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Author Topic: Moving iStock Forward - September 2, 2014. contributor newsletter  (Read 41282 times)

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« Reply #125 on: September 03, 2014, 10:57 »
+3
But Lobo said clearly: "You're assuming 1 new credit = $1, but it will probably be closer to $2. So you need to double your numbers. We'll know the exact credit pack prices around sep 15."

So why do you think that 1 new credit will be 8-10 dollars, when he said it will be closer to 2 dollars?

No he didn't.  He said it would be _more_ than $2 .  Obviously, that contributor was getting confused, throwing out the number of $1, when the current price isn't even that little.  So, a bone was thrown that is so far away from the actual price that it doesn't matter.  If it was actually $2, all income would instantly be cut by more than half.

I must say Im confused too by the whole thread about this on Istock forum because people are throwing various numbers and the only one who can know something should be Lobo. More than 2 could be anything, I just dont get why he mentioned 2 dollars if the actual amount should be 8-10.


« Reply #126 on: September 03, 2014, 10:58 »
0
But Lobo said clearly: "You're assuming 1 new credit = $1, but it will probably be closer to $2. So you need to double your numbers. We'll know the exact credit pack prices around sep 15."

So why do you think that 1 new credit will be 8-10 dollars, when he said it will be closer to 2 dollars?

No he didn't.  He said it would be _more_ than $2 .  Obviously, that contributor was getting confused, throwing out the number of $1, when the current price isn't even that little.  So, a bone was thrown that is so far away from the actual price that it doesn't matter.  If it was actually $2, all income would instantly be cut by more than half.

I must say Im confused too by the whole thread about this on Istock forum because people are throwing various numbers and the only one who can know something should be Lobo. More than 2 could be anything, I just dont get why he mentioned 2 dollars if the actual amount should be 8-10.

managing expectation.

« Reply #127 on: September 03, 2014, 10:59 »
0
Remember, credits aren't attached to actual value (aside from paying contributors).  If a buyer has 10 credits that they paid $20 for, they get 2 new credits, regardless of the price.  If 1 new credit "pack" is only $5, then that buyer got hosed.  If 1 new credit pack is $10, then he feels ok.  If 1 new credit pack is $15, then he's very smiley, since the value of his credits just went up.

Another way to do it, which would be more obvious to buyers that they are getting hosed or a better deal, is to evaluate the value of all the credits being held by a buyer and then divide by the middle price for new credits, assuming different numbers of credits cost more or less depending on a bulk discount.

The only correct way of looking at it IMO from the customer perspective is in terms of what you can buy for the $ spend.

10 credits @ $20 is currently worth 2 mediums + 1 small

Hobostocker

    This user is banned.
« Reply #128 on: September 03, 2014, 11:03 »
0
Thanks Hobostocker! I'll have a beer with you and the other hobos later under the bridge now that we're all poor. * those rich Getty agency photographers and their fancy sets!

hahahaha cheers to you !

Hobostocker

    This user is banned.
« Reply #129 on: September 03, 2014, 11:05 »
+1
They want to sell the premium content at low prices.  It's the reverse of all the moves done in the past that were applauded that more correctly valued the content.

it's just another price correction, there's no need to make a storm in a teapot.

what matters is if they'll be able to keep their promises : more sales due to lowered pricing and subs.

i mean, suppliers can move to greener pastures but the IS management are the ones in the sinking ship, if it all fails it's going to hurt their as-s more than it hurts my pocket.

in any case even this price correction proves once again that the whole industry has no intention of keeping the actual business model photographer-friendly in terms of revenues.


« Last Edit: September 03, 2014, 11:09 by Hobostocker »

« Reply #130 on: September 03, 2014, 12:01 »
+1
I'm not sure how this will pan out, but I wonder why Istock always manages to choose the worst possible moment to roll out new changes? It's right after the summer slump, sales are expected to go back up again, yet Istock will change everything around again, possibly scaring off buyers.

