Comments on: Shutterstock Acquires BigStockPhoto http://www.microstockdiaries.com/shutterstock-acquires-bigstockphoto.html For People Selling Photos Online Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:17:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lee Torrens http://www.microstockdiaries.com/shutterstock-acquires-bigstockphoto.html/comment-page-1#comment-46644 Lee Torrens Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:58:27 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/?p=864#comment-46644 Sorry John, I have even less information about that company than you. There's a discussion about them going on at <a href="http://www.microstockgroup.com/general-stock-discussion/picture-nation-8766" rel="nofollow">Microstock Group</a> where you'll find people with more familiarity with the company discussing the situation. -Lee Sorry John, I have even less information about that company than you. There’s a discussion about them going on at Microstock Group where you’ll find people with more familiarity with the company discussing the situation.

-Lee

]]> By: John Richie http://www.microstockdiaries.com/shutterstock-acquires-bigstockphoto.html/comment-page-1#comment-46593 John Richie Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:05:54 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/?p=864#comment-46593 Obviously there is strength involved when such companies combine, hopefully making it safer and more reliable for contributors. Whether the benefits of scale are passed on is another matter. However, small companies are usually on shakier ground, and vulnerable to the strong winds of recession and other variables in the marketplace. I have, for example, noticed that the small UK stock library Picture Nation (picturenation.co.uk) has been offline for about 10 days! -without communication directly to members like myself, although they have put up some sparse news on twitter. They talk about IT problems. Quote: twitter We are having some IT issues at the moment so apologies to all - we are working to get things sorted asap. 2:44 AM Oct 7th from web We will be back online in the next few days - apologies to our members but the site will be faster very soon.....no pain, no gain :-( 7:22 AM Oct 12th from web 18.10.09 The site still reads: Temporarily Unavailable We are sorry, our site is temporarily unavailable, we hope to be back with you as soon as possible, Regards PN Ten days offline!!! No recent twitter. Not sure what the heck is going on, so perhaps you or some of your readers may throw some light on the matter. Members pay £10.00 P.A. to submit. Regards, John. Obviously there is strength involved when such companies combine, hopefully making it safer and more reliable for contributors. Whether the benefits of scale are passed on is another matter.

However, small companies are usually on shakier ground, and vulnerable to the strong winds of recession and other variables in the marketplace.

I have, for example, noticed that the small UK stock library Picture Nation (picturenation.co.uk) has been offline for about 10 days! -without communication directly to members like myself, although they have put up some sparse news on twitter. They talk about IT problems.

Quote: twitter

We are having some IT issues at the moment so apologies to all – we are working to get things sorted asap.
2:44 AM Oct 7th from web

We will be back online in the next few days – apologies to our members but the site will be faster very soon…..no pain, no gain :-(
7:22 AM Oct 12th from web

18.10.09 The site still reads:

Temporarily Unavailable
We are sorry, our site is temporarily unavailable, we hope to be back with you as soon as possible, Regards

PN

Ten days offline!!!

No recent twitter.

Not sure what the heck is going on, so perhaps you or some of your readers may throw some light on the matter. Members pay £10.00 P.A. to submit.

Regards, John.

]]> By: Holger Mette http://www.microstockdiaries.com/shutterstock-acquires-bigstockphoto.html/comment-page-1#comment-45496 Holger Mette Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:44:40 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/?p=864#comment-45496 Nice summary Lee. I agree that the change is probably beneficial for contributors, but I guess only time will tell. I think a good situation for contributors would be one where there are a fewer number of more successful agencies, while still maintaining competition. There seems to have been a pause in sites increasing prices - hopefully consolidation will allow for more opportunities to do so. At the moment it seems difficult for the many smaller agencies to break through the big gap that seems to be between them and the big 4. This move seems to consolidate Shutterstock's position against istock which seems to have been gaining in dominance again lately - if it increases earnings for BS, that would be a bonus of course. Nice summary Lee. I agree that the change is probably beneficial for contributors, but I guess only time will tell. I think a good situation for contributors would be one where there are a fewer number of more successful agencies, while still maintaining competition. There seems to have been a pause in sites increasing prices – hopefully consolidation will allow for more opportunities to do so.

At the moment it seems difficult for the many smaller agencies to break through the big gap that seems to be between them and the big 4. This move seems to consolidate Shutterstock’s position against istock which seems to have been gaining in dominance again lately – if it increases earnings for BS, that would be a bonus of course.

]]> By: Theo http://www.microstockdiaries.com/shutterstock-acquires-bigstockphoto.html/comment-page-1#comment-45348 Theo Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:35:50 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/?p=864#comment-45348 I am still really new to microstock but this sounds like exciting news. In my world, we get to keep the super friendly rejection messages from BSP but get a better looking and more streamlined website. That said, there is a tinge of sadness that sites really can't do well against the big companies. Still, way of the world I suppose. Theo P.S On a side note, excellent site Mr Torrens. Keep up the stonking work. I am still really new to microstock but this sounds like exciting news. In my world, we get to keep the super friendly rejection messages from BSP but get a better looking and more streamlined website.
That said, there is a tinge of sadness that sites really can’t do well against the big companies. Still, way of the world I suppose.

