Author Topic: Big Change at IS (Read 54635 times)

cthoman · « **Reply #200 on:** August 07, 2011, 21:01 »

You can't be the best when your not attracting the best talent. Although to be fair, I don't really feel like the others in the top four are any more enticing. I think the field is wide open for whoever wants to take the crown. Maybe, somebody will finally wine and dine me.

Zephyr · « **Reply #201 on:** August 07, 2011, 21:29 »

Quote from: cthoman on August 07, 2011, 21:01

You can't be the best when your not attracting the best talent. Although to be fair, I don't really feel like the others in the top four are any more enticing. I think the field is wide open for whoever wants to take the crown. Maybe, somebody will finally wine and dine me.

You didn't have a massive uptick in sales at SS like the other established independents? I've been taking an exclusive beating lately so I'm curious to see how the independent illustrators are doing as opposed to photographers. I saw that Helix7 was happy with SS.

jbarber873 · « **Reply #202 on:** August 07, 2011, 22:38 »

Quote from: lisafx on August 07, 2011, 17:45

Quote from: Cogent Marketlng on August 07, 2011, 10:02

Phew thank goodness for that.Perhaps next week we can discuss how often you do your laundry

Once a week. Mondays. 5 loads. Anything else you want to know?

Back ON topic, I would have to disagree that Istock is still the dominant MS agency it once was. Like others, I have seen steadily increasing sales at SS, including lots of on-demand, and even increasing sales at DT, while Istock sales have plummeted to the levels they were years ago when I had less than half the portfolio I do now.

That's not to say that Rebecca or some other enterprising person or groups of people can't turn things around, but I think it may be an uphill battle regaining most of those lost customers now that they have seen they can get the quality they need for much lower prices elsewhere. Not to mention hassle free.

Lisa- this is important. I read somewhere that you should never do more than 2 loads of laundry at a time- it puts too much stress on your washing machine.

SNP · « **Reply #203 on:** August 07, 2011, 22:58 »

^ lol, I have to disagree. in an effort to conserve energy, we only do laundry on weekends and we either don't use the dryer or if we do use it, we do loads back to back. cost of energy and burden on the grid is far less.

cthoman · « **Reply #204 on:** August 08, 2011, 00:15 »

Quote from: retrorocket on August 07, 2011, 21:29

You didn't have a massive uptick in sales at SS like the other established independents? I've been taking an exclusive beating lately so I'm curious to see how the independent illustrators are doing as opposed to photographers. I saw that Helix7 was happy with SS.

Hopefully, this isn't too much of a hijacking post. After the deal with IS, I reexamined my deals with all the agencies, and I thought most of them were pretty crumby especially with the top 4. So, I ditched FT and stopped uploading to IS, DT and SS. I opened my own site and have been concentrating on that, Clipartof and GL. I can't say this decision has really lead to growth, but my income has been pretty stable.

As far as earnings, I think I reached critical mass at SS last year and didn't grow at all despite uploading 1000 images. They aren't shrinking this year though despite not uploading. IS is though. They've dropped 40-50% from last year. DT growth was solid last year. I had to recover from some of their royalty adjustments 2 years ago though. I just felt like I grew too fast there and wanted to sit back and get better levels for my images. Personally, I'm impressed with the results. My income is stable and my RPD is increasing. FT, I just got sick of them. 3 years in a row of lowering royalty rates. The crap they pulled with vector tiers. They don't deserve to... umm... I guess it's water under the bridge.

dcdp · « **Reply #205 on:** August 08, 2011, 01:07 »

Quote

on iStock JJRD said:
With that said : talented & hard working individuals have nothing to fear - quite the contrary.

Does anyone else find this a perplexing comment? The July thread is full of people who are having their worst month in 2/3/4/5 years both in terms of DLs and $$ and JJRD comes out with a comment like that. It is either implying that these people who are tanking have nothing to fear (despite they are tanking) or it's implying they aren't "talented and hard working individuals" because they are tanking ... way to encourage people! And the response from contributors is "Thanks for allaying our fears JJRD!". It's like people live in a reality distortion field. Mystifying ...

caspixel · « **Reply #206 on:** August 08, 2011, 01:46 »

Quote from: dcdp on August 08, 2011, 01:07

Quote
on iStock JJRD said:
And the response from contributors is "Thanks for allaying our fears JJRD!". It's like people live in a reality distortion field. Mystifying ...

