The largest business growth in the next few years will be small businesses and consumers.  Publishing tools will continue to make it easy to 'do it yourself'.

This is why IS tie up with microsoft office is interesting.  And Corbis (owned by Bill Gates) going into microstock.

Powerpoint presentations/photos on cover pages in the small business must be a big market.

Also, if you subscribe to the StockXpert monthly newsletter, we provide the current popular searches. Here's the list from the latest newsletter:

people, business, family, wedding, party, music, woman, love, vector, beach, flower, valentine, girl, house, dance, computer, baby, water, children, car, money, heart, background, flowers, office, meeting, icons, smile, food, doctor, fruit, women, design, shopping, globe, fashion, fitness, dog, grunge, massage, school, sky, tree, hands, puzzle, butterfly

I have got a couple of thousand flower shots so I might submit them all!!! 

Geopappas - once a photographer, always a photographer.

http://rinderart.net/photosite/page.php?page=Profile

Sometimes I think he tends towards hyperbole.  I don't know how he can review along with all the other things he's in to.  Let's see, professional glamour photographer, landscape designer and maintenance, photo school, stock photographer, and about 3 other hats I've missed. 

I think professional musician is in there as well.

[edit - should have read the post before this first.  he is a very accomplished musician]

Was just browsing the dollar bin.  Some good shots in there - even some flames. I thought it was because they were small sizes but no, thats not it.

I cant figure out why they are throwing them out.  Does it cost them much to leave them in?  I could understand if they were getting rid of zero sales and small photos but Large sized flames?

Has anybody ever been in the dollar bin?

I think the problem is that they aren't given much attention by management.  I think Inmagine have put very little effort to date  (keeping a foot in teh door of microstock but trying not to let the door open which would affect their main macrostock portfolio). 

This could all change.  A quick site redevelopment, a bit of marketing and it could go off like a frog in a sock.  They have both subscription and one off sales so could compete with both istock and shutterstock.

Same goes with StockXpert.  Sales could be better.  They are actually equal is sales for me with 123 improving and StockXpert falling back.

It will be interesting but as noted, both 123rf and StockXpert are backed by big cos and I dont see much growth happening there.

I also question if they can start one from scratch.  Fotolia did it but the others are struggling (LO,FP,CS, and even 123rf and StockXpert aren't getting the buyers).   Fotolias key was offering 20c per upload so hopefully they will give good incentives at the start (problem being do you get in at the start or wait for special offers - LO had some specials but by then, all my photos were already their).

Question - what will they be able to offer that other established places cant (for both sellers and buyers).  Unless they do a tie up with Microsoft, kick out IS, and actually have the purchase module as part of office (ie you browse from within powerpoint for a photo and have your paypal details preloaded so payment is sorted too).

2) more than 1 account on the same stock

2 accounts for the same agency??  Did you refer yourself??

Has anybody else seen the same, or is it just me who need to pull myself together and upload some really sensational images.

Give your self a slap and pull yourself together.

StockXpert is going slow for me too but it is all ebb and flow (as they say).

Rank has VERY much to do with sales though.  I had a crummy image of a skeleton key that sold like hot cakes when it showed up on page one for some reason.  A year later it got knocked down to page three and didn't sell after that.

Rank has to do with sales or sale have to do with rank.  I think you are saying the latter which I dont really think is in dispute.

The question though is how to get images onto the first page.  As you say there appears to be some mystry element which maybe a reviewers rating.

In 2007, it will start a few weeks earlier (on 03/11/2007) and last a few weeks longer (until 11/04/2007).  This means that you will have to change some devices up to 4 times.

Why 4 times? there is still only one begining and one end isn't there?

Cost is $49.

Looks good.  Uploads to 8 sites. the only missing one is StockXpert.  Gives sales statistics.  Gives keywording help

not sure how it deals with all the photos you have all ready uploaded?  Anyone know?

There is a free license, the only restriction is that you are limited to 5 uploads a day which would be annoying ( it should be 8 so you can upload one pic a day to all sites).

They even give referals if you bring in buyers - 25%.

I can kind of understand why they do it (advertise in local currency with nice round numbers) but I dont think it looks good.  It potentially scares of some UK buyers as they think it is more expensive than other sites.