Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Getty Images's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Getty Images

  605 5th Ave S Ste 400 Seattle, WA 98104-3887

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  Getty Images

  601 N 34th St Seattle, WA 98103-8603

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  Getty Images

  313 1240 20 Ave SE Calgary, AB T2G 1M8

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  Getty Images

  55 E Monroe St Ste 1700 Chicago, IL 60603-5724

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  Getty Images, Chicago

  55 E. Monroe St. 17th Flr. Ste 1700 Chicago, IL 60603

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/24/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Hi there,Invoice No. ********, Date 06-SEP-24, ******HKD Istock provided a free subscription for the first month, but I forgot to cancel the subscription during the first month and I am not satisfied with the service. I haven't visited the site and didn't get any services since the first trial until I found my account was automatically charged HK $220. I asked for a refund by email but met with a rejection. They've canceled my subscription but no refund even though I didn't get any service.I would like to have this issue resolved and my money refunded. Appreciate your help.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/07/2024

  Ms. Zhang actively opted for a Free Trial subscription on August
  6th, 2024, and downloaded 2 images during the trial period.   After the free trial period concluded we
  billed her credit card for the first month of the annual subscription.  It’s important to note that customers can
  cancel their free trial subscription using the self-service feature or by
  contacting Customer Service prior to the conversion to a paid
  subscription.    A reminder email was
  also sent to Ms. Zhang two
  days prior to their free trial ending.  Ms. Zhang contacted our Customer
  Service team on September 19th and her subscription was cancelled as
  requested.   Because she downloaded images
  during the trial period Ms. Zhang does not qualify for a refund
  according to our policy found at https://www.istockphoto.com/legal/license-agreement.   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/20/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I signed up for a free service and discovered after two months I was getting charged $70 a month. I was just charged for a third month of $70 totaling $210. When I asked to cancel and refund 1-2 months, they told me I would also get charged for a cancelation fee of $70. So they would have stolen $280. I did forget to cancel the free service after the trial period so I am responsible for something, I believe half is reasonable or $140.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/07/2024

  On May 5th, 2024, Ms. ******** signed up for a Free Trial subscription and downloaded images during both the trial period and after it transitioned to a paid annual subscription. She has downloaded a total of 40 images, with the most recent downloads occurring in September. On September 19th, Ms. ******** contacted our **************** team and agreed to pay the administrative fee to cancel her subscription, as outlined in our policy. Due to her active use of the paid subscription, she is not eligible for a refund. However, as a gesture of goodwill, we will refund the additional administrative fee.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/08/2024

  Thank you ******* for the information!  The reason why I downloaded the images was so that all of the money would not go to waste.  In any event, yes, I am satisfied with Getty Images refunding the additional administrative fee.
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/18/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I signed up for an Istock trial. I was unable to get into to the account so I assumed my trails was not active. I signed back up which I guess gave me two accounts. I cancelled what I thought was the only account. A $75.78 dollar charge was posted to my account. I contacted customer service asking about the cancellation and they confirmed I had cancelled one account. I asked that they refund the $75.78 and they refused. They said they had cancelled the annual subscription that I didnt agree to. I told them this was unfair. I asked for an escalation and a manager, ****** messaged me today. He was less than helpful. He accused me of not reading their be policies and then said I knew how to cancel since I had cancelled one of the accounts. Bingo, I didnt know there were two. ****** and the original agent acted like they were doing me a favor canceling the annual subscription I did not agree to. He refused to escalate the issue any further so I came to the BBB. I would like the $75.78 refunded to me and a confirmation that there are no other accounts and no more charges.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/30/2024

  Our records indicate that Ms. ******** signed up for two iStock Free Trial subscriptions using different usernames on August 17th and August 25th. Both subscriptions were actively used, with 7 downloads from the subscription started on August 17th and 8 downloads from the subscription started on August 25th.  One of these subscriptions converted to a paid subscription. As per our policy, each free trial subscription allows for a maximum of 10 downloads. Ms. ******** exceeded the 10 image download limit for a free trial. When a free trial converts to a paid subscription, customers are billed for the first month of the annual subscription. Since Ms. ******** downloaded images during the free trial period, she does not qualify for a refund. You can review our policy here: **************************************************************************************; Please note that customers have the option to cancel their free trial subscription using our self-service feature or by contacting **************** before the trial converts to a paid subscription. Additionally, a reminder email was sent to Ms. ******** two days before the end of her free trial.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/30/2024

   
  Complaint: 22305117
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Hello,

  First of all, the company cant even get my name right (Shows great attention to detail doesnt it?) it is ******* not ******** I told the people I spoke with that I had received the cancel email on the account and I cancelled it. There was no cancel email sent on a second. I used the login I thought I created. I dont know how two different accounts happened. I had an issue with downloads the process would freeze and Id do it again to get the image. All in all a very poor experience from the quality of the site and customer service. I stand behind my initial filing that I deserve a refund. They are welcome to have the images back as when they finally downloaded they had a large brand name across them and couldnt even be used. I think their free trial is misleading. Multiple complaints all over about this company. I wish I had checked them out before.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/17/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  They auto renewed a subscription without my permission.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/30/2024

