Author Topic: Will you stay with iStock after the 9/2/14 change or start pulling out? (Read 26918 times)

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #25 on:** September 03, 2014, 11:12 »

Quote from: helloitsme on September 03, 2014, 09:30

I think just to "wait and see" is the right answer at this point. No need to run to the exit because my portfolio there is very small now. They should make it easier and faster to upload if they want more content.

I wouldn't upload anything for a while and see where this latest lurch of theirs is going. No reason to remove content in the short term.

I pulled out all but 100 of my images over the Getty-Google scam (those images were shot at an iStockalypse and can't be sold elsewhere) and have no plans at the moment to upload to them. I find it useful to be able to keep an eye on them as a contributor so I doubt I'll ever voluntarily close my account

PixelBytes · « **Reply #26 on:** September 03, 2014, 11:36 »

I doubt you will see many contributors leave over this. Those that are/were fed up enough to leave over Istock's tactics have already gone.

If the income drops much more for exclusives I expect there will be another big group dropping crowns.

For indies, they just become a mid-low tier agency and get uploads according to their new lower priority status.

pancaketom · « **Reply #27 on:** September 03, 2014, 11:49 »

I don't expect to change my port there - I removed most of my stuff when it was forced into thinkstock leaving a few old files that mostly seemed to do better at IS than elsewhere. I get a payout every once in a while, and this lets me see how they perform over time. This move actually might help me there since most of my sales are either subs (won't change) or XS and S.

Removing your images doesn't seem to increase your bottom line, but it does lower blood pressure and helps you to feel a little less abused, which in my case is worth it.

I'll probably watch what happens there as they lurch about a little more closely. My only real fear is they will try to undercut everyone and lure buyers away from places that pay a better percent. My prediction is that single credits will be somewhere in the 9-10$ range but that people buying heaps of credits will get very deep discounts.

Good luck to them making this change smoothly and glitchless - Ha - good thing they are doing it as they head into the busy season... really I'd like all their buyers to move to Pond5 or somewhere that treats contributors better, but that is a pipe dream.

helloitsme · « **Reply #28 on:** September 03, 2014, 12:18 »

Quote from: ShadySue on September 03, 2014, 10:11

Quote from: helloitsme on September 03, 2014, 09:30
I think just to "wait and see" is the right answer at this point. No need to run to the exit because my portfolio there is very small now. They should make it easier and faster to upload if they want more content.
I've never found it difficult to upload there.
Many people (not me) love DeepMeta for uploading, so you could give that a try if you haven't already.

I don't know what it is. I've been uploading one at a time and tagging one at a time too.

shudderstok · « **Reply #29 on:** September 03, 2014, 12:29 »

Quote from: tickstock on September 03, 2014, 08:17

Quote from: Mantis on September 03, 2014, 07:53
2. If #1 happens, they lose buyers so the next question is can they attract new buyers to replace them? There are A LOT of small buyers and they will likely end up over at SS. So I see potential volume as a whole going down if pricing goes up too far.
It looks to me like pricing is coming down to compete with SS, I don't see how they would lose buyers to them with the new pricing. SS charges 9 to 15 dollars per image for image packs, 1 credit at iStock probably will be less expensive than that don't you think?

ya thunk? the race to the bottom continues, how cool is that?

etudiante_rapide · « **Reply #30 on:** September 03, 2014, 12:40 »

Quote from: shudderstok on September 03, 2014, 12:29

Quote from: tickstock on September 03, 2014, 08:17
Quote from: Mantis on September 03, 2014, 07:53
2. If #1 happens, they lose buyers so the next question is can they attract new buyers to replace them? There are A LOT of small buyers and they will likely end up over at SS. So I see potential volume as a whole going down if pricing goes up too far.
It looks to me like pricing is coming down to compete with SS, I don't see how they would lose buyers to them with the new pricing. SS charges 9 to 15 dollars per image for image packs, 1 credit at iStock probably will be less expensive than that don't you think?

ya thunk? the race to the bottom continues, how cool is that?

consensus being neither IS nor SS will lose out , since bottom-feeders will now see increase too in their IS port as with SS. bigger earners will lose big time (as with SS already )
but both sites will still look good, as already pointed out,
this industry is never photographer-friendly.

the resounding echo, "to please our clients" ...

