New Turbosquit regulations aiming to undermine fair competition

Yes i received e-mail too.
And at this moment i don't know what to do, but i think i will remove my models.
If my models with same price will be on TS, that will decrease sales on CGT. And i don't want sell my models with average 30% royalties, then there no use of selling models.

TS is the largest conglomerate in this space and aggressively pushes higher prices with arrogance... they've bought out other companies selling models and somehow believe they're untouchable, I got quite a negative response from the TS community!

Their community actually gave me some heavy criticism for sharing a few free models, cloaked as "advice. While I appreciate intelligent & constructive debate, their approach was insulting and I reacted appropriately. Ultimately their Vice President of Business Development(Beau Pershall) stepped in, reprimanded the conversation and ultimately closed down the forum thread. I also received an email with a warning, yet friendly.

My responses were in equal opinion to you @iterateCGI and I told Beau to block my account if they weren't happy with my opinion, but that they would be committing an offence according to their guidelines.

A lot more went down in that conversation that I haven't covered here and I will be posting screengrabs on the entire discussion (including my TS inbox) conversation on Reddit.

To be clear, I stand my ground regardless and my only crime was wanting to give things away to the community for free, I of course also have models for a price, but seeing as I own a 3D studio in two streams of revenue, I dont charge much for any my models as they are all created in our studio for existing clients and we don't need to rely on selling models for a large profit, in no way is this done to undermine other content creators.

My conclusion: Content creators on here benefit from the money made and ultimately it should be up to the individual and not the website to chose a price.

It's hilarious how arrogant, incompetent and stupid these guys at TS are. They just shoot themselves in the foot. If they didn't deserve it I would feel sorry for them.

Hey CGT team! It would be shame to not use this great opportunity that TS gave you.
For example how about a "CGT exclusive seller" badge or something like this. Or some tiny icon on a product thumbnail.

Turbosquid aim ONLY on CGtrader, I received the email too,
my colleagues too. There is a blackmail, chantage.
I need to raise a prices here, make them equal with Turbosquid. Otherwise, they will reduce my prices to CGT prices. Sorry, my dear customers. But I dont want to lose my money there.

But I think there is a solution: CGtrader must do the sales permanently: weekend sale, weekstart sale, midweek sale, daysale and nightsale, breakfast sale and dinner sale :) Formally the price will be the same as on TS, but the real price for buyer will be cheaper here.

(To be an exclusive seller is not profitable. It is better to sale on several stocks instead of +20% on one market)

I don't support exclusivity. You can make up to 80% here. With exclusivity, CGT will more likely reduce non exclusives rate, than offer 90% rate for exclusive sellers.

The thing is, the rate here is still higher than the rate for guild members, witch is a great argument for CGT.

There is a simple solution for this, increase the prices here, and also increase you discount rate. The base price will be the same but it will be cheaper here anyway. Also CGT can promote the "Offer your price" feature more. Like display an add in the front page or something. The customer will know that he can get cheaper models here anyway.

@hend-z I don't want higher royalties for CGT exclusives. No one is asking for that. But obviously many people will stop selling on TS and customers should know about it. So "CGT exclusive" badge will be enough. Or "You will not find this on TS" badge :D.

And sellers constantly asking/wishing for higher prices for all models everywhere are quite naive. I also want world peace but it's not gonna happen.

Got the same letter))). If they do as they wrote I'll suspend my stuff there.

I certainly won't agree that TS would regulate my prices. Every model that will face singlehanded price reduction from squiders, will be removed from my shop immediately. I will not conform to their humiliating policy of greediness, even if it means that i will have to remove my entire collection from there. If they will get away with controlling your prices, next step will be even further reduction of your royalty rates or some another form of oppression. Those guys has no soul.

I understand the Rage, Frustration of the majority, as well as the relief of TS exclusives. But.

NEVER forget: Stock sites are nothing without us, creators. It's not "their" war, it's ours. Even with equal pricing I will continue fighting: I will downscale textures, models & remove file formats on TS, effectively rendering them "light" versions. Next to that, future content will now only be available on CGTrader. I've exited TS sales, and participate in CGT sales.

