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Author Topic: Fotolia - Poor Sales  (Read 17634 times)

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tab62

« on: August 19, 2013, 13:27 »
0
Is anyone else having a real bad month on Fotolia in sales besides me? Did they do a change in their search engine?


Ron

« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2013, 13:50 »
+1
There will always be people that have a poor month, and there will also be people that report BME.

Everybody has different subjects in their portfolio and everyone has a different number of images  in their portfolio.

If I tell you that my sales on FT are slow as well, how does that help you? Maybe I have  a portfolio full of easter images.

Anyhoo, my sales are slow on FT, but I have stopped uploading there for 6 weeks, and FT pushes back files of portfolios that do not offer fresh content. So if you havent stopped uploading, my experience is most likely different from yours.

tab62

« Reply #2 on: August 19, 2013, 14:03 »
+1
my portfolio is well rounded, like me, thus not seasonal. I have had very stable sales for over a year and continue to upload around 60 plus images a month thus no solid reason for the big drop this month. I usually net around $40 per month but at $6 this month so far- just trying to seek logic in a not so logical microstock world  8)



« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2013, 14:04 »
+2
Is anyone else having a real bad month on Fotolia in sales besides me? Did they do a change in their search engine?

I'm having a horrifically bad month at FT. I'm currently projected to be nearly 65% down ... on July! Sales at FT have fallen off a cliff for me. They are currently half my earnings at DT and now barely above BigStock.

The strange thing is my overall ranking has hardly slipped backwards at all, although sales have been on the slide for months, which suggests that those around me are suffering similarly.

« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2013, 14:04 »
0
My sales are bad (well - it's not disaster I would say 70% of what I expected) but my "7 Days Rank" is relatively good.
It means a) FT sales are generally slower in August b) "7 Days Rank" figure is nonsense.

dbvirago

« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2013, 15:03 »
0
FT on track for worst month since June '07. DT and SS picked up some from earlier slow start, but overall, looking to be worst month since 2011.

marthamarks

« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2013, 15:05 »
+1
FT on track for worst month since June '07. DT and SS picked up some from earlier slow start, but overall, looking to be worst month since 2011.

Same here. Across all agencies. Reckon they know I'm building a SYS site and are having their revenge?  8)

tab62

« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2013, 15:10 »
0
"The strange thing is my overall ranking has hardly slipped backwards at all, although sales have been on the slide for months, which suggests that those around me are suffering similarly."

This states it clearly! It confirmed what I thought.  Let's just hope September turns around...

Ron

« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2013, 15:30 »
0
Why is this thread in off topic actually?

tab62

« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2013, 15:32 »
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because I got chewed big time for doing in the regular area a while back for something similar thus the off topic is a safe zone - I hope?   :(



Ron

« Reply #10 on: August 19, 2013, 16:13 »
0
because I got chewed big time for doing in the regular area a while back for something similar thus the off topic is a safe zone - I hope?   :(
Apparently its not a safe zone, because someone moved it for you regardless of your wishes.

« Reply #11 on: August 19, 2013, 16:32 »
0
I am at $10 for the month of Aug.  On track to make $20.  Last month $56, June $75, May $92, April $85.  That says it all for me.

« Reply #12 on: August 19, 2013, 16:38 »
+1

Ron

« Reply #13 on: August 19, 2013, 16:53 »
0
July was 50% down to June, however August is today the same as the whole month of July. Still slow, because I wont beat my BME, which was June.

« Reply #14 on: August 19, 2013, 16:54 »
0
My sales are dreadful too

tab62

« Reply #15 on: August 19, 2013, 17:12 »
0
The graph looks like a stock that took off and than crashed - similar to my investments lol! I tend to buy late in the game thus at the peak price. The buy High sell Low...

gillian vann

  • *Gillian*
« Reply #16 on: August 19, 2013, 17:16 »
0
^ in that case, I've got some great apartments on the Gold Coast you may be interested in buying :D

dbvirago

« Reply #17 on: August 19, 2013, 17:27 »
+4
My chart. Quick and dirty, but the peak was in April 09.



For comp purposes, here is SS - same period




« Reply #18 on: August 20, 2013, 10:38 »
0
Wonder if those rushed changes to unsold files was a panic reaction to falling sales? If it was doesn't look like its done much good.

