Author Topic: Hold on to your wallets! "There are irregularities with October's PP royalties" (Read 98867 times)

sharpshot · « **Reply #525 on:** February 26, 2014, 07:47 »

I'm pleased that after removing all my best images, I don't earn much with istock now and the amount they're taking back isn't too big. Can't imagine how bad this must be for the big earners there. I wonder how much they will be taking back from Yuri? They should at least give people some compensation for their enormous blunder but that's not how they operate.

Julied83 · « **Reply #526 on:** February 26, 2014, 09:32 »

Can they at least pay us janurary PP ?! GOD ! they says before the end of the month but it's " at the very end of the month »
and of course they delete my post.

Red Dove · « **Reply #527 on:** February 26, 2014, 10:02 »

Quote from: sharpshot on February 26, 2014, 07:47

I'm pleased that after removing all my best images, I don't earn much with istock now and the amount they're taking back isn't too big. Can't imagine how bad this must be for the big earners there. I wonder how much they will be taking back from Yuri? They should at least give people some compensation for their enormous blunder but that's not how they operate.

Compensation? It would be a nice gesture to say forget about 25-50% of the commission grab for those who are over and above writing off the sub $10 - by way of saying "we cocked up, sorry, so we will take a larger share of the burden".

Unfortunately, the bean counters who make these decisions are the sort of people who would stop standing still in the middle of the Pamplona Bull Run to pick up an old penny.

ignard · « **Reply #528 on:** February 26, 2014, 10:10 »

they deleted my post concerning the feb (jan sold) PP too.

Smells like hell.

No uploading from my side for the next couple of months anymore

ignard · « **Reply #529 on:** February 26, 2014, 10:14 »

Just curious how Yuri is doing now and if he will make a next step.

lisafx · « **Reply #530 on:** February 26, 2014, 13:58 »

Quote from: jbarber873 on February 25, 2014, 23:02

Lisa- The IRS has a quick help phone number you can call for advice. It's easy to remember- just dial 1-800-AUDITME

LOL! I'll get right on that

mayaartist · « **Reply #531 on:** February 26, 2014, 14:44 »

Today I checked my spam folder and there was a letter from iStockphoto:

Over Payment Total=$98.82

Monthly Recoup Amount=$16.47

Basically, I don't care about it since I closed my account on 19th of February. But I had about $95 balance on my account. And now after this over payment letter. They will pay me nothing. Of course, I should have some PP sales for a January. It's just ridiculus.

"Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers."
--Aristotle

Cesar · « **Reply #532 on:** February 26, 2014, 15:18 »

Why PP did not start today?

Bankruptcy?

Pixart · « **Reply #533 on:** February 26, 2014, 15:49 »

Not sure if this was already posted.

http://www.popphoto.com/news/2014/02/getty-claims-to-have-overpaid-9000-istock-photogs-requires-repayment?src=SOC&dom=fb

Tryingmybest · « **Reply #534 on:** February 26, 2014, 15:52 »

Complain to them, folks. Don't let their bullying get you down nor allow cynicism to smother your rage. Let us flood their Contributor Relations inbox with our words.

http://www.istockphoto.com/contact_ticket.php

Quote from: ignard on February 26, 2014, 10:10

they deleted my post concerning the feb (jan sold) PP too.

Smells like hell.

No uploading from my side for the next couple of months anymore

ethan · « **Reply #535 on:** February 26, 2014, 16:38 »

Explanation email from istuck received

Partner Program Recoupment Follow up - February 26, 2014

We hear your concerns over the recent recall of overpayments and we are sincerely sorry for having to inconvenience you in this way. While there will always be reason for adjustments in certain instances we also know that errors and adjustments have been all too common and we take responsibility for that.

Several months ago we took steps to address this, adding additional staff dedicated to managing iStock partner program royalties, and reviewing our systems and processes to improve on-time and accurate payment. To start, we reviewed the process for partner program and Getty Images royalties. This resulted in our notifying you on January 3rd and 9th that we had discovered inaccuracies with the partner program royalties for certain months that resulted in overpayments.

So you know, we also have some transaction corrections that will result in additional amounts being added to contributors’ accounts. Clean-up requires some work, but that work is in progress. The amount is not high—but the point is that we are making progress and for those who were asking; yes, our review is producing adjustments and in the contributor’s favor.

How the Partner Program royalty error occurred:

The overpayment issue was caused by a database numbering overlap which caused certain subscription downloads to be labeled as image pack downloads thereby resulting in a higher royalty rate being paid on those transactions. To arrive at our correction we identified the incorrectly labeled downloads and calculated the difference between the erroneous image pack royalty rate and the correct subscription royalty rate.

