Not that I care about RC targets myself, but I'm just wondering when is this joke of a site, going to announce them? Can they ever deliver anything on time? I guess they're still waiting to see how their desperate best match move is going to play out, how many exclusives will hit their target and by that making IS keeping them in line and to see how many will drop the crown in the next few weeks (since we all know many are waiting till the end of the year)

Last year it took them something like 6 months.

What do you as an exclusive, dependant on RCs have to say about that?

I hope you're at least benefiting from all exclusive best match results

Well it would make a big difference to me if they announce the targets early in January and I felt that the 40% level was reachable if I put all effort into it - then I would put a lot of time into istock.

Without the targets I will just shoot to maintain the current level while keeping most of my efforts on either video, getty or the other income streams that I have.

istock will then just be minor focus point this year.

I need to plan my time and attention and I can't try to reach targets that I don't know.

Well it would make a big difference to me if they announce the targets early in January and I felt that the 40% level was reachable if I put all effort into it - then I would put a lot of time into istock.

Without the targets I will just shoot to maintain the current level while keeping most of my efforts on either video, getty or the other income streams that I have.

istock will then just be minor focus point this year.

I need to plan my time and attention and I can't try to reach targets that I don't know.

Well if that's what most exclusive think like, than they just shot themselves in the foot. Again.

Quote from: cobalt on December 27, 2011, 07:26

Well it would make a big difference to me if they announce the targets early in January and I felt that the 40% level was reachable if I put all effort into it - then I would put a lot of time into istock.

Without the targets I will just shoot to maintain the current level while keeping most of my efforts on either video, getty or the other income streams that I have.

istock will then just be minor focus point this year.

I need to plan my time and attention and I can't try to reach targets that I don't know.

Well if that's what most exclusive think like, than they just shot themselves in the foot. Again.

I meant IS of course (not contributors), just to be clear

Well it would make a big difference to me if they announce the targets early in January and I felt that the 40% level was reachable if I put all effort into it - then I would put a lot of time into istock.

Without the targets I will just shoot to maintain the current level while keeping most of my efforts on either video, getty or the other income streams that I have.

istock will then just be minor focus point this year.

I need to plan my time and attention and I can't try to reach targets that I don't know.

I'm planning a similar approach. I would have been on track for hitting a diamond canister this year under the old system.

Now with RCs I would need to triple the size of my portfolio to even come close and that will take a few years.

With all of the changes they're making I'm planning on working on other sources to reduce the impact IS has on my overall income.

If you're not putting in all the effort you can right now, then why are you doing it in the first place?  If the target is 150 or 140 or 130, what difference does that make to what you are doing?

stock is not my only source of income, Ineed to plan in advance how much time and effort I devote to the different income streams I have. Within the "stock income stream" I have to decide between shooting for getty, istock or video.

For many different reasons I had already planned to make the focus getty and video and shoot to maintainthe current level on istock. But I can still adjust, if I saw that it could be reachable.

Well, then again maybe I won't. This year, like last last year, my main problem is that I still have to waste a lot of my time on things that bring me no money but demand tons of attention.

But reasoable RC levels would be an incentive to shift more time towards istock itself, even if I see the goal might be reached in 2013 and not this year. 

I don't think what I am doing is unusual, most people i know mix stock shooting with other work, so planning ahead how much time you devote to istock is always necessary.

I am sure if they introduced more incremental levels or came up with new incntives for mixed media contributors that would be interesting as well.

But they don't have to. I am sure istock has more than enough photographers and my humble work won't be missed anyway.

Quote from: PaulieWalnuts on December 27, 2011, 07:42

With all of the changes they're making I'm planning on working on other sources to reduce the impact IS has on my overall income.

Yes, they've made it extremely difficult for even those who are most favourable disposed towards them to plan on the basis of it continuing to be a worthwhile, long-term business relationship.

I'd say less comfortable is what I'm feeling.

They have a business to run and they need to make business decisions based on whatever conditions are affecting their revenue and profitability. That's fine and I understand that. I also have a business to run and must be proactive to protect my revenue and profitability.

Hard to believe it's only 15 months since they first announced the RC target system.  It boggles the mind how much Istock has changed in just over a year.  I wouldn't have believed it possible if I hadn't seen it for myself...

Quote from: lisafx on December 27, 2011, 16:43

Hard to believe it's only 15 months since they first announced the RC target system.  It boggles the mind how much Istock has changed in just over a year.  I wouldn't have believed it possible if I hadn't seen it for myself...

That sure is the truth, and also a real shame what has happened to what once was a major earner with promise.

Then they forgot what 'promise' meant.