News
Germany’s PantherMedia launches international mid-stock platform
In 2004, Munich-based PantherMedia.net, a German-language web-site, began licensing royalty-free (RF) imagery at so-called mid-stock pricing levels. Mid-stock refers to RF pricing that falls somewhere in between the very low prices offered on micro-stock sites and the higher prices of what we now refer to as “traditional” RF. Several RF companies, both micro and traditional, have tested out the mid-stock market. With the recent launch of an international English-language version of its site, PantherMedia becomes the first business to market itself solely on the mid-stock pricing model.
With regard to building its database of images, PantherMedia functions much like micro-stock companies. The company has created a community site for photographers where they can upload images for inclusion in the archives. Once the images pass PantherMedia’s quality control procedures, they are available for purchase and download. Panthermedia now has over 500,000 images from approximately 15,000 contributors.
According to the company, the mid-stock model allows them to supply high quality imagery at affordable prices without sacrificing customer service or copyright and model-release security. Prices range from Euro 5.00 to 80.00 (US$7.30 to $117, at today’s exchange rate.)
PantherMedia has a full-time customer-service team. In addition, in the event a given image request can not be filled, customers can submit a free and non-binding Customer Image Request which they forward to PantherMedia’s 15,000 photographers worldwide.
Managing Director Robert Walters says "We want to export this very successful business model - and we are not talking about English speaking countries only. We can now serve not only completely new customers abroad, but also the international subsidiaries and parent companies of our existing customer base." He adds, "With new forms of communication, the demand for images has increased dramatically over the past few years, only the budgets have not. The customer therefore expects reduced prices without accepting any loss in service quality or legal security."
Web-site: PantherMedia.net
Comments(1)
post a comment »Bryan Zmijewski, January 18, 2008 [#]
Chris-
LuckyOliver coined the name midstock and the business model. I want to clarify for your readers that price point is only one factor in the differences between microstock and macrostock. Midstock incorporates pieces from *both* models.
Here is more information on those differences:
http://www.luckyoliver.com/blog/263/midstock_dead