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Agency Based Discussion => Shutterstock.com => Topic started by: PedroV on October 02, 2009, 14:09

Title: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: PedroV on October 02, 2009, 14:09
I hate that tax thing and the "sendin' 10 images and if rejected you can't sell in a month" policy
appart from the price of sales are too low
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: YadaYadaYada on October 02, 2009, 14:21
I hate that tax thing and the "sendin' 10 images and if rejected you can't sell in a month" policy
appart from the price of sales are too low

Translation. I just got refused and have to wait a month I'll start trolling for SS complaints while I wait.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: stockastic on October 02, 2009, 15:11
SS has been great, I have no complaints-  except that at 25 cents a sale, it isn't worth the effort.  I got nothing but 25 cent sales all through August and September and was thinking seriously about dropping them. Then I got a single EL out of the blue (on the first photo I ever submitted, back in February) so I'm giving them another chance, for a while at least.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: disorderly on October 02, 2009, 15:24
I hate that they're only 30% of my stock income, or maybe I just hate that none of the other agencies do nearly as well.  I hate it on the infrequent occasions they reject one of my pictures, but mostly because I have to accept that they were right to do so.  I hate it that they aren't tougher on other people's work than they are on mine, and that they don't put my photos at the front of every search.  Hey, I never claimed to be fair, did I?
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: Xalanx on October 02, 2009, 15:37
For me they are simply the best.

You appear to have lots of things to moan about every agency, PedroV. May I suggest a different hobby?
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: Allsa on October 02, 2009, 15:41
 I wish they would stop urging contributors to look at the 'top  50' best selling images to get ideas. I get sick and tired of having my ideas ripped off and the worst offenders are on Shutterstock. Why not encourage people to be original? They attract contributors who couldn't come up with an original idea if their lives depended on it.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: stockastic on October 02, 2009, 16:22
Allsa, you gotta be kidding.  Of course they want all their contributors to copy the big sellers, so SS can have more big sellers.  They could care less about originality.

Last time I looked at that 'top 50' I concluded most of them got there by keyword spamming.  Now there's something to complain about.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: lisafx on October 02, 2009, 16:42
You appear to have lots of things to moan about every agency, PedroV. May I suggest a different hobby?

Judging from all his complaint topics and topics suggesting fraud against the agencies, I am guessing PedroV is probably a familiar troll back with another name... :P
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: Xalanx on October 02, 2009, 17:18
You appear to have lots of things to moan about every agency, PedroV. May I suggest a different hobby?

Judging from all his complaint topics and topics suggesting fraud against the agencies, I am guessing PedroV is probably a familiar troll back with another name... :P

You bet!
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: Digital66 on October 02, 2009, 18:02
No problem with SS.  They are doing a good work.

Having to wait a month is a good thing.  If you are serious about stock photography you will try again.  If your images where rejected don't take it personally.  Maybe you are not yet ready to be a stock photographer.  Maybe your photos are not as great as you think.

We all hate editors sometimes, but if there were no editors, the stock sites would be full of real garbage!

And if your work is good and sells well, after a few months you will earn more than 25 cents per image.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: gostwyck on October 02, 2009, 18:31
For me they are simply the best.

You appear to have lots of things to moan about every agency, PedroV. May I suggest a different hobby?

... is the right answer.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: lisafx on October 02, 2009, 18:37
No problem with SS.  They are doing a good work.

Having to wait a month is a good thing.  If you are serious about stock photography you will try again.  If your images where rejected don't take it personally.  Maybe you are not yet ready to be a stock photographer.  Maybe your photos are not as great as you think.


^^ Very well said! 

FWIW, I was around on Shutterstock before they had the initial review/rejection process and the wait time to reapply.  The reviewers were buried under piles of sub-par stuff from new members who hadn't yet gotten the hang of it.   Reviews got really backed up as a result.

After they started the 7 out of 10 application process and the wait time for rejected applicants it cut the review time for everyone else considerably. 
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: eppic on October 02, 2009, 18:45
I want a raise from .33/dl to three for a dollar so my earnings have a rounder number
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: davey_rocket on October 02, 2009, 18:57
Yeah SS really makes me angry with the fact that they are consistently my top earner, approve vectors in less than 24 hours and have a simple upload system...
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: qwerty on October 02, 2009, 19:18
No problem with SS.  They are doing a good work.

Having to wait a month is a good thing.  If you are serious about stock photography you will try again.  If your images where rejected don't take it personally.  Maybe you are not yet ready to be a stock photographer.  Maybe your photos are not as great as you think.


