Author Topic: 22% decline In 2012 sales compared to 2011 (Read 3207 times)

Sion · « **Reply #25 on:** July 07, 2012, 03:44 »

Quote from: Pickerell on July 04, 2012, 14:37

.... On average this contributor group had 22% fewer sales in the first half of 2012 than they had during the same period in 2011.

Stock sales reflect the worldwide economic conditions?

Never lose heart and the hope that the sun will shine brighter and longer one day.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #26 on:** July 07, 2012, 10:16 »

Quote from: asiseeit on July 06, 2012, 21:38

Quote from: Pickerell on July 04, 2012, 14:37
I’ve just completed an analysis of the downloads of 193 of iStock’s leading contributors. As of June 30th these people had a total of 30,449,000+ downloads, or about 24% of iStock’s total downloads since they the company was founded. On average this contributor group had 22% fewer sales in the first half of 2012 than they had during the same period in 2011. This doesn’t necessarily mean revenue was down. Customers may have purchased higher priced images. But a drop of this magnitude in the number of images licensed is cause for concern. To see how I arrived at my conclusions check out http://www.selling-stock.com/Article/trends-at-istockphoto-unit-sales-decline. What do you think?

I think... earnings per download are over 22% higher than 2011.

Edit: Just checked, it's about twice that.

honestly I don´t understand why so many exclusives report a big drop in sales/downloads, weird!

jsnover · « **Reply #27 on:** July 07, 2012, 12:02 »

E+ and Vetta prices have increased a lot over the last couple of years - as well as the basic exclusive prices. Offsetting the drops in downloads with sales at those higher prices is fine at the beginning, but truly isn't sustainable over time - without more price increases, how are you going to grow in the future? Tripling your portfolio each year?

Lagereek · « **Reply #28 on:** July 07, 2012, 14:24 »

Quote from: jsnover on July 07, 2012, 12:02

E+ and Vetta prices have increased a lot over the last couple of years - as well as the basic exclusive prices. Offsetting the drops in downloads with sales at those higher prices is fine at the beginning, but truly isn't sustainable over time - without more price increases, how are you going to grow in the future? Tripling your portfolio each year?

Know what? they dont care, growing or not growing, its all in the laps of Getty, the IS, admin, is stripped of just about everything and havent got any say, getting their salary regardless, so why should they care? theyre 9 to 5 workers, thats it.

lisafx · « **Reply #29 on:** July 07, 2012, 14:42 »

Quote from: jsnover on July 07, 2012, 12:02

E+ and Vetta prices have increased a lot over the last couple of years - as well as the basic exclusive prices. Offsetting the drops in downloads with sales at those higher prices is fine at the beginning, but truly isn't sustainable over time - without more price increases, how are you going to grow in the future? Tripling your portfolio each year?

You're exactly right about that. This was one of the factors that kept me from going exclusive a couple of years ago. Can't keep raising prices forever to cover loss of sales.

In fact, it's a self-feeding loop. Sales drop->raise prices->buyers leave->sales drop more->raise prices more.... Eventually it's just going to be a ghost town.

Mantis · « **Reply #30 on:** July 07, 2012, 15:49 »

I am about even with June of last year when comparing last year ..June.. to now if i take i to account stick stock. Otherwise I would be off by $100 to $200 per month.....25%

Freedom · « **Reply #31 on:** July 07, 2012, 21:50 »

Not that weird. Many who sell well keep things to themselves because they don't want to be copied.

I bet those who tend to complain about $$ are those who have few E+.

Quote from: luissantos84 on July 07, 2012, 10:16

honestly I don´t understand why so many exclusives report a big drop in sales/downloads, weird!

luissantos84 · « **Reply #32 on:** July 07, 2012, 22:01 »

Quote from: Freedom on July 07, 2012, 21:50

Not that weird. Many who sell well keep things to themselves because they don't want to be copied.

I bet those who tend to complain about $$ are those who have few E+.

Quote from: luissantos84 on July 07, 2012, 10:16

honestly I don´t understand why so many exclusives report a big drop in sales/downloads, weird!

sure there are many doing just fine but the trend ain´t positive

Freedom · « **Reply #33 on:** July 07, 2012, 22:11 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on July 07, 2012, 22:01

Quote from: Freedom on July 07, 2012, 21:50
Not that weird. Many who sell well keep things to themselves because they don't want to be copied.

I bet those who tend to complain about $$ are those who have few E+.

Quote from: luissantos84 on July 07, 2012, 10:16

honestly I don´t understand why so many exclusives report a big drop in sales/downloads, weird!

sure there are many doing just fine but the trend ain´t positive

For some.

stockmarketer · « **Reply #34 on:** July 08, 2012, 06:50 »

For the first seven days of July, I'm up 15% from the same period last year.

