Author Topic: New Referral Program Announced Today Oct 11 (Read 8012 times)

Larry · « **on:** October 11, 2011, 11:34 »

What do you think it will include? How do you think it will work (technically)? What would you like to see in it?

I would like a slightly higher commission when a sale comes in through my website link.

cobalt · « **Reply #1 on:** October 11, 2011, 11:47 »

I hope it will be very, very easy to use.

I´d love to have some kind of link generators, where I just enter lightboxnumbers or images and then get a simple code I can copy and paste anywhere. I don´t want to learn code, check cookies, or different browsers.

I use computers, but otherwise it is all magic to me.

Of course I hope the referrals bring money, but mostly I hope the program is interesting enough so that many people take part in it. The competition seems to offer very easy and good deals (5% of everything for a year...etc...), so I hope the istock program is more attractive than that.

And easy to use. Really, easy.

lisafx · « **Reply #2 on:** October 11, 2011, 11:49 »

I'm curious whether they will start paying referrals for referred contributors, like most other micros do, or still keep it to buyers only.

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #3 on:** October 11, 2011, 11:55 »

Gah, I hope not. We certainly don't need more contributors

.

cthoman · « **Reply #4 on:** October 11, 2011, 11:58 »

It sounded like it was using all new referral codes, so I guess that is going to break some old links.

fujiko · « **Reply #5 on:** October 11, 2011, 11:59 »

What a surprise!
An announcement after a silly survey!

A percentage of credit purchases for three months would be great. Like DT.
A percentage of sales from referred contributors would we also great. Like many agencies.
A percentage of a sale of an image of the referrer if the sale comes from referrer site would be awesome. Like Zazzle.

But instead, they just want contributors to bring buyers even after all the cuttings.

Fear the next survey, it will come with another announcement.

gostwyck · « **Reply #6 on:** October 11, 2011, 12:13 »

Too little, too late. They should have looked after the loyal customers they actually did have. Much easier than trying to replace them all every few months.

lisafx · « **Reply #7 on:** October 11, 2011, 12:29 »

Quote from: sjlocke on October 11, 2011, 11:55

Gah, I hope not. We certainly don't need more contributors .

Completely agree. Just bringing up the possibility as devil's advocate

lisafx · « **Reply #8 on:** October 11, 2011, 12:32 »

Quote from: gostwyck on October 11, 2011, 12:13

Too little, too late. They should have looked after the loyal customers they actually did have. Much easier than trying to replace them all every few months.

Are you saying that using the forums to harass complaining buyers out the door might have been a bad idea in retrospect?

helix7 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 11, 2011, 12:36 »

So they keep 83% or every sale, and they also want me to refer buyers to them? Yeah right.

disorderly · « **Reply #10 on:** October 11, 2011, 13:11 »

Quote from: helix7 on October 11, 2011, 12:36

So they keep 83% or every sale, and they also want me to refer buyers to them? Yeah right.

To them? I thought they were going to pay us to refer buyers from them! I mean, they've tried everything else!

Digital66 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 11, 2011, 14:22 »

Quote from: sjlocke on October 11, 2011, 11:55

Gah, I hope not. We certainly don't need more contributors .

+1
The last thing we need is an stimulus to bring in more contributors.

sharpshot · « **Reply #12 on:** October 11, 2011, 14:23 »

I think that until they bring back the minimum 20% commissions for non-exclusives, we would have to be crazy to want to refer people to istock. And they seem keen to send people to Thinkstock, that's the last place I would want to refer people. The site looks like its in a decline and I'm sure the only way out of it is a complete strategy change. They're just wasting time on everything else and giving Shutterstock more opportunity to take slices of their business.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #13 on:** October 11, 2011, 16:15 »

I can't see anyone but exclusives wanting to refer buyers to iStock. It's not in our (independents) interests to do so. If enough well connected exclusives can pull buyers in, all power to them; glad iStock will give them a finder's fee.

pancaketom · « **Reply #14 on:** October 11, 2011, 16:22 »

Any reward for referrals probably comes out of their barely sustainable 20% that they are paying out to contributors, so if they pay a lot out for referrals they will probably have to raise RC to cover it. (or just leave the RC where it is as sales fall).

