Author Topic: Why we love Microstock (blog post) (Read 20281 times)

Beppe Grillo · « **Reply #1 on:** March 18, 2015, 06:14 »

"Why we love Microstock"

We? You mean:
1) we (you) Alamy or
2) we contributors?

Answers:
1) Money (let's say the truth)
2) Pure masochism (let's say the truth [again])

……
All the rest is just marketing…

Semmick Photo · « **Reply #2 on:** March 18, 2015, 06:20 »

My word, what a poorly written blog, very short, and actually ads nothing new, no insights, nothing. It doesnt even answer why you love microstock.

StanRohrer · « **Reply #3 on:** March 18, 2015, 06:34 »

A whole lot of hints as to how Getty didn't understand the microstock model and crowdsourcing as a partnership. Hence iStock is forced into the older entrenched Getty model. Of, which, we see the floundering results today.

hjalmeida · « **Reply #4 on:** March 18, 2015, 06:50 »

Now, I hate microstock ...
I love microstock when I make money from my efforts, creativity and work. Those days are gone.

Shelma1 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 18, 2015, 06:59 »

I'm sorry. It's so poorly written I couldn't get through it. Alamy, you need an editor. Don't send that blog post out to the masses without a rewrite.

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #6 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:01 »

"Microstock has proved very successful and it would be naïve to suggest it’s all down to the price."

No, actually, it's all about the price.

Dook · « **Reply #7 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:16 »

Microstock Posts · « **Reply #8 on:** March 18, 2015, 13:48 »

"Forcing customers to buy credits may simplify the process on one hand, but can lead to customers paying too much, forgetting they have credits available and in some cases have them expire before they can use them."

Customers aren't forced to do anything, they could buy from sites like Alamy if they wish but microstock buyers prefer to license many images for the price of one of yours. And these forgetful buyers somehow keep remembering to come back and buy new credits.

DallasP · « **Reply #9 on:** March 18, 2015, 13:57 »

Quote from: Alamy on March 18, 2015, 06:07

Really, we do.

http://bit.ly/1beSD1u

Direct quotes from a conversation via text message the other day

Other person: "Best vector clip art download site located in the US? need to find a Labrador silhouette"

Me: "Hard to say for just one file ... find one you like with Google search and do a reverse image search to find where you can buy it. Most all of the sites have gone to a subscription making single image purchases way expensive"

Those single purchases are the only way to make money ... when we get as much from one sale as we do from ... what 40 or so? I mean ... I don't think WE love microstock as much as YOU do.

Mantis · « **Reply #10 on:** March 18, 2015, 16:43 »

I corrected their blog.

They brought an entrepreneurial drive to the Photo Industry, It was OK to try new things to push pricing down to next to nothing levels
They brought new customers ,who love the cheap, bottom of the barrel pricing,into the market, designers who may have relied on bespoke created, fair trade commissioned work, happily embraced stock
They made everyone up their game, on workflow, on user interface, on search, the list goes on for pennies commissions
They made it easier for customers to buy images and raised awareness that imagery ~~isn’t~~ is for all intents and purposes ‘free’

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #11 on:** March 18, 2015, 17:01 »

I have no idea what Alamy wants to say with this blog post. I understand all the words, but I have no idea - other than throwing around some buzzwords and trying to summarize what's been going on with microstock agencies since 2000 - the message is intended to be.

Even if Alamy does love microstock, so what?

Shutterstock can earn me hundreds of dollars a month even in the slow month, and I think my worst month on Shutterstock last year exceeded my total royalties from Alamy for the year. Whether it's all about price or whether service for the buyers is a part of it too - great looking site, excellent search results, good prices and licensing terms - from where I view things, Shutterstock is beating the pants off Alamy.

Doing well for photographers isn't just about the royalty percentage - and Alamy has been steadily cutting that, ostensibly to build up business, but that doesn't seem to have done anything for my sales - it's about the earnings from your portfolio, and the microstock agencies (for me) are working and Alamy isn't.

So is Alamy going to change things in some way based on this love for microstock?

I stopped uploading there a while ago because sales all but dried up. I get e-mails suggesting I upload again, but without sales, why would I bother?

