Complaints

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:08/12/2024

  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.

  Shutterstock unilaterally decides to renew a month subscription indefinitely. It doesn't send a monthly invoice. It doesn't even send a receipt. They purposely make it impossible to the consumer to find and cancel the renewal as you would not know which account are you paying for, it is just an amount on a credit card through ****** where you have no control on stopping.I have been paying over a thousand dollar in $29 monthly payments and I have no way ever to stop it.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/26/2024

  Thank you for reaching out!
  
  We're sorry to hear that you're having difficulties cancelling your subscription. We will be happy to help you with that, but unfortunately with the information provided we were unable to locate your account.
  Please reach out to our customer care team at ******************************************* with your account ID/email associated with your account/your ****** email or information about payment method used. Once we've identified your account we'll be glad to find a solution for you.
  
  Looking forward to helping you further!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/05/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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.

  Wanted to buy one-month service, website was intentionally confusing directing customers to purchase a ****** subscription when all you want is 1 month. When you try to cancel for the month they say you owe $130+ for cancelation. Feels predatory and in the same league as what ***** was doing with their subscriptions.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/11/2024

  Thank you for reaching out!
  
  We're sorry to hear that the structure of our subscriptions was not clear, and you have purchased the wrong plan.
  
  Every single user subscription we offer comes in 3 variants - single month, annual paid monthly and annual paid upfront. Single month subscription is the most flexible, but also has the highest monthly cost of the 3. Annual paid monthly subscription offers lower monthly price, but it can't be cancelled before the end of they year, unless the cancellation fee is paid. Upfront plan doesn't offer the early cancelation option, but has the lowest price per month. Customers can choose the most suitable option before completing the check-out. 
  
  After reviewing your account and the communication history with the ************* team, we can confirm, that your annual subscription was cancelled without fee and you won't be charged for it again. 
  
  Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions or concerns. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/05/2024

  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 cancelled my subscription after a free trial and have been charged every few months for a service Ive never used. *** tried multiple times to cancel and always seem to successfully verify that I have no account and yet Ill get another charge a few months later. Ive removed my bank account from their system and they are somehow still stealing my money. Im furious that they will not respect the fact that *** never used their service and Im getting charged with no way to stop this. Its been at least 10 charges for $30.49

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/06/2024

  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 and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/17/2024

  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 Shutterstock early this year. Their monthly plan fees are astronomical. They promote their monthly plan. The monthly plan price was supposed to be $169.00 for ****************************************************************** almost $20.00 more ******! Nowhere on the page to pay for the annual plan does it say you'll be charged almost $200.00 a month! This is fraud, outright! It doesn't show any tax to be collected, nothing of the sort. And why would they charge tax? They do not have a location in my state! When I went to cancel my subscription in May, they were going to charge me $40.00. When I checked bay in July, they were still going to bill me almost $200.00 a month! Therefore, I tried to cancel in July, at that time they were forcing me to pay almost $600.00 to cancel! They won't allow you to cancel unless you pay whatever amount they are going to bill you. It is a racket and a scam! I contacted customer service via chat. All they told me was that I used their service almost each month and I could've selected another plan. They were no help at all. The fact that they charged me more than what was stated on my bill is fraud. I am so angry about this that I am filing a complaint with the ***'s internet fraud division. I want all of my money returned for each month I was over charged without my permission or knowledge. This company is a scam! I suggest anyone reading this to reach out to the ***'s fraud division and file a complaint on this company. I know they billed me more than was stated and that is definitely fraud!

  Business Response

  Date: 12/27/2024

  Thank you for reaching out and sharing your feedback with us!
  We sincerely apologize for the time it took us to respond.
  
  We have reviewed your complaint and would like to clarify the tax question.
  
  Quoting our TOS: "The fees charged by Shutterstock are exclusive of taxes, and all such taxes, direct or indirect, shall be in addition to any fees related to the products you are buying. If Shutterstock is required to collect indirect and/or transactional taxes (such as sales tax, value-added tax, goods and services tax, et al) under the laws of your state or country of residence, you shall be liable for payment of any such indirect tax. Where Shutterstock or you are required to collect or remit direct or indirect taxes, you may be required to self-assess said tax under the applicable laws of your country of residence."
  
  On the pricing page of the side we indicate, that taxes may apply. The final amount to be charged with the tax is shown on the order summary page, before customer finalizes the purchase. 
  Businesses have possibility to register their tax exempt status with us, in order to avoid tax being added to the purchase. 
  
  The tax amount, as indicated above, depends on your country and/or state or residence. For your state of residence the combined tax amount we have to charge is 9.5% (STATE TAX of 7% plus COUNTY TAX of 2.5%).
  
