MicrostockGroup

Agency Based Discussion => iStockPhoto.com => Topic started by: KB on January 08, 2014, 11:33

Title: iStock thinks their buyers are ...
Post by: KB on January 08, 2014, 11:33
Note: I just realized that I had failed to update my spreadsheet for the increase in cash pricing, so I was using the new (higher) number of credits required for each size, but the lower cash price. Exactly who is the fool here after all?  :o My apologies for misleading people. (And for any conspiracy theorists out there, no one from IS contacted me to point out my error; I discovered it myself. Unless they beamed it to my brain, which is a possibility.  ;D)

I've revised the numbers below to what I hope are the correct values. Cash still isn't that bad a deal for E and E+ files of most sizes (especially compared to Main file cash pricing), but nowhere near the crazy deal I thought it was.

Here are the iStock per-credit prices for "smaller" credit bundles:
10 credits - $2 each
30 credits - $1.83 each
60 credits - $1.67 each
150 credits - $1.60 each
360 credits - $1.55 each

But guess what? If you are buying Signature or Signature+ files (I didn't check Vetta), you are  better off paying the cash prices for many of the file sizes, unless you buy much larger credit bundles (even after the recent raise in cash prices, which I hadn't seen mentioned here).


Not so.

Here are the per-credit prices for Sig+ files:
S+: $2.00
M+: $1.83
L+: $1.83
XL+: $1.82
XXL+: $1.84
XXXL+: $1.83

Here are the per-credit prices for Sig files:
XS: $2.00
S: $2.14
M: $2.00
L: $2.00
XL: $1.96
XXL: $1.96
XXXL: $1.97

Here are the per-credit prices for Main files:
XS: $4.00
S: $3.00
M: $4.67
L: $4.75
XL: $4.20
XXL: $4.50
XXXL: $4.43
Title: Re: iStock thinks their buyers are fools
Post by: JPSDK on January 08, 2014, 11:41
Thats actually right. The guys in the istock bunker over in Canada, think that everybody are fools and can be cheated.
Except for themselves, they pretend to be so wise, and they have the attidude and megalomania of 14 old kids playing in a garage.
Title: Re: iStock thinks their buyers are fools
Post by: Beppe Grillo on January 08, 2014, 12:57
They think that, and they are right… because it works……

:(
Title: Re: iStock thinks their buyers are fools
Post by: gostwyck on January 08, 2014, 13:04
To be honest the biggest fools were probably us the contributors for ever accepting 20%.
Title: Re: iStock thinks their buyers are ...
Post by: KB on January 08, 2014, 18:31
I've modified my original post as it was completely in error.  :-[  Sorry!

But it did elicit a good post from gostwyck, so it wasn't completely a wasted effort.  ;D
Title: Re: iStock thinks their buyers are fools
Post by: Uncle Pete on January 14, 2014, 12:52
That one deserves all the hearts it can get Gostwyck. And so does the double secret probation comment from SJL.  8)

Here's a new development for me. Lowest ever sale. I know others have beat this for poor returns, but this is my record lowest of all time for anything on IS. (unless I missed something more revolting) What I mean is they can back door files out of Getty for 24 cents and sell subs for 28c on TS, but really? Regular Sale 22 crummy cents?

    XSmall    Regular    $0.22 USD

This comes from the second agency on the poll here? Really?


To be honest the biggest fools were probably us the contributors for ever accepting 20%.
Title: Re: iStock thinks their buyers are ...
Post by: BaldricksTrousers on January 14, 2014, 13:15
20% was where it all began. Personally, I'm glad I didn't listen to the voices telling people not to sign up for this industry.
Title: Re: iStock thinks their buyers are ...
Post by: JPSDK on January 14, 2014, 13:30
20% was where it all began. Personally, I'm glad I didn't listen to the voices telling people not to sign up for this industry.

Me neither, it paid some gear and gasoline.
BUT I am glad I got out of there, when they became too abusive and arrogant.
Title: Re: iStock thinks their buyers are ...
Post by: lisafx on January 15, 2014, 12:51
20% was where it all began. Personally, I'm glad I didn't listen to the voices telling people not to sign up for this industry.

Agreed.  20% was okay when they produced decent volume, and before all the refunds, clawbacks, and general BS came into it. 
Title: Re: iStock thinks their buyers are fools
Post by: djpadavona on January 15, 2014, 19:56
To be honest the biggest fools were probably us the contributors for ever accepting 20%.

Ah yes, back in the good ole days when iStock was run by people who truly cared about artists, and proved it with such a generous commission percentage. I sure miss those days.