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Business Profile

Digital Media

Shutterstock, Inc.

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

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Complaints

Customer Complaints Summary

  • 142 total complaints in the last 3 years.
  • 45 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

If you've experienced an issue

Submit a Complaint

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.

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Complaint status

Complaint type

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:02/13/2024

    Type:Billing Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    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.
    My credit card was stolen and my email account was hacked. A free account was established and Shutterstock has been fraudulently charging my acccount for months beginning as of August 14, 2023. *********** has researched this to be true and has suggested to first attempt to get Shutterstock to cancel the account and do a full refund - but customer service at ********************** does not take calls and when you try to do something they blow you off. I am attaching the fraudulent charges as I NEVER RECEIVED any PAID images as suggested by opening a free account and not cancelling such a service.

    Customer Answer

    Date: 02/14/2024

    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.

     

    I am ONLY resolving as we were able to come to a full agreement and refund via chat yesterday - 2/13/2024. Should this refund not be executed I will be reopening the case and complaint.

    Sincerely,

    *************************



     


  • Initial Complaint

    Date:12/14/2023

    Type:Billing Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    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.
    Hello, Shutterstock charged my credit card in November without my authorisation. In October, I purchased 1 image (one only!!!) and now Shutterstock switched me to annual plan with monthly payments! This is scam. I never subscribed to annual commitment, I purchased only 1 image. I have asked them to return the charge from November and do not charge any of my cards without my authorisation. However, I have noticed now that through my Paypal account they already charge me 3 times approx 33 USD = 99 USD for 1 image! And I have informed them about the problem and they did not solved it.

    Business Response

    Date: 01/05/2024

    Thank you for reaching out and sharing your feedback!

    After checking your account we can confirm, that your subscription was cancelled and charges reversed.
    Please don't hesitate to reach out to our ************* team if you require any further assistance. 

    Customer Answer

    Date: 01/05/2024

    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:11/20/2023

    Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    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 Shutterstock free trial ,I was charged for the month $37, so I went to cancel however when I went to cancel ( which is not easy by the way you have to first send an email saying you want to cancel) the email I then received had a link to click to cancel the link is not working. Which makes me feel ************ is trying to drag this out In hopes I wont cancel. This cancellation fee was not made obvious when signing up . I would never have signed up if this information was made apparent . I feel the company is being sneaky & tricking customers with these fees . I encourage anyone to never use this company .

    Business Response

    Date: 12/04/2023

    Thank you for reaching out and sharing your experience!

    We're sorry to hear that you found it complicated to cancel. Thank you for the feedback!
    After checking your account we see that your subscription was already cancelled by our ************* team.
    If there's anything else we can assist you with, please don't hesitate to reach out!

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:11/17/2023

    Type:Service or Repair Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    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 has been illegally debiting my credit card monthly. They have been charging me monthly $29 for five months. I been cancelled my trial, but they continue to charge me. When I called customer service, they advice more charges to cancel the account. I demand a refund of $145 to my account.

    Business Response

    Date: 12/04/2023

    Thank you for contacting us!

    After checking your account and interactions with our ************* team we can confirm, that your subscription was cancelled and charges reversed. 
    Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any additional questions or concerns!

    Customer Answer

    Date: 12/05/2023

    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:11/14/2023

    Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    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.
    Free trial is an absolute scam. I tried to cancel and then they sent an email saying if I wanted to cancel they that I would be charged a cancellation fee and without paying I cant cancel. They continued to auto debit my account monthly and I have now filed a claim with my credit card. Avoid this company at all costs are its clearly deceptive and predatory

    Business Response

    Date: 12/04/2023

    Hi and thank you for reaching out!

    We're sorry to hear that the free trial offer did not meet your needs at this time and for any confusion about the cancellation process. 

    Here is how our free trial of the annual subscription plan works:
     
    - When you sign up, you receive a free first month of service on a plan that includes 10 credits per month. This plan requires an annual commitment, with monthly billing starting in the second month of service.
    - The free trial can easily be canceled during the first month by clicking the Cancel plan link on the Plans page of your account. 
    - If the plan is not canceled within the free trial period, we begin charging on a monthly basis for the remainder of the 12-month term.
    - The first charge appears approximately 12 hours before the end of the first month to ensure uninterrupted service.
    - After the free trial period ends, you have two cancellation options: Cancel at end of term or Cancel early The first option will cancel the plan at the end of the 12-month commitment, but we will continue the monthly billing until the plan expires. The second option allows you to cancel the plan immediately, but comes with a cancelation fee. Of course, the cancellation fee excludes the first month, which was and remains completely free.

    After checking your account we can confirm that your subscription is cancelled and you will see no further charges from us. 

    Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any additional questions!

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:11/13/2023

    Type:Service or Repair Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    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 uses misleading information when selling credits. The videos do not say how many credits are required to purchase, the page where you choose your plan doesn't warn you that each image is 25 credits! so you really do not know what you are buying. to find out how many credits videos are, you have to click on a tiny little question mark that has no explanation of what it is about, just a little question mark. They hide the fact that you pay $117 for 30 credits and can only download one video! (the extra 5 credits get you nothing unless you buy more credits.) The video, purchased individually is $65 for they are getting you to pay double with this deceptive plan. I asked them for a refund and they cut off the conversation while I was typing. I use a lot of stock services and none of them employ these deceptive tactics.

