MicrostockGroup Sponsors


Poll

Have you stopped or slowed uploading at iStock, and when?

independent (since the RC system)
12 (10.3%)
independent (in 2011)
7 (6%)
independent (in 2012)
3 (2.6%)
independent (in the last 6 months)
5 (4.3%)
independent (never stopped uploading)
19 (16.2%)
independent (never stopped uploading but not as regular as before)
32 (27.4%)
independent (left iStock)
5 (4.3%)
exclusive (since the RC system)
0 (0%)
exclusive (in 2011)
2 (1.7%)
exclusive (in 2012)
2 (1.7%)
exclusive (in the last 6 months)
1 (0.9%)
exclusive (never stopped uploading)
15 (12.8%)
exclusive (never stopped uploading but not as regular as before)
4 (3.4%)
exclusive (left iStock exclusivity and continue uploading)
0 (0%)
exclusive (left iStock)
1 (0.9%)
never was an iStock contributor
2 (1.7%)
exclusive (plan on dropping crown and continue uploading)  
3 (2.6%)
exclusive (plan on dropping crown and stopped uploading)
1 (0.9%)
independent (left iStock exclusivity and continue uploading)
2 (1.7%)
independent (left iStock exclusivity and stopped uploading)
1 (0.9%)

Total Members Voted: 92

Author Topic: So when have you stopped uploading at iStock?  (Read 11549 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

« on: December 15, 2012, 09:27 »
0
I am wondering how things have changed since the introduction of the RC's, don't know if there are any stats regarding how many files enter iStock every week, anyway I believe this can make an interesting poll and of course I am open for other suggestions, thanks!


mlwinphoto

« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2012, 13:29 »
0
I would add a couple of categories:

Exclusive (plan on dropping crown and continue uploading)

Exclusive (plan on dropping crown and stop uploading)

« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2012, 13:31 »
0
My situation isn't in that list - and I'm not sure if a poll is the right way to capture this as you'll have so many options it'll make people dizzy.

I haven't stopped uploading, but I don't give them new stuff ('cause it'll go straight to Thinkstock). They'll get it in time. I no longer submit vectors there (and removed the ones I had).

« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2012, 14:10 »
+3
My category would be "Non exclusive, stopped uploading for over a year but then thought what's the point because so many others are carrying on as if istock had done nothing".

« Reply #4 on: December 15, 2012, 14:45 »
0
.

« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2012, 16:08 »
0
Stopped when the RC system was announced. Removed most of my files when they were going to be forced into the Pp system.

« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2012, 16:22 »
0
Never really stopped, I removed some but never stopped. Why should I play into their hands? makes me as wonky as they are. Besides my earning there are pretty good and rising.
Any half ass can jack it all in but intelligence moves forward no matter the direction of the winds.

« Reply #7 on: December 15, 2012, 18:27 »
+1
Stopped uploading the moment the new system was changed.  Began removing all but bestsellers a few at a time.  I have removed 80% of my pre-RC images.

lisafx

« Reply #8 on: December 15, 2012, 18:44 »
0
Stopped uploading the moment the new system was changed.  Began removing all but bestsellers a few at a time.  I have removed 80% of my pre-RC images.

Very courageous to have stood on principle like that.  What kind of effect have you seen on your income, if you don't mind sharing?  Have the other sites picked up enough that you aren't hurting from losing Istock?

« Reply #9 on: December 15, 2012, 18:47 »
0
yes it very hard to do a poll regarding this matter, too many options, will try to add a few more, thanks for all replies and votes!

leaf: please re-arrange poll order (indies options and then exclusives) because I am afraid of messing up the current entries, thanks!
« Last Edit: December 15, 2012, 18:51 by luissantos84 »

« Reply #10 on: December 15, 2012, 19:35 »
0
Stopped uploading when the RC system was announced. Removed my port when the royalty cuts became effective.

« Reply #11 on: December 15, 2012, 19:46 »
0
Stopped uploading the moment the new system was changed.  Began removing all but bestsellers a few at a time.  I have removed 80% of my pre-RC images.

Very courageous to have stood on principle like that.  What kind of effect have you seen on your income, if you don't mind sharing?  Have the other sites picked up enough that you aren't hurting from losing Istock?

Thanks, Lisa.  It didn't take much courage.  iStock had become a smaller and smaller percentage of my total.  In 2010 they were 17.6%; in 2011 they dropped to 11.9% (a decrease of 26% in actual dollars); this year they're looking like 10.5% (up 2.1% in dollars).  By comparison, I was up 9.6% overall from 2010 to 2011 and look to be up another 15.6% in 2012.