Semmick Photo · « **Reply #12 on:** March 18, 2015, 17:16 »

Quote from: Jo Ann Snover on March 18, 2015, 17:01

I have no idea what Alamy wants to say with this blog post. I understand all the words, but I have no idea - other than throwing around some buzzwords and trying to summarize what's been going on with microstock agencies since 2000 - the message is intended to be.

Even if Alamy does love microstock, so what?

Shutterstock can earn me hundreds of dollars a month even in the slow month, and I think my worst month on Shutterstock last year exceeded my total royalties from Alamy for the year. Whether it's all about price or whether service for the buyers is a part of it too - great looking site, excellent search results, good prices and licensing terms - from where I view things, Shutterstock is beating the pants off Alamy.

Doing well for photographers isn't just about the royalty percentage - and Alamy has been steadily cutting that, ostensibly to build up business, but that doesn't seem to have done anything for my sales - it's about the earnings from your portfolio, and the microstock agencies (for me) are working and Alamy isn't.

So is Alamy going to change things in some way based on this love for microstock?

I stopped uploading there a while ago because sales all but dried up. I get e-mails suggesting I upload again, but without sales, why would I bother?

Best roast I have seen in a while.

noodle · « **Reply #13 on:** March 18, 2015, 17:22 »

I think last year Alamy sold 300,000 licences

300,000 from a collection of 55 M!

SS sells 4 licences EVERY SECOND!!

So SS sells more licences in 1 day then A sells all year

etudiante_rapide · « **Reply #14 on:** March 18, 2015, 17:28 »

-some people stick pins on their tongue , or genital, or belly button
- some people flog themselves
- some people get drunk so they wake up with a hangover

i love microstock . it' s my way of flogging, getting drunk, defacing, ... myself

Semmick Photo · « **Reply #15 on:** March 18, 2015, 17:30 »

Quote from: noodle on March 18, 2015, 17:22

I think last year Alamy sold 300,000 licences

300,000 from a collection of 55 M!

SS sells 4 licences EVERY SECOND!!

So SS sells more licences in 1 day then A sells all year

correct but you need a lot of licences to compete with one alamy licence. My rpd was around 19 dollars

noodle · « **Reply #16 on:** March 18, 2015, 17:40 »

Quote from: Semmick Photo on March 18, 2015, 17:30

Quote from: noodle on March 18, 2015, 17:22
I think last year Alamy sold 300,000 licences

300,000 from a collection of 55 M!

SS sells 4 licences EVERY SECOND!!

So SS sells more licences in 1 day then A sells all year
correct but you need a lot of licences to compete with one alamy licence. My rpd was around 19 dollars

Don't get me wrong
I would love Alamy to be successful, as the rpd is definitely better, but sales are far and few between, at least for me
It seems that the sales are generated more toward the Euro based togs perhaps because their content is more suited toward A clients
I am in North America so my images may not be in as much demand, hence the fewer sales

Edited to separate quote and my response

pancaketom · « **Reply #17 on:** March 18, 2015, 18:21 »

Quote from: noodle on March 18, 2015, 17:40

Quote from: Semmick Photo on March 18, 2015, 17:30
Quote from: noodle on March 18, 2015, 17:22
I think last year Alamy sold 300,000 licences

300,000 from a collection of 55 M!

SS sells 4 licences EVERY SECOND!!

So SS sells more licences in 1 day then A sells all year
correct but you need a lot of licences to compete with one alamy licence. My rpd was around 19 dollars

Don't get me wrong
I would love Alamy to be successful, as the rpd is definitely better, but sales are far and few between, at least for me
It seems that the sales are generated more toward the Euro based togs perhaps because their content is more suited toward A clients
I am in North America so my images may not be in as much demand, hence the fewer sales

I think the quotes above might not be attributed correctly, but wasn't the reason they cut us from 60% to 50% of a sale (or less for distributors) to open a N America office to increase sales there (not that I've seen that actually happen though).

Hobostocker · « **Reply #18 on:** March 18, 2015, 23:26 »

it's a conspiracy !

with this short and cryptic message Alamy is hinting us what they have in store .. turning their whole archive into a 1$ bin and flat-fee monthly subs for 9.99$ ....

it must be out of desperation as they've realized their pricing bubble is going to implode soon and they've no way to compete with SS.

moreover, they must know something about what's going to happen inside Getty and so they're taking preventive steps to stay afloat.