^^ Very well said! 

FWIW, I was around on Shutterstock before they had the initial review/rejection process and the wait time to reapply.  The reviewers were buried under piles of sub-par stuff from new members who hadn't yet gotten the hang of it.   Reviews got really backed up as a result.

After they started the 7 out of 10 application process and the wait time for rejected applicants it cut the review time for everyone else considerably. 

Imagine how may "photographers" they would have if there was no 7 out of 10.    They claim 193872 at the moment.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: nruboc on October 02, 2009, 23:52
I hate that tax thing and the "sendin' 10 images and if rejected you can't sell in a month" policy
appart from the price of sales are too low

N-O-T-H-I-N-G..... ShutterStock is top class
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: ap on October 03, 2009, 00:05
the sub prices are low, but as a result, all my photos get a fair shake at sales, rather than only 20% of the portfolio supporting the rest. it feels more democratic.  

of course, i'm mad as hell. i'm a dictator by nature. 
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: rene on October 03, 2009, 01:01
Nothing.
SS and IS are only agencies I like (and trust them).
I hope one day Dreamstime and Fotolia learn from Shutterstock how to be contributor friendly, honest and have clear and transparent policies.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: sharpshot on October 03, 2009, 02:24
I can't complain too much about SS because they are my highest earning site but I would prefer to be paid a fixed % commission for subs sales.  How much do we get there?  it could be as low as the 20% we get with istock or perhaps it is much higher?

I would really like them to start a premium exclusive images collection, selling them at higher prices and giving us higher commissions.  People pay a lot more for my images on other sites and I think SS should get in to that market.  Perhaps they will use BigStock to do that?
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: traveler1116 on October 03, 2009, 02:54
I want a raise from .33/dl to three for a dollar so my earnings have a rounder number

Yeah that would be great!  But seriously the one thing I don't like is that you have to keep your images there for 2 years if you use their redcarpet program, I understand they are making things easier and doing some work for you but it would be better if they just didn't let you use the images somewhere else for two years and had a 6-9 month lockin for those images.  Two years is so long that I'm sure others have been disuaded from using the program.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: Peter on October 03, 2009, 03:00
Only thing I dont like about SS is that new TAX they introduced. None of other big6 agencies have that tax, but only SS. :S
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: kaycee on October 03, 2009, 03:04
I like SS in almost every thing they do so far....
-very big plus the support is very very good
-the forum is great
-the review is in most cases correct
-the try to listen to the contributers
-dealing with frauds

Some minus
-the top 50 is still the same
-25 cents is to low

 
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: annabelle496 on October 03, 2009, 08:05
I like SS in almost every thing they do so far....
-very big plus the support is very very good
-the forum is great
-the review is in most cases correct
-the try to listen to the contributers
-dealing with frauds

Some minus
-the top 50 is still the same
-25 cents is to low

 

I have to agree with Kaycee about what he wrote. I think Shutterstock is great.

True, they pay .25 at the lower end, but, as you hit certain levels, the payout goes up.

I've been fortunate getting several OD's from there with higher payouts.

Critiques can be tough, but, they have usually been correct.

As for the 30 day wait, I waited. And, it was well worth the effort.

So far, it's my best selling site.

A.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: a.k.a.-tom on October 05, 2009, 12:36
Nothing.   Top earner for me in volume, sometimes top $ beating out IS. I have no problem with SS rejections,  at least let me put it this way, of all the agencies I deal with,  SS rejections bother me the least.  SS recently shut down an abusing buyer and made sure I got credit for sales that I otherwise would have never been aware of. THAT bought a lot of loyalty from me.  Even before that, SS was the agency I trusted the most in my business association with them. They are stable and seem to have direction.  Do others pay more per sale? Yup... but do you trust them? Do they go to bat for you when the theives strike? Do you have the consitency of sales with them? Maybe you do...  but as for me....
     I have no complaints with SS.  8)=tom
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: litifeta on October 07, 2009, 17:14
SS are not alone in the tax mistake. Lots of sites misunderstand the taxation requirements.

Apart from that, what I do not like is the minute I stop submitting for a while my sales fall through the floor. This month I will be lucky to make $10, yet 6 months ago I could get $100 payout easy.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: Dreamframer on October 07, 2009, 17:47
You appear to have lots of things to moan about every agency, PedroV. May I suggest a different hobby?

