Saltmine Agency: Read this

thx tiffinbox!!!!!


Microstock Marketplace
Seattle, WA, July 11, 2007. Saltmine, Inc., the interactive design and development division of Enterworks, Inc., today announced it has partnered with Corbis to help design and develop SnapVillage, the new online image marketplace that launched recently at www.snapvillage.com. SnapVillage is a unique online marketplace for pictures, illustrations and Flash files contributed by users and available for purchase by both novice and professional buyers at an affordable price.
Anyone can upload an image, illustration or Flash file, which is made available for sale after a simple review process. Contributors can select their own price for the images they submit and earn royalties on each image downloaded.
Saltmine was chosen to provide a range of creative and technical expertise to help research, design, develop, test and launch SnapVillage. The new site represents a unique entry into the “microstock” market by Corbis, a creative resource for advertising, marketing and media professionals worldwide.
SnapVillage simplifies the process of contributing, searching, buying and licensing images. By focusing on the user experience throughout the design, Saltmine and Corbis created an ideal website for seasoned professional image buyers, as well as casual and amateur buyers.
“To bring a user-focused website that provides true innovation to the microstock segment, we knew SnapVillage would have to be built from the ground up and require a unique blend of creative and technical talent,” said Adam Brotman, Vice President of Networks at Corbis. “Saltmine worked with us on many aspects of the project including naming and brand identity, user experience research and design, custom development and integration and comprehensive testing. They collaborated effectively with us along the way and delivered as promised.”
“Although we brought a wide variety of technologies to bear, we knew from the beginning that technology mattered only if the end result aligned with Corbis’ vision of a consistently satisfying experience for image contributors and buyers,” said Jonathan Day, vice president of business development at Saltmine. “Throughout the project, we worked closely with Corbis to deliver numerous innovations, all of them driven by practicality, simplicity and ease-of-use.”
Some of the key features that Saltmine helped develop for SnapVillage include:
A “pick your own price” option that allows contributors to select the license price of their images. Working closely with Corbis, Saltmine designed and developed this “feature first” in the microstock market.
A sophisticated method for identifying “Snappyness,” the measure of user interest in each SnapVillage image. Saltmine created the underlying algorithms for rating “Snappyness,” which draw on user interaction data.
A simplified buying experience that frees purchasers from file size choices and restrictions on intended use. Combining user feedback with Saltmine’s user experience and e-commerce expertise will enable further refinements to the site.
The work performed by Saltmine began with extensive market research and will continue after launch as user feedback about SnapVillage is collected and carefully analyzed.
“We’re committed to continually learning how SnapVillage can best serve its users — the image contributors and purchasers that make this a one-of-a-kind community,” said Seth Gordon, director of user experience at Saltmine.