Quote from: Anyka on October 03, 2010, 18:00

I just became a diamond contributor at Istock (a few minutes ago).
I knew this would happen somewhere in Autumn, and I was looking forward to this milestone for months.
Now why am I not celebrating

Well you should be celebrating!!  I did when I turned Diamond and being independant and turn Diamond,  man!  thats tough indeed.

Quote from: Anyka on October 03, 2010, 18:00

I just became a diamond contributor at Istock (a few minutes ago).
I knew this would happen somewhere in Autumn, and I was looking forward to this milestone for months.
Now why am I not celebrating

-------------

I turned diamond not too long ago and I at least had the opportunity to celebrate before the rug was pulled out.  

Its still a great accomplishment and I hope you can enjoy it some.  

Quote from: Anyka on October 03, 2010, 18:00

I just became a diamond contributor at Istock (a few minutes ago).
I knew this would happen somewhere in Autumn, and I was looking forward to this milestone for months.
Now why am I not celebrating

Congratulations! I am happy for you (even though Getty could give a rat's ass) because I know how much work it must take to get to that milestone.

Quote from: Anyka on October 03, 2010, 18:00

I just became a diamond contributor at Istock (a few minutes ago).
I knew this would happen somewhere in Autumn, and I was looking forward to this milestone for months.
Now why am I not celebrating

I agree with Cathy.  It's still a big personal achievement.  You can be very proud!  Sorry there won't be a raise in pay with it though...

Thanks for the congrats!
I think I'll give myself a cake with 17 candles, one for each percent of next year's royalties 

Yeah! 

Good for you Anyka. Don't let anything sour your great achievement!

Quote from: Anyka on October 03, 2010, 18:00

I just became a diamond contributor at Istock (a few minutes ago).
I knew this would happen somewhere in Autumn, and I was looking forward to this milestone for months.
Now why am I not celebrating

errr .... because you still get 20% regardless?

Quote from: Anyka on October 03, 2010, 21:09
Thanks for the congrats!
I think I'll give myself a cake with 17 candles, one for each percent of next year's royalties 

There you go, that's looking on the bright side!

(not really) 

Oh... I didn't read that correctly at all.  Sorry 

Just noticed the inspection queue is over 79000, the biggest I've ever seen it.
Wonder if the inspectors are tied up with getting to grips with Agency requirements or on a go-slow as a protest against the changing royalty structure. Or maybe they're just all on holiday. Don't remember ever seeing the queue that big.

Quote from: ShadySue on October 03, 2010, 23:58
Just noticed the inspection queue is over 79000, the biggest I've ever seen it.
Wonder if the inspectors are tied up with getting to grips with Agency requirements or on a go-slow as a protest against the changing royalty structure. Or maybe they're just all on holiday. Don't remember ever seeing the queue that big.

Maybe they all quit....

Quote from: BaldricksTrousers on October 03, 2010, 23:00

Quote from: Anyka on October 03, 2010, 18:00

I just became a diamond contributor at Istock (a few minutes ago).
I knew this would happen somewhere in Autumn, and I was looking forward to this milestone for months.
Now why am I not celebrating

errr .... because you still get 20% regardless?

Nope. If you don't make 1.4 million in RC's then you drop below 20%

Quote from: azurelaroux on October 04, 2010, 00:52

Quote from: BaldricksTrousers on October 03, 2010, 23:00

Quote from: Anyka on October 03, 2010, 18:00

I just became a diamond contributor at Istock (a few minutes ago).
I knew this would happen somewhere in Autumn, and I was looking forward to this milestone for months.
Now why am I not celebrating

errr .... because you still get 20% regardless?

Nope. If you don't make 1.4 million in RC's then you drop below 20%

I think Baldricks Trousers was referring to the current 20%. It still would be 20% regardless of what canister level

Quote from: Anyka on October 03, 2010, 21:09
Thanks for the congrats!
I think I'll give myself a cake with 17 candles, one for each percent of next year's royalties 

Congratulations! Unfortunate timing given recent events, but as noted above, it's a great milestone, especially for an independent.

