Author Topic: I can't win for losing (Read 6904 times)

WarrenPrice · « **on:** January 12, 2010, 23:41 »

I just can't seem to get ahead. My shutterstock portfolio is thriving and everything else died. I'm wondering if the buyers who were using my DT images stopped buying because the same images are only 25 cents on SS?

Or, has my DT search engine placement been affected by my criticism? I don't really think that is the case, however. BigStock, 123, DT, StockXpert ... everything stopped.

PS: why are we refusing to sell images at StockXpert for 25 cents but uploading like crazy to Shutterstock?

Linn Currie · « **Reply #1 on:** January 13, 2010, 01:05 »

Quote from: WarrenPrice on January 12, 2010, 23:41

PS: why are we refusing to sell images at StockXpert for 25 cents but uploading like crazy to Shutterstock?

Because once you reach $500 in lifetime sales with SS, your subs jump to 33 cents; and your ODs increase too

Digital66 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 13, 2010, 01:10 »

Quote from: Linn Currie on January 13, 2010, 01:05

Quote from: WarrenPrice on January 12, 2010, 23:41
PS: why are we refusing to sell images at StockXpert for 25 cents but uploading like crazy to Shutterstock?
Because once you reach $500 in lifetime sales with SS, your subs jump to 33 cents; and your ODs increase too

Exactly!

And once you reach $3000, you'll earn more. And after $10.000 a little more. That's why.

sharpshot · « **Reply #3 on:** January 13, 2010, 03:18 »

I earn $0.38 with shutterstock, so $0.25 doesn't appeal to me. If the other sites that have $0.25 subs had the same increase with earnings, I might use them. There is a sales slump in the winter months and this can seem quite big when your sales are low. It gets better in the spring and is less of a problem as your sales grow. I don't think using shutterstock has made a big difference to my sales on the other sites. Buyers seem to find a site they like and stick with it.

cathyslife · « **Reply #4 on:** January 13, 2010, 08:06 »

I wouldn't take it personally...there are a ton of changes going on right now. StockXpert isn't making payouts, and sales are small. BigStock hasn't been doing well for some since they announced their merger with SS. Yesterday, SS sent out an email offering BigStock people a discount at SS. IS's prices are jumping.

Lots going on. I'm pretty sure a lot are feeling the effects.

disorderly · « **Reply #5 on:** January 13, 2010, 10:13 »

Also keep in mind that it's January, which in my experience is the slowest month of the year. Things have picked up for me in February every year; we'll see if that trend holds.

lisafx · « **Reply #6 on:** January 13, 2010, 11:11 »

I agree with all the reasons above for slow sales right now, and will just add that much of the Northern Hemisphere is having unseasonably cold weather that may have buyers hunkered down at home rather than out buying our images.

I hope things improve soon because I am feeling the pinch too.

Perry · « **Reply #7 on:** January 13, 2010, 11:25 »

I have poor sales too. Statistically I have made more in january than december, but this time I need a small miracle to get to the december level. Especially IS and DT seem very weak right now. Surprisingly SS might have a BME (Best Month Ever) if the pace continues (Thanks to many ELs and ODs)

I have been quite lazy uploading so that may be a catalyst for my downward spiral...

Wow, I just realized that I need only a couple of hundred bucks at SS to have $10,000 in total sales ($.38 here I come!:))

stockastic · « **Reply #8 on:** January 13, 2010, 11:32 »

Don't even try to figure it out. In my case (with a very small portfolio), SS was the best earner for quite a while; in December it went stone cold and IS - which had never done much - came alive and now greatly outsells SS. DT remains slow but steady while FT has fallen off to almost nothing. As other posters have pointed out, there are so many hidden factors involved that there's no point in thinking about it.

vonkara · « **Reply #9 on:** January 13, 2010, 13:36 »

The designers started a massive migration? Sure it's not good being a designer these day with all the changes hapenning. I think some agencies might loose because they are confusing their customers.

Add that there is no photographer/designer conversation possible. And that designers barely talk about where they buy their images between themselves. I started to see some designers asking what happen on the IS forum... lol

I am amazed at how there is no exchanges. I sometime feel like I sell things to ghosts and the agencies are the gods who make the link between them and me

loop · « **Reply #10 on:** January 13, 2010, 14:03 »

Sales for me are pretty the same at IS than in december. Earnings are up.

