Shutterstock, the world's largest subscription-based stock photo agency, has acquired BigStockPhoto in a move to enter the credit-based side of the microstock business.
BigStockPhoto will remain a separate entity, but Shutterstock plans to grow the company's global presence by investing heavily in marketing, infrastructure and user experience. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Shutterstock CEO, Jon Oringer said: "This addition will enable Shutterstock to better satisfy the diverse payment preferences of stock photo buyers worldwide."
While Shutterstock has been successful in selling subscription plans for access to the more than 8 million images in its collection, the company discovered that many customers prefer to purchase images, as they need them, without being tied to a daily or monthly download limit.
In August 2008, Shuttershock debuted four "On Demand" lower-commitment subscription plans in an effort to wade into the credit-based stock photo arena. Customers can download images anytime over a one-year period by paying a one-time fee of $49 or $229, depending on the quantity and resolution of the images desired.
Within these plans, prices range from $4 per download for smaller sizes to $10 per download for the largest sizes and vector images. These prices are similar to BigStockPhoto's, where credits range from $2.00 each for 10 credits to $1.00 each for a purchase of 300 credits. Between 1 and 6 credits is required to purchase an image file at BigStockPhoto.
BigStockPhoto was founded in 2004 to provide an alternative to high-priced stock photography and create a marketplace for photographers to sell their work. In addition to its diverse library of 3.7 Million royalty-free photos and vectors, the agency has created a vibrant community of image buyers and submitters worldwide.