Author Topic: The Shutterstock customer search! (Read 8427 times)

Horizon · « **on:** January 18, 2021, 14:45 »

Risk-free: Cancel with just a few clicks anytime within the first month and pay nothing.
Keep images: Even if you cancel, you can keep your licensed images.
Save more: Get your first month free, then enjoy an annual subscription for just $29/mo.
Full access: Enjoy our entire library of more than 316 million photos, illustrations, and vectors.

This is what pops up when a buyer search! imagine a first time buyer!

is is any wonder sales are so bad?

just saying people.

ShadySue · « **Reply #1 on:** January 18, 2021, 18:07 »

Quote from: Horizon on January 18, 2021, 14:45

Risk-free: Cancel with just a few clicks anytime within the first month and pay nothing.
Keep images: Even if you cancel, you can keep your licensed images.
Save more: Get your first month free, then enjoy an annual subscription for just $29/mo.
Full access: Enjoy our entire library of more than 316 million photos, illustrations, and vectors.

This is what pops up when a buyer search! imagine a first time buyer!

is is any wonder sales are so bad?

just saying people.

It's not quite as 'unlimited' as your post made it look: you redacted the "Download 10 images now with a free trial" above that paragraph.
So, yes indeed, it seems all new buyers can get ten free images.
(Do suppliers get compensated?)

Just like when I go to Adobestock, the first thing I see is, "Discover Adobe Stock free photos, vectors and videos" and the default search is 'free'.
I know, I read here that suppliers have been compensated for that work, but it still gives the impression that stock files should be 'free' by default.

When I went onto iStock with a clean browser, I didn't get offered anything for actual 'free', just "Save with flexible plans to suit every budget. View plans and pricing"
And yes, of course I know all about the Connect pay-for-view near-scam. Also there's a worrying unanswered thread on their forum ...

Horizon · « **Reply #2 on:** January 18, 2021, 18:48 »

Quote from: ShadySue on January 18, 2021, 18:07

Quote from: Horizon on January 18, 2021, 14:45
Risk-free: Cancel with just a few clicks anytime within the first month and pay nothing.
Keep images: Even if you cancel, you can keep your licensed images.
Save more: Get your first month free, then enjoy an annual subscription for just $29/mo.
Full access: Enjoy our entire library of more than 316 million photos, illustrations, and vectors.

This is what pops up when a buyer search! imagine a first time buyer!

is is any wonder sales are so bad?

just saying people.

It's not quite as 'unlimited' as your post made it look: you redacted the "Download 10 images now with a free trial" above that paragraph.
So, yes indeed, it seems all new buyers can get ten free images.
(Do suppliers get compensated?)

Just like when I go to Adobestock, the first thing I see is, "Discover Adobe Stock free photos, vectors and videos" and the default search is 'free'.
I know, I read here that suppliers have been compensated for that work, but it still gives the impression that stock files should be 'free' by default.

When I went onto iStock with a clean browser, I didn't get offered anything for actual 'free', just "Save with flexible plans to suit every budget. View plans and pricing"
And yes, of course I know all about the Connect pay-for-view near-scam. Also there's a worrying unanswered thread on their forum ...

In any event and whats next on top of reduced commissions? totally free images? in all these years I must confess I havent really paid much attention to this but in thinking through their strategy! yes I am beginning to undestand why they had to lower our commissions and basically told us to either put up or get out!

Firn · « **Reply #3 on:** January 19, 2021, 01:33 »

Various stock agencies have been offering free images for years, most as "trial" for their subsciption plans, some just offer images for free ~~just for the fun of it~~ because they believe it will attrackt paying customers. This is their attempt at attrackting new customers and nothing new and no reason why commissions "had" to be lowered. They were making profit just fine. The only reason why commissions keep getting lowered is because the stock agencies want more profit and have an over-supply of contributors and content anyways. They can afford to piss of contributors, because even if 25% of them left an agency, they still have an over-supply.

csm · « **Reply #4 on:** January 19, 2021, 07:37 »

What really annoys me as this further erodes the thought that photography is worth something, and it is not free. Most images cost something to produce. When was the last time you went into a shop and got a free t shirt?

