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Author Topic: Moving iStock Forward - September 2, 2014. contributor newsletter  (Read 41277 times)

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« Reply #200 on: September 04, 2014, 17:18 »
0
That bolded statement is only true if you look for full sized images

Broadly means broadly. It doesn't mean in every single instance.


Justanotherphotographer

« Reply #201 on: September 05, 2014, 07:13 »
+3
Careful what you wish for eh? they seem to have come up with the same idea I spoke about here http://www.microstockgroup.com/general-stock-discussion/dear-stock-agencies-time-for-you-to-take-control/

While their listening,
1. make jpegs of vectors available for the standard price and the vector versions all under the premium price, 
2. increase Thinkstock PPD in line with SS,
3. up our percentage to much closer to 50%

That is all

« Reply #202 on: September 06, 2014, 07:39 »
+14
We contributors are so lonely. We can't punch the table and say NO! So the agencies keep abusing this. Normally businesses buy or produces what they sell. Microstock agencies don't do this. They just do the PR, take our works and sell. And what they get for this is 85%.. what!?

I do both photos and vectors. I'm traveling, waiting for hours for the right scene, right light, dogging precious moments, buying the best equipments, 5 grant dollar camera, expensive lenses, filters, studio equipment, studio itself, drawing tablet, generating arts, drawing, sketching, re-drawing, following trends, trying to create what people need and guess what they might need in the future, improving myself and investing money on it.. typing titles, descriptions and loads of keywords which is the biggest pain in the a*s and i have to do it for each file i create, thousands.. i mean i do a whole lotta work and the agency tells me my work is just 1-dollar worth no matter what size and sometimes my work is cheap because it's simple (the stupidest thing ever but, let's say ok..) and give me god * fifteen per cent??!!! with no expenses from their sides..

I don't know if you guys have special agreements or something but I feel abused and there is nobody to say "what the fck are you doing" to the agencies taking the prices and our percentages down and down each day.

I'm sure some you will proudly throw their sarcasm on me now. And I'm really sick of reading "like it or leave it" attitude here.

« Reply #203 on: September 06, 2014, 07:52 »
+2
the agency tells me my work is just 1-dollar worth no matter what size and sometimes my work is cheap because it's simple (the stupidest thing ever but, let's say ok..) and give me god * fifteen per cent??!!! with no expenses from their sides..
Your files won't be $1, they are going to be 1 credit which will cost $8-15.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #204 on: September 06, 2014, 07:59 »
-1
And I'm really sick of reading "like it or leave it" attitude here.
I've seldom read that. Very few like it, other than a few SS-lovers.
It's usually, "take it or leave it", meaning if you don't like what an agency does, leave it and either find an agent/distributor you're happy with AND which sells your image (not an easy match, apparently) or do something else (either e.g. selling yourself/Symbio or outwith photography).
Sorry you're sick of it, but what alternatives are you bringing to the table? The agencies' attitude is 'take it or leave it' except for the very few (usually image factories) who have special deals.
Stocksy seems like a viable alternative for some, and certainly they are racking up the 'take me, take me' desires by keeping people on tenterhooks for months then rejecting many (and accepting some). If your work fits what they want, why not try there - but it's really mostly lifestyle they want, and photos, not vectors, for the present.

As this is an iS thread, why not write to iS and see if they'll cut you a deal.
Otherwise, what do you suggest?

