Author Topic: Shutterstock 'Offset' - a new high end marketplace for stock photos (Read 57364 times)

THP Creative · « **Reply #75 on:** March 27, 2013, 17:19 »

Quote from: rimglow on March 27, 2013, 08:46

Got this email this morning.

ditto. Have a feeling it's a 'Thanks, but no thanks'...?

Elenathewise · « **Reply #76 on:** March 27, 2013, 17:48 »

Quote from: cardmaverick on March 27, 2013, 12:26

The huge problem with non-exclusivity models is that people only have pricing to compete with, and once that happens, you will see you're earnings fall. Never compete on price.

Totally not true. There are so many other things agencies can compete with (and are competing with), for example:
1. Speed and relevance of their search engine - very important
2. Site usability for customers
3. Site usability for content providers - for example, ease of uploads/categorization
4. Marketing strategies
5. Royalty percentage for content providers - the better percentage the more good content
6. Review times and review quality
7. Simplicity of pricing
8. Customer support quality, for both content providers and customers
9. ... I am sure there is more, but it's dinner time

So really... price is only one variable, you can have an agency that aces all of the above and charges more and it will win hands down every time against cheaper but crappier competitors.

rubyroo · « **Reply #77 on:** March 27, 2013, 17:51 »

Great list Elena!

cobalt · « **Reply #78 on:** March 27, 2013, 17:54 »

Fantastic list Elena!

There are so many products and services out there that people pay a lot more money for and they still thrive inspite of much cheaper competition - the iPod still has 70% of the mp3 player market, the iPhone and other expensive smartphones, luxury cars, expensive tv´s, clothes - hell in the eighties I bought Jeans full of holes from a designer label...etc...

gostwyck · « **Reply #79 on:** March 27, 2013, 17:57 »

^^^ You are indeed wise Elena! Great post.

Talanis · « **Reply #80 on:** March 27, 2013, 18:45 »

What timezone are they? I thought there was an announcement/preview tonight at 19:00

aspp · « **Reply #81 on:** March 28, 2013, 10:20 »

Quote from: Talanis on March 27, 2013, 18:45

What timezone are they? I thought there was an announcement/preview tonight at 19:00

Yes preview event was apparently held last night at a New York gallery, don't ya know. Tech Crunch has an article but apart from that this thing seems to be mostly off the radar. I guess that Shutterstock is not trying to make too much of a big deal about it for the moment.

Elenathewise · « **Reply #82 on:** March 28, 2013, 10:21 »

Quote from: gostwyck on March 27, 2013, 17:57

^^^ You are indeed wise Elena! Great post.

Thanks

gostwyck · « **Reply #84 on:** March 28, 2013, 15:29 »

Interesting! Thanks for the info Scott.

Tror · « **Reply #85 on:** March 28, 2013, 15:31 »

Quote from: scottbraut on March 28, 2013, 15:25

Hello everyone,

The official announcement of Offset is now live.

The official press release can be found here.

An initial contributor FAQ can be found here.

A TechCrunch article can be found here here.

There will also be a blog post coming detailing last night's event.

I hope it goes without saying that in the "big picture" (no pun intended) we're more committed to our "core" contributors than ever before and we're also focused on creating additional opportunities for you. For the time being, this new brand has a specific point-of-view and participation is by invite only. In the future, we expect that every contributor will have the opportunity to be considered for inclusion in the Offset collection as we continue to maintain the outstanding quality that we have in our core collection.

The site and collection both already look amazing and we can't wait to share Offset with you in the coming months.

Please check the FAQ for more details.

Best Regards,

Scott
VP of Content
Shutterstock

Thank you for the announcement here on MSG! I am looking forward to (hopefully) contribute and wish you the best for your project in any case....

leaf · « **Reply #87 on:** March 28, 2013, 16:03 »

Exciting to see new collections like this - great logo.

Poncke · « **Reply #88 on:** March 28, 2013, 16:24 »

LOL, yet no one can see anything as you can only see he site on invitation only. Why the announcement here to the live site, which no one has access to?

Firewall · « **Reply #90 on:** March 28, 2013, 16:43 »

Am I correct to assume Offset would be the place to offer images considered too artsy by SS?

Poncke · « **Reply #91 on:** March 28, 2013, 16:47 »

Gotcha, thanks Scott.

RT · « **Reply #92 on:** March 28, 2013, 16:49 »

Quote from: scottbraut on March 28, 2013, 15:25

An initial contributor FAQ can be found here.

"Offset images are independently sourced and do not come from Shutterstock contributors."

That statement speaks volumes!

Quote from: scottbraut on March 28, 2013, 15:25

I hope it goes without saying that in the "big picture" (no pun intended) we're more committed to our "core" contributors than ever before and we're also focused on creating additional opportunities for you. For the time being, this new brand has a specific point-of-view and participation is by invite only. In the future, we expect that every contributor will have the opportunity to be considered for inclusion in the Offset collection as we continue to maintain the outstanding quality that we have in our core collection.