For me personally, most of my vectors are priced at 12 old credits, which will now be priced at 1 'new' credit (5 old credits)? That would mean less RPD for me.
On the other hand, if the vectors priced at 1 old credit are now also 1 new credit, that would mean more RPD, am I correct?
« Last Edit: September 03, 2014, 12:05 by Noedelhap »

« Reply #131 on: September 03, 2014, 12:02 »
+4
Evething for 1 Dollar?
This sounds familiar... :-\

Doesn't it say one new credit is 5 old credits?

I was joking, but when for almost all the other agencies 1 credit means 1 dollar or so, they will make advertising saying: 1 credit for a full size image. New customers will say: wow, this is very cheap. Than, when they go to buy credits they discover that one credit costs 8/10$. They will be veeeery happy for this and they will go to DPC were 1 credit really is 1$. They share the same Marketing management with Microsoft...

« Reply #132 on: September 03, 2014, 12:15 »
+5
Lobo just clarified the credit prices:

http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=362716&messageid=7041654

"
Lobo
Forum Moderator
Posted 6 mins ago
Quote

Okay, everyone. I can officially stop using the phrase 'it will be more than $2 per credit':

Credits will range from $8 to $15 depending on the size of the credit pack the buyer purchases.

So it will be considerably higher than $2. And that is the last time I will have to type anything to do with $2 in this thread.

I appreciate this has been a frustrating aspect of the communication. We are pleased to be able to finally share this information with you."

so for me this would mean I will be getting 1.4 -2.7 dollars for my files. and 28 cents for subscription sales. that is not that different from what I am getting now. Might even be a little more. so as an indie I dont have to be worried for photos.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2014, 12:21 by cobalt »

« Reply #133 on: September 03, 2014, 12:19 »
+1
Lobo just clarified the credit prices:

"
Lobo
Forum Moderator
Posted 6 mins ago
Quote

Okay, everyone. I can officially stop using the phrase 'it will be more than $2 per credit':

Credits will range from $8 to $15 depending on the size of the credit pack the buyer purchases.

So it will be considerably higher than $2. And that is the last time I will have to type anything to do with $2 in this thread.

I appreciate this has been a frustrating aspect of the communication. We are pleased to be able to finally share this information with you."

I just read it too, its good he clarified it and Im sorry I was confused about it or rather worried that it may be really as low as two dollars.. Finally some real numbers!

« Reply #134 on: September 03, 2014, 12:22 »
0
Its not his fault, but was it really so difficult to give people real numbers??

However it also means my videos will be sold between 7.2 - 13.5 dollars.

That is crazy low. Really no incentive to send them work. What a pity, i would have liked to try the new upload system. Hm. Maybe I can try with some older files or things that dont sell elsewhere. Or the testshots.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2014, 12:26 by cobalt »

« Reply #135 on: September 03, 2014, 12:30 »
0
However it also means my videos will be sold between 7.2 - 13.5 dollars.

Essentials video clips will be 6 credits. So that means them being sold for $48 - $90 surely ?

ETA: oh - I guess you mean your royalty. What size normally sells best ?
« Last Edit: September 03, 2014, 12:39 by bunhill »

« Reply #136 on: September 03, 2014, 12:43 »
+1
I dont have a lot of sales on istock, because of a codec bug they have I couldnt upload in the last few months. If I do have a sale I get a mix of everything, not just hd sales.

15% for video is just too low. It should be 30% like on SS at least.

« Reply #137 on: September 03, 2014, 12:49 »
+2
Wow, so at the small pack end, 5 current credits ( one new credit ) costs $10, but if you buy it in two weeks, that credit will cost $15.  Wow.  Hard to compare that way, tho.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2014, 12:52 by Sean Locke Photography »

« Reply #138 on: September 03, 2014, 13:02 »
+4
Wow, so at the small pack end, 5 current credits ( one new credit ) costs $10, but if you buy it in two weeks, that credit will cost $15.  Wow.  Hard to compare that way, tho.

Also, with five current credits you could buy 2.5 small inde pictures, with 1 new credit you can buy one inde picture.  It's a hell of an increase for the small buyer.

