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Author Topic: Fotolia is my best seller this month  (Read 24934 times)

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« Reply #50 on: July 23, 2014, 02:09 »
+4
The purpose of my post was not to discuss DPC, because of this will stop. Am sorry, but it is really difficult to me to explane how I see this situation. May be a little bit later...

Let's focus our energy to create high value images which will not sell for $1. There are a lot of places to sell images for good money.
There will eventually be less and less places around to sell images for good money if buyers go for the cheap option and the good companies cannot compete with them.


« Reply #51 on: July 23, 2014, 02:37 »
+1
The purpose of my post was not to discuss DPC, because of this will stop. Am sorry, but it is really difficult to me to explane how I see this situation. May be a little bit later...

Let's focus our energy to create high value images which will not sell for $1. There are a lot of places to sell images for good money.
There will eventually be less and less places around to sell images for good money if buyers go for the cheap option and the good companies cannot compete with them.

The purpose of my post was not to discuss DPC, but to share that I have rise of my sales from Fotolia not subscriptions, not about DPC!

Come on let's stop with this pessimism  :)

MxR

« Reply #52 on: July 23, 2014, 05:47 »
+4
Deyan, last 1-may was a deactivation day and you have best month in fotolia THANKS to our protest.

Because this day, now you earn a HUGE increase comission in "Subscription" images and are 50$ E-L license in DPC.

Yes, improve our images help us to sell more... and protest help us to earn more for sale.

You must do wath you think is best for your bussines, of course...   my economy will be good even microstock die but i want care a minimun for my images.

Sorry for my english, best wishes.

« Reply #53 on: July 23, 2014, 05:59 »
-2
Deyan, last 1-may was a deactivation day and you have best month in fotolia THANKS to our protest.

Because this day, now you earn a HUGE increase comission in "Subscription" images and are 50$ E-L license in DPC.

Yes, improve our images help us to sell more... and protest help us to earn more for sale.

You must do wath you think is best for your bussines, of course...   my economy will be good even microstock die but i want care a minimun for my images.

Sorry for my english, best wishes.

You are totally wrong, because I do not have more subscription sales, but more standard sales from Fotolia! This is all about Fotolia, do not confuse it, please!

MxR

« Reply #54 on: July 23, 2014, 07:31 »
+3
 not confusing anything.

No more subscriptions speak, I speak of that now pay more for them.

... and that has made the same number of subscriptions now all earn more money on fotolia ... you have good pictures, review the earnings and paid subscriptions to be 0.95, 1.20, 066 .... euros? before we only earn 0,29-0,29, 0,29...

I explain that this increase were from our potest vs DPC.

My english is bad, I hope I have not offended and I repeat that I respect your decision, but do not share

« Reply #55 on: July 23, 2014, 07:42 »
+2
not confusing anything.

No more subscriptions speak, I speak of that now pay more for them.

... and that has made the same number of subscriptions now all earn more money on fotolia ... you have good pictures, review the earnings and paid subscriptions to be 0.95, 1.20, 066 .... euros? before we only earn 0,29-0,29, 0,29...

I explain that this increase were from our potest vs DPC.

My english is bad, I hope I have not offended and I repeat that I respect your decision, but do not share

You still do not understand me, I mean: "Fotolia - File Sold" not "Fotolia - File Sold (Subscription)"
I have more "ON-DEMAND PURCHASE (CREDITS)" sales!!!  ;)

« Reply #56 on: July 23, 2014, 07:43 »
0
I think what he's saying is that Fotolia has had more total sales regardless of what they pay, and those totals have increased his earnings. All my sites are up this month except for dreamstime and veer.

I'm glad I didn't delete my port on FT.
« Last Edit: July 23, 2014, 07:46 by robhainer »

« Reply #57 on: July 23, 2014, 07:48 »
+6
@Deyan Georgiev
If you do not have more subscription sales, why are you on DPC then?

You are willing to risk to jeopardize your earning elsewhere when you don't see increase of subscription sales in Fotolia.
For what? the tiny 5% difference? And yes, that was actually offered too because of the protest.

I am not reproaching anyone here, it just make no sense in my mind...

