News
StockXpert is ceasing regular operations
In a recent message sent to users of the micropayment stock photography site StockXpert, the company announced that it is ceasing operations and that it will no longer sell new credits or accept new members. The StockXpert site was launched by the Hungarian based HAAP Media which also operated the popular sxc.hu, a free stock photography download site. The business was later acquired by JupiterImages in Nov 2006 which was acquired itself by Getty Images in Oct 2008. Getty Images also owns iStockphoto, the world’s most popular micro-payment stock photography site.
As part of the plan to shutter the business the company has stated that users may transfer any remaining credits to be used at iStockphoto at a value of 1 for 1 until August 11, 2010. On February 11, 2010, searching and downloading at StockXpert will cease.
Web: http://www.stockxpert.com
Related Stories:
Getty appoints iStockphoto to manage free stock photography site SXC.hu (Jul 29, 2009)
Getty buys Jupiter for a song (Oct 28, 2008)
Jupiter ups stake in micro payment stock photography sites (Nov 08, 2006)
Jupiter invests in Stock.xchng and Stockxpert (Jan 25, 2006)
Posted in: Getty Images, Micropayment Stock Photography, News, Stock Art Buyers
Comments(6)
post a comment »Ben, February 04, 2010 [#]
As a long-time StockXpert user, this is no good for me! Browsing iStockPhoto’s catalog, it looks like I’ll be paying almost 6x the price for a same-size image. :(
Anybody know any cheaper competitors?
Steve Gibson, February 04, 2010 [#]
Ben: have a look at canstockphoto.com as an alternative for low prices in microstock
and a price comparison I created at http://microstockinsider.com/microstock_price_comparison
dbltapp, February 06, 2010 [#]
Could 123RF be next?
Kevin, February 07, 2010 [#]
I’m wondering if we will loose access to more pics. I liked having another site to check so I can find the pics I need.
Alex, February 08, 2010 [#]
hah. Photographers will get 20% in royalties on iStock instead of 50% at StockXpert.
StockXpert employees will lose their jobs…
I don’t like these games.
I hope Getty will not buy other companies or at least they won’t sell themselves to Getty when Getty is ready to buy them. It looks like the whole stock photography business is turning into a monopoly and another crisis on its way.
Ben, I’ll give you my link to Fotolia:
http://www.fotolia.com/partner/30044
Their prices are lower than iStock but they pay 30%+ to photographers. Not 50% but not 20% either.
Lee, February 18, 2010 [#]
what a rip off, have used stockxpert for years..good value, good images and now 6x times more in price for same images…
having trouble switching accounts over from stockxpert to istock...it doesnt register my account details so i sign for new account then lose all of my credits!! 68 of them!!!
steve, thanks for the link to the Microstock price comparison..canstock and some others looks a good bet
I used to use an awful lot of vector images tho thru stockXpert, anyone know of a good and reasonably priced vector image site???
thanks…