They don't think. At all. It's like a programmed response. He could say "We're cutting your commissions to 5%, but never fear, members, big things are in the works at this sexxxxy webste!" and people would be chasing after him to lick his butt. It's a sickness, I think.

lagereek · « **Reply #207 on:** August 08, 2011, 01:57 »

Stacey!! Its a hoax! started few months back and I happen to know this, straight from the horses mouth. There are about 150 of the absoloute top contributors doing fine, the rest, from average to terrible. Its a hoax. Read the July stats thread, its pure suicide.

Anyway who cares rerally? who is doing best or who is the biggest. All I know is that my earnings have almost doubled, 70% increase at SS and DT and thats during the last 3 to four months, every month. Both these agencies have well and truly and more, made up for the losses at IS.

IS, exclusives have a much more daunting question to ask themselves?; do they wish to be part of the Getty/TS umbrella? thats where its all heading and once there, well, you can imagine yourself, total chaos and mayhem and on top of that, having battles with all the old Getty RM guys whos just signed away their shots to Micro.

Me? no thanks, I can think of an easier way to earn money from pictures.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #208 on:** August 08, 2011, 02:01 »

JJRD really believes in iStock - I don't agree with his assessments of where things are a lot of the time, but I don't doubt his sincerity.

And as for those who are thanking him, they want to believe he's right - as long as they continue as exclusives, they want to believe that things will turn out OK. Sometimes blind optimism is a great way to overcome obstacles and get things going that otherwise might seem overwhelming. Sometimes it means you just refuse to accept information that contradicts your belief system.

Having recently made the decision to cancel exclusivity I can attest to the wrench it is - a bit like deciding to end a relationship that isn't working. And it would be much harder for anyone who had always been exclusive with iStock (I was independent for almost 4 years before I was an exclusive). Sort of akin to divorcing your high school sweetheart.

My take is that JJRD is being overly naive and hasn't understood just how hardnosed Getty will be - many past forum posts from him have tried to emphasize that "Getty is not the enemy". I'm not buying it. I'm also not too thrilled that there's some none-too-subtle blame the victim stuff going on with the idea that hardworking talented people won't have to worry - were all those people reporting on plummeting downloads in the July thread untalented slackers? I think that's part of how you make yourself continue to feel comfortable - marginalize those who no longer believe.

So no, I don't find the comment perplexing given my view of JJRD and the current situation at iStock

lagereek · « **Reply #209 on:** August 08, 2011, 02:14 »

Youre right! many top exclusives will fall for this trap, being put in promised land, etc, its the old story " as long as you throw the dog a bone" syndrome.

Getty has done away with FAR more important people, photographers then the very tops of IS. It means nothing to them. In the eyes of Getty, IS, is no more then an itch, that needs scratching now and then.

gostwyck · « **Reply #210 on:** August 08, 2011, 02:36 »

Quote from: jsnover on August 08, 2011, 02:01

JJRD really believes in iStock - I don't agree with his assessments of where things are a lot of the time, but I don't doubt his sincerity.

.

lagereek · « **Reply #211 on:** August 08, 2011, 02:44 »

Quote from: gostwyck on August 08, 2011, 02:36

Quote from: jsnover on August 08, 2011, 02:01
JJRD really believes in iStock - I don't agree with his assessments of where things are a lot of the time, but I don't doubt his sincerity.

Don't you? I do. All that teary-eyed "putting my ass on the line" waffle (takes out onion) and other such nonsense.

I think that JJRD really believes in himself and his continued employment and will say whatever he thinks might secure his own considerable ass.

Well Gots! you certainly have a way with words! like it!

sharpshot · « **Reply #212 on:** August 08, 2011, 02:59 »

Quote from: SNP on August 07, 2011, 18:50

...but sources I've spoken to know far more about any of this than me or anyone here AFAIK. they work from real numbers.

There's a lot of information about how much people earn per download and how many downloads they have with istock. That's not easy to calculate with SS because our downloads are hidden. I know some people see big gains when they go exclusive but others have had the opposite experience and have gone back to being independent. Unless your sources have lots of financial information about SS, they're really just guessing.

gclk · « **Reply #213 on:** August 08, 2011, 04:13 »

Quote from: dcdp on August 08, 2011, 01:07

Quote
on iStock JJRD said:
With that said : talented & hard working individuals have nothing to fear - quite the contrary.

Does anyone else find this a perplexing comment? The July thread is full of people who are having their worst month in 2/3/4/5 years both in terms of DLs and $$ and JJRD comes out with a comment like that. It is either implying that these people who are tanking have nothing to fear (despite they are tanking) or it's implying they aren't "talented and hard working individuals" because they are tanking ... way to encourage people! And the response from contributors is "Thanks for allaying our fears JJRD!". It's like people live in a reality distortion field. Mystifying ...

