Crated

[stockastic]

So the acceptance email I got was just a carrot dangling in front of me out of reach?

Basically yes.

See, that portfolio you initially sent them isn't really your porfolio.  And that acceptance email doesn't mean you're accepted.   Just start uploading photos and if, at some point, someone from Crated looks at them and likes them, you're in.  Otherwise, just keep uploading, and visiting crated.com, and linking to it, and (incidentally ) pushing up its traffic numbers and search ranking, and hope you get reconsidered someday.

Does that help?

Crated is an 'art' site.  Those of use used to microstock and FAA (which is not an 'art' site) can't wrap our heads around what is probably an all-too-familiar process for artists that try to sell through galleries.

[canned_heat]

Crated is an 'art' site.  Those of use used to microstock and FAA (which is not an 'art' site) can't wrap our heads around what is probably an all-too-familiar process for artists that try to sell through galleries.

I'll have to disagree with this.  I do not do any stock, but I am on FAA and have been there for two years.  I can wrap my head around crated just fine.  And I fully understand their marketing concept, the curation process and its intent.  But if you're going to ask to explain it, please don't.  That is up to Stephen if he wishes to.

Edit: actually, in thinking about it I would add this: FAA also (in essence) curates their art.  In search results, they give weighted return results to art that has sold, the number of favorites, comments, features, and so forth.  In other words, they try to influence search results bringing the more popular pictures to the top.  The only difference between that and Crated is that Crated is doing in manually.  I am not saying I agree or disagree with either, nor promote either.  I am simply saying it is easily understandable.  It's basically simple: both FAA and Crated curate art.  FAA does it by influencing or biasing search results, Crated does it manually.

[DF_Studios]

Society6 is a similar art site with certain works selected to be in the "store"

FAA is basically a printer,  totally open with no selection process or quality control.  Only when an image is ordered is there any check on quality.

Microstock sites have screening processes mainly for quality issues (noise, white balance, commercial viablity etc.)  These tend to be non-subjective like "no shadows"

Boutique stock agencies have curation where images are selected based on the agencies aesthetic.

[kalevitamm]

Hello Steve,

I found this work http://crated.com/art/523/desolation-by-caseymac and I love it, just busy with my home decoration, can I start to buy in Beta stage?

Thanks,

Kalevi

[luissantos84]

So the acceptance email I got was just a carrot dangling in front of me out of reach?

Basically yes.

See, that portfolio you initially sent them isn't really your porfolio.  And that acceptance email doesn't mean you're accepted.   Just start uploading photos and if, at some point, someone from Crated looks at them and likes them, you're in.  Otherwise, just keep uploading, and visiting crated.com, and linking to it, and (incidentally ) pushing up its traffic numbers and search ranking, and hope you get reconsidered someday.

Does that help?

Crated is an 'art' site.  Those of use used to microstock and FAA (which is not an 'art' site) can't wrap our heads around what is probably an all-too-familiar process for artists that try to sell through galleries.

as usual you are too dramatic, just upload a few pictures and after a while you will be in, stop complaining!

[stockastic]

Crated is an 'art' site.  Those of use used to microstock and FAA (which is not an 'art' site) can't wrap our heads around what is probably an all-too-familiar process for artists that try to sell through galleries.

I'll have to disagree with this.  I do not do any stock, but I am on FAA and have been there for two years.  I can wrap my head around crated just fine.  And I fully understand their marketing concept, the curation process and its intent.  But if you're going to ask to explain it, please don't.  That is up to Stephen if he wishes to.

Edit: actually, in thinking about it I would add this: FAA also (in essence) curates their art.  In search results, they give weighted return results to art that has sold, the number of favorites, comments, features, and so forth.  In other words, they try to influence search results bringing the more popular pictures to the top.  The only difference between that and Crated is that Crated is doing in manually.  I am not saying I agree or disagree with either, nor promote either.  I am simply saying it is easily understandable.  It's basically simple: both FAA and Crated curate art.  FAA does it by influencing or biasing search results, Crated does it manually.

Well, not really the 'only' difference.  On FAA I'm guaranteed to show up in search, somewhere.  If I have something unusual, with the right keywords, it might get seen even without previous sales.  Crated is all or nothing.

[canned_heat]

Well, not really the 'only' difference.  On FAA I'm guaranteed to show up in search, somewhere.  If I have something unusual, with the right keywords, it might get seen even without previous sales.  Crated is all or nothing.

