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iStock sales VOLUME since the start of Jy?

Independent - Significantly up
Independent - About the same
Independent - Significantly down
Exclusive - Significantly up
Exclusive - About the same
Exclusive - Significantly down

Author Topic: Istock sales since price changes  (Read 35261 times)

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« Reply #150 on: July 20, 2013, 16:41 »
0

However, I think the images being so cheap, now customers buy larger sizes.

I think that is probably right, too.  But they are still paying a fraction of what they paid before for smaller files. So we lose, but not as badly as we might have expected.


ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #151 on: July 20, 2013, 16:51 »
+1
Apparently/allegedly they're going to tweak the exclusive files, which if my port is anything to go by has been really bizarrely assigned in many cases, then work on the indies.
Except they said all our files would be for sale forever at rock bottom prices
I'm not defending them, nor am I for a minute suggesting that they'll definitely do what Lobo said they'll do  >:(, but they didn't say 'all indie files would be for sale forever at rock bottom prices', but they did say that 'half of iStock's files would be available for ever at half price'.
So they invited people to upload 999 files a week, and we see what is getting accepted. So soon they'll have plenty of files to offer at rock bottom prices (even if no-one wants them). I don't really see the point of that - bait and switch maybe? - and there's a clear Middle Way between pixel perfect and 'anything goes'; but better indie files should get out of the Main Collection 'sometime'. Just don't hold your breath.  ::)
Remember also that lots of Exclusive files were also dropped to Main Collection.

But as has been suggested already, maybe 'other plans are afoot'. ???

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #152 on: July 20, 2013, 16:53 »
0
No doubt Liz's files have been sorted by a computer following its GIGO instructions (or is that acronym 20 years out of date?).
Nope, I heard it used within the past hour in a CreativeLIVE tutorial.

« Reply #153 on: July 20, 2013, 17:02 »
0
but they didn't say 'all indie files would be for sale forever at rock bottom prices', but they did say that 'half of iStock's files would be available for ever at half price'.
So they invited people to upload 999 files a week, and we see what is getting accepted. So soon they'll have plenty of files to offer at rock bottom prices (even if no-one wants them).

Yes, true. I might possibly be being a bit cynical for some reason...
But I do remain, you know, a bit cynical.  It would mean the computer section springing into efficient action at some point if they are ever to sort millions of images and assign them accurately to the categories that suit them.
Yup, still feeling a bit cynical...

lisafx

« Reply #154 on: July 20, 2013, 19:03 »
0
Except they said all our files would be for sale forever at rock bottom prices

I had taken their "1/2 our images at 1/2 price forever" promise to mean that they would continue to have half the collection at the lowest prices, but not that it would necessarily always being the SAME images that are there now.  Theoretically, they could bump up the best indie content and bump down the lowest value exclusive content, as long as they continue to have half the collection at the bargain prices. 

Maybe I misread them or am giving them too much credit.  I don't know.  It's just how I interpreted it. 

« Reply #155 on: July 20, 2013, 19:18 »
+2
"Except they said all our files would be for sale forever at rock bottom prices"

Yeah, they love playing games.  http://www.seanlockephotography.com/2013/07/16/half-the-price-forever-really/

Other problem is 'half price' of what?   You can't just say they're 'half price', since it isn't a sale where you can say 'this week, half price'.  Since this is now the price 'forever'.


« Reply #156 on: July 20, 2013, 21:12 »
-3
'
« Last Edit: May 12, 2014, 12:02 by Audi 5000 »

shudderstok

« Reply #157 on: July 20, 2013, 23:41 »
-2
"Except they said all our files would be for sale forever at rock bottom prices"

Yeah, they love playing games.  http://www.seanlockephotography.com/2013/07/16/half-the-price-forever-really/

Other problem is 'half price' of what?   You can't just say they're 'half price', since it isn't a sale where you can say 'this week, half price'.  Since this is now the price 'forever'.

I know you aren't arguing about semantics.


he needs to move on. not sure why he always needs to perpetually blog about an agency he is no longer part of. one would think he'd put his effort promoting stocksy and his work by blogging positive great fun happy cheery stuff about stocksy and his work, not always dragging istock or anything getty through the mud to promote stocksy. it really reads and comes across as vengeful and somewhat self righteous.

Ron

« Reply #158 on: July 21, 2013, 01:53 »
0
Its not forever as they made a cheeky comment about their lawyers saying they cant really promise that legally


« Reply #159 on: July 21, 2013, 02:13 »
+2
sale numbers are down and $ are 75% down so far this month.

Now not only are they the lowest % commission they're also slashed the prices.

Awesome work Istock !

I hope they don't win any customers back at all.


« Reply #160 on: July 21, 2013, 06:20 »
+3
"Except they said all our files would be for sale forever at rock bottom prices"

Yeah, they love playing games.  http://www.seanlockephotography.com/2013/07/16/half-the-price-forever-really/

Other problem is 'half price' of what?   You can't just say they're 'half price', since it isn't a sale where you can say 'this week, half price'.  Since this is now the price 'forever'.

I know you aren't arguing about semantics.


he needs to move on. not sure why he always needs to perpetually blog about an agency he is no longer part of. one would think he'd put his effort promoting stocksy and his work by blogging positive great fun happy cheery stuff about stocksy and his work, not always dragging istock or anything getty through the mud to promote stocksy. it really reads and comes across as vengeful and somewhat self righteous.