Noedelhap · « **Reply #5 on:** January 19, 2021, 07:49 »

Quote from: csm on January 19, 2021, 07:37

What really annoys me as this further erodes the thought that photography is worth something, and it is not free. Most images cost something to produce. When was the last time you went into a shop and got a free t shirt?

I often see discounts in shops: 3 t-shirts for €10, 2+1 free, etc.
If anything is cheap, it's t-shirts.

Discounts are perfectly normal to entice buyers into getting a subscription.

OM · « **Reply #6 on:** January 19, 2021, 10:18 »

Nothing really matters except this:

gnirtS · « **Reply #7 on:** January 19, 2021, 10:45 »

Quote from: ShadySue on January 18, 2021, 18:07

So, yes indeed, it seems all new buyers can get ten free images.
(Do suppliers get compensated?)

If you look on the buyer FB groups or even Trustpilot its full of people complaining they only signed up to get the 10 free images they wanted, had no intention of continuing a subscription and were upset when SS screw ups resulting in them getting billed.
In other words, large numbers of people sign up purely to get the 10 free images they're after and never plan on actually spending money.

Horizon · « **Reply #8 on:** January 19, 2021, 13:37 »

Quote from: gnirtS on January 19, 2021, 10:45

Quote from: ShadySue on January 18, 2021, 18:07

So, yes indeed, it seems all new buyers can get ten free images.
(Do suppliers get compensated?)

If you look on the buyer FB groups or even Trustpilot its full of people complaining they only signed up to get the 10 free images they wanted, had no intention of continuing a subscription and were upset when SS screw ups resulting in them getting billed.
In other words, large numbers of people sign up purely to get the 10 free images they're after and never plan on actually spending money.

Exactly!!

Firn · « **Reply #9 on:** January 20, 2021, 02:50 »

Quote from: gnirtS on January 19, 2021, 10:45

Quote from: ShadySue on January 18, 2021, 18:07

So, yes indeed, it seems all new buyers can get ten free images.
(Do suppliers get compensated?)

If you look on the buyer FB groups or even Trustpilot its full of people complaining they only signed up to get the 10 free images they wanted, had no intention of continuing a subscription and were upset when SS screw ups resulting in them getting billed.
In other words, large numbers of people sign up purely to get the 10 free images they're after and never plan on actually spending money.

Of course. Shouldn't that be obvious? If you advertise with "get something for free", you will in 99% cases attrackt people who, well, want something for free and nothing else. And I think the remaining 1% might be people who planned to get a subscription anyways and just take the extra 10 free images along. Like, sometimes when I want to purchase something in an online shop, after I have filled my shopping card, I serach the internet for possible discount codes. But I would have bought the stuff anyways.

Come on, what's really the point in trying out a image subsription plan? It's not like with a free trial product where there is actually a point in trying it out, like, let's say a bakery is offering free samples of cake. And you try out the cake and think "Whoa, that's so delicious!", so next time you come to the bakery you might end up buying some. But someone trying out "free images"? What's that person gonna think? "Whoa 10 photos! Who would have thought that photos could look like this?!" You know exactly what you are getting, there is nothing to "try out".

Horizon · « **Reply #10 on:** January 20, 2021, 04:10 »

Yes and considering probably 90% of all buyers are small time webbies this and that! well you can imagine millions are having a whale of a time with our freebies!

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #11 on:** January 20, 2021, 07:47 »

Quote from: Horizon on January 20, 2021, 04:10

Yes and considering probably 90% of all buyers are small time webbies this and that! well you can imagine millions are having a whale of a time with our freebies!

Considering all the 10c downloads reported, the majority of the buyers are not small time "webbies". Start to pay attention to your sales and see where the cheap subs are coming from. Who pays $199 a month for 750 images? Or who buys the $169 a month 350 packs? Not small websites. I wonder how many images a small website uses and if they buy much of anything now, when they can find CC or Free images.

If not why would they pay $169 for a few images, when they can get 10 images for $29. You did say small websites.

Quote from: Firn on January 20, 2021, 02:50

Of course. Shouldn't that be obvious? If you advertise with "get something for free", you will in 99% cases attrackt people who, well, want something for free and nothing else. And I think the remaining 1% might be people who planned to get a subscription anyways and just take the extra 10 free images along. Like, sometimes when I want to purchase something in an online shop, after I have filled my shopping card, I serach the internet for possible discount codes. But I would have bought the stuff anyways.