  Ms. ****** actively opted for a Free Trial subscription on August 17th, 2024, and downloaded an image during the trial period. After the free trial period concluded, we billed her credit card for the first month of the annual subscription. Its important to note that customers can cancel their free trial subscription using the self-service feature or by contacting **************** prior to the conversion to a paid subscription. A reminder email was also sent to Ms. ****** two days prior to her free trial ending. Ms. ****** contacted our **************** team on September 17th, and her subscription was cancelled as requested. Because she downloaded an image during the trial period, Ms. ****** does not qualify for a refund according to our policy found at ********************************************************************************.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/30/2024

   
  Complaint: 22296618
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I did cancel my free trial. They are not providing accurate information.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/08/2024

  If they are not going to refund my money, then I want the images I paid for!!!! 

  Business Response

  Date: 11/01/2024

  Because Ms. ****** did not use her iStock subscription and attempted to cancel on September, 17th, 2024, we have cancelled her subscription and are processing a refund for the one month she was charged. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/06/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/12/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am filing a formal complaint against Getty Images' iStock service for misleading subscription practices, which are particularly harmful to small business owners like myself.The iStock annual and monthly plans are presented deceptively. Nowhere on the sign-up page does it mention that customers are locked into a ******** contract with monthly payments. This information only appears in fine print during checkout, far too late for a transparent decision.Additionally, iStock did not provide access to the license terms with the first payment. Only after the second of 12 payments was it clear I was bound to a contract. This lack of transparency is burdensome for small businesses, which may not expect to be locked into long-term, costly contracts without clear notice.Although I opted for the most basic plan, these contracts can cost up to $200 a month. They are marketed to small businesses, not large enterprises, yet the terms are predatory and seem designed to trap customers into commitments they didnt anticipate.I request that this issue be reviewed, and iStock be held accountable for offering clearer subscription practices. I also urge Getty Images to offer reasonable exit options for customers who realize the subscription terms do not align with their needs.Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/23/2024

  Ms. ************ enrolled in an iStock annual subscription on August 8th, 2024. She accepted the terms of the subscription, which included monthly billing and a policy that clearly states cancellation is not possible until the end of the committed period.   Ms.Chinamanthur only downloaded 8 images after she enrolled, it appears he made a mistake and chose the wrong subscription.   We have carefully reviewed the circumstances surrounding this matter and have cancelled Ms. ************* subscription, as a courtesy, and there will be no additional charges to her credit card.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/23/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/11/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I was notified on the morning of Sept. 11 that my one month free trial had expired and I was automatically charged $70 for a month of service. I contacted customer support within an hour via chat and was told my account would be cancelled, but the fee would still remain. I then attempted to reach out via email, as I found this policy to be unusual, but was given the same word-for-word answer. As the company can see, I did not download any products after the free trial ended.Judging by the amount of complaints sent to the BBB, iStock's (Getty's) policy about not providing any refunds - and invoice provided at signup - isn't as clear as the company believes it to be. I kindly request that the charge be refunded, as iStock has provided for previous complainants.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/23/2024

  Mr. ******** actively opted for a Free Trial subscription on August 11th, 2024,and downloaded six images during the trial period.   After the free trial period concluded we billed his credit card for the first month of the annual subscription.  Its important to note that customers can cancel their free trial subscription using the self-service feature or by contacting **************** prior to the conversion to a paid subscription.    A reminder email was also sent to Mr. ******** two days prior to their free trial ending. Mr. ******** contacted our **************** team on September 11th and his subscription was cancelled as requested.   Because he downloaded images during the trial period Mr. ******** does not qualify for a refund according to our policy found at ********************************************************************************.   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/23/2024

   
  Complaint: 22271510
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I am not debating the details surrounding me opting into the free trial. My complaint is that within 30 minutes of being billed, the company was able to cancel the subscription immediately but charged an asinine "administrative fee" that equaled the cost of the subscription. I cannot think of another company that would do this when the paid portion of the subscription was not used and immediately cancelled. It's unfathomable that a company would continue this policy even after receiving numerous BBB complaints about this practice for reasons identical to mine. Imagine if you canceled your cable service on day 1 of a new billing cycle, they shut off your service, and charged you the full amount for the month. 

