Sales dried up?

[Hongover]

I think it's down across the board because of the vacation season. Some people are already on vacation and my downloads are down about 30% for this week.

[Nikovsk]

In May I got -50% downloads comparing to March and only 1/3 of the revenue.

Looks like a death spiral, but there is the seasonal factor.

[Semmick Photo]

iS sales seem to have dried up

Get used to it

[Hildegarde]

I just started on Istock not long ago so maybe it is the newbie bump or a matter of my portfolio growing more than anything...
but I have had more sales there recently than other sites. 

However, still have a long way to go until I upload my photos and have sales I feel ok about.  Not an easy adjustment from art photographer to stock photo photographer!

[Rose Tinted Glasses]

iS sales seem to have dried up all of a sudden over the last 2 weeks - anyone else the same?

Not sure if you noticed or not, but when I click on the Istock icon your folio seems to be offline. That might have something to do with it.

[Rose Tinted Glasses]

iS sales seem to have dried up

Get used to it

Do you even have a folio there?

[ShadySue]

I have a portfolio there, so here are my June stats:
Compared to June 2014: dls -47%; $$ -27% (Thanks to only my second EL of the year. Even EL values seem to be shrinking).
Worst June since 2007, my sixth full month on iS.

For the first time ever, my Alamy $$ overtook iS (by less than a dollar), partly because of one highish value Alamy sale, and a higher than usual no of Alamy sales; but mostly because of iS constantly decreasing.
In particular, my portfolio after Sept 2012 seems to be almost invisible to credit buyers, but visible to sub buyers. I have no way to establish whether there is a different best match shown to sub buyers, but it's a thought.

Year on year, Jan - June is down 41% on last year. Subs and Google for June might raise that 2% or 3%.

The only possibly-positive thing was the mooted mirroring of exclusive editorial files on Getty (OTOH, we only get 20% for these), but after a quick move of about 3/4 of my editorial files, they've taken them all down (everybody's, not just mine) on a strange premise, and after three weeks, there's no sign of them being reinstated, or even if they're really intending to do so.

[Semmick Photo]

iS sales seem to have dried up

Get used to it

Do you even have a folio there?

I had a portfolio there, but  I am no deer staring in a couple of headlights. I got out to support the Getty/Google deal protests.

[Rose Tinted Glasses]

iS sales seem to have dried up

Get used to it

Do you even have a folio there?

I had a portfolio there, but  I am no deer staring in a couple of headlights. I got out to support the Getty/Google deal protests.

I figured as much. That said, your ultracrepidarian comments at times are self explanatory and have little if any substance or value attached.

[PixelBytes]

I had a surprisingly good June across most sites.  Better than typical June by a long ways. 

Except for Istock where sales are slowly crawling to a stop.  Even the PP and subs were down,  no wonder Getty is making sketchy deals like Fivrr and suing Google.   They are on the way to go out of business.

[Mantis]

Slower for me everywhere. On Istock I was $75 down in May and am $50 more down in June compared to may. Big drop when $450 a month is your avg. i will be in the low $300s for june once pp is complete. I just dont worry too much anymore unless it is a sudden collapse somewhere.

[Hongover]

I'm off to a good start (SS) for the month of July.

I'm expecting low download numbers on Friday and the weekend though. The US will be too busy celebrating instead of working. I have a number of coworkers taking a 4 days weekend. Things should pick right back up after the 3 day weekend.

[Johnski2015]

iS sales seem to have dried up

Get used to it

Do you even have a folio there?

Yeah I just set the iS link up incorrectly.... still no sales though

[Noedelhap]

Sales on iStock are horrible, compared to last year. If this continues I will be down 25% compared to 2014. Huge drop.

I blame the horrible decisions of iStock management and the September 2014 changes.

[Gannet77]

iS sales seem to have dried up

Get used to it

Do you even have a folio there?

I had a portfolio there, but  I am no deer staring in a couple of headlights. I got out to support the Getty/Google deal protests.

I figured as much. That said, your ultracrepidarian comments at times are self explanatory and have little if any substance or value attached.

"ultracrepidarian"!  Wow!!!

I like that word.

Personally, my June was pretty good, by current standards on IS - BMY for credit sales in fact, thanks to two ELs.  But one swallow doesn't make a summer, as they say - it'll take a few more good months before I feel there's any sort of improvement in the trend.