Two points: "On FAA I'm guaranteed to show up in search, somewhere"  Technically, yes.  But for any useful purpose, no.

User behavior is well-known.  Some may go back  to page 2 or 3 of results, some may even go as far as 7 or 9.  But if your "...show up in search..." is on page 20 - no.  For all intents and purposes you're not there.

And on FAA this point is amplified.  Do a search there of almost any common search phrase and you will see.  Results are voluminous, making  a "...show up in search..." that much more meaningless.  It is very easy to get buried on FAA and never seen.  Which is why their intent is to do the best they can to automatically move the best to front, other stuff to the back.

"Crated is all or nothing" - correct.  For one simple reason: Crated's methodology - manual culling - is far more accurate that FAA's.  Yes, subject to the personal preferences of the (Crated) person evaluating the work, but even considering that it is much more accurate.   And that accuracy may translate to success. 

Not to mention, of course, all in this subject is a moot point.  It is well known on FAA artists are told not to rely on the search engine there at all - to market themselves externally.  Which is nothing different than being on Crated, but not in the search where you are told to market externally, bring users back for the purchase.  Same thing.

[Mantis]

Crated is an 'art' site.  Those of use used to microstock and FAA (which is not an 'art' site) can't wrap our heads around what is probably an all-too-familiar process for artists that try to sell through galleries.

I'll have to disagree with this.  I do not do any stock, but I am on FAA and have been there for two years.  I can wrap my head around crated just fine.  And I fully understand their marketing concept, the curation process and its intent.  But if you're going to ask to explain it, please don't.  That is up to Stephen if he wishes to.

Edit: actually, in thinking about it I would add this: FAA also (in essence) curates their art.  In search results, they give weighted return results to art that has sold, the number of favorites, comments, features, and so forth.  In other words, they try to influence search results bringing the more popular pictures to the top.  The only difference between that and Crated is that Crated is doing in manually.  I am not saying I agree or disagree with either, nor promote either.  I am simply saying it is easily understandable.  It's basically simple: both FAA and Crated curate art.  FAA does it by influencing or biasing search results, Crated does it manually.

This is a forum for people to share ideas and information. There are also some very talented artists here who have figured out how to upload and manage their accounts with a dozen or more agencies, all different.  And some simply cannot understand Crated's system, yet you do but refuse to share with this group your understanding of a still unanswered question, and I would say a very fair question and a very IMPORTANT question. Yet you come into this forum to sponge information but not reciprocate? Are you afraid you will post mis-information? If so, you don't really understand after all, if not, might help a few people out with a different version of your understanding.

[mlwinphoto]

Changing the subject slightly.  When using Safari I can log in to the site and everything works fine until I scroll down a/any page at which point nothing is clickable any longer.

I don't see this with FF.

Just me?

[stockastic]

Well, not really the 'only' difference.  On FAA I'm guaranteed to show up in search, somewhere.  If I have something unusual, with the right keywords, it might get seen even without previous sales.  Crated is all or nothing.

Two points: "On FAA I'm guaranteed to show up in search, somewhere"  Technically, yes.  But for any useful purpose, no.

User behavior is well-known.  Some may go back  to page 2 or 3 of results, some may even go as far as 7 or 9.  But if your "...show up in search..." is on page 20 - no.  For all intents and purposes you're not there.

And on FAA this point is amplified.  Do a search there of almost any common search phrase and you will see.  Results are voluminous, making  a "...show up in search..." that much more meaningless.  It is very easy to get buried on FAA and never seen.  Which is why their intent is to do the best they can to automatically move the best to front, other stuff to the back.

"Crated is all or nothing" - correct.  For one simple reason: Crated's methodology - manual culling - is far more accurate that FAA's.  Yes, subject to the personal preferences of the (Crated) person evaluating the work, but even considering that it is much more accurate.   And that accuracy may translate to success. 

Not to mention, of course, all in this subject is a moot point.  It is well known on FAA artists are told not to rely on the search engine there at all - to market themselves externally.  Which is nothing different than being on Crated, but not in the search where you are told to market externally, bring users back for the purchase.  Same thing.

Well I can't really argue with any of that.  And yet, I've made several sales on FAA in my first year, with about 200 photos, relying only on keyword search.   I have no marketing of my own. 

