Author Topic: iStock has got so bad I now owe THEM money (Read 20932 times)

fotoVoyager · « **on:** September 29, 2014, 14:39 »

I can't believe this day has come, but sales are so low for me that I now owe iStock money.

I've gone from $3000 dollars a week to $0 but I'm not allowed to discuss it on the iStock site.

Please excuse me whilst I tear my hair out in public here instead.

This is either the work of a genius at iStock to completely kill off all sales for Exclusives or the worst thought through plan ever. I can't decide which.

Mark Windom Photography · « **Reply #1 on:** September 29, 2014, 14:56 »

$3,000/week to zero? Consistently?

You've got a great looking portfolio....there are some alternatives out there, one in particular, that you may want to give a try....

lewis larkin · « **Reply #2 on:** September 29, 2014, 15:07 »

Quote from: fotoVoyager on September 29, 2014, 14:39

.....
This is either the work of a genius at iStock to completely kill off all sales for Exclusives or the worst thought through plan ever. I can't decide which.

I doubt there are that many geniuses at iStock... or maybe their genius lies in double-think and marketing-speak
which probably tends to the second option...

For my part, I fail to see the logic of endangering ANY revenue stream (first XS, then S what next?) ... I just wonder how the apologists for the new system justified this? {maybe some crap like 'we dont need bottom-feeding bloggers, lets concentrate on leveraging multiple sales of 'real' image-buyers' or some such drivel} .

What especially galls me is the tripe that gets spouted by the iStock staff in the forums - e.g. 'buyers will continue to download the image size that is appropriate for their needs' - This condescending and erroneous twaddle just displays a contempt for the intelligence and experience f the contributors...

Back on track - I think you do an injustice to the iStock geniuses, when you say it is the 'worst thought through' plan ever - do you really think they cant come up with something worse? History would indicate otherwise ...

And please do retain some hair - it may be a cold winter...

cathyslife · « **Reply #3 on:** September 29, 2014, 15:18 »

$3000 a week to $0? Are you sure there isn't some kind of reporting glitch with your account? That just doesn't seem right, even with all their stupidity.

tickstock · « **Reply #4 on:** September 29, 2014, 15:20 »

Quote from: cathyslife on September 29, 2014, 15:18

$3000 a week to $0? Are you sure there isn't some kind of reporting glitch with your account? That just doesn't seem right, even with all their stupidity.

I agree, open a support ticket. I've never had a $3000 week (well maybe if you counted GI sales) but I've had a decent number of downloads the last week. Much more than 0 that's for sure.

fotoVoyager · « **Reply #5 on:** September 29, 2014, 15:45 »

I mean over a period of time, not instantly. Though it feels a bit like it.

Mantis · « **Reply #6 on:** September 29, 2014, 15:54 »

Quote from: fotoVoyager on September 29, 2014, 14:39

I can't believe this day has come, but sales are so low for me that I now owe iStock money.

I've gone from $3000 dollars a week to $0 but I'm not allowed to discuss it on the iStock site.

Please excuse me whilst I tear my hair out in public here instead.

This is either the work of a genius at iStock to completely kill off all sales for Exclusives or the worst thought through plan ever. I can't decide which.

So in the heyday you made $3k a week and given a period of time (years) you make peanuts a week. Is that what you are saying?

fotoVoyager · « **Reply #7 on:** September 29, 2014, 16:20 »

Quote from: Mantis on September 29, 2014, 15:54

Quote from: fotoVoyager on September 29, 2014, 14:39
I can't believe this day has come, but sales are so low for me that I now owe iStock money.

I've gone from $3000 dollars a week to $0 but I'm not allowed to discuss it on the iStock site.

Please excuse me whilst I tear my hair out in public here instead.

This is either the work of a genius at iStock to completely kill off all sales for Exclusives or the worst thought through plan ever. I can't decide which.

So in the heyday you made $3k a week and given a period of time (years) you make peanuts a week. Is that what you are saying?

Yes.

I realise that was slightly unique because of the time and growth of the industry, but you'd think I'd still make enough now given I work continuously to earn enough to pay off refunds.

Downloads have gone from 150+ a day to just a handful or less.