This year iStock was flat and so was Dreamstime (up 4.3%), with Fotolia down 59.8%.  On the other hand, Shutterstock is up 23.1% (37.1% of my total), 123RF is up 74.9% (15.3% of my total), Deposit up 266.85 (7.3% of my total) and Canstock up 63.9% (6.2% of my total).


lisafx

« Reply #12 on: December 15, 2012, 23:15 »
0
This year iStock was flat and so was Dreamstime (up 4.3%), with Fotolia down 59.8%.  On the other hand, Shutterstock is up 23.1% (37.1% of my total), 123RF is up 74.9% (15.3% of my total), Deposit up 266.85 (7.3% of my total) and Canstock up 63.9% (6.2% of my total).

These sound a lot like my stats.  Very glad you didn't suffer a loss of total income.  :)

« Reply #13 on: December 16, 2012, 04:38 »
+1
When the RC was announced I stopped uploading to Istock for many months. When it was clear that not enough people were boycotting I resumed uploads.
Lasted probably 3-4 months


« Reply #14 on: December 16, 2012, 04:53 »
0
When the RC was announced I stopped uploading to Istock for many months. When it was clear that not enough people were boycotting I resumed uploads.
Lasted probably 3-4 months

Be serious.
Look on the right side of this page, IS is still the second Top...
I think that any comment is superfluous.

« Reply #15 on: December 16, 2012, 09:29 »
0
i stopped when i started using FTP programs..

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #16 on: December 16, 2012, 09:33 »
0
Your title is a leading question.
Couldn't it be Poll: Have you stopped or slowed loading at iStock, and when? which is what your poll purports to quantify.

« Reply #17 on: December 16, 2012, 11:19 »
0
Your title is a leading question.
Couldn't it be Poll: Have you stopped or slowed loading at iStock, and when? which is what your poll purports to quantify.

sorry, you are right, changed the question but don't have permission to change the title

donding

  • Think before you speak
« Reply #18 on: December 16, 2012, 12:56 »
0
I left them all except Shutterstock about a year ago. Just got tired of all the BS. Found a better way to make money off my hard earned work.

« Reply #19 on: December 16, 2012, 17:18 »
0
yes it very hard to do a poll regarding this matter, too many options, will try to add a few more, thanks for all replies and votes!

leaf: please re-arrange poll order (indies options and then exclusives) because I am afraid of messing up the current entries, thanks!

I can't reorder the questions without messing up the answers.

« Reply #20 on: December 17, 2012, 10:40 »
0
The sole reason I keep uploading is because I will probably drop three middle and onle low tiers after new year. In  bothering with micro at all, I feel that it nreally boils down to the big four. All the others dont even justify the time spent, output is far less then input.

« Reply #21 on: December 17, 2012, 11:29 »
0
what i think is istock has very tedious uploading procedures..and IPTC data is not read for vector..

i uploaded some jpg through deepmeta.. but then need to go through every files..

I find the rejections is a lot..for reason like too simple or poor keywords and pick on pixel quality which is fine for other sites.

Generally, i am only able to get like 10 percent of my portfolio in istock..

I tried to add more..but sometimes i would rather just spend time on shutterstock and alamy, the return is higher.

« Reply #22 on: December 18, 2012, 12:10 »
+2
I'm not by any means a big player, but I've been exclusive with istock since 2006 and have made a pretty steady income with vector sales.
Through all the ups and downs and the many frustrations with the company, I've finally decided to stop uploading. In fact, I've given up microstock altogether. I may not be the most clever vector artist out there, but I'm pretty good, and the effort it takes vs the payback just isn't worth it for me anymore, sadly.
Thanks for reading. I'm sad to leave the community and wanted to say a sort of goodbye even if I don't really participate here.

« Reply #23 on: December 18, 2012, 12:28 »
0
I'm not by any means a big player, but I've been exclusive with istock since 2006 and have made a pretty steady income with vector sales.
Through all the ups and downs and the many frustrations with the company, I've finally decided to stop uploading. In fact, I've given up microstock altogether. I may not be the most clever vector artist out there, but I'm pretty good, and the effort it takes vs the payback just isn't worth it for me anymore, sadly.
Thanks for reading. I'm sad to leave the community and wanted to say a sort of goodbye even if I don't really participate here.

have you took your portfolio from iStock?

lisafx

« Reply #24 on: December 18, 2012, 12:43 »
0
Sorry to hear this Claudelle.  Sounds as if you are not alone. 

You might want to consider uploading your existing vector portfolio to the other top micros so you can improve your earnings with the work you've already done, even if you don't plan to do any more work for micro. 

Best of luck whatever direction your art takes you :)


 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
3 Replies
3539 Views
Last post December 19, 2006, 23:33
by Julio
95 Replies
38151 Views
Last post August 17, 2012, 08:03
by Sean Locke Photography
28 Replies
16683 Views
Last post June 20, 2018, 16:15
by Graiki
11 Replies
5548 Views
Last post January 13, 2020, 13:33
by Chichikov
6 Replies
6217 Views
Last post June 17, 2020, 08:43
by Jens G

Sponsors

Mega Bundle of 5,900+ Professional Lightroom Presets

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors