What happens at DT (even Stockxpert seems do better)? Third (consequential) month Dreamstime has \\\"red arrow\\\" in poll results.
My numbers are bad, RPI dropped below 1$ for last 3 months (never happend before), 50% dls less.
How about your results?

Same results. Also, in December DT earned me less than 123RF (which is constantly improving). They are getting worse, no matter if I upload or not. I thought I must have had upset someone there, but I see many contributors sharing the same view as mine.

down for me too

Perhaps many new contributors (and no entry exam) is the reason?

Hi Rene,
I seem to remember reading many of your posts regarding DT before. You didn't really like them.
What's the sudden change? Are you worried about them now?
DT is the only one agency that increased prices this year and didn't lower our commissions at the same time.
That's something to keep in mind.
I like them.
And by my standards, they're doing just fine.

That's not my experience as DT have been doing well for me of late. Earnings for December were 66% higher than Dec 08 (against an average 40% increase elsewhere) and I had an RPD of $1.52 too. Mind you I was helped a bit by a few EL's, the frequency of which seem to be increasing recently.

I'm hoping that the rapid increases in prices/levels and the 'adjustment' to our commission rates will allow DT more marketing power and to compete more effectively with the Big 3.

Unfortunately I am going to be suspending new uploads there whilst I explore the feasibility of going exclusive with IS later in the year. Not DT's fault __ I think I've just had a belly-full of the way that FT treats contributors.

I won't draw any conclusions from one month's results, much less a month with major holidays.  December was down across the board for me, but still much better than 2008.  The next couple of weeks will be a better indicator.  In any event, I don't see any signs of systemic problems with DT.  My only complaint (okay, I'd also complain about their attitude toward image series) is that their minimum payout is too high.  I can make a payout just about every month with all the other majors; DT's the only one where I can't.

Yes, it seems (also according to the stats on the left side) that DT is going down for several months in row. I really hope this is just temporary trend and will be reverted. I don't like the idea of FT going up while DT going down.

DT has been holding steady for me.  In fact, today as of 10 am, I've already had my best Sunday ever, thanks to a huge amount of DT downloads... various times, sizes and types of DLs so it's clearly not from just one or a few buyers.  Maybe pent up demand after holiday down time?  People getting back to work early?

initially DT and StockXpert were actually my best since in insertion into micro stock.
the others were more or less non-starters with not enough to make it worth my while to be consistently contriubuting.
but you are right, even though my approval rating has more or less been near 90% or even 100% in the past months, my downloads have not increased.

maybe DT is concentrating on their own favourites such as Assignments,etc.., and in turn neglecting those who are not directly associated with them.
i am not sure. this is not an accusation, but more so just a supposition.
i am not here to be at loggerheads with anyone... more so with DT.
they obviously like my work , or else they would not have approved all of it in the past months. so i am not one to find a quarrel with Achilles. my name is Perseus, not Paris or Hector, ha!ha!.

seriously,
to date, my rejected box contains only 4 images.
i would expect my dls to be better . perharps i am not one of DT's priorities in the keyword search. 
whatever, i sure like to know as well, as i like DT and StockXpert equally  and hopefully
i can stay a regular contributor with both.

I am really quite surprised that DT is below StockXpert in the poll now.  StockXpert was quite a bit worse than DT for me last month.

It wonder though if dreamstime is giving a lot more weight to new images in their best match searches, which would mean that those of us with older portfolios would see a decrease in our earnings.

Quote from: leaf on January 03, 2010, 16:13
I am really quite surprised that DT is below StockXpert in the poll now.  StockXpert was quite a bit worse than DT for me last month.

It wonder though if dreamstime is giving a lot more weight to new images in their best match searches, which would mean that those of us with older portfolios would see a decrease in our earnings.

no Tyler, this is not true, as my comment before you is evidence . in the past 4 months my upload (and approval ) have more than quadrupled. yet my dls have actually gone down, earning money only via my affliate commissions

After all the bad/worthless announcement, I wouldn't be surprised. Istock got Vetta DT got a weird Myspace postcard deal...

Dreamstime is also a agency that don't move a lot. This will play against themselves in medium-long term. I also see a lot of portfolio with more uploaded files than sales. That speak about the amount of sales you can excpect from DT

DT is all over the board for me. December horrible, worst than last November. November 2nd BME.

DT is all over the board for me too, but December was my BME. I always hope a good month means they are starting to perform, but then a bad month comes along there...

DT should be doing fine with their higher % take now (yes, I am still bitter about that, and when they fully implement it, they will be raking a quite large slice out of every sale. The independent contributors may be another story there, but although they aren't steady, they haven't had any systematic changes in DLs like an IS best match change.

I am surprised anyone is putting StockXpert over DT, they dropped off a cliff for me in December and I don't really see much hope for them now.

Quote from: pancaketom on January 03, 2010, 19:16

I am surprised anyone is putting StockXpert over DT, they dropped off a cliff for me in December and I don't really see much hope for them now.

i agree pancaketom ... but in my case, StockXpert was my best performer, at least until Getty took over.
but anything can happen here too for StockXpert... one way is for Getty to kill it,
the other way, which i am hoping...for the good of contributors and employees of StockXpert esp the reviewers who are awesome , is for Getty to sell StockXpert , which could revive its potential. (not an absurd idea, as SS bought BigStock, didn't they?)

so, for now, i am still fully active with StockXpert (hoping for the latter to happen),
but opting out on both IS and StockXpert.
does it make sense?