I only care about fair income and respect. The Platform that delivers this wins. Simple as that. We're little 3D soldiers now, but we can be a hell of an army if we stick together.

So my advice:
- State your objections clearly to TS.
- Negotiate for higher income percentage (no less than 80%)
- Make up your mind where YOU want to go, not the platforms. Choose actions accordingly.

Hope this helps. Do not let anyone plot a course for you, choose your own.

Mark

Got the same letter. ((((
trade on TS with 40% roality for the same price as in CGT - this is a profit loss .... I most likely will have to leave TS ...
perhaps they want it ... so that those who are not in the guild left

I advise you, before removing your TS catalog, to think about the solution of Mark-Florquin. Be cunning. do not act guided by anger and frustration.

There is also 1 other possibility: for example to sell collections of 2 products for high price on TS and the same 2 products sell individually here on CGT for fair price.

There is no logic in publishing degraded products in TS. People will not buy it so what is the point? More likely It will hurt your image in buyers eyes and you will lose this potential customer. Also I would feel pretty bad if someone bought it.

@mark-florquin, i don't think that buyers will get your signal. As i said in TS forum, by publishing crippled product, you will damage your reputation, not turbosquid's and you will punish your customers, not turbosquid.

So instead of spending time making your products worse you can just move few vertices, change color of textures, change name and tell TS that you sell different models on TS. Their automated system will not find your models anyway.

And 1 have also 1 other suggestions, there is also 1 other american market 3DExport (paying 60% basic royalties which is much more fair compared to TS).
So what you can do in this situation is, that you also upload products on such other markets. So all markets with fair policies (CGT, 3DExport etc.) has bigger and bigger growth. And on this other markets you can set a little bit higher price as you want.
Sorry, I want to propagate other market here on CGT, but I think that everybody here wants the fair competition. :-)

Sorry for mistakes, post editing missing here, so again:

"Sorry, I don't want to propagate other market here on CGT..."

Now my previous post gives maybe sense. )))

Well I don't know why I'm even discussing these workarounds. If you need TS so much you probably have to obey their slavery laws. If you don't like to be a dairy cow then leave.

I am still thinking how to deal with this situation.
But I must admit that leaving TS has also 1 interesting aspect:

I personally try to do unique content (my own design concepts or real models, which are missing on market).
And till now I made my research on TS (so if some model has been already published on TS, I didn't do such a model, althoug it was missing on CGT).

But if I did models primarily for CGT, I could more focus on CGT catalogue and here is in some categories more space to do unique models. And if same model is on TS, I can compete with it with better price.

But I must say that I am not decided yet, still thinking. But this is horrible situation, instead of doing something meaningful, TS forces me already 2nd day thinking how to deal with unpleasant situation and my head is not clear. :-(

Look at the last posts:
https://forum.squid.io/t/turbosquid-best-price-guarantee/21039/233
Matt is closed the thread. I think, he is afraid of the consequences.

I have never sold models in TS, I never found it a friendly place.
So, without going into the details, my impression is that TS is losing focus.
     If their main concern is CGT, it is that they are already lost, their objective should be to dominate the market without worrying about the competitors, if they are nullifying your advantage it is because you do not have something better.
     In Spanish, it's called "breathing through the wound", talking about what (secretely) hurts.

Hello
received a letter from the TS, I'm shocked, what should I do ?!
We already give them 60-70%, what a ***** they want from us.!?!!?!?!
Dear administrators advise us what to do, really do not want to lose customers. It's just a violation of free market rules

Процент скидки в Sales - Discount

I see people asking for some direction.

Obviously everyone needs to decide for his own what to do but my stance is that cutting down your prices on Ts would be unwise.

I had very low feelings (probably lots of you likewise?) turning over 60% of my earnings for years and now they want me to go even lower?

There use to be a time when there was no other options then to keep bending over, but that time is passed now.

Ts is making calculated business decisions, no emotion involved so don't make things to emotional for yourself. They have probably made decision they are going to re brand/differentiate and be the market for exclusive checkmate certified premium content (best guess). They previously went on making offers (via non disclosure personal mail messages) catching as much as they can in exclusive trap and moved what they don’t need to CGstudio.

