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Agency Based Discussion => Pixmac => Topic started by: cidepix on November 05, 2009, 20:11

Title: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: cidepix on November 05, 2009, 20:11
I have seen my images there although I never signed up with them. Are they fotolia affiliates?

1- If so, when one of our files are sold on pixmac, do we get paid as if that sale happened at fotolia?

2- How can they offer the extended license for $50 while the lowest I set at my fotolia account is 100 credits? Something is fishy here or am I missing anything?

3- On pixmac there is a photographer sign up page. Not that I am ever going to sign up with them but what happens for god's sake If I decided to sign up with them? My images are already there? Would that create a duplicate account for me?

4- The way they operate is nothing short of ridiculous. You are either an affiliate site or not! You can't be both. Or can you?

Really! What's the deal with them?
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: zager on November 06, 2009, 09:59
Hello. I'm Pixmac CEO: Vita Valka

Check out this:
http://blog.pixmac.com/2009/10/28/dreamstime-stock-photos-at-pixmac/ (http://blog.pixmac.com/2009/10/28/dreamstime-stock-photos-at-pixmac/)

And this:
http://blog.pixmac.com/2008/11/24/why-do-i-have-my-photos-at-pixmac/ (http://blog.pixmac.com/2008/11/24/why-do-i-have-my-photos-at-pixmac/)

Please give me a link to your picture at Pixmac that have EL set to $50 and link to Fotolia where is set to 100 cr. and I'll check that with our tech team.

Other questions directly to: [email protected] please.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: annabelle496 on November 06, 2009, 12:34
Hello. I'm Pixmac CEO: Vita Valka

Check out this:
[url]http://blog.pixmac.com/2009/10/28/dreamstime-stock-photos-at-pixmac/[/url] ([url]http://blog.pixmac.com/2009/10/28/dreamstime-stock-photos-at-pixmac/[/url])

And this:
[url]http://blog.pixmac.com/2008/11/24/why-do-i-have-my-photos-at-pixmac/[/url] ([url]http://blog.pixmac.com/2008/11/24/why-do-i-have-my-photos-at-pixmac/[/url])

Please give me a link to your picture at Pixmac that have EL set to $50 and link to Fotolia where is set to 100 cr. and I'll check that with our tech team.

Other questions directly to: [email protected] please.


I would think you may want to check out other anomolies on your site. Like photos from Fotolio being credited to wrong photographers.

Here is an example... http://www.pixmac.com/picture/golf-ball-in-the-sky/000031083231 (http://www.pixmac.com/picture/golf-ball-in-the-sky/000031083231)

The image that comes up is not mine.  I would be concerned if you actually sell one of my photos and the credit goes to another photographer.

This type of error has come up in other threads.

A.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: cidepix on November 06, 2009, 15:37


Well for example this one: http://www.pixmac.com/picture/grunge-banner-manuscripts-and-ripped-papers/000000204686 (http://www.pixmac.com/picture/grunge-banner-manuscripts-and-ripped-papers/000000204686)

You don't really need links from fotolia because all my images are $100 no exception. If you like I can post it here but there is no point because I just double checked it and yes, all my fotolia port is $100. Every single one of them. No mistake here. Who is going to pay the compensation if you sell it for less?

Thanks

Hello. I'm Pixmac CEO: Vita Valka

Check out this:
[url]http://blog.pixmac.com/2009/10/28/dreamstime-stock-photos-at-pixmac/[/url] ([url]http://blog.pixmac.com/2009/10/28/dreamstime-stock-photos-at-pixmac/[/url])

And this:
[url]http://blog.pixmac.com/2008/11/24/why-do-i-have-my-photos-at-pixmac/[/url] ([url]http://blog.pixmac.com/2008/11/24/why-do-i-have-my-photos-at-pixmac/[/url])

Please give me a link to your picture at Pixmac that have EL set to $50 and link to Fotolia where is set to 100 cr. and I'll check that with our tech team.

Other questions directly to: [email protected] please.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: madelaide on November 06, 2009, 15:53
I would forward this issue to FT.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: Artemis on November 08, 2009, 14:39
I'm also honoured with a picture that isn't mine there...
If anyone recognises this one as yours.....its in my portfolio.
(http://s3.amazonaws.com/pixmac-preview/dog-fetching-newspaper.jpg)

This makes me worried; if i have pictures from someone else in my portfolio there...its very likely its the other way around as well. I dont want to accidentally 'steal' money from someone else, and i definitely dont want anyone else get the credits for my work.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: cathyslife on November 08, 2009, 15:39
Oh boy, what a fiasco all of this is becoming.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: madelaide on November 08, 2009, 17:45
This is even worse than I thought.