So did they actually announce anything or just do their usual announce that they will announce something sometime in the future and it will be wonderful for everyone but then when it finally is revealed it is underwhelming but even that is a lot better than the actual implementation.

Sorry, I am not feeling very charitable towards them, so I'll stop now.

grp_photo · « **Reply #15 on:** October 11, 2011, 16:29 »

Quote from: sharpshot on October 11, 2011, 14:23

And they seem keen to send people to Thinkstock, that's the last place I would want to refer people.

Just today they send me a promo-code for Thinkstock one month 750 pictures for 99,- € ( I once bought a Getty-photo since then I do get all kind of promos from them)

RacePhoto · « **Reply #16 on:** October 11, 2011, 17:22 »

Am I the only one who got the email?

Buyers Only, new codes/links and referrals from social media sites.

May I translate from my tiny chair on wheels? Yawn.

Trying to close the barn door after the horses are out.

Plus agree with GRP and Sharpshot.

ShadySue · « **Reply #17 on:** October 11, 2011, 19:24 »

Quote from: RacePhoto on October 11, 2011, 17:22

Am I the only one who got the email?

I didn't get it, but I'm not on the A list.

rene · « **Reply #18 on:** October 11, 2011, 19:27 »

Quote from: jsnover on October 11, 2011, 16:15

I can't see anyone but exclusives wanting to refer buyers to iStock.

And not even all of them...
I'm exclusive but still have accounts on others sites. After September 2010 I send buyers to Shutterstock.
Istock should pay me much, much more than 20$ + make the referral system easy and reliable (today it seems you have great chance not to be payed).

travelstock · « **Reply #19 on:** October 11, 2011, 21:20 »

I'm hoping it has something like this in it: http://www.linkconnector.com/affiliatecampaigns.htm?cid=4382&mid=47785&fm=1 some sort of referral bonus for click throughs from existing customers as well, seeing as its some of those they presumably want to get back.

RacePhoto · « **Reply #20 on:** October 12, 2011, 01:41 »

Quote from: ShadySue on October 11, 2011, 19:24

Quote from: RacePhoto on October 11, 2011, 17:22
Am I the only one who got the email?

I didn't get it, but I'm not on the A list.

Believe me, you are much further up the food chain than I am! I just got a rejection for:

-Flat/dull colors
-Direct on-camera flash and/or flash fall-off (bright subject, dark background)
-Harsh lighting with blown-out highlights that lack details and/or distracting shadows
- Distracting lens flares
-Incorrect white balance

It was a flat bed scan, levels set to pure white and black, isolated on white. I give up! Time before it was the too sharp or too fuzzy rejection, which is, kind of confusing? Can't they just say, we don't want this... One more time, the same images that IS rejects are selling on SS, there's just something strange about the whole deal. Yeah, it's not great material, but the rejection is seriously flawed.

I may have an idea what's wrong: "a highlight is blown if the RGB value is higher than 250" so even if I have an image as an isolation, I wonder if there's something that detects whites set at 255 and I get punted. I'll buy that over blown highlights on something that's black and blue with no highlights to be blown.

I guess there's one more thing I need to do special for IS if I want my cutouts to be acceptable?

"A New & Improved Referral Program Coming in 2 Weeks"

http://links.mkt2173.com/servlet/MailView?ms=NDE0NzU5OAS2&r=MTgwNjY5ODg0MjIS1&j=MjUwMDY2NjExS0&mt=1&rt=0

qwerty · « **Reply #21 on:** October 12, 2011, 02:07 »

$20 not enough for me to send anybody to Istock.

Like someone said maybe they shouldn't have destroyed the base they had.

hofhoek · « **Reply #22 on:** October 12, 2011, 03:03 »

Why should I refer buyers to Istock? I would be crazy to do that. I rather refer them to sites who pay us fairly!