Theo

P.S On a side note, excellent site Mr Torrens. Keep up the stonking work.

]]> By: Ann http://www.microstockdiaries.com/shutterstock-acquires-bigstockphoto.html/comment-page-1#comment-45323 Ann Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:36:45 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/?p=864#comment-45323 Shutterstock buying BigStockPhoto strikes me as a good move, regardless of whether they remain separate or not - it's a relief to read about a Different Big company buying stock photo agencies. About "Likely positive for microstockers" - I wonder if "increased number of outlets" tends to be a true plus for many contributors. I personally know only one microstock contributor who has reached payout with a newer (under two years old) company, but I also realize I don't know the sales stats of the heavy hitters, and you have a much broader view of sales performance than I do. Economy's tight, and a significant % of images are available on multiple sites (and customers are increasingly aware of it). As long as that continues, I don't see new agencies breaking in, regardless of how many or few big agencies there are. There are subscription, credit buying, and literally buy-one-download opportunities; plus, downloads are already going for very reasonable prices. So acquiring agencies, acquiring exclusive satisfactory images and videos, acquiring new-to-stock-photo customers are the ways to go. Any big company that stays out of mischief and does one or two of those well should continue to prosper. Shutterstock buying BigStockPhoto strikes me as a good move, regardless of whether they remain separate or not – it’s a relief to read about a Different Big company buying stock photo agencies.

About “Likely positive for microstockers” – I wonder if “increased number of outlets” tends to be a true plus for many contributors. I personally know only one microstock contributor who has reached payout with a newer (under two years old) company, but I also realize I don’t know the sales stats of the heavy hitters, and you have a much broader view of sales performance than I do.

Economy’s tight, and a significant % of images are available on multiple sites (and customers are increasingly aware of it). As long as that continues, I don’t see new agencies breaking in, regardless of how many or few big agencies there are.

There are subscription, credit buying, and literally buy-one-download opportunities; plus, downloads are already going for very reasonable prices. So acquiring agencies, acquiring exclusive satisfactory images and videos, acquiring new-to-stock-photo customers are the ways to go. Any big company that stays out of mischief and does one or two of those well should continue to prosper.

]]> By: Lee Torrens http://www.microstockdiaries.com/shutterstock-acquires-bigstockphoto.html/comment-page-1#comment-45242 Lee Torrens Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:10:15 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/?p=864#comment-45242 Interesting thoughts. I believe that if there become fewer top agencies it will become easier for new agencies to break in. I suspect this is a factor in Jon's decision to keep operating BigStock as a separate business and Getty's decision (at least so far) to keep StockXpert going. Interesting thoughts. I believe that if there become fewer top agencies it will become easier for new agencies to break in. I suspect this is a factor in Jon’s decision to keep operating BigStock as a separate business and Getty’s decision (at least so far) to keep StockXpert going.

]]> By: Steve Gibson http://www.microstockdiaries.com/shutterstock-acquires-bigstockphoto.html/comment-page-1#comment-45239 Steve Gibson Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:32:19 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/?p=864#comment-45239 It will take many years, and I'm only guessing, but in the end there will be a couple of big players (corbis - getty owned?) and few small specialist outfits filling niches? crowdsource and the web might make things more even to what happened in RF, but well when Getty bought Istock the takeover ball started rolling... But it's great news for bigstock and all of us contributing to them! It will take many years, and I’m only guessing, but in the end there will be a couple of big players (corbis – getty owned?) and few small specialist outfits filling niches? crowdsource and the web might make things more even to what happened in RF, but well when Getty bought Istock the takeover ball started rolling…

But it’s great news for bigstock and all of us contributing to them!

]]> By: microstockphoto http://www.microstockdiaries.com/shutterstock-acquires-bigstockphoto.html/comment-page-1#comment-45219 microstockphoto Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:33:32 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/?p=864#comment-45219 All these recent high-level acquisitions are both exciting and dreadful. They're a sign of a vibrant market but also mean that fewer and fewer agencies will hold more and more power. Not sure whether this is good or bad for contributor: let's hope less competition and better marketing will stop the price drop throughout the market and bring in new buyers, although this hasn't always been the case recently. Luckily, Shutterstock is not used to lower paycuts - hope they keep on. All these recent high-level acquisitions are both exciting and dreadful. They’re a sign of a vibrant market but also mean that fewer and fewer agencies will hold more and more power.

Not sure whether this is good or bad for contributor: let’s hope less competition and better marketing will stop the price drop throughout the market and bring in new buyers, although this hasn’t always been the case recently. Luckily, Shutterstock is not used to lower paycuts – hope they keep on.

]]> By: R. Kneschke http://www.microstockdiaries.com/shutterstock-acquires-bigstockphoto.html/comment-page-1#comment-45197 R. Kneschke Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:35:49 +0000 http://www.microstockdiaries.com/?p=864#comment-45197 Since I haven't bothered yet to create a BigSTockPhoto account, I would prefer to see the two companies joined... :-) Since I haven’t bothered yet to create a BigSTockPhoto account, I would prefer to see the two companies joined… :-)

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