

Update:  I just checked my balance and I did get some additional ELs.  They hadn't come in when I posted a couple of hours ago, but they are definitely there now.  YIPPEEE!!!  With out a doubt this makes my BDE! 

Could someone just forward me one of those emails so I can feel good too 

I also had one. Way to go Shutterstock. 

One for me as well. That more or less compensates for the refund I had at IS yesterday   

Quote from: Pixart on August 13, 2009, 23:51
KB, have you received an EL today?  Mine was an isolated pool table (unless this was a new sale) - do you know what yours might have been?

I am certainly impressed with Shutterstock. 

Sorry, I got really busy with other things and didn't even have time to come back to check this thread. 

I hadn't looked until now, either, to see if I had one or more ELs credited today. I had one. Since I get one only very rarely, I have to believe it's from the settlement. It was of a waterfall, so I don't see much of a pattern here based on what others have posted.

Nicely done, SS!

YAY!  I got 6 right after this letter!  Ya Whoo!

I got the letter too!  I appreciate Shutterstock for looking out!

Yeah baby! 5 ELs in one day! Thx SS!

Here are the ones I got downloaded...you can see in my blog post:
http://melissaking.ca/wordpress/stock-photography/shutterstock-enhanced-license-settlement/

None!!!

Quote from: disorderly on August 13, 2009, 23:22

Quote from: WarrenPrice on August 13, 2009, 23:18
Does Shutterstock have exclusives? 

Nope.  But if they did, it would be an offer I'd have a hard time refusing.

Honestly...  I'd have to really consider it just based on this catch and action.  They found some of mine too. MUCH THANKS TO SS!  I have NEVER had a problem with SS and have always been treated fairly and professionally!!  =tom