Presumably those Exclusives still reporting good sales are people photographers where the saturation level has not quite drowned them because of the higher demand.

tickstock · « **Reply #8 on:** September 29, 2014, 16:23 »

Try to stay positive, at least now you can drop exclusivity without any second thoughts. I'm sure a lot of your images would make it onto Stocksy if you choose that route. Whatever you decide, good luck.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #9 on:** September 29, 2014, 16:26 »

So what are you planning to do?

I spent 3 years as an exclusive and decided that the Sept. 2010 changes were not sustainable for me, as an exclusive, and reverted to independence. Since then a number of exclusives have "talked" with me about the issues of leaving exclusivity and many had such large golden handcuffs that they felt they couldn't walk away.

Of late, even some who were still hanging on in the hope that something would turn around are beginning finally to take steps to leave. It's a truly wretched situation, but I honestly don't know why anyone would still believe that things will turn around in the short run.

Which leaves exclusives with two unpleasant alternatives - stay and accept whatever comes or do the work to get established on other sites as an independent. I guess a third would be to leave microstock completely.

You have a large proven portfolio that will sell wherever you choose to make it available. Perhaps we need a half way house for recovering exclusives?

I don't mean to make light of the decision to drop the crown, but what's holding you back?

fotoVoyager · « **Reply #10 on:** September 29, 2014, 16:41 »

I'm going climbing in the Himalayas for a month next week so I'll try to ignore the coming calamity until I get back.

Lobo's promised to drop by later to join in the conversation.

stock-will-eat-itself · « **Reply #11 on:** September 29, 2014, 16:47 »

For f$%%ks sake what are they doing?

With your port of 10k images you should make between $6k-$7k on SS alone, you could add another 30% by adding Dreamstime, 123RF and Fotolia (ignore the rest).

All is not lost, you'll be fine.

Chuck in 1000+ into Stocksy for good measure :-)

gostwyck · « **Reply #12 on:** September 29, 2014, 16:51 »

Quote from: fotoVoyager on September 29, 2014, 16:41

I'm going climbing in the Himalayas for a month next week so I'll try to ignore the coming calamity until I get back.

Lobo's promised to drop by later to join in the conversation.

If it's any consolation, which I'm sure it won't be, the losses that Istock themselves are experiencing will be at least 50% more than yours. Their financials over the last couple of years must be absolutely horrendous.

fotoVoyager · « **Reply #13 on:** September 29, 2014, 16:56 »

For clarity, as it's been intimated to me that I am misrepresenting my dilemma in my current hysteria, I am now on +$7, so I have made more than 0 this week.

Cesar · « **Reply #14 on:** September 29, 2014, 17:50 »

upload to ss, you will earn 5k$ with 10000 images per mounth

BaldricksTrousers · « **Reply #15 on:** September 29, 2014, 17:51 »

Curiously, I never made as much as that and I've never made as little (well, excluding April 2004, but that hardly counts).
You seem to be a victim of the "eggs in one basket" problem, highlighted long ago by those of us who sacrificed the benefits of exclusivity for the sake of not being beholden to a single managment. And if that sounds like schadenfreud, well, I guess it is.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #16 on:** September 29, 2014, 18:31 »

Quote from: fotoVoyager on September 29, 2014, 16:41

I'm going climbing in the Himalayas for a month next week so I'll try to ignore the coming calamity until I get back.

Lobo's promised to drop by later to join in the conversation.

Have a great time - I'm sure the calamity will be waiting for you upon your return

FWIW, $7 or $0 are statistically equal when comparing to your prior income to today, so I assume it's some attempt to mute the impact of a major, long-term contributor talking about woes.

goober · « **Reply #17 on:** September 29, 2014, 18:37 »

I've had a similar experience although I'm not down to $0 but I'm heading that way fast.

Maybe the programmers accidentally put in a little bit of code (glitch) that says not to display your images upfront.

goober · « **Reply #18 on:** September 29, 2014, 18:53 »

I think you only make these kind of dramatic moves when things are really bad. This move to top and tail the whole collection will drive the lower end market elsewhere. I suspect to make such a dramatic move means something is really wrong inside istock HQ.

cobalt · « **Reply #19 on:** September 29, 2014, 19:09 »

It is a difficult decision. I hope you find the peace you seek in the mountains.

I just wanted to remind you, that if you are considering stocksy as one of the agencies you are interested in, their deadline for applications ends on October1st. You don´t lose anything by applying, they anyway seem to take quite a while to get back to people.

Otherwise, the next application date is some time next year, perhaps April, like this year.

