Author Topic: Are Shutterstock trying to fool their customers? Popularity Score / Usage Score (Read 8922 times)

Brasilnut · « **on:** February 03, 2022, 06:20 »

Randomly checking up on how some of my best-sellers on SS rank for certain keywords and was surprised to see that some of those best-sellers have listed to buyers as "Never Used".

Here's an example of one of my best-sellers from Sept 2015. I've randomly checked other best-sellers and have encountered the same issues. How about yours?

Perhaps to entice buyers to use it so that it's more unique to their content, which would be fraud. Or at the very best, just plain old negligence. I'm all for more sales but not if you need to trick buyers to achieve this result.

I'll create a thread on their forum, oh wait, there is no more forum

S2D2 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 03, 2022, 08:00 »

I have wondered the same Alex.

Incompetence or design?

It seems unlikely that such a large company would deliberately mislead if it's illegal in the US, so I suppose that, unbelievably, they still haven't noticed.

Either way it's crap and illustrates their usual 'couldn't care less' attitude.

Food for thought.

Wilm · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2022, 08:13 »

Quote from: Brasilnut on February 03, 2022, 06:20

How about yours?

As far as my portfolio is concerned, that's all correct, Alex.

RalfLiebhold · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2022, 08:52 »

Same experience like you, Alex. Most of my bestsellers are listed as "never used". For others it is correctly stated, I can't really see a rule here, the age of the images doesn't seem to matter. The score is probably diced.

qunamax · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2022, 08:58 »

I think it simply doesn't work as intended, rather than deliberate fraud.

thijsdegraaf · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2022, 09:11 »

It still doesn't work for me with all the photos. It is better than when this system was introduced.
I think they are still working on improving it.
I wonder how many customers are looking at it. Maybe when in doubt between two similar looking images. Perhaps one chooses the image, which is indicated as the least used.

Jaggy · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2022, 09:23 »

I wonder how much attention customers really pay to it. Do they care? Maybe they know it's meaningless and are they more concerned with finding the right photo for their needs irrespective of how many times it has been used.

My own best seller sold around 140 times last year but is marked as 'never used'. Yet it continues to sell.

Wilm · « **Reply #7 on:** February 03, 2022, 09:38 »

Quote from: Jaggy on February 03, 2022, 09:23

I wonder how much attention customers really pay to it. Do they care? Maybe they know it's meaningless and are they more concerned with finding the right photo for their needs irrespective of how many times it has been used.

My own best seller sold around 140 times last year but is marked as 'never used'. Yet it continues to sell.

It can already play a certain role. Often, advertising agencies are asked by their clients to use images that are not already in circulation by the thousands. Because there is a risk that the competition could use the same image. In this case, there would be an honorable search for images that have rarely been bought or have not been bought at all. For the contributors, I think it's more of an advantage if it says "Never used". However, the information provided by shutterstock should then also be correct, otherwise the buyer will be misled.

Wilm · « **Reply #8 on:** February 03, 2022, 09:38 »

Quote from: Wilm on February 03, 2022, 09:38

Quote from: Jaggy on February 03, 2022, 09:23
I wonder how much attention customers really pay to it. Do they care? Maybe they know it's meaningless and are they more concerned with finding the right photo for their needs irrespective of how many times it has been used.

My own best seller sold around 140 times last year but is marked as 'never used'. Yet it continues to sell.

It can play a certain role. Often, advertising agencies are asked by their clients to use images that are not already in circulation by the thousands. Because there is a risk that the competition could use the same image. In this case, there would be an honorable search for images that have rarely been bought or have not been bought at all. For the contributors, I think it's more of an advantage if it says "Never used". However, the information provided by shutterstock should then also be correct, otherwise the buyer will be misled.

JetCityImage · « **Reply #9 on:** February 03, 2022, 16:49 »

With terms like "Make the first move" and "We're seeing significant engagement with this asset," it seems like they hired a psychologist to make up phrases that create demand. Kinda creepy, actually.

gnirtS · « **Reply #10 on:** February 03, 2022, 19:42 »

Looking through my things although the highest sellers do seem to tally the rest of the portfolio really seems to have nothing in common with the SS popularity and usage ratings at all.