I totally disagree, if there is something wrong/false and leading buyers in a fraudulent way I believe we should tell them what is going on, Sean is doing that in a polite way and of course advertising stocksy, don't see a problem with it

« Reply #161 on: July 21, 2013, 06:42 »
+1
Its not forever as they made a cheeky comment about their lawyers saying they cant really promise that legally




It said the lawyers said they can't promise "infinity" but they did actually promise "forever" because the word is there.

I doubt if any court in the world would accept that you can say something and then just adding "but our lawyers said we can't say a word like that" has the effect of not making the statement in the first place.

Does anybody really believe that I could write that a famous film star I name "is a thief a pervert and a paedophile" (but the lawyers say I can't say that) and I would be safe from prosecution?

Come on!

Or how about "We'll give $50 in cash to everyone who visits our shop (but the laywers said we can't say we're going to give you 50 x $1 bills!).

The message that sends to me is "we don't care about our legal advice, we're going to say it anyway, just in a slightly different form".

I wonder if announcing something and saying it contradicts the legal advice you have had doesn't even make things worse for you.

In passing - the message also says to me that the next price rises will be a rise in the price per credit. Then they can say it isn't a price rise because the number of credits is still the same - the old Fotolia trick of using a variable quantity as a baseline.
« Last Edit: July 21, 2013, 07:05 by BaldricksTrousers »


« Reply #163 on: July 21, 2013, 07:19 »
+3
"I know you aren't arguing about semantics. "

It's hardly semantics.  It's trickery and false advertising.

Ron

« Reply #164 on: July 21, 2013, 07:25 »
0
If forever and infinity are basically the same then ROFL...  :)

« Reply #165 on: July 21, 2013, 09:19 »
0
sorry dingles but you still haven't even made 500$ at SS and you talking about IS performance? believe it is quite soon to make predictions no?

That is problem today with new generations, they want to be "in game" now or never...
World crisis is the result...

« Reply #166 on: July 21, 2013, 09:31 »
0
sorry dingles but you still haven't even made 500$ at SS and you talking about IS performance? believe it is quite soon to make predictions no?

That is problem today with new generations, they want to be "in game" now or never...
World crisis is the result...

I'm sorry do you know my age? Poor assumption. That is the problem with you old head micrstockers, always making assumptions and you all just seem bitter. Im sorry the days of making $$$ for mediocre work is over. Yes, I am new to selling images in this fashion being in only since 2011. I've only recently put files up on Shutterstock a month ago. I have been shooting professional photography since 2001. Get off your high horse.

« Reply #167 on: July 21, 2013, 09:35 »
+2
Its not forever as they made a cheeky comment about their lawyers saying they cant really promise that legally

I believe their definition of "forever" is "until the current manager fails and is replaced". I expect it to happen this year. Then we will find out that 1/2 the price is not sustainable.

« Reply #168 on: July 21, 2013, 09:39 »
+1
Saying forever is just a poor move. It's first off a promise they can't keep unless they don't plan on being around long term.

« Reply #169 on: July 21, 2013, 09:57 »
0
As a web designer (who buy on IS) and contributor on IS i believe this move is great to give back in this "shop" many low budget bloggers.

But at the same time have made impossible for many to remain exclusive.

The price difference from main collection and signature+ files ( where exclusives have their better files ) is too huge (10 X ) and the new price slider is too much in evidence with the $$ symbol. Customers are not fools....and everyone of us when have a large choice where to buy uses very often the cheaper point of the slider. Usually buying even the largest size (being now very cheap ).

So for exclusive will come an unsustainable state of things....and customers will buy more and more cheap files causing the rise on the best match on no-exclusive content.
You can image the future.

« Reply #170 on: July 21, 2013, 14:23 »
+1
But at the same time have made impossible for many to remain exclusive.

On the other hand, this price cut could deter exclusives from leaving. I reckon exclusives could now expect at least 75% drop in IS earnings when going independent, a big hit while uploading to other sites and waiting for new portfolios to establish. Maybe that was part of the plan!

Shelma1

  • stockcoalition.org
« Reply #171 on: July 21, 2013, 14:30 »
+2
I see they've now modified the headline, so that the files are half price "with credits." So if you buy without credits they're not half price? I don't see any legal disclaimers on the page.

I can't believe this wasn't reviewed by Getty's legal department before it went live. (I write this as a person who creates advertising headlines for a living.)

mlwinphoto

« Reply #172 on: July 21, 2013, 14:59 »
+1
sale numbers are down and $ are 75% down so far this month.

Now not only are they the lowest % commission they're also slashed the prices.

Awesome work Istock !

I hope they don't win any customers back at all.

I don't know if they'll win any customers back, they might.  But, what will probably happen is indies will stop uploading new content (I certainly have) which could affect them, albeit in a small way, in the long run. 

« Reply #173 on: July 21, 2013, 15:11 »
0
If, as they have said, they move non-selling images down into main, and at the same time move better selling images up from main, then they will still be able to say that half their images are at 1/2 price.

They haven't said it will be the same half :)

lisafx

« Reply #174 on: July 21, 2013, 15:47 »
0
If, as they have said, they move non-selling images down into main, and at the same time move better selling images up from main, then they will still be able to say that half their images are at 1/2 price.

They haven't said it will be the same half :)

If that's their intention, lets hope they get going on it.  The income drop is a real hardship on indies. 


 

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