Dan

« Reply #19 on: August 20, 2013, 11:03 »
0
usually  FT    is  good  for  me  but  things  have  been  slow  so  far  for  Aug.

Ron

« Reply #20 on: August 20, 2013, 12:01 »
+1
usually  FT    is  good  for  me  but  things  have  been  slow  so  far  for  Aug.
You have 8 files on FT. Of course its slow. You have 1 good seller there with 31 downloads. Build on that image of the mailbox. Its used on many places on the internet so its a commercial image. That should give you some ideas.

PZF

« Reply #21 on: August 21, 2013, 02:45 »
0
Sales weak but virtually all at 22cents or so earnings HORRIBLE this month.....!

Ron

« Reply #22 on: August 21, 2013, 02:56 »
0
Sales weak but virtually all at 22cents or so earnings HORRIBLE this month.....!
I have noticed a shift to subs on FT as well. Its killing my earnings.

« Reply #23 on: August 21, 2013, 03:18 »
+2
From my perspective, FT is almost non-existent.
I joined in the late January. In February I had 9 sales, March 4, April 3, May 4, June 2, July 1, August so far, 1.
In February I had 20 images, now 120.
I continue to see FT in the top tier, but it seems strange to me. CS works better for me.
Maybe my port has a bad CV, but on SS I have some regular sales.

« Reply #24 on: August 21, 2013, 03:44 »
+1
Every agency is slow this month, sales are crawling in at a snail's pace.
However, FT is currently dead last - behind 123rf, behind DT and of course behind SS and Stocksy.

« Reply #25 on: August 21, 2013, 04:15 »
+5
It hurts to look at this chart.  So different to SS, I can still get BME's with them but I just get a fraction of my best months with FT.  I'm sure that if FT hadn't crippled my earnings, I would of worked much harder with them but I suppose that doesn't matter to them?
« Last Edit: August 21, 2013, 04:21 by sharpshot »

« Reply #26 on: August 21, 2013, 11:58 »
+1
My dl charts reads like a total disaster.  From  a peak of over 1000 dls a month to lows of under 200 !!! It's slightly on the up this year.

« Reply #27 on: August 21, 2013, 13:37 »
0


one of my "best sellers"

« Reply #28 on: August 21, 2013, 13:58 »
0


one of my "best sellers"
How do you get stats on individual images?

« Reply #29 on: August 21, 2013, 13:58 »
+1

« Reply #30 on: August 21, 2013, 14:19 »
0

tab62

« Reply #31 on: August 21, 2013, 15:57 »
0
After the August voting we will see some shifting for sure. Shutter and iStock will hold their slots but it will be fair game for the others. Would be surprised at all if FT goes to the middle position of Middle Tier with DP and 123F taking on DT...

« Reply #32 on: August 22, 2013, 05:10 »
0
Something very strange happened to Fotolia in the middle of the last week. Sales dropped twice.....

« Reply #33 on: August 22, 2013, 07:36 »
0
Something very strange happened to Fotolia in the middle of the last week. Sales dropped twice.....

Clearly something is happening BAD.  The data that some of the peeps here like sharpshot are posting are not just depressing but revealing.  My graph is a lot like Sharpshots but so are others here.  I haven't seen anyone post the opposite or at least post anything that shows they aren't growing or dropping....just staying the same.  My gut tells me that they are hurting at FT and what we are seeing (based on a limited sample, of course) is a dying business.  When there are search tweaks there's usually winners and losers, but I am seeiing only the losing end post here.  Maybe that's the only time we post is when our sales drop....that's human nature.  But I just can't help but feel that their sales revenue is falling and they are trying to make up lost sales by fkng with the way they position popular images to be level one so they keep more of the doe.  Someone posted that FT sent them a response email that they were enjoying record sales.  I find that hard to believe, personally.

Ron

« Reply #34 on: August 22, 2013, 07:56 »
+1
I was growing steadily until July when I dropped about 50%, I blamed the summer slump, August seems to pick up but its mostly subs and still only 34 DLs where I normally would have around 70. One EL gave me a little boost, otherwise it would be the same mess as July because the downloads are still 50% down. It seems that it all coincides with the introduction of the lower pricing for non sellers.

« Reply #35 on: August 22, 2013, 08:27 »
0
I'll repeat myself from the other post. My 7 days rank used to be around 200 - 250. Now it is 290 so not a huge drop compared to double drop in revenue.
It must have been some overnight change. 2 weeks ago Fotolia was doing pretty good to me.

tab62

« Reply #36 on: August 22, 2013, 09:27 »
0
after reading all of these I have confirmed my concerns- not good...