Yep, I found it perplexing, and all the replies (except yours - good on you for posting it) even more odd. Easy to read it as a vague threat, along the lines of if we decide that you are not talented and you're not working hard enough, you have everything to fear

I'd say that if he didn't already know that there is to be a new round of shafting contributors coming along, he wouldn't have put it as he did.

If that's the most reassuring thing that can be said

bunhill · « **Reply #214 on:** August 08, 2011, 04:25 »

Quote from: sharpshot on August 08, 2011, 02:59

There's a lot of information about how much people earn per download and how many downloads they have with istock. That's not easy to calculate with SS because our downloads are hidden.

Downloads and income of people uploading via iStockphoto are hidden too, despite the 3rd party stat site. Because from the photographers' perspectives these stats also need to include PP (#s) and Getty ($$) sales. Which are significant numbers. As content is syndicated across the brands the picture is much less clear.

The official monthly stats thread, for example, is normally as much as a month old by the time the stats for that month are actually collated.

ShadySue · « **Reply #215 on:** August 08, 2011, 08:08 »

Quote from: dcdp on August 08, 2011, 01:07

Quote
on iStock JJRD said:
With that said : talented & hard working individuals have nothing to fear - quite the contrary.

Does anyone else find this a perplexing comment? The July thread is full of people who are having their worst month in 2/3/4/5 years both in terms of DLs and $$ and JJRD comes out with a comment like that. It is either implying that these people who are tanking have nothing to fear (despite they are tanking) or it's implying they aren't "talented and hard working individuals" because they are tanking ... way to encourage people! And the response from contributors is "Thanks for allaying our fears JJRD!". It's like people live in a reality distortion field. Mystifying ...

I took from that the the top selling contributors are going to be well looked after under the future plans; and the rest of us, well, who knows, but it won't be good.

lagereek · « **Reply #216 on:** August 08, 2011, 08:32 »

Quote from: ShadySue on August 08, 2011, 08:08

Quote from: dcdp on August 08, 2011, 01:07
Quote
on iStock JJRD said:
With that said : talented & hard working individuals have nothing to fear - quite the contrary.

Does anyone else find this a perplexing comment? The July thread is full of people who are having their worst month in 2/3/4/5 years both in terms of DLs and $$ and JJRD comes out with a comment like that. It is either implying that these people who are tanking have nothing to fear (despite they are tanking) or it's implying they aren't "talented and hard working individuals" because they are tanking ... way to encourage people! And the response from contributors is "Thanks for allaying our fears JJRD!". It's like people live in a reality distortion field. Mystifying ...
I took from that the the top selling contributors are going to be well looked after under the future plans; and the rest of us, well, who knows, but it won't be good.

Yeah they will be looked after for about a year, then they are as usual, dumped in the ditch. This is what Getty have done since 1993. Beat that if you can.

Difydave · « **Reply #217 on:** August 08, 2011, 09:20 »

Quote from: dcdp on August 08, 2011, 01:07

Quote
on iStock JJRD said:
With that said : talented & hard working individuals have nothing to fear - quite the contrary.

Does anyone else find this a perplexing comment? The July thread is full of people who are having their worst month in 2/3/4/5 years both in terms of DLs and $$ and JJRD comes out with a comment like that. It is either implying that these people who are tanking have nothing to fear (despite they are tanking) or it's implying they aren't "talented and hard working individuals" because they are tanking ... way to encourage people! And the response from contributors is "Thanks for allaying our fears JJRD!". It's like people live in a reality distortion field. Mystifying ...

I find a lot of the comments from iStock perplexing. It sometimes seems like trying to decipher a particularly oblique prediction from some sort of oracle. If they have some news I wish they'd just come out with it, instead of this all this wait-and-see mystery business. Why did KKT have to say anything about what the plans are for the future in his leaving statement? If he knows something, as I'm sure he does, then either say what is actually happening, or leave the new holder of his position (or whatever) to make a proper statement at the appropriate time. This "something is going to happen" thing they seem so fond of wore thin a long time ago. Going on past experience any changes are hardly likely to be of benefit to the vast majority of contributors, so they really are unlikely to be anything to get excited over.
As far as the "Talented and hard working" statement is concerned perhaps they are people who's work iStock finds good enough to act as agent for.

helix7 · « **Reply #218 on:** August 08, 2011, 11:22 »

Quote from: SNP on August 07, 2011, 17:02

SS may have had some increase in traffic, but everything I know demonstrates that iStock isn't even in the same ballpark anymore as the other agencies. well beyond in terms of business....sorry, but these 'stats' are just wishful thinking. iStock is for the most part blowing the competition out of the water. don't misconstrue that as support for their policies currently. I'm certainly not happy about the pulling away from the welfare of contributors as long as the bottom line looks good. I agree that is happening.

