I tweeted about it while at the Microstock Expo but the full details have just been released

Shutterstock Footage is pleased to tell you about an exciting increase in commissions for all stock footage sales expected in December of this year.

In order to attract the best available footage content, we're raising our prices. We're also moving away from a royalty structure that mixes a percentage-based earnings model (30%) and fixed payouts ($2.50 USD, $8.00, $13.25) to a consistent percentage-based model (30%) for all commissions.

Taken together with the price increase, this means all commissions will go up. You can now earn up to $23.70 USD per HD clip download! In addition, we're increasing our marketing efforts to introduce more customers to your great work.

I don't have many clips, but I do have one that sold fairly consistently for a year or 2. I was pretty saddened when they dropped the commissions (and I think they dropped them too much). Perhaps this will re-balance things a bit.


This does vaguely imply that we make under 30% on sub sales. I'd really like to see the regular subs commission go up.

So they're raising the price of a single HD clip from $50 to $79? That's more than a 50% price hike; I sure hope they know what they're doing.

I wonder what this means for footage sub sales? Right now, the largest subscription gives a 20% discount off of the single HD clip price. If that continues to hold true, that would put the lowest price of an HD sub at $63.20, giving us a commission of $18.96 (instead of the current $15).

Sounds good ... if buyers can stomach such a large increase. On the bright side, if the higher prices stick, maybe contributors on the sites where you set your own prices will stop pricing their HD clips at $15, $20, $25. Idiots.

I don 't shoot video, but I am very happy for those who do.  And of course increased royalties are a welcome sign for the industry as a whole.  It's good to see SS taking such a different approach to some of their competitors. 

Quote from: lisafx on November 14, 2011, 16:44

I don 't shoot video, but I am very happy for those who do.  And of course increased royalties are a welcome sign for the industry as a whole.  It's good to see SS taking such a different approach to some of their competitors. 

Next up? Photogs & Illustrators perhaps? What a perfect storm that would create.

I sure hope so!  An across the board raise would be great, or alternatively, an additional higher tier above the existing .38 one. 

Quote from: Mantis on November 14, 2011, 16:50

Quote from: lisafx on November 14, 2011, 16:44

I don 't shoot video, but I am very happy for those who do.  And of course increased royalties are a welcome sign for the industry as a whole.  It's good to see SS taking such a different approach to some of their competitors. 

Next up? Photogs & Illustrators perhaps? What a perfect storm that would create.

I sure hope so!  An across the board raise would be great, or alternatively, an additional higher tier above the existing .38 one. 

    Shutterstocks video prices and commissions were so far below the leader in that space ( pond5 ) that i think they realized they need to pay more to get content. The great thing about SS footage is that they do sell well, so we will have to see if the price increase causes a problem. My feeling is that it won't be a problem, because as click click says, the cost for stock vs shooting is huge. Also, at SS the turnaround for footage approval can be measured in hours. At IS, it can easily take 3 months for approval. I really feel that footage is a great future market, and even now footage sales at SS run about 25% of the monthly total.
    Unfortunately, I don't think that they are playing catch up with still images, so I can't see any reason for them to increase payouts, although I wish they would. If I had to pick only one site to sell on, it would be SS without a doubt.

Sorry ShutterStock but I Make $47.00 on a 1080HD download at istock.

I am glad SS footage is working well for you! I am exclusive to IS on the video side and I have been since they started. I have been able to quit my day job because of iStock and have been doing it full-time for over 1.5 years. I still feel iStock has one of the highest quality collections out there! I look often at other sites as well. I am not holding a candle for iStock it is just working for me. I am super glad for the news of increase for video at SS, that is great news for the many who work hard and deserve decent commission.