Come on, what's really the point in trying out a image subsription plan? It's not like with a free trial product where there is actually a point in trying it out, like, let's say a bakery is offering free samples of cake. And you try out the cake and think "Whoa, that's so delicious!", so next time you come to the bakery you might end up buying some. But someone trying out "free images"? What's that person gonna think? "Whoa 10 photos! Who would have thought that photos could look like this?!" You know exactly what you are getting, there is nothing to "try out".

Yes to both parts. (and the bakery) Every day we are all promised free app or something free, like software that doesn't mention some detail like everything has a watermark, or only small sizes are output, or in the fine print, not for commercial use. Some say free and then have a 7 day limit, that we don't see until the terms after installing. But that's still not free photos, just similar in that "FREE" is a standard marketing tool.

As far as others looking at stock photos and my superficial review, every agency has a free trial offer. (I might have missed one that doesn't, most do) SS isn't any different so this isn't an issue. Might be dumb and we can see it's just there for the taking, but @Horizon trying to make it a point for SS attacks is nonsense.

"Whoa 10 photos! Who would have thought that photos could look like this?!"

Wait is that good or that bad? Only if they are looking for blurred backgrounds from other folks videos, or maybe clouds or buds. Some of those free trials could drive business away.

Horizon · « **Reply #12 on:** January 20, 2021, 09:48 »

Quote from: Uncle Pete on January 20, 2021, 07:47

Quote from: Horizon on January 20, 2021, 04:10
Yes and considering probably 90% of all buyers are small time webbies this and that! well you can imagine millions are having a whale of a time with our freebies!

Considering all the 10c downloads reported, the majority of the buyers are not small time "webbies". Start to pay attention to your sales and see where the cheap subs are coming from. Who pays $199 a month for 750 images? Or who buys the $169 a month 350 packs? Not small websites. I wonder how many images a small website uses and if they buy much of anything now, when they can find CC or Free images.

If not why would they pay $169 for a few images, when they can get 10 images for $29. You did say small websites.

Quote from: Firn on January 20, 2021, 02:50

Of course. Shouldn't that be obvious? If you advertise with "get something for free", you will in 99% cases attrackt people who, well, want something for free and nothing else. And I think the remaining 1% might be people who planned to get a subscription anyways and just take the extra 10 free images along. Like, sometimes when I want to purchase something in an online shop, after I have filled my shopping card, I serach the internet for possible discount codes. But I would have bought the stuff anyways.

Come on, what's really the point in trying out a image subsription plan? It's not like with a free trial product where there is actually a point in trying it out, like, let's say a bakery is offering free samples of cake. And you try out the cake and think "Whoa, that's so delicious!", so next time you come to the bakery you might end up buying some. But someone trying out "free images"? What's that person gonna think? "Whoa 10 photos! Who would have thought that photos could look like this?!" You know exactly what you are getting, there is nothing to "try out".

Yes to both parts. (and the bakery) Every day we are all promised free app or something free, like software that doesn't mention some detail like everything has a watermark, or only small sizes are output, or in the fine print, not for commercial use. Some say free and then have a 7 day limit, that we don't see until the terms after installing. But that's still not free photos, just similar in that "FREE" is a standard marketing tool.

As far as others looking at stock photos and my superficial review, every agency has a free trial offer. (I might have missed one that doesn't, most do) SS isn't any different so this isn't an issue. Might be dumb and we can see it's just there for the taking, but @Horizon trying to make it a point for SS attacks is nonsense.

"Whoa 10 photos! Who would have thought that photos could look like this?!" Wait is that good or that bad? Only if they are looking for blurred backgrounds from other folks videos, or maybe clouds or buds. Some of those free trials could drive business away.

Pete! let me tell you I know designers some big ones who download these freebies use them and change them this and that almost beyond recognition and use them for a specific client promotion and this is without paying a penny and it happens all the time and in every country! again and again!....all these special deals are in the end negative because anything free is in ta penny buyers eyes worth more then paying 10c!

