Comments on: LuckyOliver Shutting Down http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html For People Selling Photos Online Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:09:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lee Torrens http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html/comment-page-1#comment-40862 Lee Torrens Sun, 26 Jul 2009 14:02:19 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html#comment-40862 Hi Daniel, thanks for your compliments. I'm Australian, but at the moment I'm living in Argentina. Yes, that's mate in the pic. -Lee Hi Daniel, thanks for your compliments. I’m Australian, but at the moment I’m living in Argentina. Yes, that’s mate in the pic.

-Lee

]]> By: Daniel http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html/comment-page-1#comment-40835 Daniel Sun, 26 Jul 2009 04:55:45 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html#comment-40835 Hi Lee! your blog is incredible!. The info is really usefull. Are you from Argentina or Uruguay? You are taking mate on this pic!! Daniel from Uruguay Hi Lee!
your blog is incredible!. The info is really usefull.

Are you from Argentina or Uruguay? You are taking mate on this pic!!

Daniel from Uruguay

]]> By: Dolly Chiang http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html/comment-page-1#comment-30993 Dolly Chiang Mon, 06 Apr 2009 07:51:04 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html#comment-30993 I must admit i felt really disappointed about the site closure. I missed LO, the layout, the great look and the nice colour to it. It's just too bad :( I must admit i felt really disappointed about the site closure. I missed LO, the layout, the great look and the nice colour to it. It’s just too bad :(

]]> By: Lee Torrens http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html/comment-page-1#comment-9944 Lee Torrens Thu, 01 May 2008 16:14:29 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html#comment-9944 <p>Hey Dan, </p> <p>You make some valid points, and why I qualified it as 'near' faultless. ;) In the bigger picture their strategy focussed on long term growth and getting the technology right first, which is where many other agencies fall down. </p> <p>Low commissions seem to more friendly to contributors than high ones, as iStockphoto with the lowest commission in the market have the highest sales because they have money to promote. Agencies with 70% commissions are often cash strapped and have no room to move with referral programs or deal making. The only agency achieving high sales with a high commission is StockXpert, and that's because they're backed by the Jupiter media empire.</p> <p>LuckyOliver introduced the term 'midstock' with their sideshow facility, and the big contributors I speak to tell me that it worked with high sales volume in the $10 - $30 range.</p> <p>Obviously your basic point is correct - there were some details that they could have improved. I'm sure higher sales would have made the next funding round more attainable. </p> <p>-Lee</p> Hey Dan,

You make some valid points, and why I qualified it as ‘near’ faultless. ;) In the bigger picture their strategy focussed on long term growth and getting the technology right first, which is where many other agencies fall down.

Low commissions seem to more friendly to contributors than high ones, as iStockphoto with the lowest commission in the market have the highest sales because they have money to promote. Agencies with 70% commissions are often cash strapped and have no room to move with referral programs or deal making. The only agency achieving high sales with a high commission is StockXpert, and that’s because they’re backed by the Jupiter media empire.

LuckyOliver introduced the term ‘midstock’ with their sideshow facility, and the big contributors I speak to tell me that it worked with high sales volume in the $10 – $30 range.

Obviously your basic point is correct – there were some details that they could have improved. I’m sure higher sales would have made the next funding round more attainable.

-Lee

]]> By: Dan http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html/comment-page-1#comment-9928 Dan Thu, 01 May 2008 07:07:00 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html#comment-9928 Lee, I disagree that LO's plan was faultless. I don't even see where they introduced a midstock model, ever. Right up until the final month, their ads still pushed $1 per image prices to buyers. The 30% commission was pretty low, and hardly friendly to contributors who took a chance with them. Most of my sales were for 30 cents and 60 cents, which confirms most images were sold at $1 or $2. Midstock pricing? That's near industry lows. The search engine for some bizarre reason took into account the amount of message board activity contributors were involved in. This was always a sore point for me, as it distracted buyers from the only thing that matters to them - image quality. In fact, I never once heard any contributor say anything good about their search engine. Lee, I disagree that LO’s plan was faultless. I don’t even see where they introduced a midstock model, ever. Right up until the final month, their ads still pushed $1 per image prices to buyers.

The 30% commission was pretty low, and hardly friendly to contributors who took a chance with them. Most of my sales were for 30 cents and 60 cents, which confirms most images were sold at $1 or $2. Midstock pricing? That’s near industry lows.

The search engine for some bizarre reason took into account the amount of message board activity contributors were involved in. This was always a sore point for me, as it distracted buyers from the only thing that matters to them – image quality. In fact, I never once heard any contributor say anything good about their search engine.

]]> By: Lee Torrens http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html/comment-page-1#comment-9636 Lee Torrens Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:05:11 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html#comment-9636 I've experienced higher than usual sales since the announcement and I know others have too. -Lee I’ve experienced higher than usual sales since the announcement and I know others have too.

-Lee

]]> By: Vilkens http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html/comment-page-1#comment-9635 Vilkens Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:22:03 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html#comment-9635 You know, one thing that really surprises me is that there doesn't seem to be this huge frenzy of buying towards the end of LO's demise. People there have to pay at least $20 to get tokens, right? Well, if that's the case, wouldn't they want to use them up? How come we don't see a buying frenzy? Perhaps because there WERE NO BUYERS to begin with? Eh? You know, one thing that really surprises me is that there doesn’t seem to be this huge frenzy of buying towards the end of LO’s demise. People there have to pay at least $20 to get tokens, right? Well, if that’s the case, wouldn’t they want to use them up? How come we don’t see a buying frenzy? Perhaps because there WERE NO BUYERS to begin with? Eh?

]]> By: Lee Torrens http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html/comment-page-1#comment-9464 Lee Torrens Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:33:12 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html#comment-9464 Hi Verbal, As you say your photos are "your photos", which means they're not the assets of LuckyOliver nor any other entity and therefore can't be used for any purpose other than that in the contributor agreement. I wouldn't panic. -Lee Hi Verbal,

As you say your photos are “your photos”, which means they’re not the assets of LuckyOliver nor any other entity and therefore can’t be used for any purpose other than that in the contributor agreement. I wouldn’t panic.

-Lee

]]> By: Verbal http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html/comment-page-1#comment-9462 Verbal Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:45:36 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html#comment-9462 Yes, Cory, you should remove your images. Someone mentioned on the Odditorium that if LO goes bankrupt the creditors may seize all the assets INCLUDING OUR PICTURES. Then they can dispose of them as they wish. Naturally, you the little guy would never see any of the money and worry about how your pics would be disposed of in bankruptcy court. My ports gone. I deleted each pic one by one. Yes, Cory, you should remove your images. Someone mentioned on the Odditorium that if LO goes bankrupt the creditors may seize all the assets INCLUDING OUR PICTURES. Then they can dispose of them as they wish. Naturally, you the little guy would never see any of the money and worry about how your pics would be disposed of in bankruptcy court. My ports gone. I deleted each pic one by one.

]]> By: Cory http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html/comment-page-1#comment-9461 Cory Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:40:28 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/luckyoliver-shutting-down.html#comment-9461 This site had a great look and feel, but I definitely felt contributors remorse once I uploaded images. Nothing was selling and I was wondering if I'd ever get enough for a payout. I guess the answer is no, I won't. Now, I'm wondering if I should remove all my images, so people don't use up credits on them. I'd hate to not get paid for sales. This site had a great look and feel, but I definitely felt contributors remorse once I uploaded images. Nothing was selling and I was wondering if I’d ever get enough for a payout. I guess the answer is no, I won’t.

Now, I’m wondering if I should remove all my images, so people don’t use up credits on them. I’d hate to not get paid for sales.

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