Most of the agencies are showing higher gains than this, but the lousy performance of IS, DT and FT this year are offsetting everyone else.

EDIT: Just realized most people are just talking about IS... In isolation, they are down about 12% for me during first week of July.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #35 on:** July 08, 2012, 10:56 »

Quote from: Freedom on July 07, 2012, 22:11

Quote from: luissantos84 on July 07, 2012, 22:01
Quote from: Freedom on July 07, 2012, 21:50
Not that weird. Many who sell well keep things to themselves because they don't want to be copied.

I bet those who tend to complain about $$ are those who have few E+.

Quote from: luissantos84 on July 07, 2012, 10:16

honestly I don´t understand why so many exclusives report a big drop in sales/downloads, weird!

sure there are many doing just fine but the trend ain´t positive

For some.

its incredible how can some exclusives still think that iStock is going the right way, wow! thats just crazy IMO! sure everybody is concerned about their own income but seeing other dropping so fast I would be worried too...

Pickerell · « **Reply #36 on:** July 09, 2012, 09:01 »

Quote from: lisafx on July 07, 2012, 14:42

Quote from: jsnover on July 07, 2012, 12:02
E+ and Vetta prices have increased a lot over the last couple of years - as well as the basic exclusive prices. Offsetting the drops in downloads with sales at those higher prices is fine at the beginning, but truly isn't sustainable over time - without more price increases, how are you going to grow in the future? Tripling your portfolio each year?

You're exactly right about that. This was one of the factors that kept me from going exclusive a couple of years ago. Can't keep raising prices forever to cover loss of sales.

In fact, it's a self-feeding loop. Sales drop->raise prices->buyers leave->sales drop more->raise prices more.... Eventually it's just going to be a ghost town.

It is interesting that Getty did exactly the same thing with macrostock RF back around 2001. At that time the average price of an RF image on Getty was about $97. In two and a half years they had pushed the average price up to $240. During that period Getty acquired several RF distributors and production companies and in general added a lot more content, but the total number of images licensed remained flat.

Meanwhile meanwhile many RF users started saying, "stock photography is too expensive" and "I need cheaper images." They started trading images among themselves and microstock was born.

What will be next? Don't ignore history.

Lagereek · « **Reply #37 on:** July 09, 2012, 09:16 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on July 08, 2012, 10:56

Quote from: Freedom on July 07, 2012, 22:11
Quote from: luissantos84 on July 07, 2012, 22:01
Quote from: Freedom on July 07, 2012, 21:50
Not that weird. Many who sell well keep things to themselves because they don't want to be copied.

I bet those who tend to complain about $$ are those who have few E+.

Quote from: luissantos84 on July 07, 2012, 10:16

honestly I don´t understand why so many exclusives report a big drop in sales/downloads, weird!

sure there are many doing just fine but the trend ain´t positive

For some.

its incredible how can some exclusives still think that iStock is going the right way, wow! thats just crazy IMO! sure everybody is concerned about their own income but seeing other dropping so fast I would be worried too...

I doubt it Luis! very much indeed. I know many, many IS exclusives, Diamonds and Golds and they are worried stiff and especially about the future. They can not voice their worries over any forums and its frustrating. Whats their options? as exclusives and with big ports you simply have to ride it out, dont you, take the rough with the smooth, end of story.

The few IS exclusives coming on here pretending not to worry, well, no more then a spit in the ocean and with the same worn out glib.

ShadySue · « **Reply #38 on:** July 09, 2012, 09:19 »

Quote from: Lagereek on July 09, 2012, 09:16

I know many, many IS exclusives, Diamonds and Golds and they are worried stiff and especially about the future. They can not voice their worries over any forums and its frustrating.

Why can't they 'voice their worry' on forums? Plenty of us do it here. Many people have voiced concern in the iStock June sales thread.

Lagereek · « **Reply #39 on:** July 09, 2012, 11:54 »

Quote from: ShadySue on July 09, 2012, 09:19

Quote from: Lagereek on July 09, 2012, 09:16
I know many, many IS exclusives, Diamonds and Golds and they are worried stiff and especially about the future. They can not voice their worries over any forums and its frustrating.
Why can't they 'voice their worry' on forums? Plenty of us do it here. Many people have voiced concern in the iStock June sales thread.

Yes you do Sue and a few others and thats commendable but many have got too much to loose and are ofcourse afraid to voice anything derrogative, which is understandable, since we all know the IS admin, etc.
Sales thread is a differant story and within IS, its accepted but in another forum? no sir.
Come on, you know the score, dont tell me you as an exclusive dont have friends within IS who are greatly concerned about the future.