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #205 on: September 06, 2014, 08:41 »
+3
And where is the suggestion of whoever minussed my post above? You are perfectly entitled to express your opinion, but it might have been more helpful to HC if you'd given some positive suggestions, since my, admittedly feeble, attempts:
  • Leave the agencies you don't like
  • Find agencies you do like, who can sell your files
  • Symbio
  • Sell on your own
  • Stocksy (if your photos fit)
  • Get a special deal
  • Do something else
were so unacceptable.
« Last Edit: September 06, 2014, 17:26 by ShadySue »

« Reply #206 on: September 06, 2014, 09:00 »
0
And where is the suggestion of whoever minusssed my post above? You are perfectly entitled to express your opinion, but it might have been more helpful to HC if you'd given some positive suggestions, since my, admittedly feeble, attempts:
  • Leave the agencies you don't like
  • Find agencies you do like, who can sell your files
  • Symbio
  • Sell on your own
  • Stocksy (if your photos fit)
  • Get a special deal
were so unacceptable.
It all sounds reasonable to me. Not much else to do really.
Apparently it was the suggestion to think for oneself which was unacceptable. :)
Funny thing I asked someone who wanted critique on a new PF what they thought of their own PF not so long ago. That was ignored. 

Justanotherphotographer

« Reply #207 on: September 07, 2014, 04:46 »
+16
IStock has several problems that they refuse to recognize.

They all have the same route cause, they pay a percentage to contributors that is much too low compared to their competitors. This plays out in several ways that is bad for them and us.

Firstly, all their strategies are based on them having the widest choice for customers and best content because they offer exclusivity. This is no longer true as many contributors refuse to work with them because their shabby treatment and low rates. Shutterstock may not call the millions of additional image they have "exclusive", but for a microstock customer in effect they are, and IStock has no one to blame but themselves.

Secondly, they can't compete with other sites on price for the same reason. They cut percentages for contributors so low that contributors can sell their work for half the price elsewhere, clean up on volume, and still earn a better RPD than on IStock. IStock can't cut their prices without increasing their rates to us, their competitors with better remuneration will always be able to cut lower because of it.

This new model wont work for all the same reasons they have been losing ground all along. If they want to compete they need to increase contributor rates back close to 50% and Thinkstock RPD to 28-38c tiered, but good luck convincing them of that!

Shelma1

  • stockcoalition.org
« Reply #208 on: September 07, 2014, 05:59 »
+9
I think their problem is that they invented the car, but they're still tinkering with the Model T while the rest of their competitors have moved on.

« Reply #209 on: September 08, 2014, 22:38 »
+2
I think the biggest problem iStock will have with their new arrangement is that there will be two collections of images, one three times more expensive than the other, with no really obvious (visual) reason why the expensive ones are expensive.

As I understand it, some exclusive content will be in Essentials, so having things that are only on iStock isn't the reason items cost more.

Given the Getty dumps into Vetta and signature - some of which is truly rubbish (http://www.istockphoto.com/photo/close-up-of-orange-slice-25406418?st=288a235) - there will be a lot of the higher price stuff that just defies logic from a buyer perspective.

Until they address that (and it's hard to see how they can without upsetting exclusives or Getty), I don't see how buyers will find shopping at iStock appealing.




https://twitter.com/ilona_andrews/status/503247244800569344

Quote
Dear iStock, go home, you are drunk.

http://www.istockphoto.com/photo/blank-book-21381392?st=24d71e8

I am not paying you $73 for that image.

« Reply #210 on: September 09, 2014, 03:43 »
+13
I think if they just kicked out all the rubbish out of their higher priced collection and prevented the ugly getty leftovers from ever entering the istock system, they could do more for their reputation than all the other changes coming now. They could keep their 4 tier system as long as there is a visible difference as the price goes up.

And it is something that nobody is doing at the moment,filter all incoming content by quality (including indie content) and put it into the appropriate price band.

They have enough editors to do it and this would really set istock apart.

You can't write a program to filter for visual style, you need qualified human beings to do this.

But I guess quality is supposed to be the privilege of getty,while istock is just the dump for everything these days.

I really don't see how istock will be more successful than Thinkstock. It is not like they haven't experimented with a cheap subs site for years, but it never grew into a major threat for the other agencies.

So why would they be more successful with istock?

I am all for simplifying things, but raising the price for the basic,daily used files by 500%  is something I don't understand. And the 1% high quality stuff,that customers didn't mind spending on, is now underpriced.

