Author Topic: SS Webinar about Referral Program (Read 4969 times)

Tryingmybest · « **on:** May 25, 2015, 10:10 »

Maybe we can post questions about when are they going to fix the Facebook connect function (broken for over 3 years now for many contributors).

http://www.shutterstock.com/blog/shuttertalk-live-how-to-increase-your-earnings-through-the-contributor-referral-program

Shelma1 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 25, 2015, 11:04 »

Or why we would refer people only to have them be frustrated by the wacky approval process.

PZF · « **Reply #2 on:** May 25, 2015, 11:06 »

Or even why they STILL want MORE contributors....if that is indeed what they are talking about....
Now more CUSTOMERS may be interesting.....

Semmick Photo · « **Reply #3 on:** May 25, 2015, 11:09 »

Why would I want to bring in more competition? Dilute my sales further? The gain of referral income will hardly offset the loss of earnings.

Mantis · « **Reply #4 on:** May 25, 2015, 12:45 »

Quote from: Striving on May 25, 2015, 10:10

Maybe we can post questions about when are they going to fix the Facebook connect function (broken for over 3 years now for many contributors).

http://www.shutterstock.com/blog/shuttertalk-live-how-to-increase-your-earnings-through-the-contributor-referral-program

Well, I will not be participating in any of this. To me there is a darker reason for SS wanting to push this and it is 100% anti to current contributors. If they are getting so much new content each week, amassing rejections like crazy for current contributors (for whatever reason....an automated system or to control the volume accepted) then why on earth would they be pushing referrals? It just does not make sense, which leads me to believe that there is something else brewing that we haven't yet felt.

cthoman · « **Reply #5 on:** May 25, 2015, 13:57 »

I used to make $100 a month with the referral program and now I make $0, so I'm not sure there is too much to explain. They killed their referral program.

Mantis · « **Reply #6 on:** May 25, 2015, 14:00 »

Quote from: cthoman on May 25, 2015, 13:57

I used to make $100 a month with the referral program and now I make $0, so I'm not sure there is too much to explain. They killed their referral program.

According to that blog, they are going to reactivate it in some form. Blog posted on May 22.

ruxpriencdiam · « **Reply #7 on:** May 25, 2015, 14:48 »

Quote from: Mantis on May 25, 2015, 14:00

Quote from: cthoman on May 25, 2015, 13:57
I used to make $100 a month with the referral program and now I make $0, so I'm not sure there is too much to explain. They killed their referral program.

According to that blog, they are going to reactivate it in some form. Blog posted on May 22.

Referral is still active but instead of .03 cents for unlimited it is now.04 cents for two years.

Fairplay · « **Reply #8 on:** May 25, 2015, 16:06 »

I used to make some good money and helped a lot of people to become contributors. When SS changed their referral program I removed all my referral links!
They lied us the program is for lifetime!
SS get the money from the people who helped them to become the most successful microstock company to give them to the shareholders!
The referrers who invested a lot of time and efforts lost their income!
They need new contributors who will get less money in the beginning.
No more referrals from me!

lex-icon · « **Reply #9 on:** May 25, 2015, 16:15 »

Quote from: PZF on May 25, 2015, 11:06

Or even why they STILL want MORE contributors....if that is indeed what they are talking about....
Now more CUSTOMERS may be interesting.....
???

LOL

I was hoping on the latter to start disappearing altogether (and soon) and not waste their time wading through 50m+ of those common "multi-racial office high-fives" ;)

I know MANY editors who won't have the time for working their way through these loads of pictures (but maybe SS are already preferring the stupid masses over the former)...

tickstock · « **Reply #10 on:** May 25, 2015, 16:26 »

Quote from: Fairplay on May 25, 2015, 16:06

I used to make some good money and helped a lot of people to become contributors. When SS changed their referral program I removed all my referral links!
They lied us the program is for lifetime!
SS get the money from the people who helped them to become the most successful microstock company to give them to the shareholders!
The referrers who invested a lot of time and efforts lost their income!
They need new contributors who will get less money in the beginning.
No more referrals from me!

Got the email too. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. This must be aimed at people too new to remember what they did before.

gbalex · « **Reply #11 on:** May 25, 2015, 16:41 »

Quote from: PZF on May 25, 2015, 11:06

Or even why they STILL want MORE contributors....if that is indeed what they are talking about....
Now more CUSTOMERS may be interesting.....

Of course they want new contributors. They make a larger margin on sales by paying new contributors less in royalties.

Noedelhap · « **Reply #12 on:** May 25, 2015, 17:16 »

No way they're getting any more referrals from me since they killed off their referral program. Limiting the program to 2 years was a total disservice to loyal referrers.