StockPhotosArt.com · « **Reply #19 on:** March 19, 2015, 03:17 »

Quote from: Semmick Photo on March 18, 2015, 17:30

Quote from: noodle on March 18, 2015, 17:22
I think last year Alamy sold 300,000 licences

300,000 from a collection of 55 M!

SS sells 4 licences EVERY SECOND!!

So SS sells more licences in 1 day then A sells all year
correct but you need a lot of licences to compete with one alamy licence. My rpd was around 19 dollars

Exactly. My average sale in 2014, after the alamy cut was $24 and in the end of the year Alamy was my 3rd agency.

And in the years before, the average sale was even higher and alamy was my best agency in the height of my income years.

Unfortunately alamy is in free-fall for me. The average sale price has been falling every year (net $109 in 2008, $24 in 2014), the commission has been falling (65% in 2009 / 50% in 2013) and the volume of sales is dropping like a stone (2014 is about 50% of 2012) despite the lower price each image is sold.

NOTE: updated to 2014 values

PZF · « **Reply #20 on:** March 19, 2015, 04:03 »

And adding ftp (per their email) makes them even more like microstock....
I fear we can see which way this one is going!

Ariene · « **Reply #21 on:** March 19, 2015, 04:14 »

Quote from: noodle on March 18, 2015, 17:22

I think last year Alamy sold 300,000 licences

300,000 from a collection of 55 M!

SS sells 4 licences EVERY SECOND!!

So SS sells more licences in 1 day then A sells all year

That true but... People earn ~0,30$ with one lic. on SS and ~30-90$ on Alamy... So you can calculate easy how many licences should you sell on SS to reach one ~50$? 166,6...?

And about this blog post, I'll say it again here - I hate micros and I feel disgusted with this blog post, it is needless. To win our (authors) hearts you don't have to say micros are great... IMO. Or your idea was...?

BaldricksTrousers · « **Reply #22 on:** March 19, 2015, 04:18 »

Quote from: Ariene on March 19, 2015, 04:14

Quote from: noodle on March 18, 2015, 17:22
I think last year Alamy sold 300,000 licences

300,000 from a collection of 55 M!

SS sells 4 licences EVERY SECOND!!

So SS sells more licences in 1 day then A sells all year

That true but... People earn ~0,30$ with one lic. on SS and ~30-90$ on Alamy... So you can calculate easy how many licences should you sell on SS to reach one ~50$? 166,6...?

Yeah, but I've made $55 royalties on Alamy so far this month and I've got one sale on SS for more than $70 in royalties - and several times more than that in ordinary 38c sales.

Ariene · « **Reply #23 on:** March 19, 2015, 04:26 »

Bald, you're right. I sold few files in macro pricing on SS (fat SoDs) this month which makes it no1 for me definitely. It's not only subs and it's far away from micro pricing. But many people don't sell many SoDs on SS so if we compare only subs in av.0,30$, then you must admit it's very hard work and many, maaanyyyy images must be sold...

And... if Alamy could get more regular clients (with actual Alamy pricing, not lower), it would be no1 agency in my list. And they wouldn't have to write this s....d blog posts

BaldricksTrousers · « **Reply #24 on:** March 19, 2015, 04:30 »

Quote from: Ariene on March 19, 2015, 04:26

Bald, you're right. I sold few files in macro pricing on SS (fat SoDs) this month which makes it no1 for me definitely. It's not only subs and it's far away from micro pricing. But many people don't sell many SoDs on SS so if we compare only subs in av.0,30$, then you must admit it's very hard work and many, maaanyyyy images must be sold...

I don't sell many SODs there myself, unfortunately, but I keep my fingers crossed and every now and then one turns up - not often as big as the latest, though. More of those would be very nice ....

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Author Topic: Why we love Microstock (blog post) (Read 20281 times)

Alamy

Beppe Grillo

Semmick Photo

StanRohrer

hjalmeida

Shelma1

Sean Locke Photography

Dook

Microstock Posts

DallasP

Mantis

Jo Ann Snover

Semmick Photo

noodle

etudiante_rapide

Semmick Photo

noodle

pancaketom

Hobostocker

StockPhotosArt.com

PZF

Ariene

BaldricksTrousers

Ariene

BaldricksTrousers

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