Quote from: ShadySue on October 03, 2010, 23:58
Just noticed the inspection queue is over 79000, the biggest I've ever seen it.
Wonder if the inspectors are tied up with getting to grips with Agency requirements or on a go-slow as a protest against the changing royalty structure. Or maybe they're just all on holiday. Don't remember ever seeing the queue that big.

Are exclusives getting anything approved, or is this hold on everybody? 

Just had one approved from the 1st, not sure what this means though.

Quote from: traveler1116 on October 05, 2010, 00:26
Just had one approved from the 1st, not sure what this means though.

Generally my reviews are taking about a week - so no real advantage over non-exclusive review times.

Quote from: holgs on October 05, 2010, 10:35

Quote from: traveler1116 on October 05, 2010, 00:26
Just had one approved from the 1st, not sure what this means though.

Generally my reviews are taking about a week - so no real advantage over non-exclusive review times.

Lately its been taking a while, but its been sporadic with some reviewed in 2 days, some taking 10

Quote from: ichiro17 on October 05, 2010, 13:31

Quote from: holgs on October 05, 2010, 10:35

Quote from: traveler1116 on October 05, 2010, 00:26
Just had one approved from the 1st, not sure what this means though.

Generally my reviews are taking about a week - so no real advantage over non-exclusive review times.

Lately its been taking a while, but its been sporadic with some reviewed in 2 days, some taking 10

yep, same here. 

Woohoo!  Just had a 15 cent sale on Istock!!!

Quote from: Pixart on October 05, 2010, 20:52
Woohoo!  Just had a 15 cent sale on Istock!!!

If you think that's  cool, wait until you see what that sale will bring in come January

Yeah, I already did my math.  12 cents.   Isn't 75 cents a bit too low even for an XS image?

Quote from: lisafx on October 05, 2010, 20:59

Quote from: Pixart on October 05, 2010, 20:52
Woohoo!  Just had a 15 cent sale on Istock!!!

If you think that's  cool, wait until you see what that sale will bring in come January

I'm hoping to see them raise their prices a little come January, perhaps bumping independent
images priced from 1, 3, and 6 credits to something like 2, 4, 7. Larger sizes could remain
unchanged for all I care and this would at least provide me with the incentive to keep
uploading my images there despite the % cut.

Quote from: pdx on October 05, 2010, 22:47

I'm hoping to see them raise their prices a little come January, perhaps bumping independent
images priced from 1, 3, and 6 credits to something like 2, 4, 7. Larger sizes could remain
unchanged for all I care and this would at least provide me with the incentive to keep
uploading my images there despite the % cut.

It would be nice to see non-exclusive prices rise a bit, from our perspective.  From the buyer's viewpoint, not so much.  I guess all the price-sensitive buyers are gone though.

I think they will have to keep the XS non-exclusive size at $1 so they can still advertise "Stock Photos priced from $1!!!!".  Although I suppose if they keep the dollar bin they could still advertise that....

Earlier you guys lost money because smaller number of images were sold during recession, now with this you will suffer even after recession when the better time comes - taking the base for the commission from the earlier year will mean this. And those of you who are saing reaching proper income means you should sell so many images that it really is not possible, are mainly right. The users are still buying less images than earlier, and they are buying smalle sizes than earlier; that means less credits, too.

I am discussing with users daily, 90 % of them are saying they will buy only microstock imagery, and I see that happening every day. And I am talking about professional users; ad.agencies, graphic designers, corporate users, magazines etc. So unfortunately I see no turn point back to old days when it was easy to sell multiple images with hundreds or thousands of dollars or euros.

But I still believe in image business and in microstock. Now it just means users are demanding better quality, better keywording, better collections - and personal service. So why don't you choose agencies that have local reps really serving users, marketing your images daily to all possible local users, updating their customer register actively, pushing your images - and honoring your images like they should be honored. Users are tired in just getting some marketing email from London or from some other place, and to be forced to wait for several days to get help or reply when they have some trouble.