Author Topic: Another RPD Thread (Read 3379 times)

Pixart · « **on:** May 07, 2012, 10:59 »

I am basically just talking out loud here. Just plugged in some numbers side by side and feeling a little humiliated.... like "am I stupid or what???" While everyone talks of how well they do at certain agencies, I sometimes don't get it! And I really admire those that have pulled their ports from the unfairest, I've been a coward and kindof coasted, deleting some and uploading few. When I put the last 20 sales side by side it is pretty shocking. Why the heck do I continue to support Fotolia and 123? Not to mention 123 will pay a considerable amount less than this January. Even the worst sales on DT are higher than the typical sale on FT! Now, I'm also only a Silver at FT so that has something to do with it - but still! So, when everyone raves about FT and 123 I just don't get it - is their volume spectacular or am I stuck on "show to subscription buyers only"?

DT is best by miles. BS is good but sales are very slow/ 123 and FT are a joke. Too small a sample to include SS.

One last 20-sale of $10.25 at 123 really skews the numbers - it is the only time I've earned more than about $3 on a sale here so keep that in mind. A typical last-20 sales tally would be about $11. I know they all dole out refunds, but FT is the best at that one at that and it is the only agency that has refunded in the past 20 sales.

I've always kindof argued that once you put up your port just collect the earnings but the real numbers are a little humiliating. Makes it a little more satisfying to quit 123 in December when they reduce their already pathetic payments. I thought I would just coast at FT, but is 34 cents per sale and their attitude worth it? I know, I know this is basically an RPD exercise, but the last 20 sales are pretty similar to my average over the last several weeks - except 123 was skewed by one larger sale.

Wondering how do people report such fabulous earnings at FT and 123 - do they sell such a staggering volume that it makes up for the low $ (like SS)?

DT   FT   123   BS
1.05   0.25   0.36   2
0.35   0.75   0.45   1
0.35   0.29   10.25   1.5
2.88   0.29   1.17   1
6.66   0.29   0.36   0.5
0.7   0.29   0.325   0.5
1.05   0.25   0.325   0.5
0.35   0.29   0.325   0.9
6.67   0.75   0.325   0.5
5.85   0.29   0.36   0.5
4.07   -1.25   0.36   2.7
0.7   0.25   0.45   3
1.05   0.25   0.36   1
0.35   0.29   0.5   3
0.7   0.25   1.88   1
3.24   0.29   0.36   0.5
0.35   0.29   1.305   0.5
8.54   1.75   0.36   2.7
0.35   0.25   0.36   1
0.35   0.75   0.72   0.69
45.61   6.86   20.905   24.99

Perry · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2012, 11:20 »

I think it's problematic to compare "pay-per-download" and subscription sites.
I'm almost sure that subcription customers use only a fraction of the images downloaded. My rough estimate is that half of the images are never really used (I could be totally wrong!). I don't think images that are downloaded but never used should be compared to images that are most likely to be used (bought from a pay-per-download site)

Ed · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2012, 11:33 »

Yep - and on top of that, at Fotolia, you have to pay income tax on revenue you don't even receive because they think they've created their own currency in the form of "credits".

pancaketom · « **Reply #3 on:** May 07, 2012, 20:15 »

I suggest you dump FT - for the sake of your health if nothing else. High blood pressure is bad for you.

Actually in general I think RPD is somewhat meaningless and what really matters is RP effort.

Also maybe it would be better to look at sales for the last month instead of the last 20 sales at each agency - maybe one of them you had 20 sales in a day and another it took 2 months to get 20 sales. If I look at my last 20 sales - Alamy destroys all the microstock sites - that is if I even have 20 sales there.

but don't completely dismiss the desire for somewhat of a fair system - if an agency does us wrong enough and continues to do so then they need to be dropped - even if it is only for your dignity and peace of mind.