I just got an unsolicited invite from Getty to list a bunch of my flickr pictures with them. Does anyone have any experience with this program and is it worthwhile signing up? I've published a number of editorial works, but have never aimed to do any stock work.
I signed up two years ago and really did not like Getty's exclusivity, their appalling commission rate (70% to 80% depending on RM or RF) and the inability for me to select the model - ie rights managed or royalty free. I was the one most vocal against them reneging on their contract with their contributors in that they transfer images from Getty to their "subscription" (read microstock) site Thinkstock. All that said, Getty licensed many of my images over the past 22 months (I only have 26 images with them) but I was reluctant to sign the new contract (one year duration). Just when I decided not to renew on 1 December 2011, my September statement showed up: they had licensed US$2,998.00 of my images in September. Now where is that humble pie!? In 23 months, they have licensed just over US$6,500 of my work. It could be that September was an aberration (a nice one, but an aberration all the same) and I will wait to see what October statement tells. Most of my sales were RM (rights managed) and I received 30% of the license fees.
My RPI (revenue per image) is very high with Getty vs my other stock libraries even though the other libraries pay much better commission but my sales are far less.
The new Getty contract is one year (whereas the previous contract was two years) so I will probably renew the contract before it expires.
In 23 months, they have licensed just over US$6,500 of my work. It could be that September was an aberration (a nice one, but an aberration all the same) and I will wait to see what October statement tells. Most of my sales were RM (rights managed) and I received 30% of the license fees.