There was minimal impact with September partner program sales (royalty loaded in October) and a significant impact for October partner program sales (royalties loaded in November) when this issue was identified. The database issue was resolved prior to the reporting of the November partner program sales (royalties loaded in December).
We’ve made a number of changes to how we process our royalty transfers and hope to improve upon them going forward. We appreciate all your patience and understand how frustrating this has been for everyone. We apologize for having to make these adjustments after the fact.

Sincerely,
iStockphoto LP

Canonbabe · « **Reply #536 on:** February 26, 2014, 16:40 »

From their last email:

So you know, we also have some transaction corrections that will result in additional amounts being added to contributors’ accounts. Clean-up requires some work, but that work is in progress. The amount is not high—but the point is that we are making progress and for those who were asking; yes, our review is producing adjustments and in the contributor’s favor.

Noedelhap · « **Reply #537 on:** February 26, 2014, 16:42 »

I don't care about apologies, I want my data. Every tracked sale, every royalty, every little dollar detail. And I want it NOW.

Tryingmybest · « **Reply #538 on:** February 26, 2014, 16:54 »

I got that one too. They can only atone by giving us our money. Whoever is responsible should pay for the loss. Not us. We made art, folks bought it, folks are using it and we deserve every penny.

Complain, complain, complain. Flood their inbox:

http://www.istockphoto.com/contact_ticket.php

Quote from: ethan on February 26, 2014, 16:38

Explanation email from istuck received

Partner Program Recoupment Follow up - February 26, 2014

We hear your concerns over the recent recall of overpayments and we are sincerely sorry for having to inconvenience you in this way. While there will always be reason for adjustments in certain instances we also know that errors and adjustments have been all too common and we take responsibility for that.
Several months ago we took steps to address this, adding additional staff dedicated to managing iStock partner program royalties, and reviewing our systems and processes to improve on-time and accurate payment. To start, we reviewed the process for partner program and Getty Images royalties. This resulted in our notifying you on January 3rd and 9th that we had discovered inaccuracies with the partner program royalties for certain months that resulted in overpayments.
So you know, we also have some transaction corrections that will result in additional amounts being added to contributors’ accounts. Clean-up requires some work, but that work is in progress. The amount is not high—but the point is that we are making progress and for those who were asking; yes, our review is producing adjustments and in the contributor’s favor.
How the Partner Program royalty error occurred:
The overpayment issue was caused by a database numbering overlap which caused certain subscription downloads to be labeled as image pack downloads thereby resulting in a higher royalty rate being paid on those transactions. To arrive at our correction we identified the incorrectly labeled downloads and calculated the difference between the erroneous image pack royalty rate and the correct subscription royalty rate.
There was minimal impact with September partner program sales (royalty loaded in October) and a significant impact for October partner program sales (royalties loaded in November) when this issue was identified. The database issue was resolved prior to the reporting of the November partner program sales (royalties loaded in December).
We’ve made a number of changes to how we process our royalty transfers and hope to improve upon them going forward. We appreciate all your patience and understand how frustrating this has been for everyone. We apologize for having to make these adjustments after the fact.

Sincerely,
iStockphoto LP

ShadySue · « **Reply #539 on:** February 26, 2014, 16:57 »

^^ That information could surely have been made in the PP forum and in the original email sent out to those affected.

I see it is now in a PP thread. http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=359490&page=1

I don't fully understand why at least that much of an explanation couldn't have been made in the first instance (3rd Jan).

Shelma1 · « **Reply #540 on:** February 26, 2014, 16:57 »

Quote from: Canonbabe on February 26, 2014, 16:40

From their last email:

So you know, we also have some transaction corrections that will result in additional amounts being added to contributors’ accounts. Clean-up requires some work, but that work is in progress. The amount is not high—but the point is that we are making progress and for those who were asking; yes, our review is producing adjustments and in the contributor’s favor.

I hate to say it, but this email actually makes me trust them less. There are other errors too? And come on, they found these errors on their own? Really? It had nothing to do with many contributors wondering aloud why their PP earnings dropped so drastically in November after such a fabulous October?

Now I don't trust any of their PP calculations from the get go. Are we supposed to trust that a company that's made so many mistakes and is finding more mistakes won't make even more mistakes correcting the mistakes?

ShadySue · « **Reply #541 on:** February 26, 2014, 17:07 »

Quote from: Shelma1 on February 26, 2014, 16:57

Quote from: Canonbabe on February 26, 2014, 16:40
From their last email:

So you know, we also have some transaction corrections that will result in additional amounts being added to contributors’ accounts. Clean-up requires some work, but that work is in progress. The amount is not high—but the point is that we are making progress and for those who were asking; yes, our review is producing adjustments and in the contributor’s favor.