    Business Response

    Date: 12/04/2023

    Thank you for reaching out!

    We're sorry to hear that your credit pack offering didn't meet your expectations.

    We would like to clarify that with the pack you purchased it's indeed only possible to download 1 video using 25 credits. Remaining credit can be used to download 5 images or 1 music track.
    Main difference to our single video downloads is that with the Credit pack it doesn't matter in which resolution you download the file, it's still the same number of credits. However, when you purchase single videos the price vary depending on the resolution. The 4K file like the one you're licensed with your pack would have been more expensive if purchased alone. The 65$ price you have mentioned is for the lower resolution file. We hope we could clarify the confusion.

    Shutterstock offers a variety of plans to help every customer find they right solution for their projects. Reach out to us and we'll be happy to help you find the best option that works for you!



  • Initial Complaint

    Date:11/08/2023

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    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.
    My identity was stolen over three months ago, and my debit card was used to create a shutterstock account.As a result I was charged $29.99 in August and September. Since then I have contacted customer service dozens of times.Each time I get the same response: The refund is in review.I have been waiting since September for a refund, and I want my money back.I am disabled with Autism and Cancer, and this isnt fair!

    Business Response

    Date: 11/21/2023

    Hi there, thank you for reaching out!
    We're very sorry to learn about your experience.
    After reviewing your account and communications with our ************* team we can confirmed, that all charges were reversed. Please feel free to reach our if you have any other questions or concerns!

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:10/24/2023

    Type:Billing Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    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.
    Started a free trial, then the free trial ended and they charged me $29. And when I go to cancel my subscription they freaking charged me $40 cancellation fee. Looks like just about every other complaint here is for that same reason. If my account is not canceled and my money is not refunded I will seriously consider a class action lawsuit but contacting other people who were victims. This is unethical and it must stop. You cannot take advantage of people like this. I need my money back as soon as possible.Used id *********

    Business Response

    Date: 11/03/2023

    Thank you for reaching out!

    We're sorry to hear that the Free Trial offer did not work out for you and that you do not wish to continue a subscription with Shutterstock.
    We have canceled your subscription at this time and you will receive no further charges from us, in addition, we have reversed renewal charges. 

    If you ever encounter issues or will have questions about Shutterstock products and services we encourage you to reach out to our ************* Team at *************************************************;We'll be happy to provide any necessary assistance!

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:10/18/2023

    Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    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.
    This company has very hostile business practices with billing. I wanted ONE photo, and I was forced to purchase a subscription as that was the cheapest option. $29 for 10 photos (even though I only wanted 1). Turns out this was a monthly subscription with an ANNUAL commitment, and a $40 cancellation fee if cancelled before the annual billing period. Once again, I wanted and downloaded ONE photo. I requested for my cancellation fee to be waived but they had to submit the request to billing to see if they approve it or not, of which I am still awaiting response.Even with fine print, terms of service, etc, there is no excuse nor justification for these business practices. This payment structure should not be allowed, especially for creatives who are already financially vulnerable.

    Business Response

    Date: 11/03/2023

    Thank you for reaching out and sharing your experience!

    After reviewing your account we can confirm, that your subscription was already cancelled at no fee by our ************* team.
    As you correctly mentioned at this moment it's not possible to purchase a single image on the website, but there is in fact a possibility to buy just one image via our mobile app: ******************************************************************.
    We hope this information may be useful in the future. 

    Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions or concerns!

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:10/10/2023

    Type:Order Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    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 SUBSCRIPTION PLAN IS A SCAM AND A TRAP! BAD DEAL! BEWARE!On September 3, 2023 I fell into Shutterstock's subscription trap by signing up for what I thought was a monthly subscription for 10 credits at $29 per month. There were two things that were not made clear to me: There is a 12-month commitment; and the credits expire at the end of each month (use it or lose it. They don't carry over and accumulate). So when I decided I wasn't using the service enough to justify keeping the subscription, I tried to cancel. Surprise! Cancellation fee of $40! This is a very bad and unfair deal in my opinion! It would not have been so bad if I my credits accumulated over the course of the subscription period, but no, they go away if not used within the 30-day period. That is not fair! I paid for that and should be able to keep them if not used! So from my perspective, I should at least get back the $40 cancellation fee which is unreasonable, to say the least. Ideally, I would like to get back a total of $62 which is the $22 I paid for the first month but never used the 10 credits which like I said went away, plus the $40 cancellation fee. Very unethical business practice! Shameful!

    Business Response

    Date: 10/11/2023

    Hi there and thank you for sharing your feedback with us!

    We're sorry that your experience with our Annual subscription did not meet your expectations. 
    After reviewing your account we can confirm, that the charge for the unused month of service was already reversed  by our ************* team and we will do the same for the cancellation fee.

    If there's anything else we can assist you with, please don't hesitate to reach out!

    Customer Answer

    Date: 10/19/2023

    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,

    ***********************



     

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