Anyway, nothing we can do in the short term and the indies will be making more money. And if the customers that love buying by credit and size leave, they will go to the websites where I am already present and I get a higher royalty, so looks like I can't really lose with this system (except for video).

But the poor customer, every year they have to endure a new drastic change and relearn how to find what they need. It is not a surprise many are leaving for the more stable agencies.

stocked

« Reply #211 on: September 09, 2014, 05:09 »
0


You can't write a program to filter for visual style, you need qualified human beings to do this.


Something SS has to learn too!

« Reply #212 on: September 09, 2014, 07:49 »
+2
WOW... I haven't had a download  since sept 2, it's never been this slow for me in the 10 years I've been at iSock.


My Very Best :)
KimsCreativeHub.com

« Reply #213 on: September 09, 2014, 07:57 »
0
Meanwhile I've seen an uptic in SS credit sales, I've had several $3+ sales.

The idea of making more from sm/med  sounds good if those sales don't turn into subs.

Now maybe some are looking forward to the new prices and are waiting.... But I would think customers with credits would use up credits to scoop up some sm/med??


My Very Best :)
KimsCreativeHub.com

« Reply #214 on: September 09, 2014, 16:30 »
0
WOW... I haven't had a download  since sept 2, it's never been this slow for me in the 10 years I've been at iSock.

Since being a member since about 2003, any major site change kills sales for a few weeks. The buyers have to get readjusted and the sellers are in a tizzy.

« Reply #215 on: September 12, 2014, 16:34 »
+6
I've been downloading a few CSV files of past financials this afternoon - just on the offchance something goes splat after they rework the site over the weekend.

It's probably overly pessimistic, but in case there are any other pessimists out there, get your CSV files or screen grabs pre-change to compare with post-change in case anything seems wrong.

« Reply #216 on: September 12, 2014, 19:18 »
0
Thanks Jo Ann. Judging from past September iStock rollouts, this is very good advice.

« Reply #217 on: September 13, 2014, 06:20 »
0
Crap, I forgot to cash out my money before the maintenance. Hopefully the site is not down until Monday.

« Reply #218 on: September 13, 2014, 06:28 »
0
Crap, I forgot to cash out my money before the maintenance. Hopefully the site is not down until Monday.

I tried to cash mine before this week's payoneer cut-off, but the site kept freezing so I didn't manage it. And I didn't read Jo Ann's sage advice until it was too late.

wds

« Reply #219 on: September 13, 2014, 08:45 »
0
Has anyone heard anything about when iS is supposed to be back up?

Dook

« Reply #220 on: September 13, 2014, 08:49 »
0
Nobody knows
"Making these changes is a pretty big job, so we're taking down the site, starting at 12:01am (EDT) on Saturday, September 13. We promise to make it as quick and painless as possible."

Uncle Pete

« Reply #221 on: September 13, 2014, 08:51 »
0

Sorry, we're down for maintenance
We're working hard to bring you a better iStock experience, with major changes to our credit system and pricing.

We will be back up and running this weekend, so check back often.
For the latest updates follow us on Twitter @iStock.


So I did just that:

https://twitter.com/iStock


Has anyone heard anything about when iS is supposed to be back up?

« Reply #222 on: September 13, 2014, 09:57 »
+2
Looks like they dropped the price for the "essentials" sub plan and raised the priced for the "signature" sub plan, yes?
http://www.istockphoto.com/plans-and-pricing

And the one month signature plan is $500.  No extra for the contributor from that, though, right?

And the pricing slider is gone, whose functionality is covered by the now confusing "subscriptions" filter.

« Last Edit: September 13, 2014, 09:59 by Sean Locke Photography »

Shelma1

  • stockcoalition.org
« Reply #223 on: September 13, 2014, 09:59 »
0
Yes...weren't the prices much closer before?

« Reply #224 on: September 13, 2014, 10:00 »
0
one credit costs 12,50
so we become everytime 1,88(at 15%) minimum comission, am i right there ?


 

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