[ShadySue]

Personally, my June was pretty good, by current standards on IS - BMY for credit sales in fact, thanks to two ELs.  But one swallow doesn't make a summer, as they say - it'll take a few more good months before I feel there's any sort of improvement in the trend.

Good to read that someone is at least stable.
BTW, your post in this thread, and the total thread, highlights the problem with iStock's management. No matter how stupid their decisions, they are always right.
If I were you, and no reply with a day or two, I'd deactivate and resubmit. This is totally insufferable: http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=365797&messageid=7108599

[Gannet77]

Personally, my June was pretty good, by current standards on IS - BMY for credit sales in fact, thanks to two ELs.  But one swallow doesn't make a summer, as they say - it'll take a few more good months before I feel there's any sort of improvement in the trend.

Good to read that someone is at least stable.
BTW, your post in this thread, and the total thread, highlights the problem with iStock's management. No matter how stupid their decisions, they are always right.
If I were you, and no reply with a day or two, I'd deactivate and resubmit. This is totally insufferable: http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=365797&messageid=7108599

Not stable. 

My June was comparatively good for credit sales, but the overall trend for me has been depressingly downwards for the last year.  Some months a little better than others, but looking over the 12 month period May 2014-June 2015 as compared to May 2013-June 2014 my total GI/iStock income (all streams) is down 25%.

[KB]

My June was down over 50% in DLs and earnings as compared with 2014 (credit sales only, obviously). It was my WME. So you know my answer to this question.

[Silken Photography]

Personally, my June was pretty good, by current standards on IS - BMY for credit sales in fact, thanks to two ELs.  But one swallow doesn't make a summer, as they say - it'll take a few more good months before I feel there's any sort of improvement in the trend.

Good to read that someone is at least stable.
BTW, your post in this thread, and the total thread, highlights the problem with iStock's management. No matter how stupid their decisions, they are always right.
If I were you, and no reply with a day or two, I'd deactivate and resubmit. This is totally insufferable: http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=365797&messageid=7108599

Wow, that is... really quite special 

[Noedelhap]

Personally, my June was pretty good, by current standards on IS - BMY for credit sales in fact, thanks to two ELs.  But one swallow doesn't make a summer, as they say - it'll take a few more good months before I feel there's any sort of improvement in the trend.

Good to read that someone is at least stable.
BTW, your post in this thread, and the total thread, highlights the problem with iStock's management. No matter how stupid their decisions, they are always right.
If I were you, and no reply with a day or two, I'd deactivate and resubmit. This is totally insufferable: http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=365797&messageid=7108599

What the...? (I don't mean that as a reaction to your post, but to the weirdly retitled image in that thread)

[KB]

What the...? (I don't mean that as a reaction to your post, but to the weirdly retitled image in that thread)

You mean this one:
Buttyfull garden in the midel of the deserts and the other

Obviously, Getty has hired experts who are adept at creating titles that will greatly increase that file's SEO rank. I don't see the problem.

 

[ShadySue]

You don't know that Scotland is full of buttyful deserts?
Oh, right, it's a typo - we're full of butties and desserts.

[vectortoon]

Definitely Stopped, yes 

[landbysea]

I am not even showing a balance now. Nothing for July so far. This never happened in the 8 years I have been there. I have to say I don't put any effort in. It's not worth the effort or expense to shoot microstock anymore. June was very poor and I received no payment from Getty either.

[Hongover]

As expected, the weekend was the lowest I had on record. Even parts of India took the weekend off if they work for US companies.

Things should pick right back up today and move onward to a strong July

[Difydave]

I am not even showing a balance now. Nothing for July so far. This never happened in the 8 years I have been there. I have to say I don't put any effort in. It's not worth the effort or expense to shoot microstock anymore. June was very poor and I received no payment from Getty either.

I'm not doing quite as badly as this, but we're already on the 6th of the month.
OK it's been a holiday weekend in the USA we know, but I have what would have been a very poor single day's money at one time so far this month.
If this continues as it's going, and PP and GI payments are as bad as last month then I reckon this will be the worst month for many, many years.
I am, as I write this, uploading some more images. I must admit that I've been finding it increasingly difficult to raise much enthusiasm for uploading lately.
They whys and wherefores have all been said before, but I'm really feeling that uploading images which seem to drop out of sight without generating any income is less than businesslike.
Like many others here, I don't do this as some sort of hobby. 

