Quote from: spike on March 01, 2014, 14:23

Quote from: Jo Ann Snover on March 01, 2014, 13:29

I don't know how many of you use TripAdvisor, but it seems like we want a type of TripAdvisor site for stock agencies (and possibly other businesses too). That isn't as easy as one might like - fighting off fake entries for example - but it's a great way for people to see what hotels/restaurants stock agencies/services are like.

You can sort things by date so that old/bad behavior can be over time ameliorated by improvements, but history is never erased (unlike the BBB and Angie's List)

Nope. Something similar to a wiki would be a better idea, I think. With obligatory moderation from someone before any edits.

Also, we can get in touch with agencies who treat contributors fairly and "certify them". I know there has been talk about this before, and it's probably a good idea.

I like that

Didn't we even have a mockup of a seal the agency could put on their site at one time?

Not sure if this was already posted.

http://www.popphoto.com/news/2014/02/getty-claims-to-have-overpaid-9000-istock-photogs-requires-repayment?src=SOC&dom=fb

Whoopie, I made $1.27 since I deactivated all but one.  Nope, no clawback for me!!!

It was in the enticement letter they sent me:

Discover downloads that NEVER expire - cancel your membership and purchased downloads will STILL be there when you need them, always...

And just to remind everyone... Mat did look into this for us right away and this is what he was told...  (Just trying to understand the e-mail's:  "Our friends at Fotolia have just launched an amazing new site...  Could I be misreading that statement?)  (Edited to fix that sentence)

Hi all,
 
I looked into Dollar Photo Club.  It is an affiliate site that is using the Fotolia api program.  The database on Fotolia is mirrored on this site as it is on many other partner sites.  The difference is that Dollar Photo Club isn�t available to everyone.  It is an exclusive club (not exclusive content) that is going to be made available to heavy buyers. 
 
The sales from Dollar Photo Club take place through Fotolia (as do all api sales) so your commission remains the same.  It is essentially a giant subscription.  You will receive the same subscription commission you would if the image were purchased directly from a Fotolia member with a subscription. 
 
This is another way to drive traffic to your portfolios and should result in an increase in overall sales for each of us.

All the best,

Mat Hayward

[/quote]

So... the BS about this club being exclusive and not being available to everyone... Well I just got an invitation.  I got an account when PhotoXpress first opened - and edited to add that I NEVER SPENT A CENT THERE.... but I'm important enough to get this exclusive elusive invitation.

From: PhotoXpress [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, February 24, 2014 10:06 AM
To: XXXX
Subject: New Stock Photo site, just $1 a Vector

Our friends at Fotolia just launched an amazing new site we know you'll want to check out...

Dollar Photo Club is the next wave in stock photos - a members-only club offering 25 million royalty free images for one easy price.
$1 for any vector and any high res image - guaranteed!
Discover downloads that NEVER expire - cancel your membership and purchased downloads will STILL be there when you need them, always...

Don't ever pay more than $1 for professional stock images and vectors!
Join Dollar Photo Club today!
The Dollar Photo Club Committee
P.S. PhotoXpress customers like you can get preferred admission to Dollar Photo Club; just choose "PhotoXpress" when asked which stock agencies you currently use
- but hurry, places are strictly limited!

When I look at transactions, I have sales that are "Subscription" and sales that are "Subscription Plan".  I wonder if this is anyway to differentiate between real subs vs sleezy subs?

Please ask them here.  I tried last week but no response.

https://www.facebook.com/DepositPhotosEN

Not on Twitter but maybe someone else can post their contact info.

Why are we schmucks instead of wholesalers?  Shouldn't content providers have their sell price and then the agencies can sell at whatever the heck they want.  Why did we ever give them the power to treat us with 0 respect.

And.... I can see a photo that has sold being retained by an agency for future dispute or liability issue, but what right do they have to keep photos that were never sold?

Time to Twitter, Facebook and whereelse?

LOL I started to post that earlier but erased it   If I can ever make a payout - that's 19 subs away ... you won't shouldn't be able to include mine.   I hated to walk away from the money on the table, but I should have grown a pair and left the first time they peed me off.

I can't even get on the site to check. Get a 503 page.

Leo, I totally get how you have reached the point that your family has decided to walk away from this project.  But I think you are leaving money on the table.  I know you created something for ME/US.   A little circle of stock photographers all in the same position of being mistreated by our distributors and I appreciate that more than I could ever express.  Instead of retiring from this project - maybe retire from the stock photographer aspect of it (for now).  Maybe change directions and expand upon your theme to an entirely new client base.  Just looking at "photography" how many photographers are there in the world?   We work with kids, families, sell fine art, shoot events like horse shows, dance recitals, football games.  We proof school photos online.  We print posters, greeting cards and calendars and get a table at at craft shows.

I have no realistic idea how much work it is to "tweak" a theme like this to offer physical goods.  You have already got the thumbnailing and resizing down.  It might be a thought for you to make a couple themes that can rival Smugmug and sell on Themeforest/mojo-themes ?  Wouldn't the natural progression of your hard work be to (profit!) expand the client base to the huge pool of photographers and to also offer a proofing and self-fulfil ordering system for portrait work, events etc.... the ability to order physical goods -  prints of various sizes with different types of mounting - photogifts etc.   It seems like a natural progression of all your hard work that could maybe be quite profitable.

Then if that theme is successful - expand it to a marketplace for people to sell their hand knit Irish Sweaters and Comics. 

Might be a stupid suggestion and I know there is a lot of support that goes into selling themes.  But - I for one could use it, would pay for it.  I used Smugmug before they raised their prices so much and then had to comply with the withholding U.S. tax laws.  I also don't like the idea that there is a third party to those sites and I have to wait for a paycheque from them and trust that everything is being fulfilled properly and reported properly.