I am calm, there's still time

a bit more than 2000

For me it all ended in 2014, I had a small fraction of the sales of previous years.  I'd decided to give up in 2015 and close it; but I had a sale early in January so I left it alone.  Then a bunch in August, and a bunch in October, so I've made a few hundred bucks this year and I'll leave the account open.   It isn't like the other sites where you get about the same number of sales every month, and we'll never know why.  Maybe some sort of contributor rotation.   

It seems to me that photogs based in Europe (or have large Euro content) seem to do much better than those with i ages based in North America
Just my observation

The number of sales at Alamy for me has been increasing steadily (year over year increase between 2013 and 2015 is exactly linear), but gross revenue is increasing at a much slower pace.

Still, I made a decent number of sales for a decent amount, so it wasn't a bad year for me.

@Zero: your port is doing relatively well there, considering it's so small.

Thanks!

It seems to me that photogs based in Europe (or have large Euro content) seem to do much better than those with i ages based in North America
Just my observation

I'm US based with mainly US content, if that matters.

Quote from: Zero Talent on December 10, 2015, 13:44

Quote from: ShadySue on December 10, 2015, 12:39

@Zero: your port is doing relatively well there, considering it's so small.

Thanks!

Quote from: noodle on December 10, 2015, 12:28

It seems to me that photogs based in Europe (or have large Euro content) seem to do much better than those with i ages based in North America
Just my observation

I'm US based with mainly US content, if that matters.

You are an anomoly
I would keep uploading there if i were you, you obviously have the images that are wanted

I keep uploading, but I tend to procrastinate my keywording.
Such a cumbersome system! A lot of work for 2-3% of the revenue.

I've never understood their keywording system so I didn't even try.  It's just too much hassle.    I just cut/pasted all the keywords from the bottom box (where they're put by default, just to make things more of a pain) into the middle box,  then entered a few into that little box (whatever it's called) and moved on.

If Alamy was serious about getting more contributors and new submissions, they'd have fixed this process long ago.  But apparently no one there cares anymore, or can do anything about it. 

I don't submit there anymore - or to any microstocks. 

I don't submit there anymore - or to any microstocks.

Just curious then why you're here?
Where do you license your work?

Alamy is getting better for me. I only have just over 1000 images and sold over 30 this year.

Quote from: wordplanet on December 11, 2015, 13:10

Quote from: stockastic on December 11, 2015, 13:07

I don't submit there anymore - or to any microstocks.

Just curious then why you're here?
Where do you license your work?

Mostly here for the entertainment value, but I still have photos on SS, DT, GL and Alamy.   I sell prints on FAA once in a while and would really like to see more discussion of PODS.   I don't take any photos for 'stock' anymore, just for print sales.

FAA is only 1-2% of my total. There is a shipping cost problem there. Charging >$300 for shipping, when the product itself costs $400 is too much for most customers. I lost potential buyers because of this.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

Quote from: Zero Talent on December 12, 2015, 14:52

Quote from: stockastic on December 12, 2015, 14:17

Quote from: wordplanet on December 11, 2015, 13:10

Quote from: stockastic on December 11, 2015, 13:07

I don't submit there anymore - or to any microstocks.

Just curious then why you're here?
Where do you license your work?

Mostly here for the entertainment value, but I still have photos on SS, DT, GL and Alamy.   I sell prints on FAA once in a while and would really like to see more discussion of PODS.   I don't take any photos for 'stock' anymore, just for print sales.

FAA is only 1-2% of my total. There is a shipping cost problem there. Charging >$300 for shipping, when the product itself costs $400 is too much for most customers. I lost potential buyers because of this.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

Yes the shipping is often a deal breaker.   But I don't have any marketing of my own, the only sales I get are via keyword search.  So for me, FAA is the only game in town.  I never sold a thing on RedBubble.   FAA is at least trying to reduce shipping costs by lining up international fulfilment partners, so prints aren't all shipped from the U.S.

The case I'm talking about involves shipping within US, not international.

Here is a message from a lost customer:

I work in the Bronx and live in Westchester NY.  I am interested in this awesome piece in 84''x23'' (approx.) canvas wrapped mirrored.  My issue is paying $312.00 for shipping. It is listed for $475.00, with shipping comes to almost $790.00. I love the piece, but don't want to pay that for shipping

Many people have complained, on FAA's forum, about shipping costs and the official answer has always been - they are what they are, we have no control.  And they show comparisons with other retailers to prove their point.  I haven't tried to analyze this but apparently when you get into sizeable framed prints, the cost just skyrockets because the shipping boxes are so large.

I used to think that the answer would be to have local fulfilment via framing shops that sell prints.  But then FAA made some deals with print/poster retailers that required us to accept a 50% commission cut and I opted out.  So, FAA isn't going to be the answer and I really hope something better comes along.

Sorry if I hijacked a thread here.

I went to UPS a while ago to try and ship a boxed 40x60 canvas wrap. I forget what they quoted me but it was well over $100 for the shipping plus from what I remember they said they wouldn't ship it in the box it was in. I didn't bother asking for their box price but I'd guess the total would have been well over $200. For bigger stuff like that 84x23 might require freight shipping which $300 doesn't surprise me. One of the print vendors I use requires crates for certain larger prints like wood or metal and the create alone is $100.

Some print vendors roll the shipping cost into the price so the shipping doesn't look so crazy. Some larger print vendors probably have a major volume discount worked out with FedEx and UPS. Maybe FAA isn't in a position to do either.

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