Author Topic: Photo Pricing for Pond5 (Read 36445 times)

rimglow · « **on:** February 05, 2013, 15:27 »

Can anyone suggest photo pricing for Pond5? The other threads seem to concentrate on video, but I'm curious about photos. $10? Is that the highest or lowest someone pays? What percentage do we get? What about the checkboxes that say "Set price for me", "Same price for all sizes"? Should I check one of them, and what happens if I don't check any of them?

Phil · « **Reply #1 on:** February 05, 2013, 15:50 »

I've just started uploading in the last few days, so everything is still pending.
The first images that I've clicked through, I set for $10 and hit 'set price for me'. Waiting for review to see how this breaks down prices for various sizes etc.
There is a fair bit of discussion on ponds forum but I didnt really find any good answers, I didnt see the point in being any more expensive than my images that are there from fotolia.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #2 on:** February 05, 2013, 15:57 »

I thought I'd set $10 for the 25 trial images I uploaded directly (I have some there from Pixmac which will come down if ever Pond 5 reviews my content) but I apparently set $12

I assumed the prices came down from that for the top size (mine are 21MP images) and the default was $1!!

I didn't want to undercut GL stock where I set the top price as $10

DC · « **Reply #3 on:** February 05, 2013, 16:51 »

I don't think you can actually set the price at $1. I forgot to change that one time and I got an error saying the price was too low.

trek · « **Reply #4 on:** February 05, 2013, 17:15 »

The licensing terms are very broad... simular to extended licenses for all. I hope they adjust their business plan and create extended license price variations. Meanwhile, I'm considering raising my prices to compensate.

tab62 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 05, 2013, 17:43 »

I have all my images set to $10...

tickstock · « **Reply #6 on:** February 05, 2013, 17:55 »

THP Creative · « **Reply #7 on:** February 05, 2013, 18:45 »

As has been said, I don't believe they have EL type licenses yet, so include that when factoring in your pricing.

I personally feel $10 on a site that allows us to set our own prices is too low. Why should we willingly choose to sell at a low-ish price? Just think what customers are paying in $$ terms at places like iStock for Vetta files.

Also, it seems that the scaling of file sizes and prices works best if you have very large files (say, over 20-25mp). If they are small to begin with, it doesn't break down the sizes too well and you end up having a blog size image for only 2 bucks less that your biggest high-res size.

Personally I have been setting all my images so far at $12 (for 8-12mpx files) and they have been selling. Now with my new D800 and the bigger file sizes, I will be setting them at something like $20 for the high-res from now on.

Hope that helps

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #8 on:** February 05, 2013, 20:54 »

I had a closer look at the license agreement and it isn't really like an EL, but does differ in a couple of respects from several of the other agencies.

- no reproduction limits for print runs
- up to 10 users included in the basic license and you have to be working on stuff for the licensee. If you need more users you buy another license (versus an EL)
- no products for sale
- no templates

I want to see how the prices break down for the smaller sizes from $12 which I guess I'll see when they approve my files? Right now I can only see my Pixmac mirror (300 files) which is $10.67 - $3.88

33ft · « **Reply #9 on:** February 05, 2013, 22:43 »

Quote from: tab62 on February 05, 2013, 17:43

I have all my images set to $10...

Feel I have the same questions on pricing. Are you finding good success with the $10 price?

zastavkin · « **Reply #10 on:** February 05, 2013, 23:24 »

I set $20

THP Creative · « **Reply #11 on:** February 05, 2013, 23:25 »

Just another thought, I've seen quite a few people on Pond5 selling their high-res images for amounts like $3 and $5, for full 21mp+ files...Unbelievable...!

Pond5 is giving us the opportunity to set our own market price, and then some are of their own volition joining the race to the bottom?! I don't understand the logic. We would be all over Pond5 if they set the prices for us and had them at $3 or $5 for max file size.

Let's not turn P5 into another site that operates only on "cheapest images around" type mentality, we've got enough of those already.

Just my 2cents..

THP Creative · « **Reply #12 on:** February 06, 2013, 01:22 »

Just for interest sake (not that I'm recommending it), blendimages have their images priced at up to $525!

http://www.pond5.com/photo/11468674/african-mother-and-son-driving-in-car.html

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #13 on:** February 06, 2013, 01:34 »

I see your $525 and raise you $260! Image source is at $785

http://www.pond5.com/photo/10944696/mother-and-son-with-shopping.html

I think $200 for a blog size is a bit of a stretch - it's a fine stock image, but not really anything special

Phil · « **Reply #14 on:** February 06, 2013, 01:36 »

Quote from: Microstock Man on February 05, 2013, 23:25

Just another thought, I've seen quite a few people on Pond5 selling their high-res images for amounts like $3 and $5, for full 21mp+ files...Unbelievable...!