« Reply #37 on: August 22, 2013, 09:56 »
0
Similar trend here...

« Reply #38 on: August 22, 2013, 15:18 »
0
sales seem steady maybe even increasing very slightly but price /commission cuts has resulted in a decline.  I have a graph of RPI (adjusted by port size per site each month)  DT / SS are rising, FT is falling and IS (which was double ss up to the end of last year) has fallen off a cliff but probably still better than DT / FT

OM

« Reply #39 on: August 24, 2013, 18:54 »
0
FT is just funny (peculiar!). Not a place to build a business as it's just too 'undependable'.. goes up and down too much. This month is OK so far but OK is very relative. Won't reach payout this month (normally takes 2 months anyway) but should be at 80% by the end of next week instead of 40-50%. Almost doubled my footprint there in the past  18 months with 400 images now.
The ratio of subs to dl's is getting ever closer to 50% but I'd rather have a 29cent sub than a 25 cent XS dl. Never have EL's at FT despite pricing at 50-70 credits (not doin' 'em cheaper than that!).

Compared with SS where I started 15 months ago and have half the number of images of FT, since October I haven't missed a payout. At SS I do get the occasional EL and got one on the first day of August, so I'll be way above payout this month too at SS.

Really for me, what it comes down to is consistency/reliability of income from increasing effort. SS delivers and FT used to (2-3 years ago) but no longer does. Mind you they seem to accept just about everything I throw at them in contrast to SS where some rejections for bum white balance (in daylight) and trademark violations (on antiques) just seem a bit out of whack. Not a big deal and I've learned to move on very quickly.
« Last Edit: September 17, 2013, 10:50 by OM »

« Reply #40 on: August 26, 2013, 15:34 »
0
Today was back to normal (gold/emerald). Fotolia is a funny creature ;) Maybe they were testing something for last 2 weeks. Hope it's back on track.

« Reply #41 on: August 27, 2013, 05:14 »
0
I'm a small bronze fish but sales seem more normal the last couple of days - don't know if its the season or something else.

« Reply #42 on: August 27, 2013, 16:37 »
0
I have so low sales on Fotolia, but August are being horrible

dbvirago

« Reply #43 on: August 27, 2013, 20:05 »
0
FT on track for worst month since June '07. DT and SS picked up some from earlier slow start, but overall, looking to be worst month since 2011.

Revising estimate to worst month since Sept. of 06, 8 months after I started there , which at that time was a BME

« Reply #44 on: August 28, 2013, 07:34 »
+4
I just ran my monthly credit total and it's $50, only nearly 50% down.  Gee, thanks FT.  I hope your sales are indeed at RECORD levels.....BTW FT are you SURE you didn't mean margins? I mean you're sneaky commission debacle should be netting you more of OUR money.  FT, how can you possibly think we believe your statement that you are experiencing record sales? Most everyone reporting here is WAY down in commissions and sales.  Usually the companies who are about to sink like the Titanic try to convince everyone that they are doing great....YOU by saying "sales are at an all time high" (or something thereabouts) when I suspect they are at an all time low and you are putting on your life jackets and lowering the lifeboats.  It would be nice to finally see a greedy company like you sink FAST.


« Reply #45 on: August 28, 2013, 08:49 »
0
Also experiencing pretty low sales this month/ recent weeks - and the ones coming thru mostly sub or XS at miserably low returns!   Funny how the subs even at xl and xxl sizes yield the same low revenue - that should really be changed across the board  >:(

lisafx

« Reply #46 on: August 28, 2013, 12:49 »
0
Yep.  Decline continues here.  On schedule this month to make less than 1/4 of what a typical month was in 2011.  Nowhere else have I seen a decline anywhere near this bad.  Even Istock is doing better than FT.   :o

« Reply #47 on: August 28, 2013, 13:55 »
+2
For me, even Bigstock has blown by FT for earnings.

Ron

« Reply #48 on: August 28, 2013, 16:53 »
+1
I had an EL this month and still 25% down, and ELs are freak accidents on FT, so I consider myself to be 50% down on FT  and it happened from one day to the next. July was 50% down and August is as bad as July. So I stopped uploading to FT, which is punished by FT by pushing me back in the search. Which will in the end result in reducing more and more unsold images to the lowest pricing. So in the end Fotolia is actively killing off my portfolio, while one would think this would hurt them too. You would like to believe an agency would entice me to upload, but in fact they just kill me off. What is wrong with these people?