ShadySue · « **Reply #40 on:** July 09, 2012, 12:28 »

Quote from: Lagereek on July 09, 2012, 11:54

Quote from: ShadySue on July 09, 2012, 09:19
Quote from: Lagereek on July 09, 2012, 09:16
I know many, many IS exclusives, Diamonds and Golds and they are worried stiff and especially about the future. They can not voice their worries over any forums and its frustrating.
Why can't they 'voice their worry' on forums? Plenty of us do it here. Many people have voiced concern in the iStock June sales thread.

Yes you do Sue and a few others and thats commendable but many have got too much to loose and are ofcourse afraid to voice anything derrogative, which is understandable, since we all know the IS admin, etc.
Sales thread is a differant story and within IS, its accepted but in another forum? no sir.
Come on, you know the score, dont tell me you as an exclusive dont have friends within IS who are greatly concerned about the future.

Of course, but your friends must be as wimpy as you.
Where's the 'more to lose': speaking up, or just waiting until the ship sinks?
Sean has more to lose than anyone, and he's not afraid to voice his concerns, and not just about falling sales.

lisafx · « **Reply #41 on:** July 09, 2012, 12:47 »

Quote from: ShadySue on July 09, 2012, 12:28

Quote from: Lagereek on July 09, 2012, 11:54
Quote from: ShadySue on July 09, 2012, 09:19
Quote from: Lagereek on July 09, 2012, 09:16
I know many, many IS exclusives, Diamonds and Golds and they are worried stiff and especially about the future. They can not voice their worries over any forums and its frustrating.
Why can't they 'voice their worry' on forums? Plenty of us do it here. Many people have voiced concern in the iStock June sales thread.

Yes you do Sue and a few others and thats commendable but many have got too much to loose and are ofcourse afraid to voice anything derrogative, which is understandable, since we all know the IS admin, etc.
Sales thread is a differant story and within IS, its accepted but in another forum? no sir.
Come on, you know the score, dont tell me you as an exclusive dont have friends within IS who are greatly concerned about the future.

Of course, but your friends must be as wimpy as you.
Where's the 'more to lose': speaking up, or just waiting until the ship sinks?
Sean has more to lose than anyone, and he's not afraid to voice his concerns, and not just about falling sales.

I would describe Christian as many things, but "wimpy" is not one of them, LOL.

I can easily believe that there are a lot of high level exclusives who are worried but not speaking up publicly. It has never been proven that any of the sites drop your images in the search based on what you say in forums, but if all my eggs were in any one basket I would be hesitant to call that site out publicly.

People who do like you, Liz, and Sean, deserve a lot of credit for cojones, but you guys seem to be the exception to the rule.

ShadySue · « **Reply #42 on:** July 09, 2012, 12:52 »

Quote from: lisafx on July 09, 2012, 12:47

I would describe Christian as many things, but "wimpy" is not one of them, LOL.

It's in relation to him thinking that Glasgow is scary (another thread).

Lagereek · « **Reply #43 on:** July 09, 2012, 12:55 »

Quote from: ShadySue on July 09, 2012, 12:28

Quote from: Lagereek on July 09, 2012, 11:54
Quote from: ShadySue on July 09, 2012, 09:19
Quote from: Lagereek on July 09, 2012, 09:16
I know many, many IS exclusives, Diamonds and Golds and they are worried stiff and especially about the future. They can not voice their worries over any forums and its frustrating.
Why can't they 'voice their worry' on forums? Plenty of us do it here. Many people have voiced concern in the iStock June sales thread.

Yes you do Sue and a few others and thats commendable but many have got too much to loose and are ofcourse afraid to voice anything derrogative, which is understandable, since we all know the IS admin, etc.
Sales thread is a differant story and within IS, its accepted but in another forum? no sir.
Come on, you know the score, dont tell me you as an exclusive dont have friends within IS who are greatly concerned about the future.

Of course, but your friends must be as wimpy as you.
Where's the 'more to lose': speaking up, or just waiting until the ship sinks?
Sean has more to lose than anyone, and he's not afraid to voice his concerns, and not just about falling sales.

I dont take any notice of your missinterpretation. Never mind. Seriously, you have just turned Gold with a meager 11K, dls, believe me there are plenty of contributors with a LOT more to lose AND, they are not wimps, far from it.
However, youre doing fine, walking a thin line between here and IS. Good on you.

all the best and lots of love. ( now dont get your knickers in a twist)

and Glasgow is still a weirdo place. The goebbles!

ShadySue · « **Reply #44 on:** July 09, 2012, 13:04 »

Quote from: Lagereek on July 09, 2012, 12:55

I dont take any notice of your missinterpretation. Never mind. Seriously, you have just turned Gold with a meager 11K, dls, believe me there are plenty of contributors with a LOT more to lose AND, they are not wimps, far from it.
However, youre doing fine, walking a thin line between here and IS. Good on you.

all the best and lots of love. ( now dont get your knickers in a twist) and Glasgow is still a weirdo place. The goebbles!

