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Author Topic: Downloads have Stopped  (Read 28700 times)

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« on: November 14, 2012, 12:10 »
0
Hey everyone, I'm new to the forum. I registered so I could post this question as I dont' think they'd allow it at Istock.

I've got a small illustration portfolio that's been earning $300-$600 a month consistently for about 4 years now. I do design full time and work on illustrations for iStock in my spare time, so I'm a hobbyist. But this past 2-3 months, my downloads have slowed to a crawl. This month is shaping up to be the worst since I became exclusive.

I see posts here and over at Istock of people complaining about a slow-down, but I was wondering if there's any definitive info about this anyplace. Does Istock release that kind of info? I'm trying to figure out if it's just the bad economy, or if it's because I'm not uploading new content consistently, or if there's a problem at Istock that's causing the slow down. Anybody know of any resources that aren't anecdotal? Thanks for any info!


« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2012, 12:26 »
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I've got 9000 exclusive images and my downloads have nearly stopped too. It's a complete disaster for me and other full time exclusives.

lisafx

« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2012, 12:59 »
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From everything I've read, it's not just you, it's Istock.  And it isn't just exclusives, but it hits them hardest because there's no other stock income to cushion the blow. 

« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2012, 13:05 »
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Exclusive with over 5,000 photos.
Worst month in years...
The site is broken and they don't seem to be in any hurry of fixing it.

« Reply #4 on: November 14, 2012, 13:12 »
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Like death warmed over.  Except for the 'warmed over' part.


« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2012, 13:40 »
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The decline stalled for me in October but has returned with a vengance this month.  Holy smokes. 

Has anyone noticed that it's been more than a week since Lobo last policed the Oct Sales Thread and that it's been allowed to run off topic?  Seems kind of odd consider the tight ship they've been running.

« Reply #6 on: November 14, 2012, 13:48 »
+2
Like death warmed over.  Except for the 'warmed over' part.

True. Everything points to the slow death of an apparently 'unshakable' industry leader. Their greed, impatience and complacency has caught up with them and they've been out-micro'd by Shutterstock. When good staff quietly exit stage-left, even in this economic climate, you know the game's up. There's nobody left with a name or a face to even take responsibility for the business's policies or actions. Chasing falling sales with ever-increasing prices, sneakily reducing commissions (and modifying the TOS to do so) can only hasten the inevitable __ it's not sustainable see. Exclusives need to book their place in the lifeboats as soon as economically practical.


« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2012, 14:38 »
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The decline stalled for me in October but has returned with a vengance this month.  Holy smokes. 

Feeling your pain brother! Started for me in September, but this month is really *.

mattdixon

« Reply #8 on: November 14, 2012, 15:41 »
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The worst of it is they seem not to give a sh*t either, I'm guessing this is some kind of constructive dismissal for all the exclusives. They're playing with fire if they think they can bite the hand that feeds.

« Reply #9 on: November 14, 2012, 16:16 »
+1
Dont worry, be happy.
It will meet expectations.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #10 on: November 14, 2012, 16:32 »
0
Dont worry, be happy.
It will meet expectations.
Aim low then you're unlikely to miss.

« Reply #11 on: November 15, 2012, 04:27 »
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Old sayings: "Don't put all eggs in just one bakset!"

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #12 on: November 15, 2012, 05:02 »
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503 error again.
Oddly enough, I couldn't get into Getty for over ten minutes earlier with an error message.

« Reply #13 on: November 15, 2012, 05:07 »
0
Exclusive with over 5,000 photos.
Worst month in years...
The site is broken and they don't seem to be in any hurry of fixing it.

I've got 9000 exclusive images and my downloads have nearly stopped too. It's a complete disaster for me and other full time exclusives.

Another exclusive here with over 4500 files. Very bad month for me so far.  It's been bad since the site changes early Sept.

« Reply #14 on: November 15, 2012, 05:09 »
0
503 error again.
Oddly enough, I couldn't get into Getty for over ten minutes earlier with an error message.

Yes I thought it ironic that I'd just put the post about sales being down, went over there and refreshed the page only to get a 503 error. 

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #15 on: November 15, 2012, 05:12 »
0
Now it's just white pages which several refreshes don't resolve.
Maybe someone tried to buy an image and the system couldn't cope.

« Reply #16 on: November 15, 2012, 05:27 »
0
Now it's just white pages which several refreshes don't resolve.
Maybe someone tried to buy an image and the system couldn't cope.
Doesn't look as if it was one of mine. . . :)

« Reply #17 on: November 15, 2012, 05:30 »
0
Now it's just white pages which several refreshes don't resolve.
Maybe someone tried to buy an image and the system couldn't cope.

Yep. I'm getting HTTP 500 Internal Server Error.

« Reply #18 on: November 15, 2012, 07:46 »
0
503 error again.
Oddly enough, I couldn't get into Getty for over ten minutes earlier with an error message.