I hate to say it, but this email actually makes me trust them less. There are other errors too? And come on, they found these errors on their own? Really? It had nothing to do with many contributors wondering aloud why their PP earnings dropped so drastically in November after such a fabulous October?

More likely reading all the contributors cheering about their suddenly much-improved month in October, when there was no reason for the increase in rpd. The volume of the cheering actually then made me waiver (momentarily) in my joy about not being in the PP.

Ariene · « **Reply #542 on:** February 26, 2014, 17:42 »

Shelma, brilliant post! + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

marthamarks · « **Reply #543 on:** February 26, 2014, 17:51 »

Quote from: Ariene on February 26, 2014, 17:42

Shelma, brilliant post! + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+1

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #544 on:** February 26, 2014, 18:02 »

A database numbering overlap? There's a phrase that goes along with "he misspoke himself" and "rightsizing" and other lovely euphamisms

This sounds as if they were merging the multiple sites' systems into one and the coding for image pack in the new combined system was the same as the one for subscription on the old; or that the conversion of old to new was done incorrectly. Whatever the specifics of the mistake, why wouldn't you keep an eye out for any anomalies in the first run or two after making changes?

Paul Cowan (Baldrick's Trousers) pointed out what turned out to be the problem November 13, so the statement saying that it was a review of processes that led to them finding this problem at the beginning of January is passing strange.

http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=357474&messageid=6956518

I'm glad they decided that they needed to say something about had happened, possibly as a result of PetaPixel picking up the story?, but they could have acknowledged this problem back in November if they'd been paying any attention to what their contributors were telling them.

Tryingmybest · « **Reply #545 on:** February 26, 2014, 18:38 »

I posted they should give us our money...and they deleted it. Losers.

Quote from: ShadySue on February 26, 2014, 16:57

^^ That information could surely have been made in the PP forum and in the original email sent out to those affected.

I see it is now in a PP thread. http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=359490&page=1

I don't fully understand why at least that much of an explanation couldn't have been made in the first instance (3rd Jan).

ShadySue · « **Reply #546 on:** February 26, 2014, 18:45 »

Quote from: TheBlackRhino on February 26, 2014, 18:38

I posted they should give us our money...and they deleted it. Losers.

Strictly speaking, it was never 'our' money, as 'we' hadn't earned it; but they made the very serious mistake, and didn't spot it at the time (how come?) not the contributors.

Mantis · « **Reply #547 on:** February 26, 2014, 18:52 »

Quote from: ShadySue on February 26, 2014, 18:45

Quote from: TheBlackRhino on February 26, 2014, 18:38
I posted they should give us our money...and they deleted it. Losers.

Strictly speaking, it was never 'our' money, as 'we' hadn't earned it; but they made the very serious mistake, and didn't spot it at the time (how come?) not the contributors.

True but we have no proof whether their amounts are correct....that's the sticking point. I don't mind paying them back what was wrongly attributed to me, but I sure as SH*T don't want to give them a penny more back from what I actually earned. As far as I'm concerned they give us what I say is "an uneducated guess with a bar room calculation on a cocktail napkin".

klsbear · « **Reply #548 on:** February 26, 2014, 19:00 »

From the letter from iS...

Quote

There was minimal impact with September partner program sales (royalty loaded in October) and a significant impact for October partner program sales (royalties loaded in November) when this issue was identified.

This statement is contrary to what I saw in my PP numbers which makes me wonder about the reliability.

My October deposit was 2.5 times my highest monthly PP earnings and 4 times my average PP earnings.
My November deposit was insignificant, in fact, it was on par with my low average amount.
My clawback is about 35% of the high October amount

lisafx · « **Reply #549 on:** February 26, 2014, 21:38 »

I guess I am in the minority, in that I am glad to be getting an explanation, and some acknowledgment that they are cleaning up their act. I have been posting here asking for those things and so have a lot of others and I am glad to see some response to our concerns.

Let me be clear. I would MUCH rather have the money, but did anyone seriously think that was going to happen?

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Author Topic: Hold on to your wallets! "There are irregularities with October's PP royalties" (Read 98867 times)

sharpshot

Julied83

Red Dove

ignard

ignard

lisafx

mayaartist

Cesar

Pixart

Tryingmybest

ethan

Canonbabe

Noedelhap

Tryingmybest

ShadySue

Shelma1

ShadySue

Ariene

marthamarks

Jo Ann Snover

Tryingmybest

ShadySue

Mantis

klsbear

lisafx

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