MicrostockGroup

The introduction of P+ images for independent contributors will undoubtedly have a positive effect on their RC totals by the end of the year and therefore targets may be adjusted accordingly.

Before we see the full effect of P+ images in boosting RC's, thereby distorting the year-to-date trend, it would interesting to hear how other contributors are doing so far in 2011, both independent and exclusive.

To project forward your RC total until the end of the year simply divide your RC total today (10th May) by 4.33 and then multiply by 12. Then divide the projected total RC's for 2011 by actual RC's for 2010 to work out whether you are up or down and by how much.

Obviously there may be some seasonal variation that will not be taken into account but for most contributors I doubt that it will make too much difference.

As it happens my own RC total for 2011 is projected to be 14% down on my total for 2010.

You seem a little tooo certain about that. Customers are already upset about having Vetta and Agency files shoved down their throats and yet another increase and price point will only turn them off even more.  As more customers leave my bet is that everyones' total RC's will drop when compared to the prior year.  I don't see anything positive at iStock at the moment.  Any positive effects will be cancelled out by fleeing customers going to other sites.  

I'm trending down 7% but the summer isn't here yet so it would probably have ended up significantly worse than that without a Photos+ boost.

You're right that growth could throw the calculation completely off course but after a certain time uploading just seems to fill in for the effects of aging of files. So this calculation probably works for large, old, active portfolios.

For the purposes of this exercise portfolio growth is likely to be fairly inconsequential for contributors who have been in microstock for a few years. It's all relative to the size of the greater market. Obviously it is very significant for relative newbies but, trust me, the growth in your earnings will slow down all too soon!

Even Sean, who has added about 2000 images in the last year (roughly 25% increase to port) has reported his actual sales to have slipped by 20% over the same period. Exclusive contributors may also have benefited RC-wise if they have a large number of Vetta/Agency files. There are also others who were hit hard by the credit-card scam and who 'benefited' from the RC's but not the actual sales. Those are all distortions to the overall picture however, as it is all relative, by not too much.

About 7% down, which can't be good. I'd have to do quite a bit better to go up a notch, although I'd also have to do quite a bit worse to drop back at present RC levels.

If I did drop a level, I'd also drop exclusivity for sure.

I'm still far from certain that the master plan isn't to have the vast majority of exclusives on 20 or 25% before too long.

NONE of this nonsense is in any way beneficial to any of us.

Then the sales degradation (amortization of your portfolio )i s only a another variable to throw in to the equation. in your case for example if you would have added 30% more files I guess you could expect a increase in revenue.
My calculations and bussiness plan are based on a 25% sales degredation (RPI) per year. so far my RPI is VERY steady though so everything is going better then expected for us.

As said, the OP's methood is good for old and stagnating portfolios and NOT for high growth portfolios (20% isn't high growth).

Down 20%.  I stopped uploading in September and have been deleting nonsellers since then.

Lol, yeah, that's me.  Stagnating.

It means nothing until they release the targets, no?

*sigh*

Good luck with your 'bussiness plan' then and shame on Sean for stagnating the way he has. You need to teach him more about your methods for success in microstock and stop him stagnating immediately.

Down 15%

I have only uploaded some editorial images this year so far though, so not much portfolio growth. I have a lot of stuff I haven't uploaded because of the many bugs (with aRGB images and new stuff getting buried).

Typically the last 3 months of the year are very strong for me, but as this best match change has been horrible, I'm not all that optimistic at the moment.

18% down. My port has 100% stagnated since the commission drop announcement. Unless there are some drastic changes to the RC targets I'll still end up in the same low % category.