Rinderart · « **Reply #13 on:** May 25, 2015, 20:00 »

Quote from: Noedelhap on May 25, 2015, 17:16

No way they're getting any more referrals from me since they killed off their referral program. Limiting the program to 2 years was a total disservice to loyal referrers.

I referred some very Big Players, made very decent money , then Bam. Taken away without a word. No More.

Julied83 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 25, 2015, 20:18 »

Are they talking about referring contributor or buyer ? I don'T know much about the SS refereal program but if it can help to bring more buyer it's cool

Rinderart · « **Reply #15 on:** May 25, 2015, 23:38 »

Julie, It's about turning SS on to More Photographers,Illustrators and such. If we had Buyers we wouldn't need SS.We don't need more contributors.

gbalex · « **Reply #16 on:** May 26, 2015, 12:27 »

The only time we ever hear anything from shutterstock is when they want something from us. When we are experiencing problems they are no where to be found.

Now they want referrals from us for new contributors and they want us to train them.

http://submit.shutterstock.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=148941&start=34

"Hi everyone,

We absolutely love this thread and it gave us an idea for a series on our blog where we show both the setup image (like some of you have in this forum post) and the end result on Shutterstock with a short description by the photographer about the concept and the execution.

We think this could be a huge help to contributors who are struggling to get content accepted or are unaware what it sometimes takes to get a great shot.

If you would like to submit as a candidate, please send the following in an email to [email protected]:
please put in subject line: Behind the Shot
attach the behind-the-scene image (max 10 MB)
a link to the final image on Shutterstock.com
a short description (no more than 1 or 2 paragraphs) on why you decided to shoot it that way, if you used a trick that improved the image, which tools and materials you used, etc."

50% · « **Reply #17 on:** May 26, 2015, 12:34 »

I would never refer anyone to any microstock site regardless if contributors or buyers. I would refer people to fair sites like Stocksy for example.

dpimborough · « **Reply #18 on:** May 26, 2015, 13:40 »

So these people want me to bring in more competition for my sales and they want me to provide free training to my competition???

In return for a few iddy biddy cents???

ARE THEY FRAKKING NUTS?

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.... pause for catnip.... hahahahahahaha

Screw the competition and poor newbies who know jack about set ups, composition and lighting they can learn the hard way like I had to !!

gbalex · « **Reply #19 on:** May 26, 2015, 14:24 »

I am all for helping other contributors out.

However I am not into helping a company which is already devaluating our assets to fill their pockets.

There have been numerous site bugs that plague contributors on the shutterstock in addition to serious review issues and shutterstock expects us to put up and shut up. They have no intention of addressing any issues that costs contributors time and money.

Helping shutterstock is a lose lose on the contributor side. They have already taken more than they deserve. And by breaking the original referral agreement, they have shown their true colors in regard to integrity and trust.

Tryingmybest · « **Reply #20 on:** May 26, 2015, 15:47 »

I thought this program was for referring new buyers as well as contributors.

ShadySue · « **Reply #21 on:** May 26, 2015, 15:53 »

Quote from: 50% on May 26, 2015, 12:34

I would never refer anyone to any microstock site regardless if contributors or buyers. I would refer people to fair sites like Stocksy for example.

Good policy - but only for those who are represented there.
Or the truly altruistic.

Mantis · « **Reply #22 on:** May 26, 2015, 16:34 »

Quote from: Teddy the Cat on May 26, 2015, 13:40

So these people want me to bring in more competition for my sales and they want me to provide free training to my competition???

In return for a few iddy biddy cents???

ARE THEY FRAKKING NUTS?

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.... pause for catnip.... hahahahahahaha

Screw the competition and poor newbies who know jack about set ups, composition and lighting they can learn the hard way like I had to !!

Gblax had it right in a previous post. New photographers get paid less. It a way to improve margins through reducing COGS. So technically they dont change anything for those at the top tier other than flood the collection with new images and hope that they get some real winners to boot.

spike · « **Reply #23 on:** May 27, 2015, 05:58 »

I referred a number of people to shutterstock.

Last year, I saw a spike in earnings, one of the people who registered was doing really well!

When I checked his portfolio, it was obvious he was doing well because he was copying everything I put online. Mailed shutterstock, they said they would explore, nothing happened, guy still earns loads and I get nothing because 2 years have passed since he registered.

So thanks shutterstock, I'll be sure to refer more people.

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Author Topic: SS Webinar about Referral Program (Read 4969 times)

Tryingmybest

Shelma1

PZF

Semmick Photo

Mantis

cthoman

Mantis

ruxpriencdiam

Fairplay

lex-icon

tickstock

gbalex

Noedelhap

Rinderart

Julied83

Rinderart

gbalex

50%

dpimborough

gbalex

Tryingmybest

ShadySue

Mantis

spike

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