Author Topic: Shutterstock buys image-management software firm WebDAM (Read 8367 times)

gostwyck · « **on:** March 03, 2014, 19:15 »

Shutterstock (SSTK) is acquiring WebDAM, a developer of cloud-based software for managing and sharing images, videos, and other files. Terms are undisclosed.

http://seekingalpha.com/pr/9144073-shutterstock-to-acquire-webdam-leader-in-web-based-digital-asset-management?source=email_rt_mc_body&app=n

TechCrunch observes WebDAM has an enterprise customer base that includes GE, Intel, Symantec, and Salesforce. Shutterstock CEO Jon Oringer argues the deal will give enterprise buyers of his company's digital imagery content/services "a more seamless experience."

http://techcrunch.com/2014/03/03/shutterstock-acquires-digital-asset-management-service-webdam/

admin edit: added webdav to the subject

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #1 on:** March 03, 2014, 19:41 »

Do you think they want to do something along the lines of Alamy IQ?

http://www.alamy.com/customer/help/alamy-iQ.asp

Mantis · « **Reply #2 on:** March 03, 2014, 20:22 »

I love the fact that at least SS is reinvesting in their company and looking to the future.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #3 on:** March 03, 2014, 21:07 »

Quote from: Mantis on March 03, 2014, 20:22

I love the fact that at least SS is reinvesting in their company and looking to the future.

Up to a point, so do I, but Adobe was doing heavy investing, but in things that drew the company (a) away from their bread and butter business with creatives, illustrators and photographers and (b) into toxic business models that seek to boost their profits by doing as little as possible for as much cash as possible:

http://www.businessinsider.com/adobes-acquisition-of-omniture-could-help-define-monetization-analytics-2009-9

http://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthof/2013/06/27/adobe-continues-digital-marketing-spree-with-600-million-neolane-acquisition/

As Adobe's customer for what used to be their core business, none of the above were good news for me.

So I would very much like to understand what SS is planning and whether that is boosting their existing business - the one I contribute to and derive income from - to increase both their profit and my income. Let's hope that's where this is going.

stockastic · « **Reply #4 on:** March 03, 2014, 22:19 »

I'm thinking it's a plan to create some sort of cloud-based "image bank" that's an all-you-can eat buffet for big corporate customers. They won't have to be bothered with irritating things like licensing individual images or managing subscriptions.

Sri · « **Reply #5 on:** March 03, 2014, 22:45 »

what the timing

michaeldb · « **Reply #6 on:** March 03, 2014, 23:10 »

Quote from: Jo Ann Snover on March 03, 2014, 19:41

Do you think they want to do something along the lines of Alamy IQ?

http://www.alamy.com/customer/help/alamy-iQ.asp

It looks like Alamy IQ is a single limited digital asset management tool, while WebDAM is a complete, enterprise-oriented DAM system, and a good one. Probably a very smart acquisition. Many subscribers who use SS as their sole source of images already use the site as a sort of DAM system, or a part of one. DAM is not far afield from SS's core business or and its enterprise acumen.

It also looks like SS is making no secret of its strategy for the future: Focus on large enterprise customers.

Will this be good for us contributors? Probably for some of us, not so much for others. If you were invited to Offset, your SS future looks bright, I would think. Personally, I wasn't invited. But I do business illustrations and I sell a lot to enterprise users, without the help of Offset and its link on the home page of SS which draws customers away from my images. So maybe I will do ok in the future, if not at SS, at other sites.

It looks like people who submit photos of kittens, flowers and animals at the zoo may not have good prospects at the future SS. Which probably comes as a shock to no one.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 04, 2014, 02:00 »

Quote from: stockastic on March 03, 2014, 22:19

I'm thinking it's a plan to create some sort of cloud-based "image bank" that's an all-you-can eat buffet for big corporate customers. They won't have to be bothered with irritating things like licensing individual images or managing subscriptions.

yeah its always for the worst things you can imagine, what a fertile imagination I must say!

BD · « **Reply #8 on:** March 04, 2014, 02:39 »

Quote from: Mantis on March 03, 2014, 20:22

I love the fact that at least SS is reinvesting in their company and looking to the future.

Looking to the future is part of what made Mr. Oringer this wealthy: http://www.forbes.com/profile/jonathan-oringer/
“Source of wealth: stock photos, self made.” A smart man, but hopefully he won’t forget the contributors’ hard work that made those stock photos, which he would not have made his billions without…

There is some more information on Shutterstock and Webdam here in the questions and answers at the bottom: http://www.webdam.com/blog/shutterstock-to-acquire-webdam/

leaf · « **Reply #9 on:** March 04, 2014, 14:40 »

Hmmm.. interesting. Perhaps this means more very easy to license images for the end user - like the Facebook deal. I wouldn't be against that. Getting images easily accessible to where people need them and can buy them seamlessly is what will make microstock really bloom.

melastmohican · « **Reply #10 on:** March 04, 2014, 14:49 »

WebDAV - Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) is an extension of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) that facilitates collaboration between users in editing and managing documents and files stored on World Wide Web servers.