Larry · « **Reply #23 on:** October 12, 2011, 06:05 »

OK, to answer several questions about "why would I refer buyers to iStock", that is a fair question. Even if you are unhappy with them. If you are exclusive with iStock, and you have your own website with your photos, then someone looking at a photo on your site can be linked through to the detail page of the same picture on iStock, where they can make a purchase. I know iStock should be finding the customers. I know their best match should not hide your work. I know their search should be effective. Failing that, if I go out and find somebody, they find a shot they like on my website, I send them to iStock, then I should get a referral bonus for that sale. That is my only interest in referrals. I would not place a "LOOK AT ISTOCK" on my site. It is MY site. I am not interested in advertising iStock.

cidepix · « **Reply #24 on:** October 12, 2011, 06:45 »

Like I am going to refer any buyers to IS

I hate them so much, the only way I am going to refer them any customers is if they increase my commission to %50 after all the trust they lost by cutting already pathetic commissions..

ShadySue · « **Reply #25 on:** October 12, 2011, 06:53 »

Quote from: Larry on October 12, 2011, 06:05

OK, to answer several questions about "why would I refer buyers to iStock", that is a fair question. Even if you are unhappy with them. If you are exclusive with iStock, and you have your own website with your photos, then someone looking at a photo on your site can be linked through to the detail page of the same picture on iStock, where they can make a purchase. I know iStock should be finding the customers. I know their best match should not hide your work. I know their search should be effective. Failing that, if I go out and find somebody, they find a shot they like on my website, I send them to iStock, then I should get a referral bonus for that sale. That is my only interest in referrals. I would not place a "LOOK AT ISTOCK" on my site. It is MY site. I am not interested in advertising iStock.

If somone found a photo on my website, why would I consider giving iStock one penny of commission?

lisafx · « **Reply #26 on:** October 12, 2011, 08:44 »

Because you're exclusive and have no option to sell RF outside of Istock?

ShadySue · « **Reply #27 on:** October 12, 2011, 08:46 »

Quote from: lisafx on October 12, 2011, 08:44

Because you're exclusive and have no option to sell RF outside of Istock?

But we can sell RM.
(I don't use my website to sell, it's purely personal ATM at least; but if people ask I sell RM.)

jamirae · « **Reply #28 on:** October 12, 2011, 09:15 »

somebody wake me when they give details. this little game they play with just snippets of info to get people shouting "f5! f5!" in the forums is getting really old.

Larry · « **Reply #29 on:** October 12, 2011, 09:59 »

Q: "If somone found a photo on my website, why would I consider giving iStock one penny of commission?"

A: I have one set of photos, all RF. I am exclusive with iStock. My website shows these photos. I cannot sell them directly but can refer the viewer to iStock to fulfill the sale. But iStock should receive less share for fulfillment rather than their usual transaction.

Pixart · « **Reply #30 on:** October 12, 2011, 10:03 »

Ahhh, that clears it up. I was under the misconception that you couldn't display photos on your own site if they were at IS RF Exclusie.

BaldricksTrousers · « **Reply #31 on:** October 12, 2011, 10:24 »

Quote from: ShadySue on October 12, 2011, 08:46

Quote from: lisafx on October 12, 2011, 08:44
Because you're exclusive and have no option to sell RF outside of Istock?
But we can sell RM.
(I don't use my website to sell, it's purely personal ATM at least; but if people ask I sell RM.)

That raises a curious question of semantics, because iStock is actually an RM site, since it limits the usage of the images sold under the normal license (that's why there are EL licenses, on a true RF site it would be impossible to have ELs). So where is the line drawn between RF and RM? In theory, an iStock exclusive could also sell on SS, because the terms of an SS sale are "managed" to some extent.

The whole "iS sells RF, exclusives can sell RM" concept is based on a very vague and inexact use of terminology which might by hard to enforce in law.

