Author Topic: Thinkstock, downloads not being paid. (Read 6055 times)

traveler1116 · « **on:** October 08, 2011, 14:21 »

Just saw this thread and got the greasemonkey script and found 2 downloads not paid. In case you haven't seen it here is the thread: http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=335043&page=1

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #1 on:** October 08, 2011, 15:46 »

As even previous PP holdouts (like me) will shortly be dragged kicking and screaming into it, this is going to become a big issue if accounting procedures are leaving out some downloads.

I don't understand what I read in the above-linked thread, but it sounds as if IS is reporting a download but not reporting any payment for it.

I assume we have no way of checking anything at the source - photos.com or TS.

Do you have any way of reconciling the reported download numbers with the money received monthly - in other words are you certain that you haven't been paid for those downloads as opposed to they have a glitch in the display on the reporting page to us, but the money did get included in your total?

If I could make forum posts, I'd add something to my old suggestion about detailed downloadable sales/refund data. If we can't get detailed reports we have no way to keep track of this stuff. And IS has demonstrated repeatedly that they can't get it right either.

Gannet77 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 08, 2011, 17:01 »

Basically yes, there are reported downloads which have zero royalties attached to them.

No, of course we don't have any way of checking at the source - but then we have no way of truly checking downloads or payments anywhere as far as I know, we just trust that the agencies aren't outright scamming us!

As for reconciling the downloads with the money received, well, all we can really do is check by adding up reported downloads and seeing if the total seems to match reported royalties, which it doesn't, in my case at least.

iStock will correct the amount when reported, at the subscription rate, but of course the zero payment might not be a subscription sale, and might even be an EL for all we know. We just have no information except that we have reported downloads with a zero payment.

My guess would be that the error is actually in Thinkstock or photos.com reporting, as presumably all that happens at the iStock end is that they process some file they are sent to add it to our accounts - but again, we don't know because they don't tell us.

To traveller1116 - check your downloads on the actual downloads page too, just in case my script is faulty; I didn't have any test data for it except my own account, so it could have a bug. Then, if it's correct, email [email protected] with the details.

kelvinjay has said he has passed the information on to - well, to somebody - so presumably they are looking into it, but as with all things iStock, don't hold your breath. The amounts, as far as I know, are presumably quite small but obviously we'd like it corrected.

traveler1116 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 08, 2011, 17:36 »

I checked on one of them and it looks like your script is working. Without that it would be nearly impossible to find out if any weren't being paid. What's bad is that the file sold on July 21st.

Suljo · « **Reply #4 on:** October 08, 2011, 17:47 »

Script is lets say working, but how may images they give away without our notice.
Its now little paranoia, lets say they by them self buy our image/s and then resell it to who knows whom or give it away.
I know its forbidden from any TOS from any site but I dont believe them anything.
They greediness is capable for this I am assured...
God take them in advance PLS

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #5 on:** October 08, 2011, 18:24 »

Quote from: Gannet77 on October 08, 2011, 17:01

...No, of course we don't have any way of checking at the source - but then we have no way of truly checking downloads or payments anywhere as far as I know, we just trust that the agencies aren't outright scamming us!

I realize there is no absolute check. What I meant was that there were no download figures available directly from photos.com or TS versus at iStock. I've never seen them, but I haven't paid close attention to the PP as I've always opted out and thought I might have missed something.

Sometimes discrepancies between two sources can be a helpful way to catch errors. I'm not assuming malfeasance here, just lots of semi-functional code and no one really checking the details carefully (because doing that's a cost and costs are what they're trying to minimize).

wiser · « **Reply #6 on:** October 08, 2011, 21:32 »

Could these "unpaid" downloads be re-downloads?

My company has a TS subscription and sometimes we re-download an image (accidentally and on purpose). It does not subtract from our 25 a day total, so I can only assume the contributor does not get paid twice either.

traveler1116 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 08, 2011, 21:44 »

Quote from: wiser on October 08, 2011, 21:32

Could these "unpaid" downloads be re-downloads?

My company has a TS subscription and sometimes we re-download an image (accidentally and on purpose). It does not subtract from our 25 a day total, so I can only assume the contributor does not get paid twice either.

Mine wouldn't be it only has one dl for 0.00 dollars.

fujiko · « **Reply #8 on:** October 09, 2011, 02:22 »

I'm not surprised at all that IS has glitches on their software when it comes to counting the downloads.

In fact I believe that they will lose more credibility as the time passes and there will be a point where contributors will doubt if they are really honest counting downloads.

A business model based in crowd sourcing has to make everything possible to appear trustful to the crowd.

IS is not doing it.

Difydave · « **Reply #9 on:** October 09, 2011, 05:56 »

Quote from: jsnover on October 08, 2011, 15:46

. . . If I could make forum posts, I'd add something to my old suggestion about detailed downloadable sales/refund data. If we can't get detailed reports we have no way to keep track of this stuff. And IS has demonstrated repeatedly that they can't get it right either.

For what it's worth I mentioned the need for proper accounts in the thread about missing PP payments on the iStock forums. I reported my missing payments earlier in the week, haven't heard anything back from them yet, and of course there's no easy way to check if the money has been added without going back through the sales again. What we could do with is proper accounts!

cathyslife · « **Reply #10 on:** October 09, 2011, 07:47 »

Quote from: fujiko on October 09, 2011, 02:22

I'm not surprised at all that IS has glitches on their software when it comes to counting the downloads.

In fact I believe that they will lose more credibility as the time passes and there will be a point where contributors will doubt if they are really honest counting downloads.

A business model based in crowd sourcing has to make everything possible to appear trustful to the crowd.

IS is not doing it.

Yeah, that happened months ago. It's just that some contributors choose to forget and some contributors are too new to know the history.

helix7 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 09, 2011, 16:20 »

An istock bug that screws contributors out of more money? Shocking...

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Author Topic: Thinkstock, downloads not being paid. (Read 6055 times)

traveler1116

Jo Ann Snover

Gannet77

traveler1116

Suljo

Jo Ann Snover

wiser

traveler1116

fujiko

Difydave

cathyslife

helix7

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