I have other people's images in my portfolio at Pixmac too.  However, the titles are of images of mine.  I have a "Sugar Loaf - 2" at Fotolia, but see what is shown at Pixmac as mine and with the same name and size:
http://www.pixmac.com/picture/sugar-loaf-2/000021624715 (http://www.pixmac.com/picture/sugar-loaf-2/000021624715)
http://www.fotolia.com/id/2802746 (http://www.fotolia.com/id/2802746)
Observe that the one at Pixmac is actually vertical, and they distrort it to fit my horizontal original aspect ratio.

(http://s3.amazonaws.com/pixmac-thumbnail/sugar-loaf-2.jpg) (http://static-p4.fotolia.com/jpg/00/02/80/27/110_F_2802746_CSKLrbczrkcUVWYZaxpiabTzskcdW2.jpg)

There is more.  This is "Coconut tree - 1" at Pixmac and at Fotolia:
(http://s3.amazonaws.com/pixmac-thumbnail/coconut-tree-1.jpg) (http://static-p3.fotolia.com/jpg/00/02/52/66/110_F_2526644_m2GHJKpDEFl81kGmeXY4RyqDEk70Nt.jpg)

"New Year 2008 - 2":
(http://s3.amazonaws.com/pixmac-thumbnail/new-year-2008-2.jpg) (http://static-p3.fotolia.com/jpg/00/05/12/68/110_F_5126827_vAriOZpnN3haBiMPT6W1XEI5he5K9g0v.jpg)

"Stethoscope on white - 1":
(http://s3.amazonaws.com/pixmac-thumbnail/stethoscope-on-white-1.jpg) (http://static-p3.fotolia.com/jpg/00/04/87/38/110_F_4873818_NFAS8Xiw0m8l4SvH4ZbvVQfWsRAsBqKP.jpg)

"gold gift box - 1":
(http://s3.amazonaws.com/pixmac-thumbnail/gold-gift-box-1.jpg) (http://static-p3.fotolia.com/jpg/00/01/72/94/110_F_1729497_c1czrsGm9tGHnBhh5JLLskl8N2GHwo.jpg)


Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: madelaide on November 08, 2009, 17:51
To FT support:

Quote
Many colleagues have found other people's images shown as their at Pixmac, and probably the opposite happens as well.

I checked images on my name at Pixmac, and indeed there are such cases.  I have noticed that the image name, title, size and orientation are the same as my images at FT, but another thumbnail shows at Pixmac.  I wonder what the buyer gets, as apparently everything but the thumbnail belongs to my image. 

For instance, this is at Pixmac as mine:
[url]http://www.pixmac.com/picture/sugar-loaf-2/000021624715[/url] ([url]http://www.pixmac.com/picture/sugar-loaf-2/000021624715[/url])
and this is my image at Fotolia:
[url]http://www.fotolia.com/id/2802746[/url] ([url]http://www.fotolia.com/id/2802746[/url])

I have found at least other four similar cases, then I stopped checking.

Please take care of this problem, which is either at their end or Fotolia's.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: Artemis on November 09, 2009, 18:50
In my port it's the exact same thing; i think the title is correct (dog with newspaper) but instead of my pic of the dog its replaced by another dog with a newspaper.

Did you get a reply Madelaide? (if not i'll send a message their way as well)
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: FD on November 09, 2009, 19:20
In my port it's the exact same thing; i think the title is correct (dog with newspaper) but instead of my pic of the dog its replaced by another dog with a newspaper.

I just had a quick look thru my port at Pixmac as present on FT. All seems fine. So "what's up with Pixmac"? Nothing really. If you have your port on FT, it makes no sense uploading to Pixmac, especially since their lock-in period is the largest in the microstock industry (one year). Only the rejects of FT could be uploaded, but for the reported low sales, it's not worthwhile timewise to do so and dig thru the FT rejects (I still don't know how).
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: madelaide on November 09, 2009, 20:18
Did you get a reply Madelaide? (if not i'll send a message their way as well)
Not yet. But I think everyone should report this with examples.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: cidepix on November 09, 2009, 21:36

Things may be allright for you FD, but it doesn't mean things are allright for everyone. There are obvious problems. I will never upload to pixmac even if they pay me $10 per image upload. Not until they become legit at least.