I'm sure Sean Locke will understand that, even if not many others do.

raw_milk · « **Reply #32 on:** October 12, 2011, 12:21 »

Six years of uploading images to IS, a 25% cut in royalties, and now they want me to bring in new talent so they can pay them 17% and further erode my income? Yeah, right...

NancyCWalker · « **Reply #33 on:** October 13, 2011, 13:17 »

Here's the relevant info from the email. I just left out the part where they talk about generously doubling the pay from $10 to $20.

What to Expect
On or around October 24, we are planning to release the next (and best) phase of our newly revamped Referral Program. It will include:
A brand new underlying technology that is one of the best in the industry at referral tracking
Detailed reporting through a new referral dashboard with more granular stats that allow you to track the performance of your referral marketing
More ways to refer and earn, including new bonuses without minimum purchase requirements, stylish referral emails and something no one in the business does – bonuses for referrals who come in through social sharing

How this Affects Your Referral Links
Because we are utilizing an entirely new technology to power our referral program, you will be required to update all of your referral links. On or around October 24, we will be launching this program, so on that day, you will want to log in, accept the new terms for the program, and generate new referral links to ensure you don’t miss out on the opportunity to make money with iStock.

What About Referrals Made Between Now and Then?
Don’t worry, all successful referrals you make between now and the next release will continue to generate your bonus payout. So keep your eye on the site for iStock’s new Referral Program coming the week of October 24. In the meantime, happy referring!

qwerty · « **Reply #34 on:** October 13, 2011, 15:24 »

Quote from: jamirae on October 12, 2011, 09:15

somebody wake me when they give details. this little game they play with just snippets of info to get people shouting "f5! f5!" in the forums is getting really old.

alt F4 is the new F5 at Istock

gostwyck · « **Reply #35 on:** October 13, 2011, 19:28 »

Quote from: jamirae on October 12, 2011, 09:15

somebody wake me when they give details. this little game they play with just snippets of info to get people shouting "f5! f5!" in the forums is getting really old.

Somebody wake me when they give me 30%+ commissions for non-exclusive images. Until then they can squat. Even if we got them some customers they'd only screw them around.

BaldricksTrousers · « **Reply #36 on:** October 14, 2011, 01:55 »

The way I read it is: "We will soon stop paying referral bonuses to people who have been getting them so far unless they are savvy enough about what's going on to discover how to jump through the necessary hoops to carry on receiving them. We will claim that this is happening because we are making things better with wonderful new technology - but really we just want to pay out less cash."

It will be instructive to see if old referral links carry on taking people to the site without linking the referral to the marvellous new technology that pays you for it.

Shouldn't it be possible for the world's best referral tracking software to track the old codes as well as new ones? Just wondering.

jamirae · « **Reply #37 on:** October 14, 2011, 10:46 »

Quote from: qwerty on October 13, 2011, 15:24

Quote from: jamirae on October 12, 2011, 09:15
somebody wake me when they give details. this little game they play with just snippets of info to get people shouting "f5! f5!" in the forums is getting really old.

alt F4 is the new F5 at Istock

hahaha! I think you got that right.

ShadySue · « **Reply #38 on:** October 14, 2011, 11:07 »

Quote from: BaldricksTrousers on October 14, 2011, 01:55

The way I read it is: "We will soon stop paying referral bonuses to people who have been getting them so far unless they are savvy enough about what's going on to discover how to jump through the necessary hoops to carry on receiving them. We will claim that this is happening because we are making things better with wonderful new technology - but really we just want to pay out less cash."

They stopped paying out referrals from that site (?) that was effectively a hopeful bait and switch. Plus they had the Moo cards for exclusives, that didn't give the pertinent information that you have to go to www.istockphotol.com/friend to type in the referral code. They don't want to give away a cent or a credit more than they have to. I have a (very) few referrals, none of whom I know; but none for over a year now.

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Author Topic: New Referral Program Announced Today Oct 11 (Read 8012 times)

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