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Author Topic: So who's going to miss their RC targets?  (Read 20557 times)

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« Reply #50 on: November 29, 2012, 06:43 »
0
If the target we're all aiming for is 20%, I doubt that more than a couple of people are hitting it.

I doubt very much that anybody is hitting it. The 20% only ever existed as a headline to prove that they do pay that percentage (by virtue of the fact that they have paid it out at least once to one contributor). Pretty sure that even Yuri isn't making that nowadays.
I'm surmising that the figures are pauchled to make sure Yuri gets 20%, no matter what.

No, I think that's how it started and was intended to work __ but at that time sales had always been rising and the expectation was that that would continue for the foreseeable future. I'm pretty sure that they always expected to be increasing the RC targets each year. Then, because of their staggering greed, sales rapidly stalled and have since probably fallen. Of course they're never going to admit that and reduce RC targets accordingly.

Funnily enough I can't see Yuri admitting that he's failed to make the 20% target either so, by virtue of the stupendous egos at risk on both sides, I doubt that we'll ever get the truth.
I presume much of my lost sales with istock this year are because their buyers have switched to Thinkstock?  In theory, istock will make more money by keeping the RC targets high, so a lot of us miss them and end up on a lower commission.  But they will end up making less money out of me, because there's no motivation to upload anymore.  All my images go to SS and while my istock/Thinkstock earnings are on a downward trend, I'm close to a BME with SS.


ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #51 on: November 29, 2012, 06:57 »
0
I hit 40% today actually and got the congrats email. A nice 15% increase. Nice way to start the day.  :)
Yaaaay! Congratulations!  ;D ;D ;D

lisafx

« Reply #52 on: November 29, 2012, 09:27 »
0
I hit 40% today actually and got the congrats email. A nice 15% increase. Nice way to start the day.  :)

Congrats Oxman!  You are defying the trend :)

(BTW, you can't say b-u-c-k-i-n-g?? Is that a cuss word now?)
« Last Edit: November 29, 2012, 09:30 by lisafx »

lisafx

« Reply #53 on: November 29, 2012, 09:32 »
+1
Well, I know misery loves company, so it looks like I am in good company.

When they first started the RC system, I was making so many RCs I couldn't imagine ever dropping of 19%.  Had an overage of 50k RCs.  Last year, overage of around 20k.  This year, short by 20k. 

Still uploading regularly, but not sure for how much longer.  :(

lisafx

« Reply #54 on: November 29, 2012, 09:36 »
+1
I presume much of my lost sales with istock this year are because their buyers have switched to Thinkstock?  In theory, istock will make more money by keeping the RC targets high, so a lot of us miss them and end up on a lower commission.  But they will end up making less money out of me, because there's no motivation to upload anymore.  All my images go to SS and while my istock/Thinkstock earnings are on a downward trend, I'm close to a BME with SS.

My Istock download numbers are now about 1/3 of the PP ones, so yes, they've been very successful at migrating buyers from higher cost Istock site to dirt cheap Thinkstock.  Still don't understand the motivation there. 

You are dead right, stocktastic, about how demotivating it is.  My output is still regular, but about half of what it was a couple of years ago.  Don't see it going up either, unless the money starts to rise again. 

Istock/Getty really does epitomize the hazards of short term thinking. 

PaulieWalnuts

  • We Have Exciting News For You
« Reply #55 on: November 29, 2012, 09:49 »
0
I hit 40% today actually and got the congrats email. A nice 15% increase. Nice way to start the day.  :)

Where's the link? I demand we see your portfolio right now.  ;)

Congrats! Pretty major accomplishment considering how many diamond producers seem to be dropping like rocks.

« Reply #56 on: November 29, 2012, 09:59 »
0
Thanks Paulie, Lisa, sue, aeonf and tee  :)

« Reply #57 on: November 29, 2012, 10:31 »
+1
drinks on OX!

(CD and Tom are free of expenses)

 ;D

« Reply #58 on: November 29, 2012, 10:38 »
0
Seams I will miss 17% with few credits at the end...


maybe not! ;D
Looks possible to me too! :D



no new uploads since March, even if PP counted I wouldn't get it


« Reply #59 on: November 29, 2012, 11:01 »
0
My Istock download numbers are now about 1/3 of the PP ones, so yes, they've been very successful at migrating buyers from higher cost Istock site to dirt cheap Thinkstock.  Still don't understand the motivation there.

Wow! This is exactly what I was worried about when I left. iStock's last redeeming quality was a good RPD (on the illustration side). I guess that is gone now too. It's a shame.

« Reply #60 on: November 29, 2012, 11:05 »
0
I think I made my 19%... what is it you're supposed to reach this year? 125,000? They changed it compared to last year, right? I tried to look on their site, there is nothing with "2012" on it (royalty rate - wise)

« Reply #61 on: November 29, 2012, 11:10 »
0
But yeah, sales this November are very disappointing. Supposed to be a "cash-in" month, and there is nothing to write home about...

« Reply #62 on: November 29, 2012, 11:13 »
+2
...My Istock download numbers are now about 1/3 of the PP ones, so yes, they've been very successful at migrating buyers from higher cost Istock site to dirt cheap Thinkstock.  Still don't understand the motivation there. ...

