Author Topic: Money where my mouth is. (Read 22485 times)

dgilder · « **on:** September 14, 2010, 15:22 »

I don't know how long this will last on iStock's forums, so I figured I would post here.

Quote

It has been a week since Kelly's announcement regarding iStock's future royalty structure. In the past week there has been much (sometimes heated) discussion in the various announcement threads about the reasoning timing behind these changes, the financial impacts to various contributors, and calls for iStock to reconsider its position. Kelly's has made it very clear that iStock will not be reconsidering any of this, and that the changes are required to shift iStock's position in the marketplace in order to make it's continued growth sustainable.

Many contributors (and even customers) were upset, and there have been many pleas to set aside our feelings and look at everything from a pure business perspective. Kelly has said that iStock will do its best to make up the difference through increased sales. From a money standpoint, if sales go up, and the money is the same even at the lower commission, then impacts are minimized.

I have been struggling with this. I have looked at everything from the money perspective, and I do believe that iStock will be able to make up the money difference.

However, I do not make many decisions in life based solely on money, and given that I can survive financially without exclusive income from iStock, I have an easier decision to make than most contributors. Not only have I have decided to remove money from the picture entirely, I am removing my own personal situation from my decision.

iStock is treating its independents, illustrators, videographers, and audio contributors unfairly. If the exclusive's higher percentages were unsustainable, then they should be the only ones impacted and given targets to hit. Cutting independents pay by 10-25% is wrong, and paying less than 20% royalties for something you are only re-marketing is reprehensible. Morally, ethically, I can no longer continue to do business with iStockphoto.

I have just canceled my exclusivity, and will be removing my entire portfolio of images over the next 30 days. To my fellow contributors, good luck on your future endeavors, Farewell.

For any buyers who might need some of my photos after the 30 day period, you will be able to find them at Shutterstock, Dreamstime, and Fotolia.

traveler1116 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 14, 2010, 15:31 »

Maybe look into Alamy too they pay a high percentage. I used to like 123RF too. Good luck I'll be waiting until after the new year when I would have hit gold and my pay cut goes into effect, but I've already begun uploading all my better stuff to Alamy as RM. As an exclusive I support you and will be joining you soon unless there is a change.

Microbius · « **Reply #2 on:** September 14, 2010, 15:34 »

Total hero, now that's what I call moral fortitude.

SNP · « **Reply #3 on:** September 14, 2010, 15:39 »

Fwiw David, enjoy the pats on the back, because I think you've made a big error in judgment. Sorry to see you go.

disorderly · « **Reply #4 on:** September 14, 2010, 15:40 »

Thanks for taking a stand. I appreciate what you're doing, and hope it works to your benefit in the long run.

(And if hawk_eye thinks you've made a mistake, that should be all the reinforcement you need.)

anonymous · « **Reply #5 on:** September 14, 2010, 15:43 »

Feels good doesn't it!!!!

Blufish · « **Reply #6 on:** September 14, 2010, 15:49 »

Good for you for taking a stand for what you believe. Not many people these days back up their words with actions.

gostwyck · « **Reply #7 on:** September 14, 2010, 15:53 »

Quote from: Microbius on September 14, 2010, 15:34

Total hero, now that's what I call moral fortitude.

Absolutely __ very well said David. I only wish my own financial position allowed me to do the same.

If only we could all act together and threaten to delete our ports, on say 2nd January if this goes ahead, then we could bring Istock to it's knees overnight.

cathyslife · « **Reply #8 on:** September 14, 2010, 16:03 »

dgilder, Perfectly worded and I applaud your morals and values.

I will not be too far behind you.

michaeldb · « **Reply #9 on:** September 14, 2010, 16:11 »

Quote from: dgilder on September 14, 2010, 15:22

I have just canceled my exclusivity, and will be removing my entire portfolio of images over the next 30 days. To my fellow contributors, good luck on your future endeavors, Farewell.

Welcome to the wonderful world of independence!

lisafx · « **Reply #10 on:** September 14, 2010, 16:22 »

Very, very brave David. I have nothing but admiration for you for taking such a stand on principle.

Wish I could afford to join you. Meanwhile I will be doing whatever I can to direct buyers to the sites you, and the rest of us independents, are going to be selling our images on.

With any luck,in a year's time Istock won't be such a large chunk of income for a lot of us and we can join you in pulling our images.

sharpshot · « **Reply #11 on:** September 14, 2010, 16:32 »

So nice to see and I am another one that would be doing the same, if I could afford to take the loss of earnings. Just a crazy thought but if all of us that can't afford to leave istock at the moment left anyway, it would be amazing. I am sure we would get more respect and perhaps wouldn't lose that much, if enough buyers were willing to jump ship as well.

sharply_done · « **Reply #12 on:** September 14, 2010, 16:47 »

Quote from: hawk_eye on September 14, 2010, 15:39

Fwiw David, enjoy the pats on the back, because I think you've made a big error in judgment. Sorry to see you go.