Diana Herrmann · « **Reply #13 on:** January 20, 2021, 13:38 »

Quote from: Horizon on January 20, 2021, 09:48

Quote from: Uncle Pete on January 20, 2021, 07:47
Quote from: Horizon on January 20, 2021, 04:10
Yes and considering probably 90% of all buyers are small time webbies this and that! well you can imagine millions are having a whale of a time with our freebies!

Considering all the 10c downloads reported, the majority of the buyers are not small time "webbies". Start to pay attention to your sales and see where the cheap subs are coming from. Who pays $199 a month for 750 images? Or who buys the $169 a month 350 packs? Not small websites. I wonder how many images a small website uses and if they buy much of anything now, when they can find CC or Free images.

If not why would they pay $169 for a few images, when they can get 10 images for $29. You did say small websites.

Quote from: Firn on January 20, 2021, 02:50

Of course. Shouldn't that be obvious? If you advertise with "get something for free", you will in 99% cases attrackt people who, well, want something for free and nothing else. And I think the remaining 1% might be people who planned to get a subscription anyways and just take the extra 10 free images along. Like, sometimes when I want to purchase something in an online shop, after I have filled my shopping card, I serach the internet for possible discount codes. But I would have bought the stuff anyways.

Come on, what's really the point in trying out a image subsription plan? It's not like with a free trial product where there is actually a point in trying it out, like, let's say a bakery is offering free samples of cake. And you try out the cake and think "Whoa, that's so delicious!", so next time you come to the bakery you might end up buying some. But someone trying out "free images"? What's that person gonna think? "Whoa 10 photos! Who would have thought that photos could look like this?!" You know exactly what you are getting, there is nothing to "try out".

Yes to both parts. (and the bakery) Every day we are all promised free app or something free, like software that doesn't mention some detail like everything has a watermark, or only small sizes are output, or in the fine print, not for commercial use. Some say free and then have a 7 day limit, that we don't see until the terms after installing. But that's still not free photos, just similar in that "FREE" is a standard marketing tool.

As far as others looking at stock photos and my superficial review, every agency has a free trial offer. (I might have missed one that doesn't, most do) SS isn't any different so this isn't an issue. Might be dumb and we can see it's just there for the taking, but @Horizon trying to make it a point for SS attacks is nonsense.

"Whoa 10 photos! Who would have thought that photos could look like this?!" Wait is that good or that bad? Only if they are looking for blurred backgrounds from other folks videos, or maybe clouds or buds. Some of those free trials could drive business away.

Pete! let me tell you I know designers some big ones who download these freebies use them and change them this and that almost beyond recognition and use them for a specific client promotion and this is without paying a penny and it happens all the time and in every country! again and again!....all these special deals are in the end negative because anything free is in ta penny buyers eyes worth more then paying 10c!

After the free 10 what do these designers do for more free again and again. You didn't answer him. Who are these 90% of all buyers who are small webbies and where did you get that number?

Horizon · « **Reply #14 on:** January 21, 2021, 04:49 »

Quote from: DiLambert on January 20, 2021, 13:38

Quote from: Horizon on January 20, 2021, 09:48
Quote from: Uncle Pete on January 20, 2021, 07:47
Quote from: Horizon on January 20, 2021, 04:10
Yes and considering probably 90% of all buyers are small time webbies this and that! well you can imagine millions are having a whale of a time with our freebies!

Considering all the 10c downloads reported, the majority of the buyers are not small time "webbies". Start to pay attention to your sales and see where the cheap subs are coming from. Who pays $199 a month for 750 images? Or who buys the $169 a month 350 packs? Not small websites. I wonder how many images a small website uses and if they buy much of anything now, when they can find CC or Free images.

If not why would they pay $169 for a few images, when they can get 10 images for $29. You did say small websites.

Quote from: Firn on January 20, 2021, 02:50

Of course. Shouldn't that be obvious? If you advertise with "get something for free", you will in 99% cases attrackt people who, well, want something for free and nothing else. And I think the remaining 1% might be people who planned to get a subscription anyways and just take the extra 10 free images along. Like, sometimes when I want to purchase something in an online shop, after I have filled my shopping card, I serach the internet for possible discount codes. But I would have bought the stuff anyways.

