FAQS - BUYERS
- Why can’t I view Editorial content?
To view Editorial content on the Diimex platform you must first have registered and secondly you must be an approved media buyer. If your organisation would like to purchase Editorial content please contact your nearest picture desk for approval.
- Why can’t I view or participate in auctions?
To view and participate in auctions on the Diimex platform you must first have registered and secondly you must be an approved Editorial media buyer. If your organisation would like to view and participate in auctions please contact your nearest picture desk for approval.
- How do I purchase content on account?
To purchase content on account from the Diimex platform you must first have registered and secondly you must be an approved media buyer. If your organisation would like to purchase content on account please contact your nearest picture desk for approval.
- How do I purchase content via an auction and what rights am I purchasing?
There are two (2) types of auctions on the Diimex platform, EXCLUSIVE and PREMIUM.
An EXCLUSIVE auction, as the name suggests, is reserved for EXCLUSIVE content and the buyer is purchasing the exclusive content on an exclusive use basis.
You will notice that the auction screen is split into 2 distinct boxes.
The top box represents the entire set of images. If you bid in the top box you are placing a bid to purchase the entire set of images on an exclusive use basis.
The bottom box represents the individual images within that set. If you bid in the bottom box you are placing a bid to purchase a single image only on an exclusive basis.
The sum total of the bids for the individual images in the bottom box sets the reserve price for the whole set in the top box.
In summary to purchase the entire set exclusively you need to bid more than the collective bids for the individual images.You can bid in either box or both at any time.
If you personally are winning the auction a green border will be displayed around the smaller inside bid box with the heading you are winning, if bidding in the bottom box the smaller inside bid box will also display the number of items that you are winning. If you personally are not winning the auction the smaller inside bid box will have a red border with the heading you have been outbid.
For exclusive auctions there is a minimum starting price which varies between regions. The minimum bid increments are the equivalent of US$100 for Tier 1 countries and again varies slightly between regions. When placing a bid you will be requested to confirm the bid as well as acceptance of the buyer agreement. Please ensure you are familiar with this document before purchasing content.
Generally speaking all exclusive auctions run for a maximum of 6 hours, they start at 8am in each region with the last auction starting at 4pm. For larger regions such as the United States for example, starting times are based on Eastern Standard Time. Please refer to the Diimex Pricing Guide found in the About Us section under Legals and Pricing for your region and auction starting times.
In special circumstances the Diimex picture desk has the ability to shorten an auction however all buyers will be notified of the new completion time.
CONTENT USE - If you are the winning bidder in an exclusive auction you may use the image/s across all of your media platforms (broadcast, print, web, app). You have up to 30 days to publish/display the content, one time use only for each outlet, no on sell or on pass. Once the content has been publish we will give you one (1) additional publishing cycle of exclusivity before the content is available for re-sale.
A PREMIUM auction is reserved for premium first rights content that is not necessarily exclusive.The premium auction essentially follows the same principles as the exclusive auction only with a few subtle variations.
Again you will notice that the auction screen is split into 2 distinct boxes.
The top box again represents the entire set of images. If you bid in the top box you are placing a bid to purchase the entire set of images on an exclusive basis. Whilst you are buying the images on an exclusive use basis it does not necessarily mean that the content is exclusive.
Again the bottom box represents the individual images within that set. However, the difference here is that if you bid in the bottom box you are placing a bid to purchase a non –exclusive license for a single image only. Please note that the initial license base price is for basic use of the image only and should you wish to use the image on say a front cover for example additional charges will apply. You must configure the usage for the content at the time of bidding for the license. You can purchase as many licenses as you like. You can bid in the top box or both at any time.
The sum total of the individual non-exclusive licenses for the individual images in the bottom box sets the reserve price for the whole set on an exclusive basis in the top box.
Basically to purchase the entire set on an exclusive basis you need to bid more than the collective bids for the individual non-exclusive licenses for the individual images.
