@Morphart

You also have to consider that you have 7k images on iStock, and you submitted 1/6 on other sites.

I would say something around 1/4 approved. :0)

I have mostly Illustrations but I would also put your port  to Canstock, easy and quick.

Not sure if you have the same illustrations at iStock, but assuming iStock is 100%, how much Canstock income represents to your income compared to iStock?

[/quote]
Second, considering you are losing income monthly by not having your full portfolio online, I would find a Freelancer (I can refer one on my team in PM if it helps) to submit your images for you say at 10 to 15 cents per image.[/quote]
Didn't get it very well (Maybe my language barrier). :0)  If you PM me with further explanation I'll appreciate. Thanks

The monthly income should help you get back that investment quick. At least target shutterstock to increase to the top tier as quickly as possible.

I hope so. ;0)

For your videos get them on Pond5 they sell well there. 

I'll check this out, thanks for your tip.

Hope this helps a bit!

Yes it does. Thanks and have a nice day.

@Cobalt

Hi Lucato,
thank you very much for your honest reporting. I think many people underestimate how long it takes for the customers to "bookmark" you and your portfolio so that they keep coming back to check what you have new. Also many other artists may already be active in your niche and again it will take time to get noticed.

Hi Cobalt, thank you for your reply and comments.
Yes. Actually I don't even believe that at some point we get bookmarked or have any customer loyalty, once the customer will buy what the search results will bring and will fit for their needs in the project they're working on. Maybe your image will be added to some LB project for those customers that are very organized. :0)

When you enter a new market with products, I would expect at least 12-18 months to pass before you get a signifacant amount of repeat customers. I would expect it to be the same in the stock world, unless what you offer is so unique that noone else has it.

Yes, and besides that you have a lot of other factors such a "search results formula" like iStock sets every time different way wich doesn't bring always the "all products into the store" as any regular store.

If you take your example of 1k earnings from istock, how much have you recovered now in total over all agencies at this stage? 300 dollars? 500?

Here is a spreadsheet I built to show a sample assuming that iStock is the 100% income compared to the other agencies:

And do you also have your own web store where customers can buy directly from you?

Well, IMHO, I think it doesn't worth the effort. I have no time to manage it all and besides that expend all this time to maybe get extra 100 bucks, so I don't think it is a good a idea. Maybe use this time to treat the other thousand of files parked in my HD to submit or start to make more movies. ;0) Well, by having the other agencies with "zilions" of visitors a day and making 1% as you saw in the spreadsheet above, you can imagine by having an own web store how much would make. :0) Any way I'd like to hear from those that have built its own image web store to see how it is going and percentage comparisons.

I know a lot of people who are considering to quit their photo exclusivity, but I keep pointing out that the other agencies are not exactly waiting for the exclusive content.

Well it depends if they see the image as exclusive or the contributor as exclusive. So in my case, regular images, just a exclusive contributor, so nothing like vetta, hiper power productions and so on. Well, actually I just remembered that I have some exclusive contents at iStock, the images I took from the minilypses. :0)

The video market is different, because it is a new market and all the sites have very few files. It is similar to the stage photos where in in 2005.

Thanks for the tip. I need to start to enjoy this slice. Actually two weeks ago I requested the exclusivity cancellation for video too, despite of not having a great video volume/content. Anyway, I will start to think more about video production this year and spread the few ones I have to the other agencies. The next step will be my vectors and sounds for those that will accept these type of files.

 
For me the combination video independence and photo exclusive for now seems to be the best route.

I need to try the photo and video independence to see how it goes. :0)

But others are seeing very large drops in their sales and I understand that they are looking into alternatives. Also all the drama at istock and the lack of communication can be really hard to deal with. At least now whenever there is a disaster at istock I can just go and do a video and enjoy the really modern upload systems of SS and others and 24 hour turnaround times for video inspections.

Yes, very sad what iStock became these days. I loved the other upload systems and editions that are much more ahead/beyond  than iStock is.

It really helps my peace of mind to have some balance. Looking forward to hear how your journey continues. All the best!

Thanks, the same this side.
Have a wonderful Sunday.