(Added for accuracy: except on the firts 3-4 days of the year)

Noodles · « **Reply #11 on:** January 13, 2010, 15:25 »

Quote from: Vonkara on January 13, 2010, 13:36

The designers started a massive migration? Sure it's not good being a designer these day with all the changes hapenning.

Are you kidding! Designers never had it so good. We get to choose from a huge library of photos and illustrations which cost us peanuts to purchase. Any designer who would complain about that needs their head examined

willie · « **Reply #12 on:** January 13, 2010, 15:36 »

everyone has given their theory to these decrease in dls,
except the obvious reason:

buyers ran out of choice with your port due to subs, and bought all of yours .
now, either you give them new choices so they can shop again at your flea mart
or they go elsewhere to lesser popular portfolios who are finding an increase in dls.

the other obvious answer would be, as Achilles and DT pointed out,
same old same old don't count anymore. they don't want the cliche generics
because they already have too many.
same like mom and pop stores are not taking in anymore new inventories
of what they already have too many .
times are rough with a smaller budget. some buyers have closed shop due to
the stock market crash, and many probably decide not to shop anymore
in order to keep afloat.

in all, for those who agree with me that sub stinks, and i know even the esteemed perenial top sellers agree with me too, (as one even told me that in his PM, which i so happily discovered. i won't name him, as this is as it should be in PM), we really have nothing to cheer about when we sell ourselves short
with subs.

and now, we are here blaming or crying in our spilt milk?
lol, you should have seen the writings on the wall.

vonkara · « **Reply #13 on:** January 13, 2010, 15:44 »

Quote from: Noodles on January 13, 2010, 15:25

Quote from: Vonkara on January 13, 2010, 13:36
The designers started a massive migration? Sure it's not good being a designer these day with all the changes hapenning.

Are you kidding! Designers never had it so good. We get to choose from a huge library of photos and illustrations which cost us peanuts to purchase. Any designer who would complain about that needs their head examined

Well, you are right about the choice. As you seem to follow what is happening here it can be easier though. Not many does

vonkara · « **Reply #14 on:** January 13, 2010, 15:56 »

Quote from: PERSEUS on January 13, 2010, 15:36

times are rough with a smaller budget. some buyers have closed shop due to
the stock market crash, and many probably decide not to shop anymore
in order to keep afloat.

Sorry to quote only a small portion, but Achilles might be wrong. If DT is having problems that's because of them. First designers aren't only living in USA, none lost their house in Europe and Canadians didn't also. Buying images is way to cheap in the overall budget.

Most of the greatest design work have been made during the 30s depression. Advertising never stopped during that period neither during the second world war. Maybe they work on sadness instead of happyness though...

FD · « **Reply #15 on:** January 13, 2010, 16:16 »

Quote from: Vonkara on January 13, 2010, 13:36

I sometime feel like I sell things to ghosts and the agencies are the gods who make the link between them and me

Like the Gods talk thru the flight of birds and the intestines of animal sacrifices, so does the Buyer talks thru Sales. What does please the Buyer, that he purchaseth. Blessed be thou Buyers.

WarrenPrice · « **Reply #16 on:** January 13, 2010, 16:50 »

Stock Market Crash? The stock market seems to be in pretty good shape. It's the Job Market that crashed.

Thanks for the responses. I figured the remark about 25 cent subs would get some attention. Was just curious because SS is going great guns now ... and it is January for them too. I just can't understand how one site can be so busy and others do nothing ... and I have the same images at all of them?

PowerDroid · « **Reply #17 on:** January 14, 2010, 07:54 »

For me, January has been pretty strong... if it holds, it should be my BME. I'm seeing the opposite of some of the trends pointed out here. SS has been somewhat flat for me the last few months, but I've seen strong growth at IS, FT, DT and even StockXpert. The ones that matter little (123, BigStock, CanStockPhoto) have been flat, and I've recently decided to stop uploading to CRE and VEER, but none of this has hurt me. I think the strategy that is paying off for me has been adding to the diversity of my subject matter over the past month or two... I noticed that I was falling into the trap of repeating subjects that seemed to sell best for me, so I refocused in areas that I hadn't hit before, and those have been selling well, on top of continued sales of my previous top sellers. I'd advise anyone currently experiencing a period of stalled sales to try this strategy to spark some new life in their portfolios.

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Author Topic: I can't win for losing (Read 6904 times)

WarrenPrice

Linn Currie

Digital66

sharpshot

cathyslife

disorderly

lisafx

Perry

stockastic

vonkara

loop

Noodles

willie

vonkara

vonkara

FD

WarrenPrice

PowerDroid

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