Author Topic: Pixmac merges with Pond5 (Read 57703 times)

lisafx · « **on:** March 05, 2013, 10:49 »

I signed into Pixmac today and there was a notice that they are merging with Pond5. Going forward we will now be receiving 50% royalties at PM, just as at Pond5.

Unfortunately, I didn't think to do a screenshot of the agreement before reading and signing it. Can anyone who has not yet signed post the screenshot or the exact wording of the announcement?

This looks like a good thing to me. I have been wanting to upload to Pond5 for awhile but hadn't found the time. Pixmac, OTOH, has my entire portfolio. Hoping this will be mirrored at Pond5. Not exactly sure how it will work.

Anybody have more details?

aspp · « **Reply #1 on:** March 05, 2013, 10:54 »

Pond5 have bought them.

http://www.itespresso.fr/banque-images-pond5-rachete-concurrent-tcheque-pixmac-62539.html

Quote

La banque d’images collaborative américaine Pond5 a acquis, pour un montant non communiqué, le tchèque PixMac, qui lui aussi permet le stockage et la mise à disposition de photos et d’illustrations, sur le modèle de ce que proposent ses concurrents, comme Fotolia ou Shutterstock.

Lancé en 2008, PixMac propose en 17 langues une plate-forme de ventes et de téléchargement d’images avec un portefeuille de plus de 10 millions de photos et d’illustrations.

Cette acquisition va permettre à Pond5, fondé en 2006 par Tom Bennett, de se renforcer à l’international en s’implantant en Europe.

Cette place de marché de contenus audiovisuels en ligne vient d’ouvrir des bureaux en France et en Allemagne. Le rachat de PixMac, localisé en République Tchèque, va ainsi lui offrir la possibilité de conquérir de nouveaux utilisateurs, mais aussi de proposer des images dotées d’« une identité culturelle différente ».

Actuellement, Pond5 réalise plus de 80% de son chiffre d’affaire aux Etats-Unis.

La banque d’images propose aujourd’hui à la vente des vidéos libres de droit, des photos, de la musique, des illustrations, des effets sonores et même des modèles 3D, en visionnage, en téléchargement et en achat immédiat.

Elle compte 350 000 visiteurs uniques par mois, 260 000 utilisateurs enregistrés, plus de 9 500 contributeurs et a généré en 2012 un chiffre d’affaires de près de 10 millions de dollars.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #3 on:** March 05, 2013, 11:00 »

Odd timing.

A couple of weeks back I had decided to start uploading to Pond5 directly and had them remove my pixmac portfolio (which is only 300 of my images). At the time, Pond5 support said that they couldn't just move the Pixmac files into my Pond5 account - possibly now they can?

I also wonder about balances at Pixmac - I have 49.xx credits at pixmac and sales dried up ages ago. I was hoping to wait until a sale took me over the 50 credit mark, cash out and leave. I'm fed up with all these distributor deals where the buyer's money is spread around so many places that I see less of it. Possibly now this will work out better, although reviews at Pond5 make Veer look speedy, so I may not have much work up for a year or two

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #4 on:** March 05, 2013, 11:04 »

As it turns out, I had made some Pixmac sales via Pond5 at the end of February so my balance was 53.xx and I was able to cash out - after providing two IDs!!

Is this the only site that requires two?? I have a passport and drivers license (both with the ID numbers blacked out) so I provided them, but in what universe is providing a passport not sufficient?

In the Pixmac sales report, there was a note by the new sales (on Feb 28th) saying they were from Pond5. I had a note from Pond5 support on Feb 18th saying they'd removed my Pixmac images, which they appear to have done.

If I continue to have images on Pixmac, that means the sales are at Pixmac prices (cheaper; 1-7 credits, $3.88 to $9.80) versus the $4.80 - $12 prices for the items I uploaded to Pond5 directly?

I wonder if there will be any way to merge things automatically?

lisafx · « **Reply #5 on:** March 05, 2013, 11:12 »

Quote from: zager on March 05, 2013, 10:58

Hi Lisa,

You should get email about the news later today. The new agreement is here:
http://www.pixmac.com/page/contributor-agreement

Vita

Congrats on the sale Vita. Will you be staying on, working on the transition, or retiring to a tropical island somewhere?

