Between ss, pond5, backgrid and others ss has a very good editorial offering. So why are sales, especially editorial video sales dropping so strongly?

The exclusive pond5 content alone should be a large pull for buyers?

What is the alternative in editorial for customers?

Getty? Is Getty/istock showing a strong increase in editorial sales?

The customers must license from somewhere, editorial can not be replaced with ai.

I'm sticking with my theory that perhaps SS really cut back on advertising spending in certain markets.

I'm seeing about three week inspection times.

Quote from: wds on February 04, 2024, 12:10

Seems the Adobestock 1099 values are based on $$$ of record at the end of each calendar month (summed to one yearly value) and not on how/when the contributor takes their payouts?

That's the way I've understood it to be, for many years. I make a payout request around Dec. 26th each year, so the numbers are close, depending on which accounting method is used. I don't see earnings that I don't have as earnings.

What if someone doesn't make payout, for four years, like DT. Are they supposed to pay taxes on the earnings, that they might never receive?

I use the numbers of what any agency actually paid me, during the tax year.

But yes, it appears that Adobe counts earnings, not payments to the artist.

I think things would be more consistent if Adobe had fixed payout dates like some of the other major agencies and managed the 1099s in a way that the reported earnings on the 1099s match-up exactly with actual payouts for the year. Some of the other major agencies seem to do that and it all works out quite well....1099 numbers match actual payouts for the year.

Indeed AS was great in January. Best month on AS since 2018 (not counting the AI bonus from September 2023) 

Is there a way for a contributor to see what the exact amount of the "AI Bonus" was?

Never mind, figured it out!

Mat,

Is the Adobe "vendor number" the same as our "Member ID" on our contributor account page?

Thanks

**UPDATE** Was able to download my 1099M Form today.

How did you access your Shutterstock 1099?....I don't see any links when I log in.

"For me SS is providing 4 digits income and in the same time i see a 25-30% increase in reveneu from Adobe, 0 AI prompts in my portfolio."

As I recall, you are not in the US. It seems this "revenue reduction" many of us are seeing (and is reflected in the poll results) is geographically dependent.
My best guess is that  perhaps SS is spending its marketing dollars differently in different parts of the world.

Other agencies have been more or less on an "even keel", whereas SS has dropped like a rock for some (US based?) contributors.

My last 12 months on SS

Are you U.S. based?

Makes you wonder what is going on. Perhaps advertising spending is being cut back and there is some kind of change coming?

I'm still waiting over five weeks for photo reviews. Illustrations are quick.

When submitting AI assets to Adobestock, do folks classify as "Photos" or "Illustration"?

I would think if the image is truly "photorealistic" than it would be classed as "photo", otherwise "illustration"?
There is definitely a large "grey area". What have folks been doing in this regard?

Mat?