  After checking with our finance team we can confirm, that following the dispute you filed with your bank, the cancellation fee was refunded to your card.
  
  If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to let us know. 
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/26/2024

  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.

  Dear Better Business Bureau,I am seeking your assistance to resolve a serious issue with Shutterstock, where I have been a contributor for approx. ten years.On May 24, 2024, Shutterstock informed me that my portfolio was banned due to allegations that I had uploaded a design from a Freepik contributor "***********" to my Shutterstock portfolio.However, Shutterstock allegation is 100% incorrect, it was "***********" who infringed on my work, not vice versa.I immediately provided screenshots and evidences to Shutterstock demonstrating the originality of my work.In parallel, I also contacted *******'s copyright department against that user "***********", who then investigated and confirmed the infringement, subsequently removing the infringing design from their site.Despite providing shutterstock detailed proofs including screenshots of the software, my working , designs in same series and even screenshot of the Freepik's actions, Shutterstock has stopped responding to my follow-up emails Here is a summary of my communications with Shutterstock:May 24, 2024: Received notification of the account ban from ********************** and I replied with proofs, including working screenshots.May 24, 2024: Provided additional proofs demonstrating the allegations were untrue.May 24, 2024: Received an acknowledgement from Shutterstock, informing that they were forwarding proofs to their compliance team and asked me to wait for reply.May 25 - June 24, 2024: Sent 13 follow-up emails requesting updates, all unanswered.June 20, 2024: Sent another detailed appeal email and received no reply.June 24, 2024: Sent another follow-up email and got no reply.It has now been over a month since my account was falsely banned causing significant distress and financial loss.I respectfully request the Better Business Bureau's assistance in resolving this matter and facilitating a resolution with Shutterstock.Thank you in advance for your help.Sincerely,Akash **********************

  Business Response

  Date: 07/19/2024

  Thank you for sharing your concerns with us!
  
  We're happy to confirm, that your contributor account was reactivated last week. We apologise for extended processing times and any inconvenience this may have caused. 
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/22/2024

  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 and the matter has been resolved.
  

  The good part is that the company has restored my portfolio which also restores my faith towards Shutterstock.

  However, I am seeing a significant drop in my downloads, I suspect this is due to the incorrect ban and the delayed response in reinstating the portfolio, which has seriously affected my portfolio's visibility and ranking.
  

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/24/2024

  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 created a shutterstock account in April of 2024 because I needed to obtain photos for a course project. At the time, I was charged $29.00 to have access to 10 photos during the month of April. I noticed that I was charged $29.00 again in May of 2024. I have not used shutterstock since my initial use in April of 2024 and had no intention of paying $29.00 each month for an entire year. So I decided to terminate my subscription with shutterstock in June of 2024. Upon attempting to cancel, I was prompted to pay $145 for early cancellation or keep the subscription until April of 2025 and continue to pay $29.00 per month. I cancelled the subscription. It is highly unethical for this company to charge a fee of $145 for early cancellation in addition to fee for the two months I have already paid for.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/08/2024

  Thank you for reaching out!
  
  We're sorry to hear that our subscription plan did not meet your needs at this time and for any confusion about the cancellation process.
  When you originally purchased your plan, you opted for the annual commitment with the option of paying on a monthly basis. One of the benefits that come with an annual commitment is the discounted rate you receive in exchange for a one-year commitment to our service. If you cancel your annual commitment early, you are charged 50% of the remaining subscription cost. 
  
  Understand that this was your first experience with our site and services, we have reversed the cancellation fee charge.
  We hope to welcome you ack as a customer in the future, and encourage you to reach out to our ************* team ahead of making a purchase in case you have questions about our content, plans and licenses as well as any additional terms. 
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/10/2024

  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.

  I never authorized this company to debit funds from my account. I contacted them explaining thia is some kind of fraud and that i would cooperate anyway I can as I am demanding a refund for $118.30.The man I spoke with at shutterstock was no help and continued to talk over me. Beware of this company for those who may ever need their services, they are not honest people and enjoy holding funds from those who never authorized a transaction with them in the first place.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/08/2024

  Thank you for reaching out and sharing your feedback!
  
  It appears that your payment method may have been used without your consent to purchase a subscription on our website. We have reversed the charge now and you should receive fund back in a few business days. We strongly recommend to revise who may have access to your payment information, if you don't recall providing this information to anyone, please make sure to contact your bank to ensure your information is secure. 
  