As someone says above, the "Get it now while its hot!" style comments look more to be a psychological nudge.

Given they don't actually define what the words or meanings actually are then its probably not illegal.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #11 on:** February 04, 2022, 09:52 »

Quote from: JetCityImage on February 03, 2022, 16:49

With terms like "Make the first move" and "We're seeing significant engagement with this asset," it seems like they hired a psychologist to make up phrases that create demand. Kinda creepy, actually.

Yes to that.

These ratings are not real and we should ignore them. Kind of the same as "Discoverability" ratings on Alamy.

Quote from: gnirtS on February 03, 2022, 19:42

Looking through my things although the highest sellers do seem to tally the rest of the portfolio really seems to have nothing in common with the SS popularity and usage ratings at all.

Yup

Brasilnut · « **Reply #12 on:** February 05, 2022, 07:04 »

All it takes is one or two of their more technical employees to quickly sort out this "bug".

I'll check back in 6 months and probably there will be no changes...who wants to make bet with me?

PinHead · « **Reply #13 on:** February 05, 2022, 07:29 »

The popularity score was implemented a year ago,if i'm not mistaken...does not record the usage or popularity of an item before implementation.

Firn · « **Reply #14 on:** February 05, 2022, 07:38 »

Quote from: PinHead on February 05, 2022, 07:29

The popularity score was implemented a year ago,if i'm not mistaken...does not record the usage or popularity of an item before implementation.

It does, all my images have popularity scores. Some seem correct, some are completely off, both for older images and newer images.

thijsdegraaf · « **Reply #15 on:** February 05, 2022, 08:50 »

If I remember correctly, in the beginning only the older photos were quite good and the newer ones were not. Now I can no longer find a clear line which are well marked and which are not. Some of my older images are now rated lower than before.

Just_to_inform_people2 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 05, 2022, 09:05 »

Quote from: PinHead on February 05, 2022, 07:29

The popularity score was implemented a year ago,if i'm not mistaken...does not record the usage or popularity of an item before implementation.

I think that may well be true. I joined Shutterstock less then a year ago and with my photo's all is displayed correctly.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #17 on:** February 05, 2022, 12:48 »

Quote from: Brasilnut on February 05, 2022, 07:04

All it takes is one or two of their more technical employees to quickly sort out this "bug".

I'll check back in 6 months and probably there will be no changes...who wants to make bet with me?

Am I allowed to bet that you are correct?

Quote from: SVH on February 05, 2022, 09:05

Quote from: PinHead on February 05, 2022, 07:29
The popularity score was implemented a year ago,if i'm not mistaken...does not record the usage or popularity of an item before implementation.
I think that may well be true. I joined Shutterstock less then a year ago and with my photo's all is displayed correctly.

Interesting, but then why would my old image from 2010 show as highly popular and download often, when it has made me under $6 lifetime, and has one 10c download this year?

What I mean is, yes maybe recent files are right, and old files are a closer match. (or possibly only newer artists?) But then, it's still broken and flawed?

And buyers are seeing all that misinformation.

UPLOAD-UPLOAD-UPLOAD · « **Reply #18 on:** February 05, 2022, 18:46 »

Quote from: Jaggy on February 03, 2022, 09:23

I wonder how much attention customers really pay to it. Do they care? Maybe they know it's meaningless and are they more concerned with finding the right photo for their needs irrespective of how many times it has been used.

My own best seller sold around 140 times last year but is marked as 'never used'. Yet it continues to sell.

I agree with you. I chalk up the errors to Shutterstock sloth and incompetence. They don't care.
This seems to be a failed experiment SS does not want to immediately remove for fear of causing worse problems.
I don't see how this has any affect on my port. Highly rated images barely sell and low rated ones go like hot cakes.

Unamas · « **Reply #19 on:** February 06, 2022, 13:22 »

Quote from: UPLOAD-UPLOAD-UPLOAD on February 05, 2022, 18:46

I don't see how this has any affect on my port.

Probably in the same way as that stupid personalization SS wants us to have. Who cares about my profile photo?