For premium auctions there is a minimum starting price which varies between regions. The minimum bid increments are the equivalent of US$100 and varies slightly between regions. When placing a bid or purchasing a license you will be requested to confirm the action as well as acceptance of the buyer agreement. Please ensure you are familiar with this document before purchasing content.
Generally speaking all premium auctions run for a maximum of 2 hours, they start at 8am in each region with the last auction starting at 4pm. For larger regions such as the United States for example, starting times are based on Eastern Standard Time. Please refer to the Diimex Pricing Guide found in the About Us section under Legals and Pricing for your region and auction starting times.
In special circumstances the Diimex picture desk has the ability to shorten an auction however all buyers will be notified of the new completion time.
CONTENT USE - If you are the winning bidder in the top box for the whole set you may use the image/s across all of your media platforms (broadcast, print, web, app). You have up to 30 days to publish/display the content, one time use only for each outlet, no on sell or on pass. Once the content has been publish we will give you one (1) additional publishing cycle of exclusivity before the content is available for re-sale.
If the bottom box wins the auction, all those participants that have purchased licenses have the ability to immediately download the content. If you purchase 1 license you can use the image in one publication/outlet, if you purchase 2 licenses for the same image you can use the image in 2 publications/outlets and so on. You have up to 30 days to publish/display the content, one time use only for each license, no on sell or on pass.
- Can other buyers see my max bid in an auction?
No. If you elect to use the max bid functionality in an auction, your max bid is not disclosed to the market or indeed the Diimex picture desk it’s completely confidential. The max bid functionality is optional. By setting a max bid the system will automatically bid for you until your maximum bid amount is reached. Once your max bid has been surpassed you will be sent an automatic alert indicating that you have been outbid.
- What is the Dashboard tab?
When logging on as a buyer the first page you come to is your Dashboard. The dashboard provides you with a list of all new content, excluding stock, being loaded onto the platform. The content can be searched by clicking on the sub tabs all, exclusive, premium, first rights, red carpet or handout. The content can also be filtered using the ‘sort by’ or ‘filter result’ drop downs.
All EXCLUSIVE and PREMIUM content is purchased via our unique online auction platform, refer to the auction explanation and video.
FIRST RIGHTS and RED CARPET content can be purchased by clicking the buy now button and HANDOUT content is downloadable at any time free of charge.
Clicking the buy now button will take you to the SET details page. Select the image/s you want to buy and click BUY NOW, the price configuration pop up will appear. Please note that your default price settings, which you can configure under your ‘My account’ area, will be automatically displayed. Once you are happy with your selections click add to cart. The content will be placed in your shopping cart. If you decide to change the usage of the content simply click edit license details to reconfigure the usage before checking out. Once you have checked out the content will be listed in the ‘My Downloads’ section of ‘My Account’. The content will be displayed and available for download from this page for the length of the license period.
When logging on for the first time please ensure that you go to the ‘My Account’ tab and complete all the relevant information under ‘My Profile’, ‘My Outlets’, ‘My Alerts’, ‘My Default Price Settings’ and ‘My Preferences’.
Failure to complete these sections may delay your ability to purchase content.
Via the SCROLLER at the top of the page you can view live auctions that you are participating in, view your customised watchlist for auctions that you want to keep an eye on or view the results of recent auctions in which you participated.
Live auctions are automatically added to the live scroller once you bid on a set. The scroller displays 4 sets at time but you can scroll to the right or to the left to see more.You can also click view all to see a list view of all auctions. This is the same for your watchlist and recent sales.
Content can be added to your watchlist by simply clicking on the ‘ADD TO WATCHLIST’ link next to the content thumbnail. Your watchlist will also contain the live items that you have bid on. Once you have bid on a set you cannot remove it from your live auction or watchlist scroller. The set will automatically be removed at the end of the auction.
For a quick preview of the entire set click on the set thumbnail. Or for a more detail click the view set link. You can also get to this page by clicking on the set title.
