@Digital66
What made you think there is currently such a benefit for exclusives ?
"Exclusivity brings more attention to your portfolio and makes the most out of all that traffic."-iStock exclusivity page
@cclapper
Have you increased your uploads substantially during that time?
I've almost stopped uploading for few months
@PaulieWalnuts
So did you actually check file placement to see if there was any before/after difference? Or are you just assuming there was no best match change because your downloads didn't increase?
Both.
I've checked few files (without noting the exact position). Few of my photos were on the first page and they are still there. The files which were in the middle of best match are still in the middle of 200 pages. Maybe some change from page 120 to 118 but for me it's not a real progress.
@gostwyck
The 20% increase in overall earnings sounds very worthwhile anyway. Does that also include the effect of the Exc+ prices?
Yes. Everything included (EL is in average 60$ now). BTW I didn't see negative impact when I put my few best sellers (yellow flame) in E+ bin
@cclapper
That is what I have always thought and I think it's bad business that exclusives get rewarded just because they are exclusive, not because their files are any better. Which to me seems so totally ridiculous because Getty makes more profit on independent best-selling photos than they do mediocre-selling exclusive photos.
Agree, but exclusive best-selling photos should be before independents. And mediocre independents photos should be after mediocre exclusive ;-)
@Whitechild
Rene, at least you don't have to deal with many agencies.
If Im exclusive at IS its not because I'm fan. It's because I couldn't stand others ;-). I'm only regretting SS which is a fair and honest site.
You just have to work with IS, and you can focus on your portfolio to make it perfect looking with lightboxes and other nice things.
This is one of best thing. I��m no more wasting my time reading "Fifi�'s" threads. Seriously, I think that I was spending half an hour per day checking numbers, participating to forums on others sites. It meens 3.5 hours/week + 1h for uploading =4.5h/week x 46 weeks (52 - vacations)= 207hours/year. Almost one work month!
BTW, IS standard uploading system sucks but Deepmeta is great. Uploading is even easier than on other sites.
@jsnover
I don't know how long you've been building a portfolio on IS, but I've seen lots of oldies but goodies resurfacing in the last best match jiggle.
Over 3 years
[/i]People with newer portfolios seemed to be overly represented in the group who were hit negatively by the best match changes.[/i]
You are right, I checked my downloads and oldies seem do better than my new files (even if they are better quality IMO).

In conclusion even if, for instance, Im glad from this decision Im a little disappointing. More money is ok but I thought that without my portfolio FT and DT will go out of business. But they are still there�� And when I see my constant number of downloads not many of  my fans followed me. My ego suffers ;-)

Quote from: holgs on May 17, 2010, 11:29

Thanks for this feedback! Nice to know that there has been an overall benefit for you.

there you are.  I was hoping you would see this thread

I'll be giving my feeback in about 2 months time...

Thanks for sharing, but in fairness, December is notoriously one of the very lowest earning months of the year, so a December to April comparison is going to be heavily slanted.

My December has consistently been 3rd top for dls and $$s for the three years I've been with iStock, with Nov being top and Oct being 2nd each time. That even included 2007, when I had not one Christmas/Chanukah pic in my port. In each case, December vastly outdid April.
Hope the same applies this year; although my downloads are still on a steep downward slope, my $$ continue to rise comparing with comparable months in previous years.

  Before I went exclusive, my daily average sales was a little over $5 per day across all 13 agencies I contributed to.  Since going exclusive, my daily average sales has increased just about 50%, and so far in May, it's been almost 100%.

so, in effect, is has replaced all 13 agencies with 100% growth (in may), increasing from $5 to $10/day? well done!

I'm exclusive since the beginning of April, and it's way too early to draw any conclusions.
I'm happy for now though, no sub's anymore and only one (set of) hoop (s) to jump through.
April was my 4th BME, no Vetta, no Exclusive+ (still figuring out some kind of strategy).

If anyone wants more feedback, here is my stats:

would be helpful if we could take a look at your portfolio....

s

If anyone wants more feedback, here is my stats:

last month as independent (december 2009):
approx. 1100 downloads, approx. 1100 USD

last month as exclusive (april 2010):
approx 1400 downloads, approx. 3200 USD

did not upload more than 20 images in this period. my portfolio consists of about 300 images. canister level is gold.

Thanks for sharing! brave of you to give your stats.

On the whole counting Micro, RM and RF, well I made approx, 5 times your best amount,  so you see the dilema? Im Diamond at IS but you know?  Im really tired of supplying various sites, its taking up an awful lot of time, etc and would really wish for one big exclusive agency, I would choose Istock by far.

The thing that scares me stiff is exactly that massive best match change Jsnover was talking about, few years back when all of us went through a nightmare.
Small changes like this last one, I wouldnt mind but these big ones?? they can cripple you permanently.

best.