I didn't see in the agreement where it addresses my question about whether my pixmac files will be imported to pond5. Can you tell me?

ETA: ^^nevermind. I found it on the FAQ page
http://www.pixmac.com/infocenter/pond5

Content uploaded to Pixmac will be available on Pond5 , and vice-versa.

zager · « **Reply #6 on:** March 05, 2013, 11:23 »

Thank you Lisa. Tropical island not yet :-) I'll stay and try to help out with design and usability - things I love the most. And yes, your files will be sold at Pond5 as well, if you agree to the new agreement. Later on ideally having one interface for both sites.

Thank you Jsnover as well. Speed of curatorial crew at Pond5 should be faster, it's already in the process. You can also opt-out from API partners at Pixmac.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 05, 2013, 11:29 »

congratulations! is pixmac website closing down?

cthoman · « **Reply #8 on:** March 05, 2013, 11:47 »

Wow! They acquired the site, and they are actually improving it (better royalties and price setting). This may be a first.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 05, 2013, 11:50 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on March 05, 2013, 11:29

congratulations! is pixmac website closing down?

Q: What will the new company look like?
A: To begin with, the Pond5 and Pixmac websites will continue to function as separate entities, with features and functionality gradually being merged over time. Content uploaded to Pixmac will be available on Pond5 , and vice-versa. Pixmac employees will be joining the Pond5 team, and heading up Pond5’s newest office in Prague. Pixmac territory managers and reviewers will also be joining Pond5.

Our eventual goal is to create a single, unified global community of media makers, with the absolute best possible experience for our contributors and our buyers. In order to do this, we will be focusing our efforts on the Pond5 brand, and eventually migrating most functionality to the Pond5.com domain. This will be a gradual process, and may take some time to complete.

http://help.pond5.com/customer/portal/articles/1020009

click_click · « **Reply #10 on:** March 05, 2013, 11:52 »

I just received the email from Pond5 and with the information provided in the email and the FAQ section on Pond5 I am NOT happy.

Again, we're at the mercy of Pixmac's funny business (sorry, the past will haunt you).

Now my oh so beloved Pond5 that provided excellent results will depend on the distribution and sales reporting of Pixmac.

I'm devastated. $:-\$

I hope that at least Pond5 replaces all staff at Pixmac worldwide to regain control over their conglomerate of subsidiaries.

This sucks.

hotwalkn · « **Reply #11 on:** March 05, 2013, 11:54 »

I asked this question on Pond5 forum, but maybe I will receive a faster response here: I'm the impatient sort.

Pixmac has already begun with updating agreements. I declined the new agreement mostly from confusion. If I have my images already posted here with pond5 and identical images at pixmac, I see no sense in accepting the new agreement. Am I correct in this assessment?

oboy · « **Reply #12 on:** March 05, 2013, 11:56 »

Here is also the Pond5 press release:
http://microstockinfos.blogspot.com/2013/03/pond5-acquires-pixmac-and-expands.html

click_click · « **Reply #13 on:** March 05, 2013, 11:57 »

As so often, when a buyout is announced and a somewhat new "partnership" emerges we, the contributors, are left in the dark how our share of the pie will be.

There are no numbers of commission % mentioned anywhere.

I can hardly believe that sales through the Pixmac affiliate network will still net us contributors 50% like the sales at Pond5!

Am I too pessimistic or is there really a chance this will be the first affiliate network that still works at 50% for the contributors?

I'm eager to see the numbers.

I'm off to write a nice email to Pond5 now.

Sadstock · « **Reply #14 on:** March 05, 2013, 11:58 »

Zager,

Will Pixmac's existing partnerships with Depositphotos and Yaymicro continue?

dk · « **Reply #15 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:08 »

Quote from: hotwalkn on March 05, 2013, 11:54

... If I have my images already posted here with pond5 and identical images at pixmac, I see no sense in accepting the new agreement. Am I correct in this assessment?