You can be certain they are moving forward on cutting down as they have closed conversations on Ts forum (clearly not like how conversation is going), so loss for artists on that site is certain (its probably final move to spew out all that is not exclusive and get in last of them that fall).

If you stay then know they will only keep squeezing you until you fall for the exclusivity trap, it's not worth it because there is way more opportunity on horizon for content creators that keep ownership.

Also if you do stay and cut down then you probably risk lose some transactions here to clients that have Ts account alongside CGt account, in that case you are just handing over 60% in return for nothing.

The only thing they hope is that you fall and go exclusive and sell out, if you don’t then your finished over there anyways.

Basically it boils down to this, if you don’t plan to make premium content to all criteria that they will keep pushing trough your throat then your better here.

The other way around, if you do want to get in exclusive club and don't mind turning over in all directions then Ts probably has good value for you.

Hope this can help making you decide whats best for you.

(keep in mind these are personal opinions)

Be nonexclusive seller is MORE profitable, than exclusive.

I also got that funny email ultimatum-message from TS with .csv file attached.

I'm going make offline those models which will be touched by TS. I'll keep them for year or so offline, then if TS won't change their mind will bun them forever. I'm sure it won't impact TS in any way, but they are fed up and spoiled enough and I don't want feed and spoil them any longer.
I think CGT and other smaller marketplaces has a bright future. I hope that they are not going to be eaten by TS one day.
So, CGT, we are with you! Stay strong and encouraged!

On other hand there are a lot of places where CGT could improve.

All my models were removed on Turbosquid.

It's called turbosquit. It was in the title all along... :)

@Zet Good idea to set models to offline, forgot that feature was there.

Funny, I was looking trough the Ts forum and came along Matts explanation on how he not likes people are using his platform for search and then go on google to find same models elsewhere for better price.

This was exactly last thing of value Ts site had to offer for me.
The value was that clients that do not like to search elsewhere they could buy my models strait away on Ts.

Now they do need to search elsewhere if they want to find them in the first place, just have put all my models to offline.

Also this made no sense to me (quoting Matt ) ”For artists selling elsewhere, there really is a question of pricing that I don't understand. Why are you pricing based on the net you want, instead of the value to the customer? If customers think your models are worth $50, why sell them at $30 elsewhere if you have a higher royalty rate? For those complaining that they don't want prices lowered at TS, then what is the objection to raising them elsewhere and having an even higher net?“

My answer would be I ask 50 on your platform (would like it to be lower) but can not due to hefty price tag on your service.

There are less buyers willing to offer 50 and more buyers willing to offer 30.

The sellers willing to offer 50 they can get it on Ts and sellers willing to offer 30 they can get it on CGt.

I don't want the ones that are willing to give 30 to get them on Ts ok.

Only just taken a look over this.

As a seller that only operates here on CGT; I am very thankful for them at least being caring about their sellers and buyers.
I have never used TS for selling models, and never plan to. How arrogant of them to control prices. Its not them making the models and putting the time in, its us. So let us sell, and be grateful people use your platform.

Part of me cant actually believe that they have even sent that email...

I have been pondering a while: How could CGTrader counter this move. And haha, they don't have to do anything: Automatically they will have "best price quarantee" as well. And then some :) It's as if your opponent slaps himself accross the face and hopes you feel his pain.

That said, I really appreciate the feedback and ideas posted here. My conclusion: I will not downgrade any products on TS. instead I'll remove all collections from TS. CGT is better for upselling and I would cringe at every collection sale on TS at CGT pricing. :)

Hope all turns out well, guys. Keep building :)

Remove/deactivate exactly only the models they are whining about. No point in trashing up your entire house in rage quit.
There are "repackaging" options, I am sure you know what I'm hinting at, it's hinging on TS not having manhours to manually investigate every possible product configuration/reconfiguration. Even though they are getting sneaky as hell.

Ok i didn't like TS at the first place. I uploaded only one model there, but now it's the time to delete it. Well, it's done.