The more any particular contributor has to lose, the more iStock would have to lose by penalising them for telling the truth.
That's no doubt why Sean gets censured/censored less than others. They certainly don't want him quitting iS and spreading his work elsewhere.

Lagereek · « **Reply #45 on:** July 09, 2012, 13:09 »

Quote from: ShadySue on July 09, 2012, 13:04

Quote from: Lagereek on July 09, 2012, 12:55

I dont take any notice of your missinterpretation. Never mind. Seriously, you have just turned Gold with a meager 11K, dls, believe me there are plenty of contributors with a LOT more to lose AND, they are not wimps, far from it.
However, youre doing fine, walking a thin line between here and IS. Good on you.

all the best and lots of love. ( now dont get your knickers in a twist) and Glasgow is still a weirdo place. The goebbles!

The more any particular contributor has to lose, the more iStock would have to lose by penalising them for telling the truth.
That's no doubt why Sean gets censured/censored less than others. They certainly don't want him quitting iS and spreading his work elsewhere.

You are just being bloody stubborn on purpose here! they have already, by certain actions proved and beyond belief, that they are ready to forsake just about anybody, exept maybe the Seans and his alike but I bet you anything, if Sean, etc, got too heavy for them, no, they wouldnt care and I will tell you why.
The IS, admin of today are just 9-5,ers, thats all, they havent got any say. Getty runs the show, 110% and believe me, in the eyes of Getty, everyone and anything is expendible. Period.

now go get yourself some HAGGIS! and shutup!

thesentinel · « **Reply #46 on:** July 09, 2012, 13:13 »

Quote from: Lagereek on July 09, 2012, 12:55

all the best and lots of love. ( now dont get your knickers in a twist) and Glasgow is still a weirdo place. The goebbles!

I'm sure most of us have heard of " Godwins Law" aka "Reductio ad Hitlerum " But this bringing of Goebbels into the discussion is certainly out of the blue ;-)

Lagereek · « **Reply #47 on:** July 09, 2012, 13:21 »

Quote from: thesentinel on July 09, 2012, 13:13

Quote from: Lagereek on July 09, 2012, 12:55

all the best and lots of love. ( now dont get your knickers in a twist) and Glasgow is still a weirdo place. The goebbles!

I'm sure most of us have heard of " Godwins Law" aka "Reductio ad Hitlerum " But this bringing of Goebbels into the discussion is certainly out of the blue ;-)

Might have spellt it wrong but ask Sue, theres a special area or people in Glasgow under that name. Its got nothing to do with Josef Goebbles if thats what you thought.

ShadySue · « **Reply #48 on:** July 09, 2012, 13:32 »

Quote from: Lagereek on July 09, 2012, 13:21

Quote from: thesentinel on July 09, 2012, 13:13
Quote from: Lagereek on July 09, 2012, 12:55

all the best and lots of love. ( now dont get your knickers in a twist) and Glasgow is still a weirdo place. The goebbles!

I'm sure most of us have heard of " Godwins Law" aka "Reductio ad Hitlerum " But this bringing of Goebbels into the discussion is certainly out of the blue ;-)

Might have spellt it wrong but ask Sue, theres a special area or people in Glasgow under that name. Its got nothing to do with Josef Goebbles if thats what you thought.

I'm guessing you were thinking of a historically-deprived area of Glasgow called the Gorbals which "has long had a reputation as a gritty and rough area of Glasgow". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorbals
I've photogaphed in that area during the day a couple of times; my camera attracted more attention/commnet in the Gallowgate/Barras area.

Lagereek · « **Reply #49 on:** July 09, 2012, 13:37 »

Quote from: ShadySue on July 09, 2012, 13:32

Quote from: Lagereek on July 09, 2012, 13:21
Quote from: thesentinel on July 09, 2012, 13:13
Quote from: Lagereek on July 09, 2012, 12:55

all the best and lots of love. ( now dont get your knickers in a twist) and Glasgow is still a weirdo place. The goebbles!

I'm sure most of us have heard of " Godwins Law" aka "Reductio ad Hitlerum " But this bringing of Goebbels into the discussion is certainly out of the blue ;-)

Might have spellt it wrong but ask Sue, theres a special area or people in Glasgow under that name. Its got nothing to do with Josef Goebbles if thats what you thought.

I'm guessing you were thinking of a historically-deprived area of Glasgow called the Gorbals which "has long had a reputation as a gritty and rough area of Glasgow". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorbals
I've photogaphed in that area during the day a couple of times; my camera attracted more attention/commnet in the Gallowgate/Barras area.

Yes, yes, thats what I meant, the Gorbals, blimey, didnt I just spell that wrong

well to be fair I recon its no worse then the East-end in London, just happend to have gained a bad reputation I suppose. Today the East-end in London has become much more trendy with pubs, winebars, etc.