And company is WebDAM where DAM stand for Digital Asset Management :-)

BD · « **Reply #11 on:** March 04, 2014, 14:59 »

Quote from: leaf on March 04, 2014, 14:40

Hmmm.. interesting. Perhaps this means more very easy to license images for the end user - like the Facebook deal. I wouldn't be against that. Getting images easily accessible to where people need them and can buy them seamlessly is what will make microstock really bloom.

That's what it looks like. From the link I posted: http://www.webdam.com/blog/shutterstock-to-acquire-webdam/

"Will there be any changes to the product?

In the coming months, we will be offering various levels of integration between our respective products for our customers. This is an optional offering for those interested in leveraging both products. In other areas, we will continue to innovate and grow our core cloud-based digital asset management platform with the continued mission of simplifying and improving creative and marketing workflows end-to-end."

It goes on to say that they aren't requiring their customers to become Shutterstock customers (although they encourage them to check out the images), and their customers can also continue to upload their own content from other sources (but it appears to me if Shutterstock is integrated into their product it will be the easier time-saving option).

mike ledray · « **Reply #12 on:** March 04, 2014, 15:00 »

I say its All Good!
In fact I think its Fantastic!
Shutterstock Rocks!
Heck SS Stock is at 99.00 per share last time I checked (Cha Ching!)
SS keeps on growing and selling
Thank You Shutterstock
Thank You very much

stockastic · « **Reply #13 on:** March 04, 2014, 16:06 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on March 04, 2014, 02:00

Quote from: stockastic on March 03, 2014, 22:19
I'm thinking it's a plan to create some sort of cloud-based "image bank" that's an all-you-can eat buffet for big corporate customers. They won't have to be bothered with irritating things like licensing individual images or managing subscriptions.

yeah its always for the worst things you can imagine, what a fertile imagination I must say!

I'm half trolling and half serious. But really, what was the last time you heard something from an agency beginning with "today we are excited to announce" that turned out to mean more money - not less - for contributors, when their images are used?

gostwyck · « **Reply #14 on:** March 04, 2014, 17:07 »

Quote from: stockastic on March 04, 2014, 16:06

Quote from: luissantos84 on March 04, 2014, 02:00
Quote from: stockastic on March 03, 2014, 22:19
I'm thinking it's a plan to create some sort of cloud-based "image bank" that's an all-you-can eat buffet for big corporate customers. They won't have to be bothered with irritating things like licensing individual images or managing subscriptions.

yeah its always for the worst things you can imagine, what a fertile imagination I must say!

I'm half trolling and half serious. But really, what was the last time you heard something from an agency beginning with "today we are excited to announce" that turned out to mean more money - not less - for contributors, when their images are used?

on SS? The arrival of OOD's, then later SOD's and most recently the FB deal spring to mind. SOD's and OOD's make up about half my earnings on SS nowadays.

Mantis · « **Reply #15 on:** March 04, 2014, 18:21 »

Quote from: gostwyck on March 04, 2014, 17:07

Quote from: stockastic on March 04, 2014, 16:06
Quote from: luissantos84 on March 04, 2014, 02:00
Quote from: stockastic on March 03, 2014, 22:19
I'm thinking it's a plan to create some sort of cloud-based "image bank" that's an all-you-can eat buffet for big corporate customers. They won't have to be bothered with irritating things like licensing individual images or managing subscriptions.

yeah its always for the worst things you can imagine, what a fertile imagination I must say!

I'm half trolling and half serious. But really, what was the last time you heard something from an agency beginning with "today we are excited to announce" that turned out to mean more money - not less - for contributors, when their images are used?

on SS? The arrival of OOD's, then later SOD's and most recently the FB deal spring to mind. SOD's and OOD's make up about half my earnings on SS nowadays.

My income there popped up quite well up after the intro of these. While my sales are very erratic, I am way above where I was last year and super way above from the year before. Conversely, IS has gone backwards a lot, then TS brought my income to just below my highest point and it's never gone up since. Same with DT and all other sites. SS is the only site growing for me.

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Author Topic: Shutterstock buys image-management software firm WebDAM (Read 8367 times)

gostwyck

Jo Ann Snover

Mantis

Jo Ann Snover

stockastic

Sri

michaeldb

luissantos84

BD

leaf

melastmohican

BD

mike ledray

stockastic

gostwyck

Mantis

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