Geeezzz... just got a call from Getty (to voicemail) from a guy pushing THINKSTOCK and various subscription plans and he sends me an email as well with a big pdf promo with all the sub plans and other features of THINKSTOCK...

As a buyer...I guess he did not know I was also an  exclusive contributor with iSTock/Getty and NOT part of THINKSTOCK and hate sub plans.

Interesting that Getty is NOW calling all the istock buyers, pushing THINKSTOCK. Thanks GETTY for making us exclusives feel so f~ing special. 

HERE IS THE EMAIL

I am sorry I missed you when I called today. I was calling you because our records indicate you are the individual that manages your iStock photo/Getty images account.  I wanted to let you know about a new Getty Images platform that provides better value to companies that have an ongoing need for images or a periodic need for a large quantity of images. As a matter of fact;  If you use stock photography of any kind on a routine basis, this email will be a game changer!

Getty Images created Thinkstock as a new resource for companies like yours to improve their work flows while allowing them to save money and expand their creative freedom.  Thinkstock is an innovative new way to access high-end stock imagery at a flat rate and is the only image solution to offer over 40 premium image collections from many websites you may already be using including Getty Images, iStockphoto, Jupiter Images and Punchstock.  You have access to over 10 Million premium, royalty-free photos, vectors and illustrations with thousands of fresh images added weekly all searchable with our new and improved search engine.

Pricing + Selection = Value:
While there is a great deal of content available from Getty Images and we remain the go-to source for most organizations, a new trend is developing. Currently many organizations are searching the Internet looking to pay, on average, about $20 - $50 each for a good selection of quality RF images. However, many are not happy with the selection or the price or both.  In other words, the value is not there. I am sure you believe your time is better spent being creative with the needed images, not searching the Internet for the images. This is why we felt the need to place Millions of high quality photos, illustrations, and vectors all in one place with an easy and effective search tool. You will find the image you want, you will find it fast and you will find our plans make Thinkstock an excellent value.
 
My job is to find the right Thinkstock plan to fit your unique needs.  From time-to-time  we offer special pricing and/or promotions not available on the website so it is always advisable to check with me before making any purchase.  Additionally I am here to help you with any questions or concerns you may have. I have attached a PDF which outlines some of our plans and another which outlines some of this month�s promotions.
 
Key points:
1.    Never use a water-marked or low res image again. Always be able to use high res in all aspects of your design process.

2.    Only website where you will find RF collections of photos, vectors and illustrations from Getty images and iStock photo providing you access to images you did not use in the past due to their high cost.

3.    Easy to use search engine to efficiently find the right image and fantastic light box feature to share that image with your colleagues or clients.

4.    Ability to access and download far more images each month for the same annual cost that you are paying now for far fewer images and a far narrower selection.

5.    Lock in a major portion of your annual budget at the same level you are spending now and even if a large new client comes in, your plan can absorb the need for images without any increase to your cost. Dare I say; profit.

 
We appreciate your continued business. If you would like to know more about Thinkstock, please let me know your intentions and I will send you a quote for the best possible price for one of our plans or arrange to demo our site for you. If you are happy with your current situation and want to be left alone, I will do as you say. Just let me know your desired next step.  I do hope to hear from you.
 
Thanks.
 
 
Steve Noble - Sales Executive

"From time-to-time  we offer special pricing and/or promotions not available on the website so it is always advisable to check with me before making any purchase."

In other words: We can give it to you even cheaper than the price you see on our website.

They're offering to discount their prices without the customer even asking. That's the number one no-no in sales psychology. What in the world are these guys thinking?

I can't even withdraw my images from Thinkstock without dropping iStock as well.

Thanks for posting - and I wish I could say I am surprised. Do you remember several years ago when an iStock exclusive posted in the forums that their Getty sales rep (at his day job) was telling a conference room full of folks at his company that it wasn't safe to buy from iStock because they didn't have model and property releases for their images?

I was exclusive at the time and what stuck out for me was that no one at iStock seemed to think this could be "fixed" - rein in the Getty reps who were selling iStock down the river to make their own quotas. Fast forward to this crap.

It's no longer my fight, but for those who are still exclusive, this has got to be another addition to the list of unsettling things Getty is doing that have the effect of undermining your business.

Exclusive files are not on TS right? Or were they now included on TS as well?

Anyhoo, thats shocking to read when you are exclusive to Istock.

Quote from: Ron on September 11, 2013, 09:16

Exclusive files are not on TS right? Or were they now included on TS as well?
Anyhoo, thats shocking to read when you are exclusive to Istock.

Previously, Exclusives could opt their files into TS, either en masse or individually, if they chose to do so.
Now, that option has been removed.
But yes, it's surely yet another nail in the Exclusive coffin.

I am confused though, someone mentioned Istock was gearing towards being exclusive only, or it looked that way. Is this move part of that plan to remove indies from IS?

Quote from: ShadySue on September 11, 2013, 09:22

Quote from: Ron on September 11, 2013, 09:16

Exclusive files are not on TS right? Or were they now included on TS as well?
Anyhoo, thats shocking to read when you are exclusive to Istock.

Previously, Exclusives could opt their files into TS, either en masse or individually, if they chose to do so.
Now, that option has been removed.
But yes, it's surely yet another nail in the Exclusive coffin.

I am confused though, someone mentioned Istock was gearing towards being exclusive only, or it looked that way. Is this move part of that plan to remove indies from IS?

That was someone's opinion, based on their interpretation of the available evidence.
For a while, I've been thinking that they want to get rid of exclusivity, except maybe for a few big-hitters.
I was only in TS for a very few weeks at the beginning, until their lie of 'it's new customers' was revealed as such when they first started trying to lure big buyers off iS and onto TS, then I pulled out.
Same old, same old, and inexplicable.
It may be that they are going to push out all small-time exclusives and move the big hitters up to midstock, but they always confound my hypotheses.

It sounds to me like they're headed for two tiers: Getty for high-priced, exclusive content, and Thinkstock to compete with subscription-based sites. Perhaps they will eventually do away with iStock, and have the content absorbed by TS and Getty?

On another note, I'm hoping this email was written by the individual who sent it, because it's almost as poorly written as the "newsletter" we received recently...and I'd hate to think they're paying a professional writer to put this stuff together.

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As the OP I used to buy alot of stock YEARS ago and now only by a few a year for my design clients. Perhaps they are targeting me thinking I headed over to Shutterstock. This campaign could be for competing against SS. Still sucks.

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Quote from: oxman on September 11, 2013, 10:40

Perhaps they are targeting me thinking I headed over to Shutterstock. This campaign could be for competing against SS.

Thanks for responding, my guess was that this was to get buyers that have switched to Shutterstock or one of the other subscription sites.

Probably not just targeting SS switchers and potential switchers. There will be current customers who ALSO have Shutterstock accounts too.

I would expect to see Thinkstock being much more positively marketed as an alternative to Shutterstock in the months and years ahead. Assuming the infrastructure and content is now ready.

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