Bad news for Web / Blog / Minisite Designers!

Hasn't it always been this way?

I can't recall a time when you could use the cheap license for products you were reselling.

I think it's normal to buy an extensive license since you're selling that template to multiple people, so not only ONCE. But then again, $50 is a bit too much.

But there are other stock photos sites as well, you might want to take a look, I'm sure they also offer good quality.

Bigstockphoto was allowing to use images for templates with their standard terms... but now they are not.

Yes, its normal to buy extended license with other stock sites.. Bigstock was an exception and most of us were using it for templates.

Ok.. I just got reply from them and they confirmed that their policies are changes and from now onward it will need extended license. too bad for us.

Ah being a mini site owner this is very disappointing and a rather unnecessary change.

That's a pretty abrupt and large increase in price. Might be better off making your own images at that point.

Have seen simple dollar images with extended license as high as $125 on istock and other sites.. just for the sake of extended license ??... some images are surely good but still..

Anyway, I hope other minisite designers can share their thoughts.

I produce all of my own content, and that means "ALL" of my content - including images and videos.

A photo site raising its fees does not affect me one way or the other. I will just get my camera and go take all the pictures that I want.

@~kev~: for minisite designing, we not only use outside images, but there are lot of vectors, illustrations etc..

a broad eg. is

Targeting A Group Of People Stock Photo - 4065014 | BIGSTOCK

As I said there are some really good images.. BUT not all are worth that price. here is another example... I was actually paying $1 for these type of images

Internet Marketing Word Cloud Stock Illustration - 5985418 | BIGSTOCK
Internet Marketing Word Cloud Stock Illustration - 6391666 | BIGSTOCK
Internet marketing text cloud Stock Vector - 10245077 | BIGSTOCK

until, I realize i could make these in seconds.. so paying $50 as extended license for 0.001 second work isnt that unfair?

Moreover, some photographers uploading on istock were $15 (standard license not for template) .. and same image was available on bigstock for $1.. Bigstock is still $1 if you want to use them for your own site... are these sites not making us fool?

For most images, it can pay to take your own digital photos. That way no one has a copy and the cost is nil. the price increase quoted is awful steep, imo.

Stock photos, royalty free pictures & images | Pixmac is a stock photo site with a fairly good collection of photos. They offer extended license for about $10. I think this is a fair price for extended license.

That was the same conclusion I came to when I was searching for images a couple of months ago.

I don't understand the big deal over $99 for an extended license. Actually, I take that back, I do understand it. There is an unfortunate dark side to online related businesses called "I want it cheap or free". The abundance of cheap PLR has made the attitude even worse.

People need to understand that there are costs to running a business. Go ask any brick n' mortar business owner what their monthly and yearly business expenses are.

So, where does that leave us? Oh, Bigstock photo changed their license terms and raised prices.

When the cost of your supplies go up, you can a) find a new supplier, b) eat the costs and take it out of your end or c) raise your prices and pass those costs on to your customers.

Let's do some math...

$99 for a high quality image extended license.

If you sell an average of 100 niche wordpress templates, raise the cost of your template $1 and you've covered the cost of the extended license.

If your only selling your template for $10 that's still $901 in profit after expenses. If it were a Themeforest theme you'd have around $1,649 in profit after expenses. Considering it was probably that high quality photo (slapped on an old woo theme) that made most of the sales, I wouldn't complain too much.

You, your customer, Bigstock Photo, everybody is happy.

You could even use your proof of purchasing an extended license in your sales copy to show that you aren't like the other slimeball designers who steal images off google, you are a professional and a step above the rest.

This **** ain't brain surgery kids.

All of the images I checked, it was $80.47 for the extended license.

The length of time it take you to create something has no relevance to it's value or price.

If it takes you 0.0001 second to create it, you have no need to purchase it. For those who may not be able to create it, it's a fair price.

no problem about the lisence i have more source of photo more affordable then istock photo

It would be a profit if i buy image and just sell.

I am more frustrated because over the last 4 years I have designed over 600 super high quality themes, if anyone know me knows my quality when i say high quality stuff.. and each theme has 2-5 images.. that means its going to cost me at least $60,000

And templates launches doesn't make million dollar launches.

I have done all my calculations so I know what I have should spend. If its just about 1 theme and launching just that 1 theme, I wouldn't bother but that's not my situation.

I have already mailed them back, lets see what they decide.

I am not a photographer and minisite designing isn't about photography or nature images. nature images helps sometime but not most of the time, it would be 1:100 in my case.

My point is not why they Increase the price or changed their terms... but I am pissed off because they did it without any notice or notification, their terms were changed back in June. And still today no one is aware of.

So doesn't it sounds fishy?

1st... You have been giving $1 image since years.. every designer is aware of your terms
2nd... All of sudden you change your terms and keep QUITE.
3rd... designers continue buying the image at $1
4th... you sue them because they are not following your license???

Are you getting my point.. and people who use those sites on regular basis.. don't go to license page every day.

Lets say, I created 100 templates and charging my client $2000 (of course i dont do that cheap)... We used comped images (watermarked) to create the themes.... Once the client approve it, we buy the image ourselves its just going to cost me $100..

But before the client approved it, they changed their license.. and now it would cost me $5000... Client is not ready to pay $7k.... fine.. deal is over...

But hey.. I lost my time almost 2 months??

In the business they are not alone. when others are using their system then they should be notified...

That's all I wanted to say.

Would any of you sell your product for $1 and then allow someone to use it in a template to sell on? No didn't think so, it would do you out of repeat business and more money, why begrudge the same to a photographer who is likely just as hard working, people seem to be under the impression that photography is an easy skill and as the photo is digital is cheap, well when you spend thousands (sometimes tens of thousands) on photographic gear, factor in time, and any costs in taking the image, like travel, model hire etc $50 is actually probably still very cheap!!

We need to develop our own image - better you do it at the earliest.