Well you're right about one thing. istock certainly isn't even in the same ballpark as the other agencies anymore. Although I think we'll disagree about whether that's said as a positive or a negative. You can guess where I stand on that.

I'm not even convinced that istock is really all that healthy of a company. If anything management has said is to be believed, the company has financial difficulties. That's why they cut pay (so they say). To survive, to be "sustainable", they needed to cut back on spending.

Meanwhile companies like SS are paying out more to contributors than ever before, and remaining perfectly sustainable and profitable along the way. If earnings are to be considered a factor in this, from my perspective SS is far healthier a company. I make 5x my istock earnings at SS every month now, and that's growing. It won't be long before my istock earnings are 1/10th of my monthly SS earnings.

So as far as I can tell, in terms of business vitality, istock is lagging way behind many of the other agencies. Completely different ballpark indeed.

pancaketom · « **Reply #219 on:** August 08, 2011, 11:57 »

I am far from a hard working and talented contributor to IS, in fact I stopped uploading to them when they announced their intention to screw me. Not surprisingly my sales and $ have fallen somewhat since then.

I would love to see the actual financials for all the stock sites, but that is highly unlikely. I am guessing IS still brings in a heap of $ though, and if my sales are any indication SS is doing fine too. I am guessing that IS just didn't feel that their unrealistic profit expectations were sustainable and they went for the short term fix. I don't know how that will effect them in the long term, but I'd love to see the sales go somewhere that I get a better %. Unfortunately they are still a large part of the market.

Don't even get me started on FT and all the things they have done.

lisafx · « **Reply #220 on:** August 08, 2011, 19:08 »

Quote from: jbarber873 on August 07, 2011, 22:38

Lisa- this is important. I read somewhere that you should never do more than 2 loads of laundry at a time- it puts too much stress on your washing machine.

Aw darn! I was trying so hard to stay on topic, since it is apparently an issue for ~~Cogent marketing~~. Oh, I see cogent marketing is Shank Ali. That explains it.

FWIW, I am using the same Maytag/Admiral washing machine and dryer that I've had since 1995, and they are still going like champs, so apparently my habits haven't yet destroyed my appliances.

lisafx · « **Reply #221 on:** August 08, 2011, 19:16 »

Quote from: ShadySue on August 08, 2011, 08:08

I took from that the the top selling contributors are going to be well looked after under the future plans; and the rest of us, well, who knows, but it won't be good.

That's what I take from it too, but in the interest of honesty (if there still is any interest in honesty from IS HQ) the comment should have read "talented & hard working ~~individuals~~ exclusives have nothing to fear", because as a BD non-exclusive, I have been getting bent over by Istock for quite some time.

TheSmilingAssassin · « **Reply #222 on:** August 09, 2011, 01:52 »

lisafx · « **Reply #223 on:** August 09, 2011, 10:14 »

Quote from: pseudonymous on August 09, 2011, 01:52

The answer: put your clothes in the dryer on hot for just 8 minutes and then hang them out to dry. Drying them for 8 minutes will iron out the creases without using too much energy and you save on both ironing and energy from ironing.

+1 This is exactly what I do, and I haven't had to iron anything in years. Works great!

And LOL, Pseudonymous, @ your comment about the laundry discussion being the only interesting thing in the thread. We all have Shank Ali to thank for suggesting such a useful and interesting side topic

SNP · « **Reply #224 on:** August 09, 2011, 10:15 »

we don't even own an iron....problem solved...even if I had the motivation to be a fashionista (which i don't), when you spend 80% of your time climbing things, crawling on the ground taking pictures....what's the point of having clothes without wrinkles? lol

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Author Topic: Big Change at IS (Read 54635 times)

cthoman

Zephyr

jbarber873

SNP

cthoman

dcdp

caspixel

lagereek

Jo Ann Snover

lagereek

gostwyck

lagereek

sharpshot

gclk

bunhill

ShadySue

lagereek

Difydave

helix7

pancaketom

lisafx

lisafx

TheSmilingAssassin

lisafx

SNP

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