What I was saying was "What would happen "IF" I actually do upload there considering I already have my images on that website?" Not that I will as I mentioned in my OP.

I really don't like how things are looking there right now and I am going to take some action if certain issues are not addressed in a reasonable amount of time. It is illegal selling the EL's of my files for the price I didn't agree. On FT my EL's are 100 credits but somehow on pixmac they are $50! Weird! No?

How much I am going to earn if they sell it for $50?

In my port it's the exact same thing; i think the title is correct (dog with newspaper) but instead of my pic of the dog its replaced by another dog with a newspaper.

I just had a quick look thru my port at Pixmac as present on FT. All seems fine. So "what's up with Pixmac"? Nothing really. If you have your port on FT, it makes no sense uploading to Pixmac, especially since their lock-in period is the largest in the microstock industry (one year). Only the rejects of FT could be uploaded, but for the reported low sales, it's not worthwhile timewise to do so and dig thru the FT rejects (I still don't know how).
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: FD on November 09, 2009, 22:10
Things may be allright for you FD, but it doesn't mean things are allright for everyone. There are obvious problems.

Well I didn't mean to say that. I checked my port and all seemed OK. That only means it's not a general problem, like the dog ate their database. I guess you should contact support about the mixup, since you have clear evidence, and you're not alone apparently.

I will never upload to pixmac even if they pay me $10 per image upload. Not until they become legit at least.

Well the history of Pixmac is well known. In the begin they had this sales guarantee of 500$ if you locked in your images for 2 years, then there was the sweepstakes phase. Considering all this and the fact that no microstock agency really made it after 2005 (market taken) I didn't even bother to upload my FT rejects and I won't. I hope they thrive with their celebrity stock (which might be a good idea) and as affiliate of FT.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: ThomasAmby on November 10, 2009, 07:08
http://www.pixmac.com/picture/red-christmas-design/000031206037 (http://www.pixmac.com/picture/red-christmas-design/000031206037)

This is not one of mine.

This has to be fixed.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: cathyslife on November 10, 2009, 07:46
Quote
I really don't like how things are looking there right now and I am going to take some action if certain issues are not addressed in a reasonable amount of time. It is illegal selling the EL's of my files for the price I didn't agree. On FT my EL's are 100 credits but somehow on pixmac they are $50! Weird! No?


It's possible that the deal with Fotolia is different that the upcoming deal with Dreamstime, but here is the response I got in email when I asked the same questions regarding DT (I don't have photos on Fotolia):

Quote
Dear Pixmac user,

your images will get to Pixmac automatically but you won't be a contributor for Pixmac really. Everything will stay same for you. We won't have originals of those images, only their previews so everytime anyone will want to buy your image we will send a request to your DT account. You will get your commissions as any other downloads from Dreamstime. Also if you delete your images from Dreamstime, your images will be deleted from Pixmac immediately.

Best regards,
Lucie

Lucie Navratilova
[email protected]
ICQ: 341506988
[url=http://www.pixmac.com]www.pixmac.com[/url] ([url]http://www.pixmac.com[/url])


There were some more posts from the owner, but I can't find the thread now. He essentially said the same thing. So I'm not understanding why you would see different commissions, unless again, the deal with Fotolia is different.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: cidepix on November 10, 2009, 10:10
I agree with that. But think about it. My file on FT is 100. I get 34 as a silver contributor. pixmac sells it for 50 or less. I still get 34.

Now how much is fotolia making of this sale? And what is left for pixmac? They share 16 or less? It doesn't seem very much like FT to me.



Quote
I really don't like how things are looking there right now and I am going to take some action if certain issues are not addressed in a reasonable amount of time. It is illegal selling the EL's of my files for the price I didn't agree. On FT my EL's are 100 credits but somehow on pixmac they are $50! Weird! No?


It's possible that the deal with Fotolia is different that the upcoming deal with Dreamstime, but here is the response I got in email when I asked the same questions regarding DT (I don't have photos on Fotolia):

Quote
Dear Pixmac user,

your images will get to Pixmac automatically but you won't be a contributor for Pixmac really. Everything will stay same for you. We won't have originals of those images, only their previews so everytime anyone will want to buy your image we will send a request to your DT account. You will get your commissions as any other downloads from Dreamstime. Also if you delete your images from Dreamstime, your images will be deleted from Pixmac immediately.