It would be great if istock could turn things around, but their track record of the last years is just against them. And this time they managed to upset many customers as well.

I don´t know how much you can earn as an indie, but to work with several agencies and not be so dependent on whatever goes on at just istock has given me great peace of mind. The other agencies are all not perfect and they all have their own dramas and issues. But it is unlikely they will all upset you on the same day.

For peace of mind going indie was the best decision for me.

And you can still send exclusive images to Getty if you want. Or any of the other agencies that offer exclusive images.

Mark Windom Photography · « **Reply #20 on:** September 29, 2014, 19:46 »

Quote from: cobalt on September 29, 2014, 19:09

For peace of mind going indie was the best decision for me.

And for me.

PixelBytes · « **Reply #21 on:** September 29, 2014, 22:59 »

Quote from: Cesar on September 29, 2014, 17:50

upload to ss, you will earn 5k$ with 10000 images per mounth

I doubt that most people with 10k images are making 5k/month on SS, or 6-7k, as said by stock-will-eat-itself. Maybe there are a few, but can anyone back that up?

I have over 5k images there and do well but hardly ever 3k/month even in better years.

People are making life decisions. They need realistic numbers.

enstoker · « **Reply #22 on:** September 30, 2014, 00:29 »

Quote from: PixelBytes on September 29, 2014, 22:59

Quote from: Cesar on September 29, 2014, 17:50
upload to ss, you will earn 5k$ with 10000 images per mounth

I doubt that most people with 10k images are making 5k/month on SS, or 6-7k, as said by stock-will-eat-itself. Maybe there are a few, but can anyone back that up?

I have over 5k images there and do well but hardly ever 3k/month even in better years.

People are making life decisions. They need realistic numbers.

Finally one "normal" post with realistic numbers.

leaf · « **Reply #23 on:** September 30, 2014, 06:25 »

Quote from: PixelBytes on September 29, 2014, 22:59

Quote from: Cesar on September 29, 2014, 17:50
upload to ss, you will earn 5k$ with 10000 images per mounth

I doubt that most people with 10k images are making 5k/month on SS, or 6-7k, as said by stock-will-eat-itself. Maybe there are a few, but can anyone back that up?

I have over 5k images there and do well but hardly ever 3k/month even in better years.

People are making life decisions. They need realistic numbers.

I don't feel Cesar's numbers are too far off. They also agree with yours

he said 10K images for $5K or 50 cents/image online
You said 5k images for hardly ever over $3K (or 2.5K) which is also 50 cents/image online.

Perhaps you were arguing that you can't scale up from 5K images to 10K images and expect the same $/image.. but I think you can.

tickstock · « **Reply #24 on:** September 30, 2014, 08:53 »

Quote from: leaf on September 30, 2014, 06:25

Quote from: PixelBytes on September 29, 2014, 22:59
Quote from: Cesar on September 29, 2014, 17:50
upload to ss, you will earn 5k$ with 10000 images per mounth

I doubt that most people with 10k images are making 5k/month on SS, or 6-7k, as said by stock-will-eat-itself. Maybe there are a few, but can anyone back that up?

I have over 5k images there and do well but hardly ever 3k/month even in better years.

People are making life decisions. They need realistic numbers.

I don't feel Cesar's numbers are too far off. They also agree with yours

he said 10K images for $5K or 50 cents/image online
You said 5k images for hardly ever over $3K (or 2.5K) which is also 50 cents/image online.

Perhaps you were arguing that you can't scale up from 5K images to 10K images and expect the same $/image.. but I think you can.

The average image on SS sells about .28 times per month (probably slightly less the next time the numbers are updated, collection size is growing faster than sales). So an average portfolio of 10,000 images would have 2,800 sales in a month. I think average RPD for people at the highest level is around 75 cents. That comes to around $2,100 per month.

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Author Topic: iStock has got so bad I now owe THEM money (Read 20932 times)

fotoVoyager

Mark Windom Photography

lewis larkin

cathyslife

tickstock

fotoVoyager

Mantis

fotoVoyager

tickstock

Jo Ann Snover

fotoVoyager

stock-will-eat-itself

gostwyck

fotoVoyager

Cesar

BaldricksTrousers

Jo Ann Snover

goober

goober

cobalt

Mark Windom Photography

PixelBytes

enstoker

leaf

tickstock

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