Pond5 is giving us the opportunity to set our own market price, and then some are of their own volition joining the race to the bottom?! I don't understand the logic. We would be all over Pond5 if they set the prices for us and had them at $3 or $5 for max file size.

Let's not turn P5 into another site that operates only on "cheapest images around" type mentality, we've got enough of those already.

Just my 2cents..

is it individuals or an agency, it wont let me put less than $10

THP Creative · « **Reply #15 on:** February 06, 2013, 01:46 »

Quote from: jsnover on February 06, 2013, 01:34

I see your $525 and raise you $260! Image source is at $785

http://www.pond5.com/photo/10944696/mother-and-son-with-shopping.html

I think $200 for a blog size is a bit of a stretch - it's a fine stock image, but not really anything special

Wow! You always gotta win jsnover..

I humbly withdraw my measly $525

Is this kind of revealing though do you think? Is there something in this? I mean, should we be making the most of sites like Pond5 and trying to turn them into midstock type markets, like these big guys are doing? I've noticed with video for instance on P5 that many sell for $50-ish, but then there are lots for $500 too. And they are making sales!

Where is the balance between not killing P5 by making things too high to get sales, but making the most of an opportunity such as a site that lets you set your own price and gives 50%? If I knew how to make a poll I think this would make for an interesting one... "What should be the price per size on P5?"

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #16 on:** February 06, 2013, 02:10 »

Well I hope $785 is the high water mark - and not just 'cause I'd lose then

I do think that for a while, raising prices at iStock from the $1-$2-$3 that they started with (after being free), was a good move. Images were still very reasonable and buyers were plentiful. The trick is figuring out where that line is where you go from reasonable to either too complex - too many collections and tiers and credit bundles and... - or just too expensive.

I think if you can show some clear differentiators - simple isolated objects versus multi-ethnic group shots in expensive settings, for example - you can even have a couple of price tiers on one site and make it work. I just don't see why you'd have those high price trad collections and stuff from 123rf (although that's now gone) and pixmac on one site without any clear distinction between the groups.

Of course it's possible that no one's buying the Blend and Image Source work at Pond 5...

I think CanStock and 123rf are too cheap. The upside on CanStock is the Fotosearch sales (although they've been a bit thin on the ground of late, except for subscriptions). There is no upside on 123rf - cheap prices and lots of discounting on top of that.

People have said Photo Dune is too cheap, but they're from $1 ($2 if you match to CanStock's smallest size) to $9

versus

$2.50 to $6 for CanStock

versus

1 to 5 credits at 123rf (which is often less than $1 a credit)

I'm in the process of uploading at GL Stock where I have $2-$5-$10 pricing. Too early to say how that will pan out.

Phil · « **Reply #17 on:** February 06, 2013, 02:12 »

Quote from: Microstock Man on February 06, 2013, 01:46

Quote from: jsnover on February 06, 2013, 01:34
I see your $525 and raise you $260! Image source is at $785

http://www.pond5.com/photo/10944696/mother-and-son-with-shopping.html

I think $200 for a blog size is a bit of a stretch - it's a fine stock image, but not really anything special

Wow! You always gotta win jsnover..

I humbly withdraw my measly $525

Is this kind of revealing though do you think? Is there something in this? I mean, should we be making the most of sites like Pond5 and trying to turn them into midstock type markets, like these big guys are doing? I've noticed with video for instance on P5 that many sell for $50-ish, but then there are lots for $500 too. And they are making sales!

Where is the balance between not killing P5 by making things too high to get sales, but making the most of an opportunity such as a site that lets you set your own price and gives 50%? If I knew how to make a poll I think this would make for an interesting one... "What should be the price per size on P5?"

I'm all for higher prices but is there much point when they millions of images from fotolia?

tickstock · « **Reply #18 on:** February 06, 2013, 02:17 »

Equus · « **Reply #19 on:** February 06, 2013, 02:19 »

Quote from: Microstock Man on February 06, 2013, 01:46

Quote from: jsnover on February 06, 2013, 01:34
I see your $525 and raise you $260! Image source is at $785

http://www.pond5.com/photo/10944696/mother-and-son-with-shopping.html

I think $200 for a blog size is a bit of a stretch - it's a fine stock image, but not really anything special

Wow! You always gotta win jsnover..