Dan

« Reply #49 on: September 07, 2013, 11:21 »
-1
     Sales  for  AUG  were  down  and  SEPT  is  looking  the  same  (even  with  my  sub  sale  today).  hopig  things  will  pick  up.

fritz

  • I love Tom and Jerry music

« Reply #50 on: September 07, 2013, 18:04 »
0
For me, even Bigstock has blown by FT for earnings.
Same here!

tab62

« Reply #51 on: September 07, 2013, 18:05 »
+1
"Sales  for  AUG  were  down  and  SEPT  is  looking  the  same  (even  with  my  sub  sale  today).  hopig  things  will  pick  up."

Sales will pick up if you spend time learning to light and setup better Dan. Did you finish the Strobist 101 and 102 courses already? 

Sitting around hoping your sales will pick up isn't going to do much.

Here's another good string to start learning----

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2013/08/annual-road-trip-and-major-site.html


PS
Okay, this will be my last time trying to direct you. The old Saying- "You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make them Drink"

gillian vann

  • *Gillian*
« Reply #52 on: September 09, 2013, 06:08 »
+2
well I just sold an XL file and earned myself 27c, let's break out the champagne!

how much longer will we all take this? I hardly upload to FT anymore, but it hurts to see niche shots selling so cheaply.

OM

« Reply #53 on: September 09, 2013, 18:48 »
0
Strangely, FT has been better than normal for me last month and Sept so far. I even reached payout after 5 weeks instead of the recent norm of ~8 weeks!  ;D
Loads of subs but with XS dl's earning even less than a sub, I am learning to love subs too.  ;D
(No I'm not really. Think I dislike XL and XXL subs even more-too many pixel for too little pecunia).

Beppe Grillo

« Reply #54 on: September 10, 2013, 04:03 »
0
well I just sold an XL file and earned myself 27c, let's break out the champagne!

how much longer will we all take this? I hardly upload to FT anymore, but it hurts to see niche shots selling so cheaply.

You have a lot of fortune, they give me only 25 for an XXL :(

« Reply #55 on: September 10, 2013, 04:24 »
0
I am still a newbie to many sites,but Fotolia has a much higher return per download than SS at the moment and sells really well. Maybe keywording in German gives me an advantage, but they are performing much better than I expected.

OM

« Reply #56 on: September 10, 2013, 07:41 »
+1
I am still a newbie to many sites,but Fotolia has a much higher return per download than SS at the moment and sells really well. Maybe keywording in German gives me an advantage, but they are performing much better than I expected.

Therein lays the clue IMO. And lets face it, if you are a continental European with your own language, what is easier and better to be able to search in that language?
You also have the added advantage of receiving credits and payouts in whole euros too, I assume.

« Reply #57 on: September 10, 2013, 08:15 »
0

« Reply #58 on: September 10, 2013, 08:55 »
0
Yes, I get paid in euros,makes a big difference. And the difference in German and English keywords can be staggering. It is even more drastic with very special words that dont really exist in English,so the english speaking contributors wouldnt even be able to add an equivalent.

Instead of competing with 60 000 files, in some searches I am suddenly in a comfortable club of 600.

It must be the same for French or Spanish speakers, huge language specific buyer base.

And of course like this Fotolia attracts a lot of local content, they certainly have the biggest choice in local German files.
« Last Edit: September 10, 2013, 08:57 by cobalt »

OM

« Reply #59 on: September 11, 2013, 03:33 »
+1
Yep. Pity I didn't realise the advantages when I joined. I'm a Brit in NL but joined FT UK because I didn't fancy wading through the application to join in German. Getting paid in would be an advantage compared to lousy X-change rates and 0.75 credits but then I'd have to keyword in German and I doubt I could.

I did set up a second account in Euro and English when FT made that available (around 2009?) but that never really got going compared to the UK account. Maybe contributors to the Euro-English FT are at a disadvantage in the search anyway....if I ran it to make the most profit, I would not be too pleased with getting in US$ from customers and having to pay out contributors in Euros. When customers search in German or French, it's pretty certain that they're paying from a Euro account (Euros in and Euros out =OK).


 

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