Oh and about the 75 % that are still on DPC, well, the majority doesn't actually have a clue about it. Fotolia never informed anyone that they were taking all the images and putting them automatically on other site, with different selling prices/packs.

« Reply #58 on: July 23, 2014, 08:13 »
+6
@Deyan Georgiev
If you do not have more subscription sales, why are you on DPC then?

You are willing to risk to jeopardize your earning elsewhere when you don't see increase of subscription sales in Fotolia.
For what? the tiny 5% difference? And yes, that was actually offered too because of the protest.

I am not reproaching anyone here, it just make no sense in my mind...

Oh and about the 75 % that are still on DPC, well, the majority doesn't actually have a clue about it. Fotolia never informed anyone that they were taking all the images and putting them automatically on other site, with different selling prices/packs.

yes - why then to be at dpc - and money is not everything - there is a little thing called moral

« Reply #59 on: July 23, 2014, 10:30 »
+15
...money is not everything - there is a little thing called moral

Even for the folks who think money is everything, participating in DPC still makes no sense. It really is a simple money issue. If DPC grows, we all make less money. It is really just that simple.

I can sort of understand the logic that this is just another avenue of licensing images. And I get that some people take the approach to this business that they just want to get their work in front of as many buyers as possible, so DPC is a viable option for them. I don't agree with that logic, but I get where it comes from.

But I'll never understand the people who knew about DPC, knew what it was and the potential danger it represented, and yet they still couldn't step outside of their "scrape up every last penny I can get" mentality for even a short time and opt out, even if only temporarily. They could have participated in the opt-out for a month, just to try and help send that message to Fotolia that this isn't cool. But instead they stayed in just to get a few bucks at the start of DPC, if even that much.

It is by far the single most short-sighted thing I've ever encountered in this or any other business. Those people may very well have traded their long-term potential earnings in microstock for a month's worth of DPC earnings, which in many cases probably amounts to less than $1. I'm pretty sure I've never personally witnessed anything so insane before.
« Last Edit: July 23, 2014, 10:33 by EmberMike »

« Reply #60 on: July 23, 2014, 10:40 »
-3
About 3 years ago you started hinting about a better way. I decided to follow your lead and looked for my own options. I have to say that you are probably right about needing to see it for yourself. I think it's all going to come crashing down and explode. I've built my life boat I just want it to be stronger.

lmao, a classic comment, congrats !
but you don't need a life boat,... just learn to be a stronger swimmer and be able to tread water consistently.
much like that anecdote about two hunters, one wears running shoes and carries no rifle,etc..
why? because i can run faster  .

« Reply #61 on: July 23, 2014, 10:47 »
-3
Even for the folks who think money is everything, participating in DPC still makes no sense. It really is a simple money issue. If DPC grows, we all make less money. It is really just that simple.

no, it isn't that simple..
money is everything , or else why would you put up with the bs about curators telling you whether your work is fit for them or not?
and the difference between dfc and subs are really moot.
sure, you and i make more than say 33 cts, in fact, 105 bucks per sale,etc..
but for most other ppl , it is either dfc or give away their image free...

we don't sink because some little fish decides to stay in dfc.
we sink because we stop making images that clients need,
and lose the sense of dividing what to give for subs agencies, and other agencies that pays better..(if they sell any, really!!!LOL).

still, some of us do make a lot more than dfc, and would not join fotolia (at all, even before dfc)..

but to say that OP is responsible for your own shortfall, ... oh, that's a lot of youknow what!!!

« Reply #62 on: July 23, 2014, 11:26 »
+8
See... this is the difference between you and me. I see all sorts of viable options outside of the big guys. As I was thinking about your perspective last night I realized that all of my favorite agencies/venues have all been started by illustrators with an illustration bias. That is why they work for me. Toonvectors, clipartof, symbiostock, GLstockimages. All built by illustrators but also actively and aggressively supported by illustrators. About the only new photo agency that fills this criteria is Stocksy. I'm just reading between the lines but I think illustrators have a more positive outlook on the future because we have some new options that actually work for us. Photographers seem less likely to give new agencies a chance. Maybe you guys have been burned more? I could be wrong, but that is the way it seems to appear.

