SnapVillage is officially out of beta. In preparing for the full commercial launch, the Corbis-owned microstock, which now has some 300,000 images available for sale, has upgraded its image-handling and back-end technologies. The company is also running a 25% discount on its subscription service for the month of June.
In addition to a face-lift, SnapVillage has addressed the speed, stability and security of the user interface and back-end functions. The company also improved navigation and preview quality, as well as added new pages on licensing and team members. In addition, the SnapVillage Web site has moved to a new data center and new servers.
The company had planned to complete the move in one weekend. However, after shutting down late on Friday, May 30, SnapVillage did not come back online until the following Tuesday.
Such delays are not uncommon in an industry so reliant on technology. Last year saw a number of mistakes with rather significant financial and goodwill implications. The launch of Getty Images' latest Web site was delayed by nearly a year, and the company also experienced a footage-delivery glitch that reportedly cost millions in revenues. Microstock businesses are arguably at an even higher risk of technical difficulties, as they process larger volumes of images and transactions. Last summer, Fotolia's upgrade resulted in a four-day outage, with some contributor-oriented services offline for over a week, to the chagrin of outspoken microstock photographers.
Still, it is surprising that SnapVillage had not managed a smoother transition. The young microstock is among the best financed and most experienced with running a large-scale stock-licensing operation. Corbis was also the last among industry leaders to diversify into micro-payment, giving it ample time to plan and strategize.
It is equally surprising that bulk image-upload, repeatedly requested by contributors, has yet to be implemented, though SnapVillage executives promise that this upgrade is just the beginning. "The team is already working on more improvements and feature enhancements, including bulk upload... it's a top priority now that we're happy with the customer experience side," reads the SnapVillage blog. This is where the Corbis venture excels: Its communications, particularly in crisis, are impeccable.
As soon as the outage became a reality, it was announced on the SnapVillage blog, which continued to be updated with new information. In addition, the highest-ranking executive on the project, Adam Brotman, took the time to personally apologize to contributors: "We are disappointed that this has taken so long. We know that this type of outage isn't acceptable, and I can promise you that this is a one-time event only... We will be getting in touch with our recent and current customers to explain that this is a one-time event and are committed to great customer service - always and around the clock," Brotman wrote.
The SnapVillage outage, though noticed, has not been as heavily criticized as Fotolia's. Microstock photographers still expect great things from the Corbis-backed newcomer, which has also won some attention from pro photographers, due to its pick-your-own price model.