Ditto.
You're actions aren't monumental, but your overreaction is.

RT · « **Reply #13 on:** September 14, 2010, 16:49 »

Like others I can't afford to delete my whole portfolio because I sell a lot of images there and will continue to make a fair amount of commission despite the new 'screw over rate'.

However one course of action I do intend to take, and suggest others may consider doing the same, is to delete all the images in my port that I have that have never sold and based on my experience at iStock will probably never sell there, if we all did the same it might make the site less attractive to new or casual buyers in terms of the number of available images, and yet we'd still 'reap the rewards' (probably the worst analogy given the latest news but couldn't think of another one) on our bestsellers from the buyers that do still shop there.

dgilder · « **Reply #14 on:** September 14, 2010, 17:00 »

Quote from: sharply_done on September 14, 2010, 16:47

Quote from: hawk_eye on September 14, 2010, 15:39
Fwiw David, enjoy the pats on the back, because I think you've made a big error in judgment. Sorry to see you go.

Ditto.
You're actions aren't monumental, but your overreaction is.

Personally, I would hesitate before calling a carefully weighed decision, discussed with a wide variety of individuals, and ultimately decided on ethical grounds, an "overreaction".

Honestly, you two should be ecstatic, I just increased your chances of meeting your quotas for 2010 by some unfathomable amount. Why come here to be boisterous over someone else's decision that ultimately benefits you?

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #15 on:** September 14, 2010, 17:02 »

I applaud your determination.

dgilder · « **Reply #16 on:** September 14, 2010, 17:03 »

Oh, and thank you to everyone else, I do appreciate the kind words.

SNP · « **Reply #17 on:** September 14, 2010, 17:06 »

Quote from: sjlocke on September 14, 2010, 17:02

I applaud your determination.

I bet you do...I wouldn't expect you to lose sleep over a competitor leaving.

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #18 on:** September 14, 2010, 17:10 »

Quote from: hawk_eye on September 14, 2010, 17:06

Quote from: sjlocke on September 14, 2010, 17:02
I applaud your determination.
I bet you do...I wouldn't expect you to lose sleep over a competitor leaving.

Surprisingly, nothing to do with that.

SNP · « **Reply #19 on:** September 14, 2010, 17:11 »

That's disappointing

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #20 on:** September 14, 2010, 17:13 »

Quote from: hawk_eye on September 14, 2010, 17:11

That's disappointing

Ha! Sorry to burst your bubble

.

madelaide · « **Reply #21 on:** September 14, 2010, 17:18 »

David, I share many of your thoughts.

4 1/2 years ago, when I started in microstock, I did so for a matter of testing this area, as some colleagues were saying so many good things about it. Despite insistent invitations from some, I never joined SS because of the subs model. I also hesitated a while before joining IS, because of the low commissions.

After all these years and seeing many sites come, go and change, I am really disappointed with the way many of them went and with the changes they introduced maximing their earnings in detriment of the contributors. It's even more surprising how people may swallow it so easily, perhaps because for them specifically the changes won't hurt so much, and they don't bother about the attitude.

I don't plan to leave right now, but it's something I'm considering before the new changes take place. I know IS will not miss my images. I won't miss their greed either.

I understand those who stay because they need the money, but start considering if there is something else you should do instead. If you have a talent in photography or illustration or whatever, there are many other areas you may try to work without having to be subject to the mood or greed of site owners.

disorderly · « **Reply #22 on:** September 14, 2010, 17:18 »

Quote from: sjlocke on September 14, 2010, 17:10

Surprisingly, nothing to do with that.

Nothing surprising about it at all, Sean, at least not to me. I've always seen you as somebody with integrity and a good head on his shoulders.

sharply_done · « **Reply #23 on:** September 14, 2010, 17:23 »

Quote from: dgilder on September 14, 2010, 17:00

Personally, I would hesitate before calling a carefully weighed decision, discussed with a wide variety of individuals, and ultimately decided on ethical grounds, an "overreaction".

Honestly, you two should be ecstatic, I just increased your chances of meeting your quotas for 2010 by some unfathomable amount. Why come here to be boisterous over someone else's decision that ultimately benefits you?

Sorry if you thought I was being boisterous, I was just stating my opinion - which is also carefully weighed.

cthoman · « **Reply #24 on:** September 14, 2010, 17:44 »

I applaud your boldness. I'm sure it was a tough decision.

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Author Topic: Money where my mouth is. (Read 22485 times)

dgilder

traveler1116

Microbius

SNP

disorderly

anonymous

Blufish

gostwyck

cathyslife

michaeldb

lisafx

sharpshot

sharply_done

RT

dgilder

Sean Locke Photography

dgilder

SNP

Sean Locke Photography

SNP

Sean Locke Photography

madelaide

disorderly

sharply_done

cthoman

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