« Reply #63 on: July 23, 2014, 11:33 »
+1
About 3 years ago you started hinting about a better way. I decided to follow your lead and looked for my own options. I have to say that you are probably right about needing to see it for yourself. I think it's all going to come crashing down and explode. I've built my life boat I just want it to be stronger.

lmao, a classic comment, congrats !
but you don't need a life boat,... just learn to be a stronger swimmer and be able to tread water consistently.
much like that anecdote about two hunters, one wears running shoes and carries no rifle,etc..
why? because i can run faster  .

You can use whatever metaphor you want. The fact still remains that if you take what the agencies give you, you are at their whims. I know I've been burned by that strategy. If you go out and try to improve things or find new markets, then you can control or at least somewhat insulate yourself from those whims.

« Reply #64 on: July 23, 2014, 12:10 »
0
I think this topic is completely out of its meaning, so I am out.

You should know that I respect the opinion of all of you, but I have other ways of doing things. I'm not saying that I support DPC nor not, still less any subscriptions whatever they are.

Just make one calculation and may be you will get relax :)

Divide the amount of money earned by the number of sales for the entire period you sell in Shutterstock, Fotolia, iStock...no matter and You'll see that You work for $1 average with all of them!!!

Be carrefull to not fall in processes that do not understand and do not know where they lead, because this business have marketing, PR and so on, like every other business. I will not attend and will do my job to create images.

Let's go do some new shots...

« Reply #65 on: July 23, 2014, 12:20 »
+4
Wrong!
RPD
ToonVectors $18.67
Self Hosted $9.83
Clipartof $6.91
StockFresh $3.80
GLStock Images $5.50
Stockami $4.00
Dreamstime $3.36
Even Canstock comes in at $2.83

FT  $.44
DPC $.29

Your choice, but you have to sell well over 10 times the amount of images I do to make the same money.

« Reply #66 on: July 23, 2014, 12:23 »
0
Wrong!
RPD
ToonVectors $18.67
Self Hosted $9.83
Clipartof $6.91
StockFresh $3.80
GLStock Images $5.50
Stockami $4.00
Dreamstime $3.36
Even Canstock comes in at $2.83

FT  $.44
DPC $.29

Your choice, but you have to sell well over 10 times the amount of images I do to make the same money.

We talk about images

« Reply #67 on: July 23, 2014, 12:26 »
-1
Wrong!
RPD
ToonVectors $18.67
Self Hosted $9.83
Clipartof $6.91
StockFresh $3.80
GLStock Images $5.50
Stockami $4.00
Dreamstime $3.36
Even Canstock comes in at $2.83

FT  $.44
DPC $.29

Your choice, but you have to sell well over 10 times the amount of images I do to make the same money.

RPD is the most meaningless stat that you could possibly use. It doesn't account for volume.

« Reply #68 on: July 23, 2014, 12:29 »
+3
Fair enough, but you can see where FT and DPC fall when compared to other sites with roughly the same images.
DPC is by far the worst choice for selling your images. Why don't you share your numbers? How many agencies do you support that are averaging $.29?

@robhainer
That was his measure not mine. Also, volume means more theft and illegal free offers out there. I'll take one $10 sale over 33 $.29 sales every time.

« Reply #69 on: July 23, 2014, 12:33 »
0
Wrong!
RPD
ToonVectors $18.67
Self Hosted $9.83
Clipartof $6.91
StockFresh $3.80
GLStock Images $5.50
Stockami $4.00
Dreamstime $3.36
Even Canstock comes in at $2.83

FT  $.44
DPC $.29

Your choice, but you have to sell well over 10 times the amount of images I do to make the same money.

You can't compare illustrator numbers and outlet variety with photographer numbers.  Totally different animal. Photographers have fewer options. 

Not saying that means opting in to DPC, but photos are more plentiful and prices for photos are driven down because of that. 

« Reply #70 on: July 23, 2014, 12:43 »
+1
RPD is the most meaningless stat that you could possibly use. It doesn't account for volume.

I used to think that. Pretty sure that someone could quote me as saying in this very forum that RPD is a "suckers' statistic" or something like that.