  Sincerely,
  
  **** ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/10/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 08/09/2024, I entered into a pricing option with iStockPhoto by Getty Images that was presented on the main pricing page as a monthly-billed annual plan. This was the information the pricing plan page defaulted to, and the only way to access month-to-month plans was via a very small and inconspicuous selection bar. When I signed up for this plan, I was not notified in a clear and conspicuous manner (or any that I can recall) that there would be no way to exit out of this as an annual commitment which will cost $840. In addition, I was not informed in any clear and conspicuous manner that there would be no option whatsoever to convert my plan to a monthly plan, even if I offer to pay the cost difference.When most buyers purchase a monthly-billed plan like this, it's assumed that there is a cancellation policy after the first month, because any decent and respectable online vendor would offer this if a purchase is made in error. I downloaded ~5 photos from the service total.I reached out to iStockPhoto customer service and respectfully requested that my plan be converted to monthly and that continuous monthly billing be cancelled, and was repeatedly denied on the justification that there existed small print on the customer receipt that the plan I entered into was an "annual" plan, albeit with no indication that it could not be cancelled, converted, or refunded. Overall, this company's misleading presentation of pricing options and lack of clarification that there is no functional cancellation, refund or conversion policy whatsoever seems a very unfair business practice. In way of relief, I would simply like my annual plan cancelled and converted to a monthly plan to cover the fees for this individual month, for which I will happily pay the difference. Otherwise, I am discussing the matter with legal counsel and may be left with no option but litigation. Hopefully, BBB can help resolve this matter before it reaches that point.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/20/2024

  Mr. ***** enrolled in an iStock annual subscription on August 9th, 2024. He accepted the terms of the subscription, which included monthly billing and a policy that clearly states cancellation is not possible until the end of the committed period.   Mr. ***** only downloaded 6 images after he enrolled, it appears he made a mistake and chose the wrong subscription.    We have carefully reviewed the circumstances surrounding this matter and have cancelled Mr. ****** subscription, as a courtesy, and there will be no additional charges to his credit card.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/25/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/02/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I signed up for the free trial option for iStock Photo and before the 30 day auto-renew expired, I decided I found what I was looking for and cancelled the auto-renew. I noticed my account was still charged $31.03 for the monthly fee. When I reached out to the company, they said that I could not cancel due to their policy. When I reviewed the Free Trial cancellation policy, it said I could cancel post free trial if I had not executed any downloads which I hadn't and they would keep the month fee as an "administrative fee". I replied and told them as much and told them the month fee was fair, although misleading. They then replied that I had not signed up for the free trial, that I had signed up for the Basic 10 and was locked in for a YEAR and all I could do was turn off auto-renew (which I previously did, thinking that I had cancelled the free trial) which is complete BS because I *distinctly* remember that I clicked on the link to try them for a free trial or else I would not have done so because I am struggling economically and am a mother to an 18 month old and I would not put my money at risk like that. I should have screenshot that page, smh. I cannot afford this. Please help me. In looking at other reviews now, this is a common theme.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/16/2024

  Ms. ******* enrolled in an iStock annual subscription on August 2nd, 2024. She accepted the terms of the subscription, which included monthly billing and a policy that clearly states cancellation is not possible until the end of the committed period.   ********** only downloaded images on the first day she enrolled, it appears she made a mistake and chose the wrong subscription.    We have carefully reviewed the circumstances surrounding this matter and have cancelled Ms. ******** subscription,as a courtesy, and there will be no additional charges to her credit card.  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/29/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  IStock advertises a free trial on its website. However, I was charged and on contacting customer support was told I had subscribed to the annual subscription. I offered to pay for the single download I had made, despite not using it, and asked them to cancel the subscription, which amounts to $348. They refused. After further communication, I was told the problem has been resolved on their end. I am still willing to pay for the download and need the annual subscription to be canceled.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/09/2024

  ******************** enrolled in iStock annual subscription, not a free trial, on July 26th, 2024, and agreed to the subscription terms. However, having reviewed Ms. ********* account and download history, it appears this was done in error.  We have cancelled ************************ subscription as requested and there will be no additional charges.    

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/28/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I paid ***** for a subscription after a free trial, they claim that I have to pay for the free trial period after but I don't understand and it was not clear it was poor business practice completely in order to get people to sign up and then ***** them with unknown charges.I have a copy of the invoice that states it will be charging me the ***** for the WHOLE year but now the support agent is telling me I paid for the free trial which is completely misleading and unprofessional for any online service to do.I expect a refund for this service because right now I paid for no product or service they are providing me.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/08/2024

  **************** actively opted for a Free Trial subscription on July 23rd and downloaded nine images during the trial period.   After the free trial period concluded we billed his credit card for the first month of the annual subscription.  Its important to note that customers can cancel their free trial subscription using the self-service feature or by contacting **************** prior to the conversion to a paid subscription.    A reminder email was also sent to **************** two days prior to their free trial ending. **************** contacted our **************** team on August 23rd and his subscription was cancelled as requested.   Because he downloaded images during the trial period **************** does not qualify for a refund according to our policy found at ********************************************************************************.   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/09/2024

   
  Complaint: 22208947
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  The cancellation is not straight-forward, it's unclear and very predatory in order to get people to sign up for the free trial, which isn't a FREE trial because you pay for the "FREE" trial at the end of the month. It's a pay-pending trial and that shouldn't be allowed to be advertised as a FREE trial. 
  
  I won't accept this explanation until they change their practices as these are exactly what is wrong with the market today, I think these business practices are terrible and I will not accept them.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************