Quite a noncommittal comment, but are you saying that Shutterstock contributors will be able to put images into the Offset collection, and that the comment in the press release was incorrect?

rubyroo · « **Reply #93 on:** March 28, 2013, 16:51 »

Quote from: scottbraut on March 28, 2013, 15:25

I hope it goes without saying that in the "big picture" (no pun intended) we're more committed to our "core" contributors than ever before and we're also focused on creating additional opportunities for you.

Thanks Scott. Offset sounds more high-end than the highest-end! Looking forward to seeing the collection very much, and thanks for continuing to think of us all as the future unfolds.

Good luck with the new venture.

scottbraut · « **Reply #95 on:** March 28, 2013, 17:18 »

Quote

Quite a noncommittal comment, but are you saying that Shutterstock contributors will be able to put images into the Offset collection, and that the comment in the press release was incorrect?

I think the difference is in the short-term vs. the long-term. In the short-term, we're really focused on curation and shaping the collection based on my comments immediately above. In the long-term -- and once everyone understands what this collection is really about -- we're definitely open to the idea of opening it up to existing stock photographers and contributors and our goal is to give everyone the opportunity to participate. But that's a little ways off, so we'd ask for a little patience as we shape the collection.

ffNixx · « **Reply #96 on:** March 28, 2013, 17:35 »

Scott, one hundred points out of ten for engaging here, that's much appreciated even by those of us not active with Shutterstock, watching the industry moving in a new direction. I have a question I hope you would care to answer.

Many of us in microstock try to compete on quality, serving the bargain hunters. It seems to me that with new high-end agencies coming up such as Offset, Stocksy and whatever else may be coming down the pipeline, these new agencies are new competition for quality microstockers. Judging by Stocksy pricing, at smaller sizes - bread and butter in microstock - the prices are not greatly higher than at say iStock. We don't know Offset pricing yet, but in order to compete I don't expect them to be vastly different from those of Stocksy.

What would you say to address this concern, that your exclusive new offering is going to be competing with the very best in your microstock house?

Poncke · « **Reply #97 on:** March 28, 2013, 17:42 »

FFNix pricing is 250 dollar for small and 500 for large images.

scottbraut · « **Reply #98 on:** March 28, 2013, 17:48 »

Hello,

Pricing for Offset is going to be $250 for a small file and $500 for a large file, at around 3MB and 50MB, respectively.

Without commenting on other collections, Offset content is of a unique caliber and we want pricing to be respectful (and reflective) of the quality of the work, while at the same time making the images accessible to buyers who are looking for quality images that tell a story. Photographers and illustrators are giving us many of their best images. Many of those images come from assignment photographers who have never sold stock, or collections that were previously sold as rights-managed. Some images are being given to us exclusively, though we're not requiring exclusivity.

That's also not a comment on Shutterstock images - which are also of excellent and amazing quality (our blogs should be evidence that we're continuously in love and impressed). For advertising agencies, for example, our images in our "core" collections are also sold for up to $400 through prenegotiated agreements.

Offset images are simply a different collection sold to buyers looking for a specific kind of image.

Best,

Scott
VP of Content
Shutterstock

RT · « **Reply #99 on:** March 28, 2013, 17:48 »

Quote from: scottbraut on March 28, 2013, 17:18

I think the difference is in the short-term vs. the long-term. In the short-term, we're really focused on curation and shaping the collection based on my comments immediately above. In the long-term -- and once everyone understands what this collection is really about -- we're definitely open to the idea of opening it up to existing stock photographers and contributors and our goal is to give everyone the opportunity to participate. But that's a little ways off, so we'd ask for a little patience as we shape the collection.

"long term.........open to the idea of opening it up to existing contributors" - phew for a moment I thought you were going to come back with another noncommittal statement

I'm not quite sure why you're promoting this new site amongst the very people that made you (Shutterstock) rich when they cannot contribute or benefit from it (except of course in the long term, future when you might, possibly, contemplate thinking about letting them attempt to apply, for the matter to be considered for their involvement at a level to be decided at a date yet to be discussed)

On another slightly off topic note, who's going to be running Shutterstock whilst you guys are curating and shaping this new enterprise?

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Author Topic: Shutterstock 'Offset' - a new high end marketplace for stock photos (Read 57364 times)

THP Creative

Elenathewise

rubyroo

cobalt

gostwyck

Talanis

aspp

Elenathewise

scottbraut

gostwyck

Tror

scottbraut

leaf

Poncke

scottbraut

Firewall

Poncke

RT

rubyroo

scottbraut

scottbraut

ffNixx

Poncke

scottbraut

RT

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