  If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/11/2024

  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 and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/18/2024

  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 paid for a one time plan to download 2 image files. I then downloaded two files. But I was then charged another $29.00.The website automatically chooses your plan to automatically renew, but I did not see that anywhere and did not choose it voluntarily.I then went to the online chat help and was asked for a lot of personal information that should not have been necessary to simply reverse a charge. I was nervous about giving information that could be used to steal my identity.I was then told the reversal was approved by a supervisor, then told the agent could not reverse charges and I would have to wait for an email from a different department which could take 2 days.So, Shutterstock routinely holds funds for charges that were not approved, then requires customers to contact someone who cant actually reverse charges, and use the opportunity to collect more personal data from their customers.I told the agent I will just file a chargeback, and he also had a script for that, saying if I did, that they would have to freeze my account and I would not be able to get my money reversed for at least 2 weeks.This is a scam to collect data and collect unauthorized funds and then hold those funds, no doubt also earning interest.Its obvious Shutterstock knows about this and does it deliberately.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/19/2024

  Dear customer, thank you for reaching out and sharing your experience with us!
  
  We're sorry to hear that you were inconvenienced by our Auto Refill function. Our image packs are designed to automatically refill after the last download is used. We provide this information on the checkout page prior the the purchase. Auto refill function for your active plans can be switched off on the Plans page of your account. 
  We can confirm, that latest charge in your account was reversed and you should receive your refund within a few business days. 
  
  We understand your concerns about personal data. We take data protection very seriously and our ************* team would only ask for the information we already have on file, and only for the purpose of positively identifying your account.
  ********************** maintains an information security program to ensure that that each system used to process your ************* is protected. This includes organizational, administrative, technical, and physical safeguards that are appropriate to adequately protect personal customer data. To view our complete privacy policy, visit shutterstock.com/privacy.
  
  Fell free to reach out if you have any further question!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/22/2024

  Type:Order 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.

  Misleadin and ambiguous wording for free trial annual, monthly plan. Failure to communicate cancellation fee at signup and failure to communicate after the fact

  Business Response

  Date: 04/11/2024

  Thank you for reaching out!
  
  We're sorry to hear that you found the conditions of our Free Trial confusing. Free Trial was an annual subscription with the first free month. It was possible to cancel the subscription within the first month without a penalty, but later cancellation may result in cancellation fee. 
  
  After reviewing your case we can confirm, that we have replied to a cancellation request in July 2023, but never heard back from you, hence the subscription remained active until you cancelled it on your own last month. 
  As a courtesy we have refunded the Cancellation Fee as well as all subscription renewal charges made within the last 12 months. 
  
  Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions or concerns. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/08/2024

  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.

  I purchased Shutterstock for a single-month subscription in Oct 2023, and I could not stop the subscription from renewing as the "cancel auto renewal" button was not displayed on their website. I explained this to customer services, and they politely agreed to provide me with an $89 refund, which would be credited to my account on Nov 2, 2023. On Nov 6, 2023, a debit from Shutterstock came through for $89 and was posted to my account. I contacted them to inquire why I was being charged, and they reassured me the credit hadn't been processed yet. Fast forward to March 7, 2024, as I have not received this credit. They continually insist they have processed the credit, yet I have proof I have NEVER received the credit of $89 through copies of my bank statements. I have attempted to resolve this through my bank and Shutterstock and have had no success. When I filed a dispute through my bank, they responded, "I did not cancel in time, therefore, was not awarded a refund," yet I have 4 emails and numerous customer service agents insisting I have received their refund. Shutterstock's billing department has refused to contact me directly and continually provides their "own internal tracking number" as proof they processed the refund. I have repeatedly informed them this number means nothing to my bank and have sent copies of my bank statements to ******************************** for which I have received zero replies from anyone in this department. I would like my $89 to be refunded as they have disabled my account and not allowed me access during this time as well. So not only did they not provide the refund they swear has been posted, but I also cannot access my account to use the subscription for which I paid $89. Their billing department is the worst I have ever dealt with, and they totally are incompetent.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/11/2024

  Dear customer, thank you for providing a detailed information about the issue you are facing.
  We apologise for the extended time it took us to resolve it and the potentially confusing replies you may have received in the process.
  
  We're still not sure what may have caused the initial delay in you receiving  the refund, but we're positive that now after the payment dispute with your bank was resolved, the refund should be finally processed. 
  In addition, we have also refunded your latest purchase from January since you could not use the service fully at the time. 
  Please allow it up to 10 business days for the refunds to reach your account. 
  
  The whole situation is quite unique and we would like to apologise again time for they way it was initially handled. 
  In case you face issue with receiving one of both refunds again, please do reach out to our ************* team and mention the following case number: 14626950.
  And of course if you have any other questions or concerns, we're here to help!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/26/2024

  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 and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************