Author Topic: I deactivated all my video clips on iStock due to the new pricing coming soon. (Read 36504 times)

Gannet77 · « **Reply #25 on:** September 19, 2014, 05:27 »

Quote from: sharpshot on September 19, 2014, 04:27

I'm not even leaving the clips that don't sell much, I will just leave one clip on the site. Everything can sell and I don't want a buyer to buy something on istock when they could find it on another site that pays me much more.

Well, obviously that's your choice - but I don't sell many clips on any sites as a rule, and if iStock were to be able to continue selling my clips at the rate of two a week, even at these low payments, it would be no bad thing for me, provided it has no obvious impact on other sales of course.

So, while it's a concern, I'm not about to jump into any precipitate action. I'll see how things develop over the next couple of months first.

Or, perhaps in future I'll upload to iStock at 720p instead of 1080p....

KB · « **Reply #26 on:** September 19, 2014, 10:16 »

Quote from: Gannet77 on September 19, 2014, 05:27

Quote from: sharpshot on September 19, 2014, 04:27
I'm not even leaving the clips that don't sell much, I will just leave one clip on the site. Everything can sell and I don't want a buyer to buy something on istock when they could find it on another site that pays me much more.

Well, obviously that's your choice - but I don't sell many clips on any sites as a rule, and if iStock were to be able to continue selling my clips at the rate of two a week, even at these low payments, it would be no bad thing for me, provided it has no obvious impact on other sales of course.

So, while it's a concern, I'm not about to jump into any precipitate action. I'll see how things develop over the next couple of months first.

By doing this, you (and any indie who remains on IS) are rewarding them for making these changes. I don't think any indie should accept single digit (or even < $20) commissions for HD files. It's a slippery slope to support any such site.

It would take time, but eventually I believe many buyers would learn that indie clips are available on IS for a lower price than other sites. How do you benefit if IS pulls buyers from better paying sites? Do you really think you're going to sell 3x as many clips (just to break even by losing a single sale on another site) than you would by not being on IS?

The good news is, I think most indie producers are smart enough to see what is happening, and will pull their ports from IS. So buyers won't flock there after all, because there won't be a very wide selection of indie clips to choose from. I hope I'm not giving my fellow indies too much credit.

Gannet77 · « **Reply #27 on:** September 19, 2014, 10:33 »

Thank you...

I do value your opinion, but I will make my own choices, as and when I am ready.

KB · « **Reply #28 on:** September 19, 2014, 10:38 »

Quote from: Gannet77 on September 19, 2014, 10:33

Thank you...

I do value your opinion, but I will make my own choices, as and when I am ready.

That's all any of us can (should) do.

Mantis · « **Reply #29 on:** September 19, 2014, 20:22 »

I haven't checked but isn't he video pricing about the same as SS? If this is true, buyers don't care. It's the commission that we get that's the difference between commissions on SS vs. IS. That's basically invisible to the buyer. I think the real root variance is commission level. And by staying with IS we are accepting 1/3 to 1/2 of the commission SS pays.

stockmn · « **Reply #30 on:** September 19, 2014, 22:35 »

An HD video at istock is selling for $48-65 depending on credit pack. So no, they are undercutting SS pricing and paying us less.....WAY less.

Dangerous precedent for both low pricing and low commission. That's a good reason to remove videos.

KB · « **Reply #31 on:** September 19, 2014, 22:37 »

Quote from: Mantis on September 19, 2014, 20:22

I haven't checked but isn't he video pricing about the same as SS? If this is true, buyers don't care. It's the commission that we get that's the difference between commissions on SS vs. IS. That's basically invisible to the buyer. I think the real root variance is commission level. And by staying with IS we are accepting 1/3 to 1/2 of the commission SS pays.

An Essentials video costs 6 credits. Credits (without discounts, which are abundant) cost $8 - $11, so $48 - $66.

On SS, an HD (non subscription) video typically runs $68 - $74.

So the most expensive video on IS is still a couple of bucks cheaper than the cheapest HD video on SS. But your point is still mostly valid; it's the commission rate that really kills us.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #32 on:** September 20, 2014, 09:19 »

Yes, I know the feeling. Two more to go before the new year, and maybe I'll have the last three that pay anything for myself.

Quote from: Mantis on September 03, 2014, 20:41

This is exactly how i read it. Simply frustrating. Im running out of agencies to dump.

targoszstock · « **Reply #33 on:** October 01, 2014, 02:11 »

How about deactivating entire iStock portfolio, and re uploading everything, as well as the new files in 720p resolution only. This way your full HD content elsewhere does not get undercut by iStock pricing.

What do you think?

I have checked with iStock, there is no way of deactivating only full HD and leaving the file with lower resolutions online. You have to deactivate the file itself, and than re upload it in lower resolution.

helloitsme · « **Reply #34 on:** October 01, 2014, 14:36 »

Quote from: targoszstock on October 01, 2014, 02:11

How about deactivating entire iStock portfolio, and re uploading everything, as well as the new files in 720p resolution only. This way your full HD content elsewhere does not get undercut by iStock pricing.

What do you think?

I have checked with iStock, there is no way of deactivating only full HD and leaving the file with lower resolutions online. You have to deactivate the file itself, and than re upload it in lower resolution.

Forget about iStock. I hope they'll close the store in a year or two. Too disrespectful to us creators. Bye bye iStock!

Six Dun · « **Reply #35 on:** October 09, 2014, 04:37 »

I also took all my clips out from iStock because of the drop of comissions for contributors. I think that their lower prices affect sales on another pages as SS and Pond5, where I sell footage.