There is nothing wrong with extra advantages for exclusives.
But this looks like they do it the other way around, bullying the non exclusives!
I first thought that this new rule would require extra manpower. But come to think of this; reviewers have to spent time checking keywords anyway, so why not deleting one or two unrelevant keywords if there is no blatant spamming involved? The sooner the image apears online the sooner the image brings in money for both parties. I wonder why all stocksites are not doing this already. Rejecting the image means more work for the contributor and more work for the next reviewer as well. So actually I think this is a wise business move.
BUT... denying this service to non exclusives and even announcing to aggressively reject more non exclusive images is very unprofessional in my opinion. Punish the real spammers, give them warnings, no matter if they are exclusive or not.
Istock makes me feel like a dope dealer who is doing business at the backdoor of a pharmaceutical factory.
They don't make me feel like a worthy contributor anymore. How should I be motivated to become exclusive this way?
I made the top 50 twice on SS last week, SS is my nr 1 earner again.
SXP is doing great, several credit sales every day, recieving 50% commision.
Had an XXL sale the other day--$7,50 for one download.
My last few uploads which are doing great everywhere, are doing misserable on Istock.
Is all this due the non-exclusive search ranking? Can Istock reasure more steady sales if I become Exclusive?
I can find enough exclusives with less sales than I do, so why should my sales increase so spectaculary?
I don't need business cards because I don't do commision work.
I don't need higher upload limits because I don't work so fast.
I don't need lotteries ( again very unprofessional, you're dealing with professionals here, not with Cola drinking-teenagers watching Mtv !)

Now give me a good reason to go exclusive Istock!