BTW it's impossible to close your account on TS:
https://support.turbosquid.com/hc/en-us/articles/230094887-How-do-I-close-my-account-

With great surprise I discovered that TurboSquid has unwittingly reduced the prices on some my models.
I still demal that the website "TS" will not dare to make this shameful action...
It has been a lot of disgruntled users in recent weeks, on forum been live discussion....
But it happened. Yesterday I discovered this fact with some models on TS.

I immediately restored the justice, a difference in price, what i think is right and it is my right. Turbosquid like it or not.
At the same time, many models that were in the "free" category, price=0, have now become paid. And "free" these models are now only on CGT.

Discussion of this action on "TurboSquid" is planned Tomorrow in many communities of 3D modellers in Europe, Eastern-Europe and Asia.

What do you think of this problem? Because many modelers have sales and on TS and on CGT. Never had any problems. Although so unhealthy royalties on Turbosquid was and so unreasonable. And now here is so became...

In the meantime.. Many sites on sales 3D models-applaud standing still and rejoice in address TurboSquid.

Just moved offline all products on TS

@Urecky, TS demonstrated time and time again that they don't care about interests of the artists, they only care about their own interests. They see that traffic is diverging to other marketplaces, where prices for the same products are much smaller and they want to fix that problem. Problem is, that the only way they know how to fix it, is by enforcing restrictions to the artists. They would never consider to lower their commissions, unless there absolutely wouldn't be other way. Unfortunatelly they can do whatever they want, because sellers are completely uncoordinated and divided. For most of them income from selling models is only small side money and they don't care much about that, others just upload models and completely ignore everything but monthly e-mail about their revenue. Large sellers don't want to stir things up, because they're affraid to be kicked off and only few souls aren't willing to swallow that insult from TS. But they are very small portion of all community and TS aren't affraid them, because they can brake them one by one.

LemonadeCG
So far we no are determined with the platforms for discussions on this topic. But while the main is CGTrader. And we will continue to attract other sites.

Finally they done that shit and I've just suspended all my stuff there. 40% was a real stealing, but mandatory lowering prices is unbelievable kick in my face. I suggest other good people to do the same....

Guys, leave TS. They are doing Third degree torture.... :( I left because they deleted my content! + They are not good as CgTrader team!

I thought that already all calmed down and I alone continue to fight turbo-arbitrariness...
But now I see I'm not alone.
And their constant intervention in the established and accepted prices continues. On their forum to raise this issue does not work.

With Turbosquid no one wanted to swear, but they severely violate the rights of the authors of the models. Absolutely not hesitate to take away most of what the author will get. Where else is there in the world?!

But, i want to note that I do not want to leave TurboSquid.
The more of areas for sale, the better.
You need to earn. But, indispensably and importantly, defend their rights.
To leave TurboSquid this is will very simple... But does this scenario make sense?

I took such measures..
Identical models I designed in a new way, made different.
Now these are different versions of the same model.
Slightly different texture size, version 3dsmax, equipment and some other things.
The screenshots of the rendering - remains exactly the same.

And if there is now an attempt to level prices again, then it will be a fact for me to attract legal support and recover moral damage with .
That's what the law firm advised me to do, which took the case.

And another "subtle" point. There are very simple models that will on some sites set as "free", but on TS price will be set.
And if the TS tries to change their value from a certain value to zero, it will be a very scandalous situation.

Perfectly. I did the same thing . "Greed killed the cowboy..."
But I wonder why TSq compares prices only with CGT, CGT him that his throat became? In my Studio model even cheaper, but they do not look at it. CGT them all just in head in TS.

One should not whine but unite massively and unsubscribe the TS about deleting models, if such letters are at least 30% of the total number of users, the TS will be forced to reconsider their attitude towards the artists. Do not forget that the constant growth of 3d models reduces the cost of work. The earlier this is done, the better the artists will be

I sent all my TS models to offline... almost sure that this is what the TS was trying to achieve )

I am new on CGTrader, I will wait some time and will see - if CGTrader will give me more revenue than TS - then I will sent my models on TS too.