Would also like a reply to this. What happens if we have the same files at both sites?

click_click · « **Reply #18 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:17 »

Quote from: zager on March 05, 2013, 12:12

To click_click: You'll get 50% of net at both sites. It was mentioned in the Press Release. It's not affiliate network as such, it's acquisition.

Zager, kindly post the URL where this is stated.

Both in the email I received from Pond5 and the FAQ on Pond5 I couldn't find that information that it's 50% net at both sites.

hotwalkn · « **Reply #19 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:32 »

Quote from: zager on March 05, 2013, 12:12

To Luis: Thanks!

To Sadstock: Yes, we believe so.

To click_click: You'll get 50% of net at both sites. It was mentioned in the Press Release. It's not affiliate network as such, it's acquisition.

To hotwalkn: Please accept the new agreement at Pixmac now, as it covers the changes in ownership of the site. If you would not accept the new terms, we will deactivate your content later. As you can see here: http://www.pixmac.com/infocenter/pond5 (section: I’m a contributor on Pixmac, what does this mean for me?)

Thank you zagar, I have emailed as you suggested.

hotwalkn · « **Reply #21 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:34 »

Quote from: hotwalkn on March 05, 2013, 12:32

Quote from: zager on March 05, 2013, 12:12
To Luis: Thanks!

To Sadstock: Yes, we believe so.

To click_click: You'll get 50% of net at both sites. It was mentioned in the Press Release. It's not affiliate network as such, it's acquisition.

To hotwalkn: Please accept the new agreement at Pixmac now, as it covers the changes in ownership of the site. If you would not accept the new terms, we will deactivate your content later. As you can see here: http://www.pixmac.com/infocenter/pond5 (section: I’m a contributor on Pixmac, what does this mean for me?)

Thank you zagar, I have emailed as you suggested.

spelled - Zager - sorry, my bad.

click_click · « **Reply #22 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:44 »

Quote from: zager on March 05, 2013, 12:33

To click_click:
This might work as an example:
http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/05/pond5-acquires-pixmac/

I believe that emails from Pond5 doesn't mention the 50% split as it would not be news. Pond5 was and will continue to pay 50% as before. And Pixmac goes from 30-40% to 50% to match Pond5. We were editing the news for each site so it brings the important info, but we should probably mention that the 50/50 split stays. Sorry for that.
...

From Techcrunch:

Quote

Over the years, photo and video licensing company Pond5 has tried to differentiate itself with an artist-friendly licensing model, allowing its contributors to set their own terms and splitting sales with them 50-50. That’s a much more favorable revenue split than the competition, and as a result, the marketplace has done pretty well for itself. ...

English is not my native tongue so I might get things wrong but even on the Techcrunch web site it only states that Pond5 runs a 50/50 business. There is no clear communication that all future sales through Pond5 and their newly acquired affiliate network will still be handled at 50/50.

If however, as you mention, all sales that run through Pond5's future nervous system, will pay us 50% then praise the Lord!

sharpshot · « **Reply #23 on:** March 05, 2013, 13:19 »

What's going to happen to my minus 18 credits with Pixmac? I uploaded to get the bonus but removed most of my portfolio when Pixmac started selling subs for very low commissions, had a problem with DT and some other incidents that knocked my confidence in them.

Can the negative credits be wiped from my Pixmac account now? After all these years, every time I sell something with Pixmac, it just reduces my arrears slightly.

I don't like the idea of the sites merging and my Pond5 balance decreasing.

Mantis · « **Reply #24 on:** March 05, 2013, 13:23 »

So if I am not on pixmac because I chose not to upload to them due to their not reporting commissions, I will be now mirrored there with my pond5 images?

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Author Topic: Pixmac merges with Pond5 (Read 57703 times)

lisafx

aspp

zager

Jo Ann Snover

Jo Ann Snover

lisafx

zager

luissantos84

cthoman

luissantos84

click_click

hotwalkn

oboy

click_click

Sadstock

dk

zager

zager

click_click

hotwalkn

zager

hotwalkn

click_click

sharpshot

Mantis

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