Quote from: Perseu on January 03, 2010, 22:36so, for now, i am still fully active with StockXpert (hoping for the latter to happen), but opting out on both IS and StockXpert.
does it make sense?

The people that made StockXpert are currently working on a new site. Hopefully, they will have learned from their (mainly financial) mistakes, since technically, StockXpert was very sound. Wait and see what their pricing policy will be.

Quote from: FD-amateur on January 03, 2010, 22:58

The people that made StockXpert are currently working on a new site. Hopefully, they will have learned from their (mainly financial) mistakes, since technically, StockXpert was very sound. Wait and see what their pricing policy will be.

wow, that's awesome news. i for one has been a big fan of StockXpert , and lately, it does seem that they are getting conscientious about something, perharps, hired new reviewers,etc..

remember how they abruptly  sort of forgot about my portfolio, like so many of you here, with nary a sight or sign of response from support? but in the past 3 months they have sort of resumed back to new life, with reviewers approving my work same day, like they used to do before.

so, really, i am pitching for the old StockXpert to come back to life and take off where it was rudely
f....ed - up when ...oh well, you all know the rest of the story.

Quote from: gostwyck on January 03, 2010, 15:32
That's not my experience as DT have been doing well for me of late. Earnings for December were 66% higher than Dec 08 (against an average 40% increase elsewhere) and I had an RPD of $1.52 too. Mind you I was helped a bit by a few EL's, the frequency of which seem to be increasing recently.

I'm hoping that the rapid increases in prices/levels and the 'adjustment' to our commission rates will allow DT more marketing power and to compete more effectively with the Big 3.

Unfortunately I am going to be suspending new uploads there whilst I explore the feasibility of going exclusive with IS later in the year. Not DT's fault __ I think I've just had a belly-full of the way that FT treats contributors.

Ditto to all of the above.  Particularly the last bit (highlighted by me)

Quote from: Eireann on January 03, 2010, 15:28
Hi Rene,
I seem to remember reading many of your posts regarding DT before. You didn\\\'t really like them.
What\\\'s the sudden change? Are you worried about them now?
DT is the only one agency that increased prices this year and didn\\\'t lower our commissions at the same time.
That\\\'s something to keep in mind.

@ Eireann
Ha ha it\\\'s even worst, there is no micro site I like. But  with DT and FT is different - I don\\\'t trust them.
I don\\\'t worry about DT, I only worry about my money - my relation with sites is purely business relation. If Dt goes down buyers will not disappear, they will go to another site so there\\\'s nothing to worry.
DT decreased  our commission from 50 to 30% - that\\\'s something to keep in mind.

Quote from: lisafx on January 03, 2010, 23:54

Quote from: gostwyck on January 03, 2010, 15:32
Not DT's fault __ I think I've just had a belly-full of the way that FT treats contributors.

LOL!
Ditto to all of the above.  Particularly the last bit (highlighted by me)

That's my biggest incentive for going exclusive!     

Quote from: Persue-d on January 03, 2010, 16:15

Quote from: leaf on January 03, 2010, 16:13
I am really quite surprised that DT is below StockXpert in the poll now.  StockXpert was quite a bit worse than DT for me last month.

It wonder though if dreamstime is giving a lot more weight to new images in their best match searches, which would mean that those of us with older portfolios would see a decrease in our earnings.

no Tyler, this is not true, as my comment before you is evidence . in the past 4 months my upload (and approval ) have more than quadrupled. yet my dls have actually gone down, earning money only via my affliate commissions

Agree with Persue. I have been uploading in the past few months. My acceptance is above 80%. But DT sells 40% less than FT which has a smaller port. Since DT started subscription, my earnings have not been good.

it was a BME for me by about 20$ thanks to an EL. Unusually good month (for December) - I have no XMAS photos.

@Rene,
You want to go exclusive with IS.
That's my answer right there.
IS is a lovely agency and I wish you all the best.

@FD-Amateur,
is that so?
Exciting!
Keep us posted please!

Quote from: KB on January 04, 2010, 00:27

Quote from: lisafx on January 03, 2010, 23:54
Ditto to all of the above.  Particularly the last bit (highlighted by me)

That's my biggest incentive for going exclusive!      

So the fact that FT scr@ws its contributors is good enough for you to leave DT and become a serf to iStock? You must be a woman.    

Quote from: lisafx on January 03, 2010, 23:54

Quote from: gostwyck on January 03, 2010, 15:32
...Unfortunately I am going to be suspending new uploads there whilst I explore the feasibility of going exclusive with IS later in the year. Not DT's fault __ I think I've just had a belly-full of the way that FT treats contributors.

Ditto to all of the above.  Particularly the last bit (highlighted by me)

My decision about exclusivity was made a while ago now, but in addition to all the positives in IS's column while weighing pros and cons, there was a pile of negatives from truly awful and and contributor-hostile behavior at various sites. FT's behavior since that time hasn't gotten any better . As soon as one agency's antics were addressed, another turned around followed suit. Certainly FT's success combined with ongoing pullback of contributor royalties and benefits sets an environment that gives shelter to other agencies to follow along.

I don't see iStock contributors as serfs, and if you wanted some evidence for that I'd suggest the fact that we got some changes in the proposed royalty shifts (cannister changes) by voicing our views loudly. If we were serfs they'd just have thrown more slop buckets on us and let us be unhappy

I realize that many folks just won't work with only one agency on principle, which I understand, but contiuing to support an agency that doesn't treat you right only encourages the agency to treat you badly yet again.