Come on, what's really the point in trying out a image subsription plan? It's not like with a free trial product where there is actually a point in trying it out, like, let's say a bakery is offering free samples of cake. And you try out the cake and think "Whoa, that's so delicious!", so next time you come to the bakery you might end up buying some. But someone trying out "free images"? What's that person gonna think? "Whoa 10 photos! Who would have thought that photos could look like this?!" You know exactly what you are getting, there is nothing to "try out".

Yes to both parts. (and the bakery) Every day we are all promised free app or something free, like software that doesn't mention some detail like everything has a watermark, or only small sizes are output, or in the fine print, not for commercial use. Some say free and then have a 7 day limit, that we don't see until the terms after installing. But that's still not free photos, just similar in that "FREE" is a standard marketing tool.

As far as others looking at stock photos and my superficial review, every agency has a free trial offer. (I might have missed one that doesn't, most do) SS isn't any different so this isn't an issue. Might be dumb and we can see it's just there for the taking, but @Horizon trying to make it a point for SS attacks is nonsense.

"Whoa 10 photos! Who would have thought that photos could look like this?!" Wait is that good or that bad? Only if they are looking for blurred backgrounds from other folks videos, or maybe clouds or buds. Some of those free trials could drive business away.

Pete! let me tell you I know designers some big ones who download these freebies use them and change them this and that almost beyond recognition and use them for a specific client promotion and this is without paying a penny and it happens all the time and in every country! again and again!....all these special deals are in the end negative because anything free is in ta penny buyers eyes worth more then paying 10c!

After the free 10 what do these designers do for more free again and again. You didn't answer him. Who are these 90% of all buyers who are small webbies and where did you get that number?

well what do you think they all do with low-res comp images?? blow them up to giant billboards?? come on!

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #15 on:** January 21, 2021, 06:30 »

Quote from: Firn on January 19, 2021, 01:33

Various stock agencies have been offering free images for years, most as "trial" for their subsciption plans, some just offer images for free ~~just for the fun of it~~ because they believe it will attrackt paying customers. This is their attempt at attrackting new customers and nothing new and no reason why commissions "had" to be lowered. They were making profit just fine. The only reason why commissions keep getting lowered is because the stock agencies want more profit and have an over-supply of contributors and content anyways. They can afford to piss of contributors, because even if 25% of them left an agency, they still have an over-supply.

How about this one, besides the free photos and a video each week from Deposit. FREE!

Wait you mean 100,000 contributors and 300,000,000 images, isn't too many?

Of course. iStock proved that people would keep uploading way back when the cut and cut and added RC and dropped levels. Now we're all 15%, minimum 2 cents, plus those connect views. I've listed many times, what all the rest did over the past eight years, but that's ignored.

And what do people cry about all day every day? Not the overall failure of the industry but one agency that took longer to join the screw the artists club.

I'm giving up trying to reason with people who contradict themselves with ever changing word salads and creative imagined facts.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #16 on:** January 25, 2021, 15:53 »

Just came in the eMail: Pond5

Start by downloading this week’s free clip of a nurse administering a vaccine.

To celebrate our 50% off photo discount, enjoy this bonus free photo of the London Eye, Europe’s tallest Ferris wheel.

kall3bu · « **Reply #17 on:** January 26, 2021, 03:57 »

Pond5: 1 free video and now (new) 1 photo free weekly, no problem! And that are videos or photos signed from the contributor for following advertisments like that or including abonnements.
The really good thing of it is: If you go to the free clip, directly below are similar clips shown from the same contributor for sale. So it is also an advertisment for the contributor! Great idea.

The 50% off for photos ends on 26 January, today!
I have no idea how it works: They just cut the 50 % from pond5, so pond5 does not get anything just that advertisment or it is shared with the contributors. So if you set a price for 10 $, instead of getting 5, you get 2,50 while that advertisment time.
But it is still good, because it is set for a limited time and we contributors could react if we want: increase the price. But I am okay with it, if it helps to attrack buyers for photos on pond5, which is badly needed, but I also can accept pond5 decission to focus on videos. But this 50% off for photos is a sign that they might focus little bit more on photos, too. So, hands up!