P.S.: I will try to reply to everybody, just need a time. ;0)

Hi folks, I will post here all ideas that came in mind while using this site, so it doesn't get spread everywhere. Here are they:

1) Message icons for new topic
I'd like to suggest to add in the dropdown list "Message icon:" an icon SOLVED with a green check, sometimes users have doubts, and when they get to solve it, they would edit the message and change this "Message icon:" status to SOLVED. Also would rename the "Lamp" to "Ideas/Suggestions" and the "Question mark" to "Doubts/Help".

2) Signature
It would be cool if MG would increase the signature max limit from 300 to 500, even using the shortener links it is still a low limit.

3) Coming soon...

@gostwyc
I hope you're completely wrong by saying "couple of years" and it be "couple of months" instead. :o) Yes, I don't have idea what Getty intend to do with iStock, let's see on the other side as non-exclusive how the things go. ;o)
Yes, by checking the Big 4, SS seams really to be the 1st, IS as 2nd, FL 3rd and DT 4th. What are all sites that you contribute and what are the ones that worth to work with in you opinion?

@jsnover
Thanks for the wishes and I hope too to have made the right decision. It scares have 50% of the earnings cut due giving up exclusivity, and worst it was already cut +34% with that RC table! Anyway iStock must be very happy with these all giving up, their income will increase a lot having a bigger commission over our sales.
I see your icons signature you contribute to several microstock agencies, in your opinion, what are the ones that worth to work with and brings you a better and significant income? Thanks.

@fotoVoyager
Thanks fotoVoyager, very concerned, but I had to quit the comfort zone. I have 7000+ images there and created a lightbox with 0 downloads and get to notice that almost 50% of them have no downloads! So, it was time to get out of a only search results/tweak and give a chance to these files into other baskets, because IMHO they aren't bad at all to have no sales within couple years. Just as curiosity if you want to check, this is the Be the first one to use lightbox that I'm talking about. ;0)

@lisafx
Hi Lisa, good to hear from you! Thanks and thanks for your help. ;0) Yes, I'm crossing fingers here to do well, as I said to jsnover it scares, but let's give a chance to other options in our lives and get out of the square. ;0)

Thanks folks for all inputs, wishes and talking about wishes, I wish you all an amazing weekend and good luck too in your moves and sales. ;0)

Keep the opinions and comments coming. ;0)

Hi Cobalt, good morning and thanks for the warm wishes.
Yes, the iStock lately isn't the way it was before. Support/earnings cut and so on.
Actually IMHO you have already a enough volume. I get the double, but half had no sale over there, maybe never fit in the search adjustments. Yes, that is true.
I intended to work with video, illustrations and etc, but also you need to much time and it is very sad by being exclusive when you expend a lot of ours producing a video or illustration and get rejected. :0)
Well, all the best to you too with your new video step.
Have a nice weekend.

Hi Microstockgroup team,

Just a suggestion regarding polls.
The Currently voting on: would have an option downloads, so we would have an idea how the sales are going.

Just a draft idea. The poll would have the questions:
Portolio size from each agency:
0-100
101-500
501-1000
1001-2500
2501-5000
>5001
Downloads range from each agency:
0-10
11-50
51-100
101-250
250-500
>501

This way we would have an idea how the sales are going from each agency/portfolio size.

Well, something like that. ;0)

Hi Bridget, thanks for your reply and congratulations for your blog, really nice info shared over there.
Yes, maybe I'm needing this peace you're talking about and I have to take the risk. I'm 90% bent to move on.
Thanks for our input and have a nice week.

Another opportunity recommend Briget (Stockcube)'s excellent blog where she details her experiences of dropping exclusivity in 2010.  I am sure it will be very helpful
http://stockcube-stockcube.blogspot.com/

Sorry to hear it has come to this Lucato.  Istock really can't afford to lose longtime exclusives like you.  They don't seem to realize it though.  Best of luck whatever you decide. 

Hi Lisa, thanks for the link. I'll check this out. Yes, it is a pitty, unfortunatelly they realize, but they don't care. Its better for them having me as non-exclusive and getting more from me. I think they intend to drop all exclusives and just keep the collectors of black diamonds.
Thanks for your input and all the best.

Welcome Lucato. Looks like all the exclusives will soon be here.

Thanks. Yes, I thik so.

I am making one last push with uploading as much as I can (although I am only a part timer) this year and if that doesn�t help, then I will have to consider making the jump

Yes, the approval line is quite fast these days, but as you can see the numbers I posted above, the cut of 1/3 of my earnings is too much to sustain another year. That is why I started this thread to hear from others how they are doing, if it worths to take the risk and so on.

