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Agency Based Discussion => iStockPhoto.com => Topic started by: Freedom on August 21, 2012, 00:10

Title: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: Freedom on August 21, 2012, 00:10
Have you reached your 2011 RC level before September 2012?
- For example, if you are currently at 30%, have you earned enough RC to stay at 30% for next year if the target stays the same?

Do you expect to reach a higher RC level under 2011's target by the end of 2012?
- For example, if you are currently at 30%, do you think you are likely to reach 35% by the end of the year?
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: bunhill on August 21, 2012, 01:25
FWIW you seem to have have missed out two likely permutations:

"I am exclusive / non exclusive and have achieved my target but do not expect to achieve a higher target."
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: Freedom on August 21, 2012, 01:28
FWIW you seem to have have missed out two likely permutations:

"I am exclusive / non exclusive and have achieved my target but do not expect to achieve a higher target."

Sure, it has been added. Thanks.
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: bunhill on August 21, 2012, 01:32
if that one is jointly for exclusives and non exclusives then shouldn't the others also be exclusive / non exclusive together - in terms of the logical consistency ?
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: Freedom on August 21, 2012, 01:38
if that one is jointly for exclusives and non exclusives then shouldn't the others also be exclusive / non exclusive together - in terms of the logical consistency ?

Ok, just make you happy!  ;)
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: Freedom on August 21, 2012, 01:41
Here is a suggestion to Leaf.

Is it possible to make the text boxes longer and bigger? It is hard to remember everything and stay consistent when I could only see a part of the text in each box. Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: THP Creative on August 21, 2012, 02:50
What a joke they haven't told us what the new RC's are. Simply terrible way to keep contributors dangling for as long as possible. And for what, a 1% increase (as a non-exc)?! Come on iStock.
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: ShadySue on August 21, 2012, 02:57
What a joke they haven't told us what the new RC's are. Simply terrible way to keep contributors dangling for as long as possible. And for what, a 1% increase (as a non-exc)?! Come on iStock.
They no doubt want to leave it for as long as possible in case they set the targets too low, and in case sales rise in the last four months, meaning they'd have to pay more to more people.
But I'd be delighted to be proven wrong.
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: sharpshot on August 21, 2012, 03:18
I've lost interest in istock.  Don't upload much anymore and can't be bothered spending time optimising the keywords.  I'm sure I'll sink from the 17% I'm on now but there's more interesting things to do with my time.  Any site that cuts commissions to these low levels is going to get much less commitment from me.  Can't see any point in working harder to get to 18% when they can just change the levels again.

If they scraped this and went back to a flat 20% for non-exclusives, I'm sure I would work harder with them and make them more money.  A wage rise is going to make them more money than a wage cut that has left me wondering why I'm wasting my time on them.
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: stan on August 21, 2012, 05:04
I am not exclusive,  have reached my last year's RC target and also a higher level a while ago (you're missing that one, so I couldn't vote)

And now I just have to sit tight for retro payment
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: Freedom on August 21, 2012, 05:15
I am not exclusive,  have reached my last year's RC target and also a higher level a while ago (you're missing that one, so I couldn't vote)

And now I just have to sit tight for retro payment

Added.
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: borg on August 21, 2012, 08:22
What a joke they haven't told us what the new RC's are. Simply terrible way to keep contributors dangling for as long as possible. And for what, a 1% increase (as a non-exc)?! Come on iStock.

Exactly!


I don't know how they can motivate me to reach RC target with +1%... Maybe 10% isn't enough, when my start is on 16%....
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: lisafx on August 21, 2012, 12:36
I've managed to hang on to the 19% level for two years, but looks like I may be at 18% for 2013 unless the RC targets are lowered or unless there is a considerable uptick in my sales. 
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: ShadySue on August 21, 2012, 14:36
If you're going to say, "Voting closes: September 20, 2012, 06:10", you might specify under whose clock. That is 38 hours ago here, where it's currently September 21st, 20:36.
Added: Ooops, that must be a buggette in the poll software, as the 'voting closes' is the exact same time as your OP is registered.
Anyway, I voted this morning sometime.
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: Freedom on August 21, 2012, 14:47
Hi SS, I figured it didn't matter because the question are only relevant to the RC status before September 1, 2012. I left it open longer in case some people don't come to visit this site often. Hope it explains.
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: ShadySue on August 21, 2012, 15:24
Hi SS, I figured it didn't matter because the question are only relevant to the RC status before September 1, 2012. I left it open longer in case some people don't come to visit this site often. Hope it explains.
Oh, that was me not reading properly. Somehow I read 'September 20th' and either read it as August, or thought we were in September or some other fuzzy blonde stuff. (Don't dare say 'senior'.)
Sorry.  :-[
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: Freedom on August 21, 2012, 15:26
Hi SS, I figured it didn't matter because the question are only relevant to the RC status before September 1, 2012. I left it open longer in case some people don't come to visit this site often. Hope it explains.
Oh, that was me not reading properly. Somehow I read 'September 20th' and either read it as August, or thought we were in September or some other fuzzy blonde stuff. (Don't dare say 'senior'.)
Sorry.  :-[

No worries. :)
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: KB on August 21, 2012, 23:09
What a joke they haven't told us what the new RC's are. Simply terrible way to keep contributors dangling for as long as possible.

