Quote from: helix7 on December 22, 2009, 16:08
Canisters aren't just little icons. They're 5% pay increases,

Actually, they're something like 14-25% increases ...

I"m over it, no biggie.  Yesterday I was pretty upset on the matter because I got one of those canned pre-written responses on the matter. I'll be curious to see how this plays out.

Sorry, I'm not understanding, you said you will be within 500 by February, and iStock has said that if you email them before Jan. 11th about going exclusive, they will likely be able to negotiate a later date to lock in your Diamond pay increase if you are unable to get free of the other sites before the February date.

So, did you ask them to work with you on exclusivity to lock in your diamond?  Was that what you received a canned response for? 

Quote from: dgilder on December 22, 2009, 21:52

So, did you ask them to work with you on exclusivity to lock in your diamond?  Was that what you received a canned response for?  

OMG, Leo, you have referred 407 buyers to Istock!!!!  

With all those referrals they really ought to work with you on your canister level!

I guess being a little irritated I didn't explain everything properly.

1. I cannot go exclusive, and do not desire too. My operation is simply too big and it would take months to deactivate files, let alone close deals. SOOOO because Istock has made so much on me, plus the continued amount they generate on my referrals, I thought it a small thing for them to bump me up a small amount to that goal I'm on the verge of making. Stupid me.

2. I'm not as angry about money as I am about treatment. I don't like big corporations, and this is why. My biggest earner, believe it or not, is a small person owned site. Istock is becoming a low earner for me. 

3. Canisters are an incentive program. I wouldn't know so much about corporate brainwashing had I not experienced it for three years straight. Sure, canisters come with some benefits but my point was (that got missed) is that the system is going to continue to favor good selling artists. So a canister (which no longer reflects downloads but rather circumstances) will not continue to hold its power in the coming years. Downloads (money) will. The golf course runs the game, not employees or dedicated underlings.

4. Istock is getting HUGE. Good for company owners, bad for artists both exclusive or nonexclusive who are sharing the pie with thousands of new people a year, millions of new images a year).

Having said all that, whether people disagree or agree, I continue to inflate life rafts while people board the titanic.

Yes, a man who makes a company what could be over a hundred thousand dollars gets a little angry when they can't help him on such a small and marginal problem. Thats what my e-mail was about, and thats what got a "canned" response. That is why I got angry. But as even I've said on this subject, nobody owes us a living, so to carry on I'd be a hypocrite.

Another thing I must clarify...its not a "smear Istock" intent that I have. I understand its just the way it goes. You can't grow so big and not have unique problems, let alone listen to one ant in such a huge colony. I'm going to start evolving out of microstock in general just due to some inevitable things. Istock has had a positive place in my situation up till now, so that is where I will leave it. Thank you Istock for making such a unique situation available to people during these times.

Leo

I'm a little surprised you say you'll be only 500 downloads away from Diamond at the end of February - you seem to have less than a 1000 to go now, I'd have thought you have a pretty good chance of crossing the line before the cut off date anyway, don't you?

But then you say you don't intend to go Exclusive in any case - so I guess no big deal.  The bling would be nice though wouldn't it?

I think in his case the big deal is the higher upload limit.  25/week can be stifling if you are producing twice that.

^^ +1

Quote from: KonaHawaii on December 22, 2009, 18:54
I"m over it, no biggie.   Yesterday I was pretty upset on the matter because I got one of those canned pre-written responses on the matter. I'll be curious to see how this plays out.

I got a polite, but completely standard reply yesterday after enquiring about the possibility of a small extension period. Unfortunately, it didn't address the questions I had asked. From what was being said on the iStock forum I was under the impression they wanted to work with non-exclusives in reaching an agreement and to get them on board, but the reply I got made it seem like they really weren't interested.

Shame really, considering the huge leap of faith required in going exclusive - you'd think there would be a little bit of give and take. At least there's no rush now for me to make a decision - I shall see what my canister level is in Feb and make a decision then.

*double post*

Quote from: dgilder on December 23, 2009, 00:18
I think in his case the big deal is the higher upload limit.  25/week can be stifling if you are producing twice that.

But he only has 860 files up now since 2006, either he isn't using all the upload limit or he has a very high rejection rate, which seems unlikely given the quality of his work...  and it'd only be 5 more uploads in any case.

My query though was more that there are 2 months to the cut off date, with over 24000 downloads now I would have expected him to be in with a good chance of reaching the 25000 download target by then.  But Jan and Feb are slow months I guess.