I really, really don�t want to. But with the total lack of communication from HQ on how they want to increase sales and grow the business, you begin to wonder if growing the business is still something they are interested in. And if nobody contacted the talent that just quit exclusivity to talk to them and see how to win them back, then the exclusives are apparently not a priority as they used to be. I am also amazed at the "attitude" some admins are allowed to show in public. The contributors are paying customers, obviously there is no boss in charge reminding them where their salaries come from.

Yes, I don't want too for several reasons, such as managing several sites, using time for it instead for for treating and taking new shots and so on, on the other hand, you avoid to have all eggs in one basket. Besides that, iStock has changed a lot, and the crown and diamond doesn`t seem to have any importance over there.

Maybe they feel they have enough exclusive Getty content, so they don�t need our files to offer content other sites don�t have. I really don�t know.

I have no idea too.

Every photographer that I know has switched to generic model releases without the istock logo and some are even contacting models from older shootings to make them sign a new generic release. Others are going over their portfolio, adding proper keywords and descriptions into the EXIF data, because so many of us have become used to deepmeta.

Actually I  need to update few, when models signed for me I've asked to sign 2, one with logo and other without with the exact content. :0) Thanks for the tip.

istock is such a fantastic site with a great infrastructure for the digital entrepreneur, but it takes professional leadership and business vision to leverage it�s potential. And the team active behind the scenes is incredibly hard working. Totally dedicated people. It must be unbelievably frustrating to see the site lose it�s reputation like this. 
Very sad times

I agree!

I am on 10 sites, but only 7 of them are making any significant money - the Big 6 plus Bigstock.   

Hi Lisa! Happy 2012 to you and your family.

What are these big 6? I know just 4 (SS, IS, DT & FL).

Do you submit also to RM sites? What are them if so? I mean, if you want to share it. ;0)

Have a nice weekend.
Lucato.

It's always great to brainstorm new ideas. When it comes to the review process everything has to be presented to the agency and not the inspectors. Regardless of which agency we are talking about the reviewers follow the guidelines and memo updates that are decided on by the agency. You use your judgement within a pre-defined set of rules. So if an inspector reads an awesome idea of how things should be done they cannot take it on their own to do it .. unless they want to get fired in a hurry. Just like any job in the world ... you do what the boss tells you to do not what you think is right. The company policy must first be officially updated with the new idea.

- Hi Randy, I agree in part with you here and certainly inspectors have to follow rules as employees, but  some things posted here can be taken by their own without braking policies, actually some of the actions are the actual policy that has been missed. So, some are not new ideas.

With that said, I wouldn't count on accomplishing anything here because the odds of IS watching this forum over their own for ideas is pretty slim. If they were interested in discussing new ideas they would promote it on their forums.

- I doesn't mean that isn't read by them and also it isn't only for IS. It's also for the community.

1. This is standard practice for any agency. The title, description, category and keyword fields are always suppose to be checked.

- Yup, "supposed". It has been missed several times. I know they're humans, so sometimes it gets missed. So, if it is happening a lot, why iStock don't create an exclusive input field to communicate with inspectors? It isn't hard to be implemented.

2.a. Implement this idea and I'm guessing pending times will jump to 6 months within 24 hours. Plus you can forget your commission because company profits are going to be redirected to the admins otherwise they would all quit and the company would shutdown.

- Nope, IMHO if this action was taken it would decrease the pending times e mainly the queue line! It will avoid contributors losing their times by fixing images that they would not try to fix again if had a better information, so this way wouldn't upload it again or if uploaded inspectors wouldn't lose their times again by checking the same image that the contributors tried to fix something that they don't have idea what inspector saw!

2.b. Same problem as above. Photographers have no clue to the amount of photos that are submitted everyday that do not come even close to being acceptable. People with no training whatsoever submitting shots from $50 point n shoots .. people who think you can take a 1MP shot with their camera phone in extreme low-light resize it to 4MP then submit it .. the point is an inspectors job is in quality control .. not educational training.