[canned_heat]

 Are you afraid you will post mis-information? If so, you don't really understand after all,

I do not do stock, but was led here from another forum because of the subject matter: crated.  So I am new to this forum.  However, I am not new to forums and as such, learned long ago how to identify (and ignore) somewhat pathetic and obvious attempts to troll.

If you don't get it, you don't get it.  Not much I can do to help.  You have an actual Crated representative active in this thread (Stephen) - he's actually a principal at crated.  If you have any questions about any aspect of crated, I suggest you ask him.  He may choose to answer you, he may not.

[canned_heat]

Well I can't really argue with any of that.  And yet, I've made several sales on FAA in my first year, with about 200 photos, relying only on keyword search.   I have no marketing of my own.

And I am glad you have (made sales).  Neither can I explain why.  Is it possible your keywords and images were "niche?"  I don't know who you are nor what art you sold, so I cannot say.  However, it is obvious you have had keywording success so I would certainly continue that.

However, this post and subject has strayed from the OP topic which was crated.  I don't want to to that.  However, this forum is interesting and if there are any good FAA threads on it I would appreciate links.  I would be very interested.  Especially considering the fact that for the first time in the two years I have been on FAA, they are censoring threads about a competitor: crated.  I've never seen FAA do this before and find it all very interesting.

Regards,
- dan

[stockastic]

Well I can't really argue with any of that.  And yet, I've made several sales on FAA in my first year, with about 200 photos, relying only on keyword search.   I have no marketing of my own.

And I am glad you have (made sales).  Neither can I explain why.  Is it possible your keywords and images were "niche?" 

Not quite 'niche' but not common subjects either.

[canned_heat]

Not quite 'niche' but not common subjects either.

Than that's probably the answer.  And a smart marketing tactic, too.

[oxman]

Why the name "Crated"? Sounds like a shipping company.

[DF_Studios]

Limited names to choose from is my guess.  As long as they spend the money advertising, it doesn't matter what its called.   What was Amazon?

At least they won't have the embarrassment factor FAA has when someone goes there expecting fine art and finds a bunch of squirrel photos.

[Maximilian]

tested it. dont understand.. is there a limit of of 5 images uploading at once? This will take many many hours.. 

[stockastic]

tested it. dont understand.. is there a limit of of 5 images uploading at once? This will take many many hours.. 

Yes.  And before you spend all that time, understand that your photos won't show up in Crated's search unless you're 'accepted' by curation - i.e. they look at your uploaded photos and like them well enough to offer them through the site.  Otherwise you're just creating a private gallery and it's up to you to market it. 

[Maximilian]

tested it. dont understand.. is there a limit of of 5 images uploading at once? This will take many many hours.. 

Yes.  And before you spend all that time, understand that your photos won't show up in Crated's search unless you're 'accepted' by curation - i.e. they look at your uploaded photos and like them well enough to offer them through the site.  Otherwise you're just creating a private gallery and it's up to you to market it.

Thanks for this information. I keep Uploading within next weeks. lets see it works maybe.

[Steveball]

Doesn't work in Safari for me either, have to switch to Chrome. Pain.

[mlwinphoto]

Doesn't work in Safari for me either, have to switch to Chrome. Pain.

At least I'm not alone....gotta decide whether to download FF or just wait and see if they get this 'fixed'.

[Ron]

Its not for me. At least on FAA I know I show up in the search and have the occasional sale. I am not going to promote an agency for others to get sales. 5 images at a time? Same as FAA, but that is uploaded as I go. I am not going to upload 600 images, 5 at a time. No watermark. etc. Good luck to all.

[stockastic]

Its not for me. At least on FAA I know I show up in the search and have the occasional sale. I am not going to promote an agency for others to get sales. 5 images at a time? Same as FAA, but that is uploaded as I go. I am not going to upload 600 images, 5 at a time. No watermark. etc. Good luck to all.

+1

[mlwinphoto]

Its not for me. At least on FAA I know I show up in the search and have the occasional sale. I am not going to promote an agency for others to get sales. 5 images at a time? Same as FAA, but that is uploaded as I go. I am not going to upload 600 images, 5 at a time. No watermark. etc. Good luck to all.

It's probably not for me either as my work isn't very "fine artsy".  I'll use it as someplace where I can refer customers when I get requests for prints, which is about once every 5 years or so....

[Ron]

I use FAA and my own site for that.