If you have a question about a set click the ‘SEND A MESSAGE’ link. This will take you to the messages page. Type your question in the dialogue box and the Diimex Picture Desk will respond to your query. If there are any outstanding messages relating to a particular set, the number of outstanding messages will be displayed in a red envelope appearing in the top right hand corner of the image in the SCROLLER. There will also be a number on the messages tab indicating the number of messages.
Content can be added to a lightbox for comparison by clicking the ‘ADD TO LIGHTBOX’ link. The content can be added to an existing lightbox or you can create a new one. Images can be dragged and dropped to make comparison easier. You can access your lightboxes from your dashboard or via the ‘My Account’ tab.
The ‘print’ button in the centre of the screen allows you to print proof sheets of your watchlist.
- What is the Sets tab?
The sets tab provides you with a list view of all the content displayed in the live, watchlist and recent scrollers on your dashboard. To view the live auction screen you can either click on the set title or the button below you last bid. For all recent content, if you won the auction you can click on the download link to download the content.
- What is the Messages tab?
The message board is your direct line of communication with the Diimex Picture Desk. If you have any questions relating to a specific image or set of images you can communicate directly with a Diimex Picture Editor. If we can’t answer the query straight away, a message will be sent to the Contributor for clarification.The message board is split into open and closed conversations. The number next to the message represents the number of open conversations. Once your question has been answered to your satisfaction please click close conversation to end the conversation.
- What is the Stock tab?
Please note that only registered and approved media buyers can view Editorial content. Non approved buyers can only view creative stock. If you would like approval to view Editorial content please contact your nearest Diimex picture desk.
The default landing page is a thumbnail view of all stock. By clicking on the change view button you can see the content in list view with the image details. All the usual search functionality can be found down the left hand side of the page.
When in the thumbnail view, clicking on an image allows you to enlarge the image as well as view all the image details. If the image is part of a larger set of images you can click on the view set link to be taken to the original set home page. From the pop up you can also send a message, add to lightbox, buy now or add to cart.
- What is the Research tab?
The research tab displays statistics on ALL content sales through the DIIMEX platform. The statistics can be filtered by market, region, country and genre. These statistics will be expanded in due course. We hope these statistics will enable buyers to be more efficient and targeted in their approach to buying content.
- What is the My Account tab?
The ‘My Account’ tab is where you can find all of your personal details relating to your diimex account. When logging on for the first time please ensure that you go to the ‘My Account’ tab and complete all the relevant information under ‘My Profile’, ‘My Alerts’, ‘My Default Price Settings’ and ‘My Preferences’.
The first sub tab is ‘My Profile’. This is where you enter and manage your personal details, contact details, buyer details and account details.
The next sub tab is ‘My Outlets’. This is where your company’s outlet details such as publications or television stations are displayed. Each company registered as a buyer on the Diimex platform has a user that is nominated as the company administrator. The administrator is responsible for entering the companies outlet and user details. If you are in charge of your company’s picture desk and you have not been given administrator access for your company please contact the Diimex picture desk immediately.
The next sub tab is ‘My Reports’. This is where you can view customised reports pertaining to all content purchases. At the top of the page there is a graphical representation of all your purchases. The reports section at the bottom of the page can be customised by filtering the data to suit your requirements. All reports can be downloaded or printed by clicking the icons at the top of the sales list.
The next sub tab is ‘My Alerts’. This is where you can manage your content alert settings. Checking the box next to the alert activates an automatic email notification. For example you can elect to receive email alerts for being outbid in a group auction.
The next sub tab is ‘My Downloads’. This is where you can download all the content you have recently purchased. The content will be made available for download until the expiry of the license period. If you decide to use the content in a different way from that originally agreed, you can click on the reconfigure usage button. This pop up allows you to reprice the content based on the new usage. From here you can also download a copy of your invoice at any time for accounting purposes.
The next sub tab is ‘My Default Price Settings’. This is where you can set your most frequently used price setting. This saves you time in not having to configure the usage every time you purchase content if you usually use the content in the same manner.
The next tab is ‘My Preferences’. When new content is uploaded to the platform we automatically send out notifications to buyers. To avoid receiving alerts for content that may not be relevant to your outlet, select the content that is of interest to you. This way we do not bombard you with irrelevant content.