UPLOAD-UPLOAD-UPLOAD · « **Reply #20 on:** February 06, 2022, 13:33 »

Quote from: Unamas on February 06, 2022, 13:22

Quote from: UPLOAD-UPLOAD-UPLOAD on February 05, 2022, 18:46
I don't see how this has any affect on my port.
Probably in the same way as that stupid personalization SS wants us to have. Who cares about my profile photo?

Exactly

Roscoe · « **Reply #21 on:** February 07, 2022, 03:33 »

Quote from: UPLOAD-UPLOAD-UPLOAD on February 05, 2022, 18:46

Quote from: Jaggy on February 03, 2022, 09:23
I wonder how much attention customers really pay to it. Do they care? Maybe they know it's meaningless and are they more concerned with finding the right photo for their needs irrespective of how many times it has been used.

My own best seller sold around 140 times last year but is marked as 'never used'. Yet it continues to sell.
I agree with you. I chalk up the errors to Shutterstock sloth and incompetence. They don't care.
This seems to be a failed experiment SS does not want to immediately remove for fear of causing worse problems.
I don't see how this has any affect on my port. Highly rated images barely sell and low rated ones go like hot cakes.

Yeah. If I were a customer, and find some images that fit my needs, I would probably even go for the one that's "never been used", instead of using the one that everybody else does. I would want to have the content that I create to be unique, supported by rather unique images instead of blurting out generic and all over the place stuff. But that's maybe just me.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #22 on:** February 07, 2022, 10:02 »

Quote from: Roscoe on February 07, 2022, 03:33

Quote from: UPLOAD-UPLOAD-UPLOAD on February 05, 2022, 18:46
Quote from: Jaggy on February 03, 2022, 09:23
I wonder how much attention customers really pay to it. Do they care? Maybe they know it's meaningless and are they more concerned with finding the right photo for their needs irrespective of how many times it has been used.

My own best seller sold around 140 times last year but is marked as 'never used'. Yet it continues to sell.
I agree with you. I chalk up the errors to Shutterstock sloth and incompetence. They don't care.
This seems to be a failed experiment SS does not want to immediately remove for fear of causing worse problems.
I don't see how this has any affect on my port. Highly rated images barely sell and low rated ones go like hot cakes.

Yeah. If I were a customer, and find some images that fit my needs, I would probably even go for the one that's "never been used", instead of using the one that everybody else does. I would want to have the content that I create to be unique, supported by rather unique images instead of blurting out generic and all over the place stuff. But that's maybe just me.

So I should be happy when SS says one of my best images has low sales and use?

Personally I don't care either way. The ratings are wrong and irrelevant and I really don't care to spend time worrying at every little detail of how the agency sites are messed up. It's like the search to me. I can't change it, I shouldn't dwell on what happens.

What we need is likes and a popularity score for photos. I like likes... (just kidding)

Unamas · « **Reply #23 on:** February 07, 2022, 13:02 »

Quote from: Roscoe on February 07, 2022, 03:33

Yeah. If I were a customer, and find some images that fit my needs, I would probably even go for the one that's "never been used", instead of using the one that everybody else does.

In this case SS needs to add an ability to sort images by unpopularity

Wilm · « **Reply #24 on:** February 07, 2022, 15:02 »

Quote from: Unamas on February 07, 2022, 13:02

Quote from: Roscoe on February 07, 2022, 03:33
Yeah. If I were a customer, and find some images that fit my needs, I would probably even go for the one that's "never been used", instead of using the one that everybody else does.

In this case SS needs to add an ability to sort images by unpopularity

Adobe Stock has a better solution. There is the filter "undiscovered". And the results are correct.

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Author Topic: Are Shutterstock trying to fool their customers? Popularity Score / Usage Score (Read 8922 times)

Brasilnut

S2D2

Wilm

RalfLiebhold

qunamax

thijsdegraaf

Jaggy

Wilm

Wilm

JetCityImage

gnirtS

Uncle Pete

Brasilnut

PinHead

Firn

thijsdegraaf

Just_to_inform_people2

Uncle Pete

UPLOAD-UPLOAD-UPLOAD

Unamas

UPLOAD-UPLOAD-UPLOAD

Roscoe

Uncle Pete

Unamas

Wilm

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