I expect big changes, since Masterfile is one of the top macro stock agencies. But, who knows. Corbies is the big one and look what happened to SnapVillage and now Veer still struggling.

I expect big changes, since Masterfile is one of the top macro stock agencies. But, who knows. Corbies is the big one and look what happened to SnapVillage and now Veer still struggling.

At least they are cleaning up the mess, since it was quite obvious that Crestock was on the verge of bankruptcy.
Well the macros obviously all want a micro leg now, since their macro income certainly must be fading away slowly. The issue is here that they have to fight against 4 giants that control the market with 7-12 million images in their collections. Whatever they can offer, it will be 10 times less and exactly the same content. So what could be their USP?

If the dust is settled there (it might take a while) I would consider uploading but only if they pay to upload. Veer has set the mark. I'm not going to waste time uploading any more to unproven sites that have a high risk of failure.

Things HAVE changed. For sure. My review was completed within AN HOUR after submission.
The problem: they accepted 10 of the 110 images

Thanks for the info. They are still the same then. No use considering uploading there. The same disease as all these new sites like Fresh, Veer. Too selective and ignorant reviewers as to what sells. It's an omen: they won't make it.

Quote from: lisafx on July 02, 2010, 16:34

Well, I am pretty optimistic about Crestock's chances now.  I just had my portfolio reactivated and Gudmund and Steve both could not have been nicer or more helpful. 

Traitor! 
I had so much trouble leaving them (I even had to scorn them on a couple of forums before they finally reacted) I would rather swallow a living rattlesnake than do business with them again. Especially since the nitwits that ruined the site were recycled as "consultants". Old Wine into New Wineskins.

Maybe bit off topic, but is really a big temptation for new people to join too many. I think I learn my lesson and now only stay with Shutterstock, Istock and maybe Dreamstime because Dreamstime old stuff sell better than new stuff.
Only now my problem, and I want to ask you all, what you do with your dead stuff in the other dead duck agencies? You  delete work? Is too much work ?.
What do you do youself ? You leave the old mouldy stuff  and hope everyone forget them, or you actually go in to delete account? Thank you .

Maybe bit off topic, but is really a big temptation for new people to join too many. I think I learn my lesson and now only stay with Shutterstock, Istock and maybe Dreamstime because Dreamstime old stuff sell better than new stuff.
Only now my problem, and I want to ask you all, what you do with your dead stuff in the other dead duck agencies? You  delete work? Is too much work ?.

Well it's a temptation and I plead guilty. I must have wasted days uploading on sites that never made it. The problem is a bit that you really don't know in advance. An upload fee certainly makes it worth its time. If a site treats you fair this way, no reason to leave them later, even if they don't sell a lot. I count Depositphotos in that group, and also Veer and Zoonar. If it's really too much work, you can just stop uploading for a while, but keep your port.

There are sites that don't sell much but that you want keep supporting out of sympathy. I count Canstockphoto amongst them. It was the first site that accepted me 5 years ago and it always has been the best programmed site around, thanks to the vision of Duncan. I always liked his style, and although he wasn't always the best communicator, he always has been the best "nerd".  Even now, CanStockPhoto has the best upload and MRF attach module around. I think Artemis here on the forum is reviewing on CanStockPhoto (unless it's another Artemis).

Crestock can redevelop into a good site after some time, when they get rid of their past, and slowly decommission the people that ran it into bankruptcy. The site is programmed well and it has some great resources online. As the new owners slowly get hold of things there, they might breath a second life into Crestock, but they are pretty late in the game. Perhaps we will see a sortof Cash 4 Dash campaign later this year or next year when they see their collection stagnant, and that's perhaps the time to start uploading. I always saved loads of money waiting for the right sales season. 

After not uploading anything at Crestock for perhaps over a year, I decided to give it a go again with the new owners. About 5 weeks ago I upoaded a batch, and today got the result, everything rejected for the reason: "�As Crestock grows, we are tightening the acceptance of simplistic images that are somewhat easy for our buyers to create themselves. Thanks, Crestock." All the images were accepted by iS, SS, DT, FT and others.

I had another look at my photos: For the buyer to create that "simplistic image" he will just have to hire a professional photographer, get the neccesary props, travel to the location, pay for the use of the location, and for perhaps a couple of thousand dollars he can create the image himself.

My verdict: The newly owned Crestock is not worth the trouble.

There are sites that don't sell much but that you want keep supporting out of sympathy. I count Canstockphoto amongst them. It was the first site that accepted me 5 years ago and it always has been the best programmed site around, thanks to the vision of Duncan. I always liked his style, and although he wasn't always the best communicator, he always has been the best "nerd".  Even now, CanStockPhoto has the best upload and MRF attach module around. I think Artemis here on the forum is reviewing on CanStockPhoto (unless it's another Artemis).

Eep? If there's a reviewer called Artemis its definitely not me. I have no relations with Canstock or Crestock, i don't upload there and dont think i've ever had their site open.
The only "small" ones i contribute to are Veer and BigStock (gave Vivozoom a chance too but that one's a lesson learned as well)

The site improved in some areas with the new management, but regarding rejections, they're still too random - which is different from picky. They risk being the weirdest instead of "the best".

My sales just stopped there after it's been acquired. It's really weird. I used to make at least a 100 bucks a months there, now it's the middle of the month and my earnings are about 8 dollars!:)  I wonder if they disconnected my port from a search engine or something like that...
Regarding rejection reason stating the image is too "simplistic". Wow. That's really stupid. Did Masterfile come up with that one? I don't remember Crestock having one of those. In any case, all points to Crestock going down in flames...

My sales stopped even before the takeover. Since 1st of April this year I've had one single sale at CS!

Quote from: CCK on August 14, 2010, 00:04
"�As Crestock grows, we are tightening the acceptance of simplistic images that are somewhat easy for our buyers to create themselves.

I too decided to give them another shot - I had stopped uploading for 9 months until they actually made my first payment. I was hopeful that the review standards would become more coherent. So, as an experiment, I submitted 25 images (all with high rate of acceptance at other microstocks) about 3 weeks ago. All 25 were rejected today due to:

�Due to a large number of submissions of this nature we can only accept those of superior quality.

I've asked for clarification and am waiting for a response. But, in short, their review strategy appears to be to reject the entire backlog. So, for me, not worth the bother until I hear that they are changing policies or they make a bounty offer for new submissions.

In a HOLDING PATTERN with Crestock.  Waiting to see what, if anything, Masterfile does to regain the reputation hugely tarnished by the old owners.

... their review strategy appears to be to reject the entire backlog. ...

Does not seem to be the case. They reviewed my 40 images, 12 got through, rest rejected. So they are likely looking at the images. Anyway, by far the worst acceptance ration...

But if they hardly accept anything and pay mostly the lowest subs commissions in the market, why are people still supporting them?  Wouldn't we all be better off if their buyers went to sites where we have much bigger portfolios and they pay us higher commissions? 

I just don't understand why people continue to use a site that is so bad for contributors.  It must make the other subs sites wonder why they are paying us so much and stop them increasing commissions.  We end up losing even more money buy accepting such a bad deal.