« Reply #139 on: September 03, 2014, 13:03 »
+4
Wow, so at the small pack end, 5 current credits ( one new credit ) costs $10, but if you buy it in two weeks, that credit will cost $15.  Wow.  Hard to compare that way, tho.
Or you could look at it like a nonexclusive image costs $31 for a cash sale now but will be $15 in two weeks.  That moves the price down to surprise, surprise almost exactly what SS is selling them for.  It's not really hard to see what pricing pressure from that other agency is doing.

« Reply #140 on: September 03, 2014, 13:07 »
+2
Has anyone got sales since the announcement?

I haven't seen a single sale since the announcement.

« Reply #141 on: September 03, 2014, 13:08 »
+1
Has anyone got sales since the announcement?

I haven't seen a single sale since the announcement.

Yes, a smattering, but fewer than I would expect.

« Reply #142 on: September 03, 2014, 13:13 »
+1
Wow, so at the small pack end, 5 current credits ( one new credit ) costs $10, but if you buy it in two weeks, that credit will cost $15.  Wow.  Hard to compare that way, tho.
Or you could look at it like a nonexclusive image costs $31 for a cash sale now but will be $15 in two weeks.  That moves the price down to surprise, surprise almost exactly what SS is selling them for.  It's not really hard to see what pricing pressure from that other agency is doing.

You can rake up a theoretical maximum sale price but I can't recall when I last saw that sort of sale come through. My average commission last month was 80c (on a statistically meaningful sample size)  giving an average sale price of $4.70.  From next month that will rise to $8-$15.

KB

« Reply #143 on: September 03, 2014, 13:14 »
+1
However it also means my videos will be sold between 7.2 - 13.5 dollars.

That is crazy low. Really no incentive to send them work. What a pity, i would have liked to try the new upload system. Hm. Maybe I can try with some older files or things that dont sell elsewhere. Or the testshots.
That settles it then. They won't be selling my videos once the price changes go into effect. (Then again, they've hardly been selling my videos recently at all; August was my WME.)

The average commission will probably be $10, give or take, and that will now be for HD size. That is not sustainable.

« Reply #144 on: September 03, 2014, 13:16 »
0
Wow, so at the small pack end, 5 current credits ( one new credit ) costs $10, but if you buy it in two weeks, that credit will cost $15.  Wow.  Hard to compare that way, tho.
Or you could look at it like a nonexclusive image costs $31 for a cash sale now but will be $15 in two weeks.  That moves the price down to surprise, surprise almost exactly what SS is selling them for.  It's not really hard to see what pricing pressure from that other agency is doing.

You can rake up a theoretical maximum sale price but I can't recall when I last saw that sort of sale come through. My average commission last month was 80c (on a statistically meaningful sample size)  giving an average sale price of $4.70.  From next month that will rise to $8-$15.
That was the price to buy the minimum amount of images compared between SS and IS.  If you just want one on iStock you pay $31 for a max sized  image and on SS you have to buy 2 images for $29.  I guess you probably would buy 10 credits though for $20 on iStock to get that 8 credit image.  The cash pricing never really made much sense but I did get cash sales every so often.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2014, 13:18 by tickstock »

« Reply #145 on: September 03, 2014, 13:19 »
+2
Has anyone got sales since the announcement?
I haven't seen a single sale since the announcement.

I have got more then average sales on SS since the announcement.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #146 on: September 03, 2014, 13:31 »
+4
I don't think Alamy or Getty RM is priced by size.
Did you actually check?
Or did you think I'd invented my screenshots?

« Reply #147 on: September 03, 2014, 13:32 »
0
I don't think Alamy or Getty RM is priced by size.
Did you actually check?
Or did you think I'd invented my screenshots?
There is a difference between end use and what size file is downloaded.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #148 on: September 03, 2014, 13:34 »
0
I don't think Alamy or Getty RM is priced by size.

Did you actually check?
Or did you think I'd invented my screenshots?

There is a difference between end use and what size file is downloaded.

In both companies, end use AND size (etc) are used to calculate price:

« Reply #149 on: September 03, 2014, 13:37 »
0
Look at the size listed under where you click  for 'marketing package small business' or 'marketing package large business', the file sizes are the same (that's what you get when you license it, I think).  My understanding is that the end use size is limited but you get the full sized image to work with, say to crop it, edit it, or whatever before you use it in the final project.


 

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