If you want to to be the amazon.com of stock images/video/etc then you don't want SS around. You can see that SS has found a nice niche of the market in which you don't compete so you'd like to be top dog there too.

You have a bunch of wholly owned stuff which is a bit long in the tooth and doesn't sell for high prices. You don't think much of the bulk of the iStock collection (Getty's attitude, as expressed by Jonathan Klein, has been disparaging and dismissive all along) so you cherry pick the bits you want to move to your main high price site but you use the rest to act as window dressing in your new SS-wannabe site. You take a bit of a hit in short term revenue, but this is about gaining control of that market segment over time. Once you gain control (I'm not convinced they will succeed, but I'm sure they are) then you can shift prices around as you see fit, but you have the high end (Getty Images) and low end (Thinkstock) largely to yourself (Corbis doesn't count).

One think I can't fathom is why they made a new name - Thinkstock - versus using the best stock image web site ever, that they owned after buying Jupiter. photos.com. Perhaps they wanted to avoid being tied to one medium (Getty bought PumpAudio and has ambitions to be video/audio/still image intergalactic emperor).

« Reply #63 on: November 29, 2012, 18:48 »
0
When this year started, I vowed not to upload any more images to Istock unless there was a considerable improvement in commission rates.  So, in sticking with the promise, I haven't uploaded anything the whole year.  I'm concentrating on more productive and fair opportunities.  Haven't gotten the courage yet to pull my port completely, but that might come at a later date.

« Reply #64 on: November 30, 2012, 01:03 »
0
Soon we can expect a payoyt!  according to the IS forum. Comes in handy for X-mas I suppose.

gillian vann

  • *Gillian*
« Reply #65 on: November 30, 2012, 02:25 »
0
No, you just have to try to shoot saleable stuff, while they do everything they can to stop buyers from buying it. Sort of like a diabolic game.
;D ;D ...  :'(
+++1
i actually LOL'd

« Reply #66 on: November 30, 2012, 09:23 »
0
I hit my current 17 percent in August but no freakin way I will come close to 18%. That is a monumental task, especially for a measly 1%.  Like has been stated, hitting new target levels is a partnership, not a one way model we contributors must follow. By keeping 80+ % of the revenue you'd think that the site functionality, marketing efforts and relationships would be key priorities, but unfortunately it is indeed a one way model left for contributors to muscle through alone.

« Reply #67 on: December 03, 2012, 05:11 »
0
I need more 9262 credits to stay at 35%... arrrrrgggghhhh... LIARS!!!

« Reply #68 on: December 03, 2012, 09:31 »
0
Ladies nad gents,

one small step down in Your RCs,
BIG step up in IS total earnings.

Simple ...

More shoots, less talk ...

Enjoy.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #69 on: December 03, 2012, 10:01 »
0
Ladies nad gents,

one small step down in Your RCs,
BIG step up in IS total earnings.

Simple ...

More shoots, less talk ...

Enjoy.

If everyone's sales went up, they'd just raise the targets.
You can't beat them.
Knock yourself into the ground if you like. Enjoy.

« Reply #70 on: December 03, 2012, 10:09 »
+1
Ladies nad gents,

one small step down in Your RCs,
BIG step up in IS total earnings.

Simple ...

More shoots, less talk ...

Enjoy.

I went with the no istock, more peace of mind approach.  ;D
« Last Edit: December 03, 2012, 10:14 by cthoman »

lisafx

« Reply #71 on: December 03, 2012, 12:45 »
+2
Ladies nad gents,

one small step down in Your RCs,
BIG step up in IS total earnings.

Simple ...

More shoots, less talk ...

Enjoy.

This post makes me want to revise my objection to having a thumbs down option. 

Just love these geniuses who come in spouting cliches like they are unique pearls of wisdom that have never been heard or considered by anyone before.   ::)

PaulieWalnuts

  • We Have Exciting News For You
« Reply #72 on: December 03, 2012, 13:00 »
0
Ladies nad gents,

one small step down in Your RCs,
BIG step up in IS total earnings.

Simple ...

More shoots, less talk ...

Enjoy.

So if you doubled your portfolio size in a year, say from 3,000 to 6,000 images, and your income still dropped off a cliff, let's say in half, your solution is more shoots and less talk?

« Reply #73 on: December 03, 2012, 13:14 »
0
Ladies nad gents,

one small step down in Your RCs,
BIG step up in IS total earnings.

Simple ...

More shoots, less talk ...

Enjoy.

This post makes me want to revise my objection to having a thumbs down option. 

Just love these geniuses who come in spouting cliches like they are unique pearls of wisdom that have never been heard or considered by anyone before.   ::)

True. Fortunately we do have the 'Ploink!' button to use in such situations.

« Reply #74 on: December 03, 2012, 13:17 »
0
Ladies nad gents,

one small step down in Your RCs,
BIG step up in IS total earnings.

Simple ...

More shoots, less talk ...

Enjoy.


Stop smoking weed will ya.


 

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