[1]

A little crash course in Economics:

The United States of America is a consumer based economy, driven almost entirely by the forces of consumer demand. The more people purchase, the better the economy, and thus the companies in it. Clients rule as absolute despots. The money spend on goods is then re injected, through companies back into the economy. What is offered to consumers is decided by the companies themselves, through careful analysis of consumer purchase history. GM only builds SUVs because we like to drive SUVs, regardless on how much they consume or pollute.
In most of Europe, however, things are a little more complex. Because of a heavy intervention from governments, willingly approved by the citizen, consumers have much less power, if any. Consumers are strongly encouraged to save money. It is not so much important how much is being spent then how much of the wealth created is being reinvested, through savings, into the economy.

Thus it is re-injected, through banks and other financial institutions, including taxes, back into the economy. The companies care much less what the consumer demand is and thus can survive a long time with an inadequate product. They create goods that they believe the consumer will want regardless if they want it or not. Furthermore, the state is heavily involved in putting laws, restrictions and other tariffs, that will altogether alter a product by the time it gets to the market. Renault cannot built SUVs like GM because they are too many restrictions. However, the consumer, at the end, will get an eco friendly, low MPG car. And everyone is happy.
[Bear with me for a little longer …It is related to photography ]
In the US, the consumers decide with their purchasing power and therefore can make or break a company. It puts the burden of quality of product on the companies. In Europe, because financial institutions, heavily monitored by governments, make these decisions, the consumers will take what is given to them. Up to them to make the right choice on limited options.
There is no (or little) 30 day money back guarantees in Europe. They are sales only twice a year. There is hardly anything like customer support. If you are unhappy, too bad. But products low in demand stay on the market for a long time, as they will be subsidized. If you are one of the only few that like a product, well unlike in the United States, you will be able to enjoy it for a long time, at the same price as equivalent product. For example, books in France. Like the United States, big resellers decided to start selling books, a la Barnes and Nobles or Borders. Have lots of choice, stick to the bestsellers and slash prices. The government intervened, in favor of small local bookstores and said, well, the price of books will be fixed, with a only a 5% discount margin at the most. The good ? All little boutiques with hard to find out of prints books stayed in business, fearing no competition. Big resellers could slash prices if they wanted, albeit not by much, and consumers got to keep their favorite stores, whether they liked it or not, and there was little fluctuation in pricing.
“What the hell does all that have to do with photography?”, you are now starting to say, if you have read so far. Well, as per an earlier post of mine, where I wrote, in a nutshell,” [2] if you want be global, you have to go local“, one has to plunge a little deeper to make it on the international market.

Like the Corbis and Getty have learned the hard way, it is not by building a website with keywords translated in 150 languages that you will succeed on the international markets. Not only because of culture, but also economics. In another post of mine,”[3] In My Face”, I was ranting about a French law that prevents publications to publish any picture of anyone without a model release, even editorial. “Ah ah !!” you say, “I get it”. “Not only do I have to make sure make images fit the local culture, but I have to be aware of all the local laws”. Well, yes and no. Here is the interesting part and then I will let you get back to work.

When the French build a photo website, because they are so involved with their own laws in culture, they will NOT post an image containing a human being lacking a model release. They will also post a limited amount of images, strongly edited, because French images buyers hate too much choice. They are just not used to it. If an American builds a photo website, they will put a huge amount of images of Joe Di Maggio, translated in 150 languages, thinking if there is a market here, there is a market everywhere. And the more they post images of the same topic, the more they have a chance to get a sale.
So what’s the answer ? Analyze your content and travel. If you cannot travel, read and surf. For an US photographer and photo agency it would be to let go the trend analysis based on usage, as it will only give you feedback on the US. For a French photo agency, for example, it would be expand the choice you offer. There is nothing ever more important these days then to escape local national mentalities and expend your understanding of the world. The world will not come to you, you have to go to it.