Judging from all his complaint topics and topics suggesting fraud against the agencies, I am guessing PedroV is probably a familiar troll back with another name... :P

How many accounts this guy has for God's sake?
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: Digital66 on October 07, 2009, 18:33
SS are not alone in the tax mistake. Lots of sites misunderstand the taxation requirements.

Are you talking about the 30% tax?
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: litifeta on October 07, 2009, 20:00
USA has a taxation agreement with most countries. You pay tax in your own country.

Mind you a lot of those people selling stuff on the internet also scam buyers with taxation. For instance, you should not be paying either sales or goods and services tax if your purchase is not to be used in the country of purchase.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: Anyka on October 07, 2009, 23:53
I never had a problem with the low earnings at SS, simply because I always believed that their buyers buy more images than they really need.  Suppose you are an image buyer, and you can download 25 images per day, but you only need 15 per day.  What do you do?  You download more than you need, so you can choose afterwards which image looks better on your magazine/site.  Or you download the 15 you need, and you download 10 other ones for personal use at home ...
What I'm trying to say is that every 25ct at SS gets more money because of extra images that would not have been downloaded at agencies without subscriptions.

What I DO have a problem with at SS is the long period between approval and "publication on the site".  Last week, I uploaded and submitted 20 images on Thursday morning.  They were approved on Saturday morning.  Sunday, Monday and Tuesday there did not appear at searches ("newest first" order).  On Wednesday, all images from the last 4 or 5 days were put on the site in ONE BIG BATCH, and mine were buried on page 8.  Result :  no sales of newest images.


Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: borg on October 08, 2009, 06:41
We need Payoneer as an alternative option...

Also, why Gross earnings contains tax from last payout, how they will charge next if all amount is together... ;D

Gross earnings = tax(from last payout)+ total amount (after last payout)
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: PedroV on October 08, 2009, 14:02
--
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: gostwyck on October 08, 2009, 14:11
I'm not a troll folks, I haven't argued with any of you guys, but agencies forums are sooo censored that I believed that this page could let our tongues free, but I see that also this forum is censored and people only wants to read what they want

I'm not frauding againts agencies, simply brought some polemic themes over the table to know people's opinions, but I see that you CAN'T free speak here neither

pity

How have you been censored? Just because others may not agree with you does not qualify it as censorship. You can say pretty much what you like here but then so can others about you too.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: a.k.a.-tom on October 08, 2009, 15:38

Apart from that, what I do not like is the minute I stop submitting for a while my sales fall through the floor. This month I will be lucky to make $10, yet 6 months ago I could get $100 payout easy.

You do have a valid point there Litifeta.....  none the less.... I still like them.  8)=tom
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: ThomasAmby on October 09, 2009, 12:19
Last time I looked at that 'top 50' I concluded most of them got there by keyword spamming.  Now there's something to complain about.

Well, I strongly disagree! All of the top 50 images are outstanding images of high quality and usability. They cover popular subjects and are well composited.

Besides, I don't believe that keyword-spamming actually works. Why would you search for something, say, a flower, then end up buying an image of a monkey? This might actually happen occasionally, but is definitely not sending any images to the top 50.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: anton9 on October 09, 2009, 12:50
my only thing is that over the last 6 months sales have dropped dramatically even though ive more than doubled my images there
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: bestshotz on October 09, 2009, 17:28
Speaking from the footage Side on SS ... I liked being there until the Tax came and Sales Plumeted .. I was lucky to make a payout each month before  .. but the last couple of months have been touch and go ..

This isnt a have a go at SS .. I hope they get it together again as I do this full time and its like taking a pay cut every month now from a reliable seller.. they must be seeing the Huge drop as well

I really hope things pick up there for Footage ... other than that I liked the place ... even though it is the lowest royalty rate site on the internet and now with Tax

But Review time for Footage is Fair and Pretty Quick Compared to another top 6 site .. where footage is still waiting to be checked from nearly 2 months ago then it comes back asking for a model release for a graphic and another months wait ..

So Good Luck SS I really cross my fingers Footage sales will improve

Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: dzain on November 04, 2009, 05:37
I don't like the way SS treats it's contributors by not communicating about the possible loss of the OD-program.

I don't like the image garantee crap and the way they throw away our work like garbage, because of that.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: FD on November 04, 2009, 07:05
I don't like the way SS treats it's contributors by not communicating about the possible loss of the OD-program.

They did.

I don't like the image garantee crap and the way they throw away our work like garbage, because of that.

Just curious. Are you going to call SS "crap"/"garbage" in every thread under the cover of anonymity?
If you "hate", "don't like" SS, then don't upload there.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: dzain on November 04, 2009, 07:13
I don't like the way SS treats it's contributors by not communicating about the possible loss of the OD-program.