ShadySue · « **Reply #31 on:** September 03, 2014, 12:43 »

Quote from: helloitsme on September 03, 2014, 12:18

Quote from: ShadySue on September 03, 2014, 10:11
Quote from: helloitsme on September 03, 2014, 09:30
I think just to "wait and see" is the right answer at this point. No need to run to the exit because my portfolio there is very small now. They should make it easier and faster to upload if they want more content.

I've never found it difficult to upload there.
Many people (not me) love DeepMeta for uploading, so you could give that a try if you haven't already.

I don't know what it is. I've been uploading one at a time and tagging one at a time too.

http://www.deepmeta.com

Elenathewise · « **Reply #32 on:** September 03, 2014, 12:48 »

Quote from: PixelBytes on September 03, 2014, 11:36

For indies, they just become a mid-low tier agency and get uploads according to their new lower priority status.

Yup!

KB · « **Reply #33 on:** September 03, 2014, 12:50 »

I won't be removing my photos from IS, but I'll have to wait to see if I'll be dropping exclusivity or not.

I almost certainly will be removing my videos. I don't support sites that average < $20 commissions for HD footage. It sounds like with the new IS pricing there's a good chance it will be < $10, which is simply ridiculous.

tickstock · « **Reply #34 on:** September 03, 2014, 13:05 »

Quote from: shudderstok on September 03, 2014, 12:29

Quote from: tickstock on September 03, 2014, 08:17
Quote from: Mantis on September 03, 2014, 07:53
2. If #1 happens, they lose buyers so the next question is can they attract new buyers to replace them? There are A LOT of small buyers and they will likely end up over at SS. So I see potential volume as a whole going down if pricing goes up too far.
It looks to me like pricing is coming down to compete with SS, I don't see how they would lose buyers to them with the new pricing. SS charges 9 to 15 dollars per image for image packs, 1 credit at iStock probably will be less expensive than that don't you think?

ya thunk? the race to the bottom continues, how cool is that?

Yep, it's easy to see what pricing pressure from the biggest competitor is doing. Looks like they just announced that the pricing will be almost exactly what SS's is.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #35 on:** September 03, 2014, 13:48 »

Not really, upload one release and use Deep Meta to attach that release to every photo that it applies. One Release upload, not 50. The one flaw (well for releases that is

) Is you must associate the release at the time of upload when using deep meta. You can't do it later. You can't add it during review. It has to be at the same time as the file upload.

Of course no release, not approved, start over.

Quote from: Pixart on September 03, 2014, 10:15

I have a 1 photo portfolio. I have actually been considering reducing my file sizes on older content and uploading them again to Istock. It appears that they have not changed anything about their uploading system since I left in 2013 though have they? Still stitching releases together and uploading a new one for each and every photo, even if there's 50 in a series?

To answer the OP question. Yes I will stay with IS. It's a wait and see situation for now.

gostwyck · « **Reply #36 on:** September 03, 2014, 14:24 »

Quote from: tickstock on September 03, 2014, 13:05

Quote from: shudderstok on September 03, 2014, 12:29
Quote from: tickstock on September 03, 2014, 08:17
Quote from: Mantis on September 03, 2014, 07:53
2. If #1 happens, they lose buyers so the next question is can they attract new buyers to replace them? There are A LOT of small buyers and they will likely end up over at SS. So I see potential volume as a whole going down if pricing goes up too far.
It looks to me like pricing is coming down to compete with SS, I don't see how they would lose buyers to them with the new pricing. SS charges 9 to 15 dollars per image for image packs, 1 credit at iStock probably will be less expensive than that don't you think?

ya thunk? the race to the bottom continues, how cool is that?
Yep, it's easy to see what pricing pressure from the biggest competitor is doing. Looks like they just announced that the pricing will be almost exactly what SS's is.

We all know that the increase in supply of stock images has been outstripping the increase in demand for years. We also all know what usually happens when supply exceeds demand.

About the only thing keeping the situation relatively stable is the the buyers aren't really 'buying' our images (or licenses for them). What they are really doing is paying the agency for the service they provide in hosting our images and making them easy to find.