The final sub tab is ‘My Lightbox’. This is where you can manage and edit your lightboxes. You can compare images and even more them around for better comparison.
FAQS – Contributors
- What type of content does Diimex accept?
Diimex accepts all types of content including, but not limited to, News, Sport, Celebrity, Travel, Lifestyle, Artistic, Photo Essays etc. All content on the platform is vetted by the Diimex Picture Editors before being approved for sale. The Contributor must hold the copyright to the content.
- Can I view other Contributors content on the site?
Yes, you can view other Contributors Creative content, but you cannot view other Contributors Editorial content. Due to the sensitive nature of some Exclusive Editorial content, only approved media buyers are able to view the Editorial content.
- What is the difference between Editorial and Creative content?
Editorial Content is that for which the creator does not hold the relevant releases for it to be used for commercial purposes and as such can only be used for Editorial purposes;
Creative Content is that for which the creator holds all relevant model and property releases for it to be used for commercial purposes. Creative content can also be used for Editorial purposes. Creative content can be sold for advertising and marketing purposes.
If you are unsure about the whether the content is Creative or Editorial it is best to be cautious and submit the content as Editorial use only.
- Do I need releases for my content?
Yes, you need releases for all Creative content. You do not need releases for Editorial content.
When uploading Creative content please select the check boxes indicating you hold the relevant releases for the content. Both release boxes (Model & Property) are required to be checked, otherwise you will not be able to submit the content. If you are uploading Creative content and a release is not really applicable please check the release boxes anyway. An example would be images of animals or plants.
Diimex releases can be found in the About Us section of the website under Legals and Pricing.
- How often will I be paid?
Diimex pays the Contributor within 7 days of receiving payment from the purchaser. Minimum payments start at USD$400, meaning that you must have at least USD$400 outstanding before we can pay you. Payments are made in six (6) major currencies (USD, CAD, British Pounds, Euro, Japanese Yen & AUD), depending on your home country. Please refer to the pricing guidelines in the About Us section under Legals & Pricing for the currency applicable to your country.
Diimex also has an Early Payment Facility (EPF) in which approved Contributors can be paid weekly before Diimex receives payment. See EPF details.
- How do I participate in the Diimex Early Payment Facility (EPF)?
To participate in the Diimex Early Payment Facility (EPF) you need to be approved by Diimex. To be eligible for approval you must have been a Diimex Contributor for at least three (3) months and be making regular sales. If you are approved and elect to receive early payment there is an additional administration, insurance and finance charge of 15%. Meaning that if you are paid out early you will receive 60% of the sale price instead of the usual 75%.
- Will the file info come across with my images?
Yes. If you have completed details in the correct IPTC Content fields named Description and Keywords the file info will be transferred to the Description/Caption and keyword fields of each individual image.
- How do I upload my media content (Photos/Video)?
Content can be uploaded to the Diimex platform via two (2) options:
- 1. Site Uploader - Primarily for users wanting to upload newsworthy and current content.
- 2. Amazon S3 - Primarily for users wanting to upload large quantities of stock content.
Upload instructions can be found on your dashboard or alternatively click on the below link.
- What file formats does Diimex accept?
Acceptable image formats:jpg,jpeg,bmp,gif,png,tiff
Acceptable video formats:3gp,asf,avi,divx,f4v,flv,m4v,mkv,mov,mp4,mpe,mpeg,mpg,vob,wmv,xvid
NB: Do not mix different file types within the same set.
- Are there limits on file sizes or file types for uploads?
Photographs
Where possible all images should be in jpeg format as follows:
- • Between 2-5 MB’s compressed (jpeg opening to between 25-40 MB)
- • 5000 pixels (longest edge)
- • 75% jpeg compression
NB: Do not upload watermarked images. If larger file sizes are required at a later date, we will contact you to arrange the transfer of the necessary high resolution images.