- I agree with you that there are this group of "over resize" people, but as posted in part by stockastic, there's no need to send a clip of the problem area or post a better info if the image falls in this case or they see the image has a poor isolation. I'm talking about inspectors sharpen eyes, that rejects images that won't harm any off-seft/print or screen use. So, for an isolated shot with clear value, in which the inspectors feels there's a small area that needs retouching - please tell me why IS can  NOT be bothered to attach a clip and inspector can't tell what they SAW once they are aware of all issues caused by over-the-top "too feathered or too rough" rejections. As said before IMHO if this action was taken it would DECREASE the pending times e mainly the DECREASE the queue line once It will avoid inspectors to check images again that the contributors tried to fix something that they din't have idea what inspector saw and will reject again because fixing the wrong area, and the contributor will try to fix again in a guessing because he/she got the SECOND rejection on the same subject and allow to submit again with no cropped area and with no comments from inspector of what areas inspector saw wrong: "This one next to X is rough, that one aroung Y is soft!". Regarding not educational training, it isn't educational training. It was a rejection from inspector and won't teach how to fix, will just point what areas they saw a problem, so it isn't any educational training at all.[/quote]

3. If you are referring to taking an isolated subject and increasing the canvas size to create copyspace ... why would you do that? The buyer is going to be able to do that themself to the exact ratio that they require in a matter of seconds. All this is doing is creating a thumbnail that wont get a buyers attention. Plus you are increasing inspection times with no benefit to the community.

- Nope, read the item again. It's not about increasing the canvas size. It's about an original image with original resolution size has been rejected due not native resolution/white increased.

4. I'd need to see an example of what you are talking about exactly. However, in any case a inspector should not ever have to consider if an isolation was accomplished in photoshop or with lighting .. if the subject is really an isolation it's either done right or it's not .. there is no grey area .. well there is but it's called a reject. 

- I'm sorry, but I don't agree. If you think this way, I would say "Photographers should not ever have to consider to make an isolation with Photoshop or very 'cut' ", they are photographers, not designers, or image treaters. ;0)

If you want to try to make serious changes you are going to have to represent them to the agencies in the way they want it represented (if they want it represented at all). You will also need to come up with extremely well thought out ideas that improve the company, decrease inspection time (not increase it), etc. Efficiency and profitability is what will get their attention. They are in the business to sell quality images to buyers ... not train people how to take quality photos.

Well, as I said before, it is your point of view that it wouldn't decrease time and all is about training and it isn't the case, but I respect it, each one has your opinion and point of view and I appreciate your reply.

Another thing people do not consider is the design of the administration features of an agency. They are all custom and they are all different. A simple idea might be a quick implementation for one agencies structure and be a massive expense and nightmare for another.

- What agency do you run? :0) Well, until now in the first post, none of the items request any new implementation. All is already in their system. They are only action behaviors. :0)

It seems to be popular lately to say that there are also inspectors rejecting quality images to eliminate competition. I'm sorry but this is just a bit stupid. Let's say you own an agency .. an admin rejects a bunch of awesome images because they honestly believe that those images (out of millions) will somehow give them a better chance of selling their own images. What are you going to do? You're going to fire them immediately .. I would personally fire them and close their contributor account just because they tried screwing with my business. There is no competition elimination conspiracy going on .. sorry people.

- I have never heard about it. IMHO it doesn't make sense, as you said, "is just a bit stupid".

I'm sure that people do get rejects that should have been passed. Especially if a growing company is in the process of training new inspectors to help knock down the pending times that contributors are complaining about. It's going to happen from time to time .. just a fact of doing business.

- I agree, but when you see that the same problem persists frequently for thousand of members and was already informed by the community, something may be wrong and something need to be done.

... and I doubt you have to worry about Leaf locking the thread .. it's pretty open here  ..

- Good to know. ;0)

I will say that there are better things to discuss though.

- I'll repeat again, it is your point of view, maybe it isn't relevant for you, but it is for me. Once you always mention that agencies are business and so on, I'm also as contributor and it affects my daily work. Not all contributors are basic, junk image senders or hobbyists. ;0)

A more productive method to solving the problems you stated would be for people to place more effort into studying photography and less effort into asking the agencies to spend more time teaching them how to use their cameras.

- I agree that a lot of member would study a little more, but again, at any moment I've mentioned to teach how to use their cameras and so on. As posted on the very beginning of the 1st post, there are already hundred of articles and training manuals. ;0)

Thanks for participating and have a nice day.

Hi Gostwyck, thanks for your reply and advice I'll stay tunned. ;0)