I humbly withdraw my measly $525

Is this kind of revealing though do you think? Is there something in this? I mean, should we be making the most of sites like Pond5 and trying to turn them into midstock type markets, like these big guys are doing? I've noticed with video for instance on P5 that many sell for $50-ish, but then there are lots for $500 too. And they are making sales!

Where is the balance between not killing P5 by making things too high to get sales, but making the most of an opportunity such as a site that lets you set your own price and gives 50%? If I knew how to make a poll I think this would make for an interesting one... "What should be the price per size on P5?"

There are a few things you ccould try.

Put your new work only on Pond 5, and try some higher prices.
Put your niche subjects only on Pond 5, the kind of things people need to search around for, and charge higher prices.
Ex IS exclusives could remove their Vetta and Agency files from IS, put them only on Pond 5 at higher prices. Putting ex V & A files on sub sites isn't really appealing, when you know how much people have beem willing to pay.

I'm trying a few at $100 dollars, but that's just recent. They haven't sold at that price.

ruchos · « **Reply #20 on:** February 06, 2013, 03:02 »

I am trialing with newer and 'premium' files at $90. Some more unique ones at $50. Then the common and generic ones at either $25 or $10, depending on how generic and common they are. Still early days, so can't say whether it works or not.

djpadavona · « **Reply #21 on:** February 28, 2013, 17:36 »

My first 50 uploads are priced at $49 for max size. I will lower them eventually if sales are too slow. I get fairly regular video sales, so I would expect to see some image/photo sales too if the prices are agreeable.

Carl · « **Reply #22 on:** March 01, 2013, 09:54 »

I'm pricing my material at $15 on Pond5. I've only had a couple of sales, but I think it may be due to the fact that photos are such a recent addition to the Pond5 lineup. I'm leaning heavily toward macro and rights-managed, and away from micro and royalty-free. Last month, I made almost as much on Alamy with two sales as I did on SS with 82 sales! And that was all royalty-free on both sites! It also includes a couple of twenty-dollar video sales on SS. I'm so sick and tired of seeing my work sell XL for 21 cents on Fotolia and 36 cents on SS. I recently uploaded a batch to Alamy as RM, and it was so refreshing to upload it to a single web site and be done with it. If the sales volume could make up for the lower price, it might be viable, but that hasn't been my experience.

click_click · « **Reply #23 on:** March 01, 2013, 12:19 »

Quote from: tickstock on February 06, 2013, 02:17

I hope you aren't worried about selling images at maximum size for $10? Right now Blend Images has sold more than 12,000 images at Istock, their largest size is priced at $345 and the smallest sale for any image is $95. Please don't devalue your work, it's worth much more than $10 for a full sized license.

Uhhh, is anyone here contributing to an agency called Shutterstock? I've heard they sell images for 25-38 cents to the contributor.

I better stay far away from that shabby agency that pays us peanuts.

I have to start pricing all my images at $1000 for the largest size at Pond5 to make sure my work is valued appropriately!

luissantos84 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 01, 2013, 12:30 »

Quote from: click_click on March 01, 2013, 12:19

Quote from: tickstock on February 06, 2013, 02:17
I hope you aren't worried about selling images at maximum size for $10? Right now Blend Images has sold more than 12,000 images at Istock, their largest size is priced at $345 and the smallest sale for any image is $95. Please don't devalue your work, it's worth much more than $10 for a full sized license.

Uhhh, is anyone here contributing to an agency called Shutterstock? I've heard they sell images for 25-38 cents to the contributor.

I better stay far away from that shabby agency that pays us peanuts.

I have to start pricing all my images at $1000 for the largest size at Pond5 to make sure my work is valued appropriately!

not to mention that BI has a collection at SS too

http://www.shutterstock.com/g/blendimages

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Author Topic: Photo Pricing for Pond5 (Read 36445 times)

rimglow

Phil

Jo Ann Snover

DC

trek

tab62

tickstock

THP Creative

Jo Ann Snover

33ft

zastavkin

THP Creative

THP Creative

Jo Ann Snover

Phil

THP Creative

Jo Ann Snover

Phil

tickstock

Equus

ruchos

djpadavona

Carl

click_click

luissantos84

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