Video
As a general guide Diimex recommends the following:
- • Codec: H.264
- • Quality is set on HIGH
- • Frame rate: 24
- • Bit rate: 2,000 – 6,000 kb/s (2 Mbps - 6 Mbps) (SD)
- • Dimensions:720 x 576 (16:9 aspect ratio),1024 x 576 (16:9 aspect ratio)
Amazon S3 FAST Upload:
- • Send Bit Rate at 3,000 KB per sec(3 Mbps)
- • SINGLE PASS
- • Audio Format AAC at 128k
Amazon S3 HIGH QUALITY Upload:
- • Send Bit Rate at 6,500 KB per sec (or 6.5 Mbps)
- • MULTI PASS
- • Audio Format LINEAR PCM INTEGER 16 BIT
NB: Kbps (Kilo bytes per second) Mbps (Mega bytes per second)
File size must not exceed 100MG. If your video is larger than 100MG slice it up into smaller sections.
Click on the following link for the Diimex ‘Acceptable Content Guidelines’
- Is my Username and IP address viewable by other users?
No. You will notice that as part of the Diimex watermark your Username and IP address is displayed in the centre of the image. This additional security feature is unique to the specific user that is logged on. This security feature is enabled to prevent screen grabs and unauthorised use of content.
- How many images/videos can I upload in a single Set?
Each SET can contain from one (1) to one hundred (100) images or videos. You can include both images and video content in the same SET, as long as they are related. Once the content is processed the Diimex watermark will appear. Please wait for the content to process and the watermarks to be visible before submitting. If after uploading, your content doesn’t appear straight away click the save draft button. If it still does not appear the file maybe corrupted, delete the image/s and re upload. Please remember not to mix different file types in the same set.
- Why do my video uploads keep timing out?
Video files are usually larger than image files, so are more likely to time out or not upload correctly. This is most often a problem if you have a slow internet connection.
If you are having trouble uploading large video files you may have to try using smaller files until you find what works with your connection.
As an alternative to the site uploader you can use S3, which is similar to FTP, to upload your video content. Your personal S3 login details and upload instructions are located on your dashboard in the My Profile box. If using S3 please ensure that all video files are in folders.
- If I upload content to Diimex can I still sell the content via my own website?
Yes, you can still use your images for self-promotion, on your website, workshops or for prints to private customers etc. However we do request that all content uploaded to the Diimex platform is done so on an exclusive basis for the regions selected and not given to agencies in those regions. This is to ensure we can adequately protect your copyright and enforce any copyright breaches. Diimex does not sell content through subscription based pricing and as such there is no advantage to having your content available for sale through multiple outlets for different prices. Media buyers dislike seeing the same content displayed for sale on multiple sites.
- What is the Dashboard tab?
The dashboard provides you with a quick snapshot of your account. From here you can view your new content that is live for sale in the market as well as any recent sales, you can upload both new and stock content, report copyright infringements, view total sales, answer outstanding messages, complete draft content submissions or update your user profile.
Once you have EXCLUSIVE, PREMIUM, FIRST RIGHTS, RED CARPET AND HANDOUT content LIVE for sale in the market a SCROLLER will appear at the top of your Dashboard. Please note that STOCK content does not appear on your dashboard, it only appears in the stock library.
You will see the buttons for your LIVE (or current) sales and RECENT (or completed) sales. Next to each button you will notice a number. This number indicates the number of items in each category. If there is an outstanding message relating to a particular set, a red envelope will appear in the top right hand corner of the image. A number will also be displayed on the messages tab and in the messages box at the bottom of your dashboard. The current price is displayed in your local currency.
Below the SCROLLER are the content upload and copyright infringement buttons. Click these buttons to upload content or report copyright infringements.
At the bottom of the screen you will see four boxes. These boxes provide a summary of your current account.
- • The left hand side box provides a brief sales summary. Please note that Diimex pays contributors within 7 days of receiving payment from the client.