Best regards,
Lucie

Lucie Navratilova
[email protected]
ICQ: 341506988
[url=http://www.pixmac.com]www.pixmac.com[/url] ([url]http://www.pixmac.com[/url])


There were some more posts from the owner, but I can't find the thread now. He essentially said the same thing. So I'm not understanding why you would see different commissions, unless again, the deal with Fotolia is different.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: madelaide on November 10, 2009, 10:30
This is the reply I got from FT.  Did they really read my email?

Quote
Dear Maria,

Thank you for your e-mail. Pixmac is part of our API Reseller program, so they are allowed to submit and sell our images as well. Please note, yyou will also get a normal commission on every sold image from pixmac.


Emailed them again:
Quote
Regarding your answer, I think you did not undesrtand my complaint.

Please read-->> I know Pixmac is a FT reseller.

Please read-->> Pixmac is showing images that are not mine under my name - and probably mine under somebody else's name.

This image that appears at Pixmac as mine:
[url]http://www.pixmac.com/picture/sugar-loaf-2/000021624715[/url] ([url]http://www.pixmac.com/picture/sugar-loaf-2/000021624715[/url])
is not mine.  Its title and size are of an image I do have at Fotolia:
[url]http://www.fotolia.com/id/2802746[/url] ([url]http://www.fotolia.com/id/2802746[/url])
but it's not the same image Pixmac is showing. 

I hope the problem is clear now.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: cidepix on November 10, 2009, 12:28
This is the reply I got from FT.  Did they really read my email?


Yeah it happened to me several times. They have some idiots who obviously can't read or does not want to read. Why are they paid for again? If they are not going to read the bloody emails?

Seriously why are they paid. If that was my company I would fire the support team for not doing their job properly. They get paid to read support requests and they don't read them!

With all that commission fotolia is getting from us, they should have some less ridiculous people working for them.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: Rival on November 11, 2009, 09:47
Hello everyone,

I hope you know that we are only humans...

I corrected images mentioned in this thread, if you find any other, please send it straight to Pixmac, to me "[email protected]" or to this thread (I'll checking it)...

Prices are updated from Fotolia API, we're finding the problem and we'll correct prices ASAP... every photographer got money from Fotolia's prices, not from Pixmac's prices, so you cannot be worried about it...

Thank you for understanding.

Martin Talavášek
Pixmac programmer
[email protected]
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: cathyslife on November 11, 2009, 09:51
Quote
Yeah it happened to me several times. They have some idiots who obviously can't read or does not want to read. Why are they paid for again?  If they are not going to read the bloody emails?

Seriously why are they paid. If that was my company I would fire the support team for not doing their job properly. They get paid to read support requests and they don't read them!

With all that commission fotolia is getting from us, they should have some less ridiculous people working for them.

The problem is that the higher ups don't know what bullsh-t is going on unless someone tells them, and typically, one can't get to the higher ups to tell them. I was a business owner at one time and if my employee was slacking off, I sure as heck would have wanted to know about it, but nowadays no one seems to give a crap. As long as the higher ups get to have all their toys, they don't care about the rest.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: annabelle496 on November 11, 2009, 13:39
Hello everyone,

I hope you know that we are only humans...

I corrected images mentioned in this thread, if you find any other, please send it straight to Pixmac, to me "[email protected]" or to this thread (I'll checking it)...

Prices are updated from Fotolia API, we're finding the problem and we'll correct prices ASAP... every photographer got money from Fotolia's prices, not from Pixmac's prices, so you cannot be worried about it...

Thank you for understanding.

Martin Talavášek
Pixmac programmer
[email protected]


Here is a list of mine

http://www.pixmac.com/picture/canadian-lynx/000031095837 (http://www.pixmac.com/picture/canadian-lynx/000031095837)  - wrong image
http://www.pixmac.com/picture/quiet-day/000021974611 (http://www.pixmac.com/picture/quiet-day/000021974611) - wrong image
http://www.pixmac.com/picture/mascara-2/000022015549 (http://www.pixmac.com/picture/mascara-2/000022015549) - wrong image

And, the only reason I do not report it to your site was caused by the treament as a contributor. Too many errors happening. Sorry.

Annabelle
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: cidepix on November 11, 2009, 14:47
Hello,

Thanks for correcting the image I mentioned.

There are other problems with my port there.