They did.

I don't like the image garantee crap and the way they throw away our work like garbage, because of that.

Just curious. Are you going to call SS "crap"/"garbage" in every thread under the cover of anonymity?
If you "hate", "don't like" SS, then don't upload there.
I'm not anonimous, this it the name I use on all stocksites and allthough SS gives me best income from all the stocksites, they still can have some manners and communicate big changes that will effect their contributors income before they pull something of like what they are doing right now.

They didn't tell us they want to throw away the OD option and allthough because of the rumours on the forums one admin answered that they were trying new things, they should have told us that in a newsletter before.
And after days of speculating and worriing from lots of people on the forums, they are keeping very quiet instead of insuring us that we won't lose money on their venture with BS.
The same with the removals of photo's. A lot of them could be editorials but instead of switching them to editorial they just throw them away. And also no warning about removing photo's before they started with that.

They definately have to work on their manners.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: fotografer on November 04, 2009, 10:08
In defence of Dzain she even said on the SS forums that she was going to come over to this site to let off steam as she didn't want to post it on Shutterstock's own forums.



Just curious. Are you going to call SS "crap"/"garbage" in every thread under the cover of anonymity?
If you "hate", "don't like" SS, then don't upload there.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: PixelBitch on November 04, 2009, 10:29
When I have a great original idea I shoot it for RM where it might earn decent money...


Allsa, you gotta be kidding.  Of course they want all their contributors to copy the big sellers, so SS can have more big sellers.  They could care less about originality.

Last time I looked at that 'top 50' I concluded most of them got there by keyword spamming.  Now there's something to complain about.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: dzain on November 04, 2009, 13:27
In defence of Dzain she even said on the SS forums that she was going to come over to this site to let off steam as she didn't want to post it on Shutterstock's own forums.
thanx, you're correct, better to vent here then on the SS forums  ;)

who are you on SS?
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: Microbius on November 04, 2009, 15:07
1. earnings have been declining for over a year
2. the way the forums are run
3. ultra low payout per download
4. accepting any old toot
5. the whole subs model which means they don't have the contributors' best interest at heart eg. allowing unlimited elements in each illustration in an attempt to minimize the number of downloads a buyer needs to make. Though the model is great if your work's not up to scratch because the marginal cost of downloading is zero; which means if you suck you can still pull in some money from this one.
6. seem to have real issues with work being stolen (if you have a look at how many sites give away images listing them as "shutterstock images"- just do a google search)
7. also have issues policing their artists; most times people copying or uploading other peoples' work are only spotted by other submitters. Victim's emails to support seem to often be ignored until they post in the forums (at which point they are also repremanded for posting in the forums)

good things:
1. Still one of the top earners.
2. Easy upload process.

The good still outweighs the bad, but I'm looking forward to the day when their market share drops enough that I can afford to abandon them.
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: FD on November 07, 2009, 03:44
In defence of Dzain she even said on the SS forums that she was going to come over to this site to let off steam as she didn't want to post it on Shutterstock's own forums.

Ah, I stand corrected then, and my apologies to Dzain, especially if it's a she.  ;)
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: Albert Martin on November 07, 2009, 04:22
I wish they would stop urging contributors to look at the 'top  50' best selling images to get ideas. I get sick and tired of having my ideas ripped off and the worst offenders are on Shutterstock. Why not encourage people to be original? They attract contributors who couldn't come up with an original idea if their lives depended on it.

Go Istock and exclusive - they await for such people who want to sell ideas.

;-)
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: Albert Martin on November 07, 2009, 04:41
When I have a great original idea I shoot it for RM where it might earn decent money...


Allsa, you gotta be kidding.  Of course they want all their contributors to copy the big sellers, so SS can have more big sellers.  They could care less about originality.

Last time I looked at that 'top 50' I concluded most of them got there by keyword spamming.  Now there's something to complain about.

Great answer!
Title: Re: What do you disagree about SS??
Post by: PixelBitch on November 11, 2009, 01:42
My pleasure Albert...it's important to keep a realistic perspective of the stock business!


When I have a great original idea I shoot it for RM where it might earn decent money...


Allsa, you gotta be kidding.  Of course they want all their contributors to copy the big sellers, so SS can have more big sellers.  They could care less about originality.

Last time I looked at that 'top 50' I concluded most of them got there by keyword spamming.  Now there's something to complain about.

Great answer!