If there is a demand for a product (in this case subscription sales), and the competition is offering it, and there is equal or better profit in that way of doing business, you can bet, that a company will change their marketing strategy to keep up with the competition.

If iStock sees that they are losing business to Subscriptions and can keep their same profits by offering subscription sales, we'll see the change as rapidly as they can implement it.

We are the workers, who provide the product, that is sold through agents, and the buyers drive the market. If buyers demand subscription sales, through their buying habits and by switching to other agencies, iStock has no choice but to change with the times and offer subscriptions.

Could be that iStock has some other plans, like some have suggested. Moving towards mid-stock and no subscriptions.

I sincerely doubt that SS and IS are colluding to control the market by agreeing not to enter into each others areas. One leaked email or memo to this effect and they are both hung!

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