I noticed that too.  Coincidence?  Or something else?  Perhaps the introduction of the cash payment system was actually a transfer or partial transfer of operations to the Getty systems.  After all, Getty were already set up for cash and credit cards.  Might also explain why nothing has been fixed. And why HQ have been ominously quiet.  Perhaps the system is in transfer mode.  Perhaps there is more significant news to come....

lisafx

« Reply #19 on: November 15, 2012, 10:28 »
0
503 error again.
Oddly enough, I couldn't get into Getty for over ten minutes earlier with an error message.

I noticed that too.  Coincidence?  Or something else?  Perhaps the introduction of the cash payment system was actually a transfer or partial transfer of operations to the Getty systems.  After all, Getty were already set up for cash and credit cards.  Might also explain why nothing has been fixed. And why HQ have been ominously quiet.  Perhaps the system is in transfer mode.  Perhaps there is more significant news to come....

I would bet on it.  My guess is Istock will be completely absorbed into Getty sometime in 2013.  E+ is already going to Getty.  I expect they will also absorb P+.  Rest of collection shoved over to the PP. 

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #20 on: November 15, 2012, 10:31 »
0
I just want to register a protest against the title of this thread.  ;)
Only 27 hours after the last of my 2 dls yesterday, I just got an iStock download - M DB for $1.77. Whoopee. Drinks on me!
Rumours of the end of downloads are just slightly prescient.

« Reply #21 on: November 15, 2012, 10:43 »
0
503 error again.
Oddly enough, I couldn't get into Getty for over ten minutes earlier with an error message.

I noticed that too.  Coincidence?  Or something else?  Perhaps the introduction of the cash payment system was actually a transfer or partial transfer of operations to the Getty systems.  After all, Getty were already set up for cash and credit cards.  Might also explain why nothing has been fixed. And why HQ have been ominously quiet.  Perhaps the system is in transfer mode.  Perhaps there is more significant news to come....

I would bet on it.  My guess is Istock will be completely absorbed into Getty sometime in 2013.  E+ is already going to Getty.  I expect they will also absorb P+.  Rest of collection shoved over to the PP.

It's tempting to read something like that into it all, but why would they get rid of iStock? Presumably whether it's profitable or not for us, it must make some profit for them.

WarrenPrice

« Reply #22 on: November 15, 2012, 10:45 »
0
503 error again.
Oddly enough, I couldn't get into Getty for over ten minutes earlier with an error message.

I noticed that too.  Coincidence?  Or something else?  Perhaps the introduction of the cash payment system was actually a transfer or partial transfer of operations to the Getty systems.  After all, Getty were already set up for cash and credit cards.  Might also explain why nothing has been fixed. And why HQ have been ominously quiet.  Perhaps the system is in transfer mode.  Perhaps there is more significant news to come....

I would bet on it.  My guess is Istock will be completely absorbed into Getty sometime in 2013.  E+ is already going to Getty.  I expect they will also absorb P+.  Rest of collection shoved over to the PP.

I'm still a bit fuzzy on P+.  Does marking an image for P+ stop it from being transferred to PP?
I can't see that I get any more for P+ than just a regular sale;  are P+ images more expensive (to buyers?)
Will ALL P+ be transferred to Getty?


« Reply #23 on: November 15, 2012, 10:59 »
0
...I'm still a bit fuzzy on P+.  Does marking an image for P+ stop it from being transferred to PP?
I can't see that I get any more for P+ than just a regular sale;  are P+ images more expensive (to buyers?)
...

P+ files move to the PP (at least mine have). In the PP you get the same price for everything.

As far as moving P+ to Getty, there are Getty Images collections at Thinkstock (Stockbyte for example) , selling there for a fraction of the price you'd pay for the same item at gettimages.com. I don't really see how the image pack price at Thinkstock - $20 per image at the high end - isn't killing the sales of the same item for $350 at gettyimages. The license terms are different, but even if you did an EL at Thinkstock (and they don't publish the prices, just the 800 number to call for them) I would think it has to be cheaper.

So, they could move P+ to Getty, but I would not expect them to.

WarrenPrice

« Reply #24 on: November 15, 2012, 11:02 »
0
...I'm still a bit fuzzy on P+.  Does marking an image for P+ stop it from being transferred to PP?
I can't see that I get any more for P+ than just a regular sale;  are P+ images more expensive (to buyers?)
...

P+ files move to the PP (at least mine have). In the PP you get the same price for everything.

As far as moving P+ to Getty, there are Getty Images collections at Thinkstock (Stockbyte for example) , selling there for a fraction of the price you'd pay for the same item at gettimages.com. I don't really see how the image pack price at Thinkstock - $20 per image at the high end - isn't killing the sales of the same item for $350 at gettyimages. The license terms are different, but even if you did an EL at Thinkstock (and they don't publish the prices, just the 800 number to call for them) I would think it has to be cheaper.

So, they could move P+ to Getty, but I would not expect them to.

Bummer.  Thought for a minute there that I might become a Getty Contributor.   ;D ;D ;D


 

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