Now, I'd say that I was wrong. To an extent, anyway. You can't focus on RPD exclusively. For better or for worse (mostly worse these days) we need the high-volume companies if we want to earn decently in this business. But more and more lately, RPD has become an important stat. In my effort to find higher RPD companies to work with, I landed at Creative Market which is currently my #3 best earner.

Shifting more of my focus to companies like that may end up being my saving grace in stock. Because I'm not seeing any new growth in the high-volume companies, at least not personally.

« Reply #71 on: July 23, 2014, 12:43 »
+2
Absolutely agree!  The argument was that all agencies offer the same RPD so what's the difference? My point was they don't offer the same RPD. Even for photos.
Wrong!
RPD
ToonVectors $18.67
Self Hosted $9.83
Clipartof $6.91
StockFresh $3.80
GLStock Images $5.50
Stockami $4.00
Dreamstime $3.36
Even Canstock comes in at $2.83

FT  $.44
DPC $.29

Your choice, but you have to sell well over 10 times the amount of images I do to make the same money.

You can't compare illustrator numbers and outlet variety with photographer numbers.  Totally different animal. Photographers have fewer options. 

Not saying that means opting in to DPC, but photos are more plentiful and prices for photos are driven down because of that. 

« Reply #72 on: July 23, 2014, 13:22 »
+2
RPD is the most meaningless stat that you could possibly use. It doesn't account for volume.

I've found my volume has been decreasing over time, so RPD has become important to me. I don't know if that has been the case for others, but that is the trend I'm seeing.

This is kind of how I see the brief history of micro:

1. Started with high volume and low prices with little competition.
2. Prices increased and volume decreased. Competition also increased, but incomes were increasing.
3. Prices plateaued or decreased, royalty clawbacks started, volumes and incomes decreased or leveled off. Competition continues to increase.

Maybe, this is just how it has gone for me, but the recent trend is sort of disturbing. It certainly has sustainability problems. RPD doesn't fix that alone, but sales at higher RPD sites are a start.



« Reply #73 on: July 23, 2014, 13:23 »
-1
RPD is the most meaningless stat that you could possibly use. It doesn't account for volume.

I used to think that. Pretty sure that someone could quote me as saying in this very forum that RPD is a "suckers' statistic" or something like that.

Now, I'd say that I was wrong. To an extent, anyway. You can't focus on RPD exclusively. For better or for worse (mostly worse these days) we need the high-volume companies if we want to earn decently in this business. But more and more lately, RPD has become an important stat. In my effort to find higher RPD companies to work with, I landed at Creative Market which is currently my #3 best earner.

Shifting more of my focus to companies like that may end up being my saving grace in stock. Because I'm not seeing any new growth in the high-volume companies, at least not personally.

My RPD at Shutterstock is 63 cents; My RPD at Veer is $1.89, almost three times more. But during the same period on both sites with similar ports, Shutterstock has paid me $27,200 while Veer has paid me $659. So in my case, RPD means jack all.

So it's not a matter of comparing one $10 sale to 33 .29-cent sales. It's a matter of comparing one $10 sale to 333 .29-cent sales.

Now, everyone has slightly different experiences. That's why we shouldn't be jumping all over people who go against the grain to do what's best for their business. I opted out of DPC for a bit, then opted back in. It hasn't had any negative impact on my sales on other sites. In fact, my sales on Shutterstock continue to grow, subs, ODs, ELs and SODs, while Fotolia has jumped into second place, if still way back behind Shutterstock.
« Last Edit: July 23, 2014, 13:29 by robhainer »

« Reply #74 on: July 23, 2014, 13:26 »
0
Wrong!
RPD
ToonVectors $18.67
Self Hosted $9.83
Clipartof $6.91
StockFresh $3.80
GLStock Images $5.50
Stockami $4.00
Dreamstime $3.36
Even Canstock comes in at $2.83

FT  $.44
DPC $.29

Your choice, but you have to sell well over 10 times the amount of images I do to make the same money.

You can't compare illustrator numbers and outlet variety with photographer numbers.  Totally different animal. Photographers have fewer options. 

Not saying that means opting in to DPC, but photos are more plentiful and prices for photos are driven down because of that.

I think the macro area is healthier for photographers. I don't see a lot of illustrators talking about that, but more about "midstock" or higher priced micro.


 

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