Breaking news shocker! It turns out that Istock's 'service' wasn't worth paying a premium for over that provided by SS. Who'd have thought?

cthoman · « **Reply #37 on:** September 03, 2014, 14:37 »

Quote from: gostwyck on September 03, 2014, 14:24

Breaking news shocker! It turns out that Istock's 'service' wasn't worth paying a premium for over that provided by SS. Who'd have thought?

Says who? iStock? Just wait a week or two, they'll say something different.

bunhill · « **Reply #38 on:** September 03, 2014, 14:37 »

Quote from: gostwyck on September 03, 2014, 14:24

buyers aren't really 'buying' our images (or licenses for them). What they are really doing is paying the agency for the service they provide

Absolutely 100% spot on.

ETA: exception for Vector and 3D artists. Done well, that really is a different thing.

ShadySue · « **Reply #39 on:** September 03, 2014, 14:54 »

Quote from: helloitsme on September 03, 2014, 12:18

Quote from: ShadySue on September 03, 2014, 10:11
Quote from: helloitsme on September 03, 2014, 09:30
I think just to "wait and see" is the right answer at this point. No need to run to the exit because my portfolio there is very small now. They should make it easier and faster to upload if they want more content.
I've never found it difficult to upload there.
Many people (not me) love DeepMeta for uploading, so you could give that a try if you haven't already.

I don't know what it is. I've been uploading one at a time and tagging one at a time too.

That's what I do, unless e.g. I'm uploading horizontals and verticals, so most of the keywords are the same, whereupon I use 'copy keywords'. I'm hardly uploading there now, but back when I was uploading the max allowed most weeks (when there was an upload limit) I was always doing them manually.
Compared to Alamy, it's breeze!

tickstock · « **Reply #40 on:** September 03, 2014, 14:57 »

Quote from: gostwyck on September 03, 2014, 14:24

Quote from: tickstock on September 03, 2014, 13:05
Quote from: shudderstok on September 03, 2014, 12:29
Quote from: tickstock on September 03, 2014, 08:17
Quote from: Mantis on September 03, 2014, 07:53
2. If #1 happens, they lose buyers so the next question is can they attract new buyers to replace them? There are A LOT of small buyers and they will likely end up over at SS. So I see potential volume as a whole going down if pricing goes up too far.
It looks to me like pricing is coming down to compete with SS, I don't see how they would lose buyers to them with the new pricing. SS charges 9 to 15 dollars per image for image packs, 1 credit at iStock probably will be less expensive than that don't you think?

ya thunk? the race to the bottom continues, how cool is that?
Yep, it's easy to see what pricing pressure from the biggest competitor is doing. Looks like they just announced that the pricing will be almost exactly what SS's is.

We all know that the increase in supply of stock images has been outstripping the increase in demand for years. We also all know what usually happens when supply exceeds demand.

About the only thing keeping the situation relatively stable is the the buyers aren't really 'buying' our images (or licenses for them). What they are really doing is paying the agency for the service they provide in hosting our images and making them easy to find.

Breaking news shocker! It turns out that Istock's 'service' wasn't worth paying a premium for over that provided by SS. Who'd have thought?

I think that's wrong. I think buyers went to SS not because the service was better but mainly because it was cheaper, unless by better service you mean extremely cheap subs which I guess is part service and mainly price.

cthoman · « **Reply #41 on:** September 03, 2014, 15:05 »

Quote from: tickstock on September 03, 2014, 14:57

I think that's wrong. I think buyers went to SS not because the service was better but mainly because it was cheaper, unless by better service you mean extremely cheap subs which I guess is part service and mainly price.

Is not wanting to buy agency collection images considered bargain hunting?

tickstock · « **Reply #42 on:** September 03, 2014, 15:06 »

Quote from: cthoman on September 03, 2014, 15:05

Quote from: tickstock on September 03, 2014, 14:57
I think that's wrong. I think buyers went to SS not because the service was better but mainly because it was cheaper, unless by better service you mean extremely cheap subs which I guess is part service and mainly price.

Is not wanting to buy agency collection images considered bargain hunting?