- • The Messages Box indicates how many messages you have outstanding. These messages must be answered in a timely manner, if they are not answered it may delay the sale of your content. By Clicking on the message you will be taken directly to the message board where you can respond. To view a list of all the outstanding messages, press the “View All” button.
- • The Draft Sets Box indicates how many draft (or incomplete) sets you currently have in the system waiting to be submitted for approval. Click on the set title to go straight to the draft set page or alternatively click on the view all button to view the entire list of draft sets. Please ensure that you fill out all the set details correctly before submitting.
- • The My Profile Box contains your DIIMEX S3 upload login details as well as a link to the Content Upload Instructions. From here you are also able to update your profile which is displayed under the My Account tab.
- What is the Sets tab?
The Sets tab is broken down into the sub-tabs LIVE, DRAFTS, SUBMITTED and RECENT.
Under the LIVE tab you can view all of your EXCLUSIVE, PREMIUM, FIRST RIGHTS, RED CARPET AND HANDOUT content that is currently live for sale in the market. It is presented in a list view and includes a running total of sales in each country.
Under the DRAFTS tab are all sets that are waiting to be completed and submitted for approval. Once you have completed all the relevant details and submitted the content, it will be placed into the submitted folder for your reference. If after you have submitted the content, you realise that you have made a mistake you can go to your submitted folder and by clicking on the edit button, the content will be placed back in your drafts for editing. The set then has to be resubmitted.
The RECENT tab comprises a list of all your recent sales for the last month.
- What is the Messages tab?
The message board is used as a direct line of communication between you and the Diimex Picture Desk. If we have any questions relating to a specific image or set of images you will receive a message on the message board as well as an email. The number of outstanding messages will be displayed on the messages tab as well as on your dashboard. Once the conversation is finished click on the close conversation button. Please ensure all outstanding messages are answered in a timely manner, failure to answer these questions may delay the sale of your content.
- What is the Stock tab?
As a contributor your default landing page is a thumbnail view of YOUR stock only. By clicking on the ALL link you can view all of your own stock as well as all non-editorial stock in the library. You are not able to view other contributors’ Editorial content.
By clicking on the change view button you can see the content in list view with the set details and total sales for a specific image. Please note that you can only see the sales of your images. These sales figures are not disclosed to the market.
Clicking on an image allows you to enlarge the image as well as view all the image details. From the pop up you can also send a message or view the original set.
- What is the Research tab?
The research tab displays statistics on ALL content sales through the DIIMEX platform. The statistics can be filtered by market, region, country and genre. These statistics will be expanded in due course. We hope these statistics will enable contributors to be more efficient and targeted in their approach to producing content.
- What is the My Account tab?
The My Account tab is where your personal details are stored. From here you can manage and edit your Personal Contact Details, Bank Account, Region Settings, Personalised Reports, Alerts and report copyright infringements.
The first sub tab is ‘My Profile’. This is where you enter and manage your personal details, contact details, contributor details and account details.
The next sub tab is ‘Bank Accounts’. This is where you can add or edit your bank account details. Please ensure that your account details are completed correctly.
The next sub tab is ‘Region Settings’. This is where you can manage the regions in which you wish to sell your content. For example if you choose not to sell your content in Africa then you simply deselect that country and press save. Your content will only be sold in the selected countries.
The next sub tab is ‘My Reports’. This is where you can view customised reports about all the sales of your content. At the top of the page there is a snapshot of your outstanding balance and graphical representations of your sales. The detailed section at the bottom of the page can be customised by filtering the data to suit your requirements. All reports can be downloaded or printed by clicking the icons at the top of the sales list.
The next sub tab is ‘Alerts’. This is where you manage your alert settings. Please note that you cannot deselect the alert for ‘Questions relating to a set’, this cannot be turned off and all questions need to be answered in a timely manner.
The final sub tab is ‘Report Copyright’. This is where you can lodge a copyright infringement complaint. If you believe that your content has been used illegally fill out the required fields and DIIMEX will investigate. Only content sold through the DIIMEX platform can be investigated. If you see published content with the Diimex watermark, even if it’s not your content please report it.