[Semmick Photo]

Maybe it has something to do with Getty working very hard to come up will sorts of ways to give your images away for free.

Where all the other agencies actually make deals that pay us royalties, Getty is just throwing images on the internet, and in the process devaluing all images.

The one deal they made lately where you would get paid, was with Fiverr, an agency with a reputation of not giving a rats behind about copyrights. Where the Fiverr artists and Getty actually get a bigger cut than the photographers. 

[PixelBytes]

Maybe it has something to do with Getty working very hard to come up will sorts of ways to give your images away for free.

Yes, disgusting!!  They are contemptible.  The lowest of the low. 

[breamal73]

I don't know how bad things are over in the photos section but in the illustration section over the past couple of months there has been an explosion of spamming by a small minority of contributors, both old and new, who are increasingly dominating the search results for certain keywords and topics. Page after page of very basic or very similar images from the same contributors.
Wrong keywords, zero quality control by iStock, a best match system that reduces relevancy, a bug laden unintuitive user interface, it's all gone to pot.
Any buyer doing a search and seeing the absurd results will probably quickly leave and try another site.
Are things any better on the photo side because it's now a waste of time creating and uploading illustrations?

When I first joined iStock a few years back all the review sites and all the forums held iStock in the highest esteem, with by far the highest standards and reputation for quality. It was with great pride when I got accepted. It's not something I boast about anymore.

[tickstock]

According to the poll iStock sales for nonexclusives are up over 50% since last year.

[breamal73]

According to the poll iStock sales for nonexclusives are up over 50% since last year.

I don't understand what that means.
Up 50% total sales for all non exclusives? Up 50% per image? Royalties or DL numbers?

[tickstock]

According to the poll iStock sales for nonexclusives are up over 50% since last year.

I don't understand what that means.
Up 50% total sales for all non exclusives? Up 50% per image? Royalties or DL numbers?

Average monthly income from people reporting sales on this forum July 2014 compared to June 2015.

[breamal73]

So I'm missing out on the party then, but the change/trend I'm referring to is quite recent so we'll have to see how sales are affected over the next few months.
I guess I'll have to drop exclusivity and join the spammers uploading thousands of quick doodles each month to get any exposure.
If you can't beat  'em join 'em.

[PixelBytes]

According to the poll iStock sales for nonexclusives are up over 50% since last year.

Shocking!  That does not go with my experience at all!  The reverse is true for me and the others I read and talk to. 

[KB]

According to the poll iStock sales for nonexclusives are up over 50% since last year.

Shocking!  That does not go with my experience at all!  The reverse is true for me and the others I read and talk to. 

According to the Wayback Machine's snapshot of MSG on 3 Jul 2014, istock indies were at 31.6, vs 48.1 now. That is indeed up over 50%, and very difficult to understand.

Similarly, exclusives were at 154.9, vs 217.9 now. Not as large a percentage increase, but equally difficult to understand. My June 2015 was down over 50% from June 2014. That's the only number that's relevant to me, I guess. 

[Semmick Photo]

According to the poll iStock sales for nonexclusives are up over 50% since last year.

Shocking!  That does not go with my experience at all!  The reverse is true for me and the others I read and talk to. 

Funny, he/she is always the one making it clear that people lie about their earnings, but when the numbers are in his/her favour they are obviously correct and honest.

I think he/she is right though, people make up earnings. I think the IS figures have been doctored to get them up.

Leaf, can you see if there are weird figures entered for IS indies?

[ollyh]

My sales died very suddenly at iStock around June 6th. I emailed asking if anything had been changed on my account, they didnt really answer, and the next day sales seem to have very slowly started to return. Very odd...

[BigLeague]

If seasonal is a factor, compare with same time last year and year before etc.
Seasonal is one of many various factors, and everyone's experience will be different

[Tay]

If seasonal is a factor, compare with same time last year and year before etc.
Seasonal is one of many various factors, and everyone's experience will be different

Yes, but if you have a large portfolio and your income is 60% lower compared to last year that it means something..
There is no more hope for Istock. Every change what they made in the last three years was against contributors.

[dbvirago]

About once a month, I check the previous month's PP sales. Outside of that, not worth checking on. Been there 9 years and have a bout 3k images and YTD, they are 11th out of 12 agencies, including those with far fewer images