1- Not only the image you corrected but all the EL's of my images are 100 credits.. But as it appears here http://www.pixmac.com/picture/element-air-aquarius-zodiac-sign-on-a-mosaic/000015183331 (http://www.pixmac.com/picture/element-air-aquarius-zodiac-sign-on-a-mosaic/000015183331) you still have other EL's set to $50. (As I understand, you are going to correct it but just wanted to let you know that my whole port should be changed to 100 credits like you did with the above one)

2- On fotolia I currently have 466 files but on pixmac I have 372. Where are the rest of my images? On someone else's port?

Thanks

 
Hello everyone,

I hope you know that we are only humans...

I corrected images mentioned in this thread, if you find any other, please send it straight to Pixmac, to me "[email protected]" or to this thread (I'll checking it)...

Prices are updated from Fotolia API, we're finding the problem and we'll correct prices ASAP... every photographer got money from Fotolia's prices, not from Pixmac's prices, so you cannot be worried about it...

Thank you for understanding.

Martin Talavášek
Pixmac programmer
[email protected]
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: madelaide on November 11, 2009, 16:14
It seems our images are not on someone else's portfolio, "only" thumbs are exchanged.

I have just checked the same image I mentioned in that new microfoto.com site, and it looks ok there, so it is definitely a problem on Pixmac's end.  I'm curious how this can happen if the original database is copied from FT.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: Rival on November 12, 2009, 08:51
annabelle496: Corrected.

cidepix: We found that problem with EL prices is on Fotolia side (import from Fotolia), it should be corrected next week. I'll look at point two... it could be the same problem as with prices. Thanks.

madelaide: Yes, it was a mistake on Pixmac's side. Anyway we'll do the big check-up of our big database ;) So I think, that everything should be clear soon.

Thank you very much for your cooperation and bug reports!
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: cidepix on November 13, 2009, 11:27
annabelle496: Corrected.

cidepix: We found that problem with EL prices is on Fotolia side (import from Fotolia), it should be corrected next week. I'll look at point two... it could be the same problem as with prices. Thanks.

madelaide: Yes, it was a mistake on Pixmac's side. Anyway we'll do the big check-up of our big database ;) So I think, that everything should be clear soon.

Thank you very much for your cooperation and bug reports!

Thanks,

I like the responsiveness of pixmac team.

Looking forward to see these problems solved.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: annabelle496 on November 13, 2009, 12:39
annabelle496: Corrected.

cidepix: We found that problem with EL prices is on Fotolia side (import from Fotolia), it should be corrected next week. I'll look at point two... it could be the same problem as with prices. Thanks.

madelaide: Yes, it was a mistake on Pixmac's side. Anyway we'll do the big check-up of our big database ;) So I think, that everything should be clear soon.

Thank you very much for your cooperation and bug reports!

Thank you

A.
Title: Re: So, what's the deal with pixmac?
Post by: RacePhoto on December 12, 2009, 12:30
Here's the answer, kind of, all the photos I left in the message, are also on Dreamstime!

That's where your Sugar Loaf thumb came from.
example:
http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photography-sugar-loaf-image1839852 (http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photography-sugar-loaf-image1839852)

(http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_116/1169943260CPLg53.jpg)

There's always a possibility, wild guess, that somewhere the file names are the same on DT and FT, so the thumb is generated from mixed information.

This is even worse than I thought.

I have other people's images in my portfolio at Pixmac too.  However, the titles are of images of mine.  I have a "Sugar Loaf - 2" at Fotolia, but see what is shown at Pixmac as mine and with the same name and size:

([url]http://s3.amazonaws.com/pixmac-thumbnail/sugar-loaf-2.jpg[/url])

There is more.  This is "Coconut tree - 1" at Pixmac and at Fotolia:
([url]http://static-p3.fotolia.com/jpg/00/02/52/66/110_F_2526644_m2GHJKpDEFl81kGmeXY4RyqDEk70Nt.jpg[/url])


"New Year 2008 - 2":
([url]http://static-p3.fotolia.com/jpg/00/05/12/68/110_F_5126827_vAriOZpnN3haBiMPT6W1XEI5he5K9g0v.jpg[/url])

"Stethoscope on white - 1":
([url]http://s3.amazonaws.com/pixmac-thumbnail/stethoscope-on-white-1.jpg[/url])([url]http://static-p3.fotolia.com/jpg/00/04/87/38/110_F_4873818_NFAS8Xiw0m8l4SvH4ZbvVQfWsRAsBqKP.jpg[/url])

"gold gift box - 1":
 ([url]http://static-p3.fotolia.com/jpg/00/01/72/94/110_F_1729497_c1czrsGm9tGHnBhh5JLLskl8N2GHwo.jpg[/url])