I wonder if it's likely the reason they haven't set the targets yet is because they are about to shaft us again with some other, major change (such as a flat 15% for non-exclusives and 25% for exclusives)? I know I'm not the first to suggest this, but the longer we go without targets, the higher the probability seems to be that something's cooking.  >:(
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: THP Creative on August 21, 2012, 23:32
Without question it is a delaying tactic to see just how high they can squeeze the different tiers to make sure as few people as possible reach them. Or worse, as you have suggested KB. As for any retro payments, well, I'm not holding my breath...
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: lisafx on August 22, 2012, 11:03

I wonder if it's likely the reason they haven't set the targets yet is because they are about to shaft us again with some other, major change (such as a flat 15% for non-exclusives and 25% for exclusives)? I know I'm not the first to suggest this, but the longer we go without targets, the higher the probability seems to be that something's cooking.  >:(

I would not be a bit surprised.  That would pretty much kill Istock for me.  Sales are down, down, down anyway.  If I make much less there, it won't be worth continuing to upload. 
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: aeonf on August 23, 2012, 01:26

I wonder if it's likely the reason they haven't set the targets yet is because they are about to shaft us again with some other, major change (such as a flat 15% for non-exclusives and 25% for exclusives)? I know I'm not the first to suggest this, but the longer we go without targets, the higher the probability seems to be that something's cooking.  >:(

I would not be a bit surprised.  That would pretty much kill Istock for me.  Sales are down, down, down anyway.  If I make much less there, it won't be worth continuing to upload. 

I would be very suprised!  such a move and I doubt they will have any exclusives left.  I am quite sure most indys would quit uploading as well.
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: rubyroo on August 23, 2012, 06:29
Thankfully hit my target in time, but not sure how relevant it will be at this point.  Just waiting to see if the 'new broom sweeps clean' or leaves everything as it is.
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: wds on August 23, 2012, 08:40

I wonder if it's likely the reason they haven't set the targets yet is because they are about to shaft us again with some other, major change (such as a flat 15% for non-exclusives and 25% for exclusives)? I know I'm not the first to suggest this, but the longer we go without targets, the higher the probability seems to be that something's cooking.  >:(

I would not be a bit surprised.  That would pretty much kill Istock for me.  Sales are down, down, down anyway.  If I make much less there, it won't be worth continuing to upload. 

I don't think they'd do anything that drastic, but I wouldn't be surprised if they start to slowly erode down all royalty percentages.
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: ShadySue on August 23, 2012, 09:02

I wonder if it's likely the reason they haven't set the targets yet is because they are about to shaft us again with some other, major change (such as a flat 15% for non-exclusives and 25% for exclusives)? I know I'm not the first to suggest this, but the longer we go without targets, the higher the probability seems to be that something's cooking.  >:(

I would not be a bit surprised.  That would pretty much kill Istock for me.  Sales are down, down, down anyway.  If I make much less there, it won't be worth continuing to upload. 

I don't think they'd do anything that drastic, but I wouldn't be surprised if they start to slowly erode down all royalty percentages.
Or raise the targets. Or lower the E+/P+ percentages, having persuaded us to buy into the Plusses, like they did with exclusive ELs (removed the 10% bonus) and, differently, with V/A.
They might just keep clawing more and more back, on more and more spurious excuses.
Again, I hope to be wrong on this, and don't know how much past history will affect the new owners.
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: Freedom on August 23, 2012, 13:09
It is interesting to note that most exclusives either have reached or expect to reach their 2011 RC targets by the year's end.

The same can be said for non-exclusives, but the situation seems to be a bit less rosy.

It is still too early. I wish the poll will get bigger.
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: Mantis on August 24, 2012, 16:51
What a joke they haven't told us what the new RC's are. Simply terrible way to keep contributors dangling for as long as possible.

I wonder if it's likely the reason they haven't set the targets yet is because they are about to shaft us again with some other, major change (such as a flat 15% for non-exclusives and 25% for exclusives)? I know I'm not the first to suggest this, but the longer we go without targets, the higher the probability seems to be that something's cooking.  >:(

Yea, or they are waiting on some guidance from the new sponges...um, I mean owners. Something has to be up.....KY anyone?
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: gaja on August 26, 2012, 04:01
I miss the option: "I'm at rock bottom and don't expect that to change".
Title: Re: If the RC targets stay the same as that of 2011, how are you doing in 2012?
Post by: Freedom on August 30, 2012, 23:43
Since there is no change in the new RC for 2013, we can get an idea on how we are doing.