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Author Topic: I refuse to join the dollar slave club.  (Read 2939 times)

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« on: May 29, 2020, 09:15 »
+10
I've been with Shutterstock since mid 2005. I have file numbers in the low 6 digits that still sell. I've seen things get better and get worse. I currently make more with Shutterstock on a monthly basis than any other stock agency (until May 2020 anyway). But I refuse to be treated like Shutterstock has said they will and be put into their dollar slave club. I will disable my account June 1st. I may not receive any money from them anymore, but I will retain my dignity. Those who remain will eventually lose both their money and their dignity. Better to leave now. It was a good run while it lasted.


angelawaye

  • Eat, Sleep, Keyword. Repeat

« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2020, 09:53 »
+6
I've been with them since 2008 with 226,737 lifetime downloads.

It's going to be so difficult for me to end my relationship with SS on June 1st but it has become an abusive relationship (financially) and I see it continually going down now.

The problem is Adobe Stock never took off for me after Fotolia...


« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2020, 09:58 »
+3
I've been with them since 2008 with 226,737 lifetime downloads.

It's going to be so difficult for me to end my relationship with SS on June 1st but it has become an abusive relationship (financially) and I see it continually going down now.

The problem is Adobe Stock never took off for me after Fotolia...
I fortunately saw a dramatic increase with Adobe after they bought out Fotolia, but still not to the point where shutterstock was. However, I anticipate other agencies will see growth after this BS with Shutterstock.

« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2020, 10:01 »
0
I'm afraid customers will go to Istock and Getty, and only istock exclusives will profit from this.

« Reply #4 on: May 29, 2020, 12:04 »
+3
I've been with them since 2008 with 226,737 lifetime downloads.

It's going to be so difficult for me to end my relationship with SS on June 1st but it has become an abusive relationship (financially) and I see it continually going down now.

The problem is Adobe Stock never took off for me after Fotolia...

Please do not give up hope yet.

The contributor protest has just started and the reset to zero will wake up a lot of people.

I dont think it is unrealistic that with a proper online protest, journalists reporting, sharing the petition, the management can be shamed into reversing the worst of this.

I also cannot imagine that the SS employees are comfortable with this kind of cruel cut in the middle of a pandemic.

Nobody enjoys working for a company perceived as evil.

Contributors dont just control the upload streams, we also are buyers and direct our clients where to buy.

I really cant see how they will handle the fall out of a major online scandal. The first ever for SS who used to be drama free and the worst in the entire history of the stock industry.

« Reply #5 on: May 29, 2020, 12:21 »
+4
actually - thats a VERY interesting idea...

start contacting some journalists that cover the virus pandemic, etc - ANY one of them - and then just write a short blurb something along the lines of:

"Hi, I'm a stock photographer. I make a living online. While most companies have been great - this company shutterstock has cut people's livelihood in half
starting June 1st to boost their own corporate profits. I think you might have a story here. Let me know if you would like to interview me/and or some other
people (anonymously or with names)"

In the middle of a pandemic shutterstock decides to GOUGE the very people that ALLOW them to make the sales they do.

Makes for a GREAT story.

Shutterstock does care about stock prices, and negatively publicity may not sit well with them, so maybe they'd stop gouging contributors to line their own
pockets.

Pick a random major publication (wapo, nyt), etc - or even smaller ones...

Good idea!

When you do find a publication willing to listen, send me a PM. I'll drop them a line too.

Thanks!

I've been with them since 2008 with 226,737 lifetime downloads.

It's going to be so difficult for me to end my relationship with SS on June 1st but it has become an abusive relationship (financially) and I see it continually going down now.

The problem is Adobe Stock never took off for me after Fotolia...

Please do not give up hope yet.

The contributor protest has just started and the reset to zero will wake up a lot of people.

I dont think it is unrealistic that with a proper online protest, journalists reporting, sharing the petition, the management can be shamed into reversing the worst of this.

I also cannot imagine that the SS employees are comfortable with this kind of cruel cut in the middle of a pandemic.

Nobody enjoys working for a company perceived as evil.

Contributors dont just control the upload streams, we also are buyers and direct our clients where to buy.

I really cant see how they will handle the fall out of a major online scandal. The first ever for SS who used to be drama free and the worst in the entire history of the stock industry.

« Reply #6 on: May 29, 2020, 12:53 »
+4
And you can add how Dreamstime reacted and decided to pay extra for corona support starting June 1.

https://www.dreamstime.com/blog/dreamstime-love-54073

« Reply #7 on: May 29, 2020, 13:32 »
+4
And you can add how Dreamstime reacted and decided to pay extra for corona support starting June 1.

https://www.dreamstime.com/blog/dreamstime-love-54073
It makes very little difference since they're a small company. But it is both encouraging and amusing to see Dreamstime metaphorically give a big middle finger to Shutterstock.

« Reply #8 on: May 30, 2020, 00:12 »
0
And you can add how Dreamstime reacted and decided to pay extra for corona support starting June 1.

https://www.dreamstime.com/blog/dreamstime-love-54073
It makes very little difference since they're a small company. But it is both encouraging and amusing to see Dreamstime metaphorically give a big middle finger to Shutterstock.

They're emailing and messaging people on instagram as well asking them to contribute.

As much as i like their effort, i stopped submitting there years ago because the time involved (terrible 1 at a time, no batch submission method) wasnt worth it for the tiny amount of revenue it generated.

« Reply #9 on: May 30, 2020, 06:54 »
+2
And you can add how Dreamstime reacted and decided to pay extra for corona support starting June 1.

https://www.dreamstime.com/blog/dreamstime-love-54073
It makes very little difference since they're a small company. But it is both encouraging and amusing to see Dreamstime metaphorically give a big middle finger to Shutterstock.

They're emailing and messaging people on instagram as well asking them to contribute.

As much as i like their effort, i stopped submitting there years ago because the time involved (terrible 1 at a time, no batch submission method) wasnt worth it for the tiny amount of revenue it generated.
Its better now. They auto-fill categories, and its usually quite accurate. I just pretty much hit submit on the files.


 

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