Horizon · « **Reply #18 on:** January 26, 2021, 04:29 »

Quote from: kall3bu on January 26, 2021, 03:57

Pond5: 1 free video and now (new) 1 photo free weekly, no problem! And that are videos or photos signed from the contributor for following advertisments like that or including abonnements.
The really good thing of it is: If you go to the free clip, directly below are similar clips shown from the same contributor for sale. So it is also an advertisment for the contributor! Great idea.

The 50% off for photos ends on 26 January, today!
I have no idea how it works: They just cut the 50 % from pond5, so pond5 does not get anything just that advertisment or it is shared with the contributors. So if you set a price for 10 $, instead of getting 5, you get 2,50 while that advertisment time.
But it is still good, because it is set for a limited time and we contributors could react if we want: increase the price. But I am okay with it, if it helps to attrack buyers for photos on pond5, which is badly needed, but I also can accept pond5 decission to focus on videos. But this 50% off for photos is a sign that they might focus little bit more on photos, too. So, hands up!

Hmm I don't really know what you are on about but Pond5 never focus on photos and will never do!

SuperPhoto · « **Reply #19 on:** February 01, 2021, 23:31 »

Quote from: Uncle Pete on January 25, 2021, 15:53

Just came in the eMail: Pond5

Start by downloading this week’s free clip of a nurse administering a vaccine.

To celebrate our 50% off photo discount, enjoy this bonus free photo of the London Eye, Europe’s tallest Ferris wheel.

lol do they offer any videos of people oozing puss/getting sick/falling over/keeling over/etc after getting injected with "the cure"?

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #20 on:** February 02, 2021, 15:30 »

Quote from: SuperPhoto on February 01, 2021, 23:31

Quote from: Uncle Pete on January 25, 2021, 15:53
Just came in the eMail: Pond5

Start by downloading this week’s free clip of a nurse administering a vaccine.

To celebrate our 50% off photo discount, enjoy this bonus free photo of the London Eye, Europe’s tallest Ferris wheel.

lol do they offer any videos of people oozing puss/getting sick/falling over/keeling over/etc after getting injected with "the cure"?

No, just people's skin turning into alligator scales and growing horns!

I'm be happy if Pond5 actually did start promoting photos. They have a fair percentage and seemed to be smart enough to take over a good segment of the video market. I'd start uploading again. But when I asked, they responded that they had no plans for photos at the time. If that changed, that's good news for all of us.

Hey let me toss another log on the fire. I just got spammed with advertising for scopio which is scop.io and offers some super subscription $29 a month, and of course sign up for a year and get 20% off. Listed as Unlimited downloads. I didn't waste time looking at all the details of unlimited. But the site is just begging for customers, now advertising on FaceBook, also claiming: "The largest collection of authentic and diverse images that tell stories from around the world." plus this on the bottom "Support Black Artists. Buy a custom T-shirt or download BLM images to tell powerful stories" Playing hard, aren't they?

Scopio Technologies
The Wing SOHO
Attn: Scopio Technologies Inc
52 Mercer Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10013

Corporation:
Scopio Technologies, Inc.
8 The Green, Ste A
Dover, DE 19901

Attorney:
Lana B Nassar
Blaise & Nitschke, P.C.
123 N Wacker, Suite 250
Chicago, IL 60611

Superstar Rising Woman Lawyer in Chicago. https://www.blaisenitschkelaw.com/attorney/nassar-lana-b/ She looks like a top level smart young attorney. From Chicago, working for a company that was incorporated in 2016 in DE and that has their mailing address in NY at Soho Lofts.

Wow, just a down home upstart site telling the story of every community. I'd like to see who's really behind this one? I mean the money to start up and market big time. But more than that, this is the competition. $29 a month, unlimited downloads.

There's some heavy price competition going on in Microstock. All the way down to the free sites.

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Author Topic: The Shutterstock customer search! (Read 8427 times)

Horizon

ShadySue

Horizon

Firn

csm

Noedelhap

OM

gnirtS

Horizon

Firn

Horizon

Uncle Pete

Horizon

Diana Herrmann

Horizon

Uncle Pete

Uncle Pete

kall3bu

Horizon

SuperPhoto

Uncle Pete

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