My understanding is that the agency collection did very well, I know Sean mentioned how well he did with it a few times.

heywoody · « **Reply #43 on:** September 03, 2014, 15:34 »

More than likely won't go to the effort of pulling out but, even as it stands, hard to motivate myself to upload. RPI is 10% of what it was but actually still better than most apart from SS - lack of visibility is a big problem when the earnings are mostly in the PP/ Subs once a month bucket.

I haven't looked at the latest initiative in any detail but, based purely on the success of the last 4 or 5 bits of rocket science they've come up with I predict another massive drop.

JPSDK · « **Reply #44 on:** September 03, 2014, 15:54 »

Whatever spasms they make they have lost me long ago.

They are leaches and nothing but leaches and that wont change before the managing director calls me and offers me 50%, and handles the contract over by hand.
Then I will consider.
refunds, upload procedure, harressment in the forums, lies, CB.
repeated.

PaulieWalnuts · « **Reply #45 on:** September 03, 2014, 17:34 »

Same thing I've done the past couple of annual September overhauls. Staying for now to see how it affects me.

Big difference now is that after the first major shake-n-bake I started working on Plan B. I optimized all of my images for IPTC/SEO and focused on selling outside of stock. So now if I don't like the results I can make a change.

helloitsme · « **Reply #46 on:** September 03, 2014, 20:29 »

I just deactivated all my video clips after reading this on iStockvideo forum.
It's ridiculously low royalty and I can't afford to let somebody sell my stuff for cheap and give us little money like this.

http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=362762&page=1

"As officially posted elsewhere, credits under the new system will be $8 - $15 each, depending on the amount purchased.

So, assuming this new (and much anticipated) information is accurate, we can assume that "essential" videos will cost $48 - $90 each, with our royalties being:

15% = $7.20 - $13.50
16% = $7.68 - $14.40
17% = $8.16 - $15.30
18% = $8.64 - $16.20
19% = $9.12 - $17.10
20% = $9.60 - $18.00 (but really, who actually can reach 20%?)

If the above is correct (please correct me if I'm wrong), that's quite a drop in commissions here for us, unless something else is changing that we don't know about.

(Edited on 2014-09-03 12:00:20 by OrlowskiDesigns)"

ShadySue · « **Reply #47 on:** September 04, 2014, 02:01 »

Quote from: tickstock on September 03, 2014, 14:57

I think that's wrong. I think buyers went to SS not because the service was better but mainly because it was cheaper, unless by better service you mean extremely cheap subs which I guess is part service and mainly price.

I'm sure that was the main reason, but also for a year at least SS gave far cleaner search results than iS, which must be a real service benefit. I haven't checked recently, but presumably nowadays the gap is far wider, given the even poorer results in many iS searches nowadays.
Another previous advantage iS just threw away for no known reason.

ruigsantos · « **Reply #48 on:** September 04, 2014, 04:34 »

Quote from: ShadySue on September 03, 2014, 10:32

Quote from: Pixart on September 03, 2014, 10:15
Still stitching releases together and uploading a new one for each and every photo, even if there's 50 in a series?
Apparently DeepMeta is a big help with this.

But even with DeepMeta, keywording is sooo time consuming!! I just wish I could upload the files the same way I do with every other agency. I felt so bored having do deal with all those clicks on the keywords in DeepMeta that I just quit uploading a long time ago.

YadaYadaYada · « **Reply #49 on:** September 04, 2014, 22:26 »

Quote from: Elenathewise on September 03, 2014, 12:48

Quote from: PixelBytes on September 03, 2014, 11:36
For indies, they just become a mid-low tier agency and get uploads according to their new lower priority status.

Yup!

Yup! Indies just took another cut.

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Author Topic: Will you stay with iStock after the 9/2/14 change or start pulling out? (Read 26918 times)

Jo Ann Snover

PixelBytes

pancaketom

helloitsme

shudderstok

etudiante_rapide

ShadySue

Elenathewise

KB

tickstock

Uncle Pete

gostwyck

cthoman

bunhill

ShadySue

tickstock

cthoman

tickstock

heywoody

JPSDK

PaulieWalnuts

helloitsme

ShadySue

ruigsantos

YadaYadaYada

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