Getty Images has sent out a promotion inviting customers to
“Stretch Your 2017 Budget Into 2018 With Ultrapacks” and giving them 31% off if they purchase before the end of the year the right to download a certain number of images in 2018.
From a contributor’s point of view the discounted prices still seem reasonable (see charts below) and they are certainly a great deal for some Getty’s customers.
Customers get from 5 to 25 images in an UltraPack. They can purchase any combination of
royalty-free images, videos, illustrations, vectors and most editorial images. Unlike many subscriptions that have a time limit on them, the number of images purchased “never expire.” Excess images may be used beyond 2018, if necessary, by an unlimited number of users in the organization purchasing the UltraPack.
Customers have access to over 50 million images and there are no limits on print runs or impressions. Customer also get full legal indemnification for each image used. Royalty-free images and videos come with broad perpetual use rights. Editorial images come with 15-year editorial use rights excluding use on print covers.
The good news is that the right to license RM images does not seem to be included in this UltraPack offer. The only images available are RF. However, at least 75% of RM sales are already licensed for fees below $130 and the fact that RF is now the default search option probably indicates that a higher percentage of total sales are RF rather than RM.
Based on sales records from several major photographers, licenses between $575 and $130 probably represents about 15% of total RF images licensed. This relatively small percent of unit sales represents about 80% of total RF revenue generated. The other 20% of revenue comes from the 85% of the RF images that are licensed for prices lower – often much lower – than $130.
If everyone who has been purchasing RF images for prices between $175 and $575 were to avail themselves of this opportunity – and if such discounts were to remain in force for the entire year -- the total revenue generated by RF sales in 2018 could be as much as 25% less than the revenue generated in 2017.
This assumes that the number of images licensed remains about the same and Getty doesn’t see a dramatic increase in high value RF sales. Given the availability of so many lower priced options, from Getty and elsewhere, It seems unlikely that there will be much of an increase in higher value RF sales.
Packages And Discounts Available
Hi Resolution
Single item price: $575.00 per asset
| 5 Pack |
$2,375 |
$475.00 per asset |
Save $500.00 |
| 10 Pack |
$4,500 |
$450.00 per asset |
Save $1,250.00 |
| 15 Pack |
$6,375 |
$425.00 per asset |
Save $2,250.00 |
| 25 Pack |
$10,000 |
$400.00 per asset |
Save $4,375.00 |
Medium resolution
Single item price: $375.00 per asset
| 5 Pack |
$1,625 |
$325.00 per asset |
Save $250.00 |
| 10 Pack |
$3,000 |
$300.00 per asset |
Save $750.00 |
| 15 Pack |
$4,200 |
$280.00 per asset |
Save $1,425.00 |
| 25 Pack |
$6,500 |
$260.00 per asset |
Save $2,875.00 |
Low resolution
Single item price: $175.00 per asset
| 5 Pack |
$800 |
$160.00 per asset |
Save $75.00 |
| 10 Pack |
$1,500 |
$150.00 per asset |
Save $250.00 |
| 15 Pack |
$2,100 |
$140.00 per asset |
Save $525.00 |
| 25 Pack |
$3,250 |
$130.00 per asset |
Save $1,125.00 |