MicrostockGroup

Agency Based Discussion => Bigstock.com => Topic started by: Boom on March 31, 2011, 16:53

Title: Sales at BS ???
Post by: Boom on March 31, 2011, 16:53
Would love to know how everyone is doing at Bigstock.
My sales are ridiculously low in comparison to the the other 6 sites I upload too, is this normal?
My portfolio is only around 100 images; do I need some sort of critical mass to start seeing a decent return? Or perhaps my images just don't do it on BS (difficult to understand as my sales are fine on every other site).
Starting to think about not wasting any more time with them and giving them the boot.
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: klsbear on March 31, 2011, 17:45
Same for me - I had a couple of sales after I started uploading in late October, but nothing since then.  I also have a small portfolio - about a hundred pics.  I'm actively trying to add as much as I can every month and I plan to give all the sites til the end of the year, then I'll determine which may not be worth continuing to upload.  I figure I need a much bigger portfolio and some time on the site before I can really give it a fair assessment.
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: madelaide on March 31, 2011, 18:25
My sales at BigStock have always been slow but steady.

Now, in the past two weeks it had been dead, and then in the past two days I got three generous sales making the same I had the previous days of this month.
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: ibogdan on March 31, 2011, 23:18
Very slow. Only few bucks per month with over 2000 images. It's the only site I stopped uploading due the low sales and their ridiculous 7-words-description. 
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: LSD72 on April 01, 2011, 00:09
bigdeadstock for me
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: Boom on April 01, 2011, 03:23
Thanks for the input, very helpful. Glad it's not just me. 
BS will be last in my queue of uploads going forward, and I think I'll follow in klsbear's footsteps and give it until the end of the year to see if there is any positive activity, if not, I'll be moving swiftly on.
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: lagereek on April 01, 2011, 09:22
the way things are going with the big 4, you simply have to invest in a few of the smaller ones or else, in a few years time you might find yourself totally left out.
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: lisafx on April 01, 2011, 11:50
the way things are going with the big 4, you simply have to invest in a few of the smaller ones or else, in a few years time you might find yourself totally left out.

I agree.  BigStock is down 7% on last year for me, but still a respectable second tier earner. 

I have been uploading to some smaller, newer sites this year to provide some insurance against what's going on at some of the top sites. 
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: michaeldb on April 01, 2011, 12:54
BME for me at BigStock.

And I don't have all my illustrations up there, because it has been the hardest site to submit vectors to. Now, with the Bridge from SS, I have hopes of doing even better at BigStock in the future  :)
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: Anita Potter on April 01, 2011, 13:09
I get around 2 sales a month since I started I do believe back in October as well.  My port is small with 373 images and no where near payout.  I'm giving them until I reach payout and then assess my being with them.
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: luissantos84 on April 01, 2011, 13:14
- 2 years exactly
- 3272 files
- 131 sales
- $125.50
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: WarrenPrice on April 01, 2011, 13:38
I get around 2 sales a month since I started I do believe back in October as well.  My port is small with 373 images and no where near payout.  I'm giving them until I reach payout and then assess my being with them.

I'm running a consistent five dollars a month since reaching 500 images.  I have found, though, that it seems to be a matter of time, not the numbers.  Most sales seem to be images that are at least 9 months there.

I was ready to leave but the new payout level made me reconsider.  Plus, wonder what affect the new link with Shutterstock will have. 
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: fritz on April 01, 2011, 14:10
BME for me at BigStock.
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: visceralimage on April 03, 2011, 06:14
I started with BigStock in Feb, sales were dead for the first month but have started to pickup; won't be buying any starbucks coffee yet but I am encouraged.  Then again, I had such low expectations that anything is encouraging.

I agree with Lisa, we need to support the middle and lower tier sites because the future of some of the top tier sites looks very uncertain.
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: WarrenPrice on May 18, 2011, 18:18
One Month, One Sale, One Dollar.
Very sad.  Not even the magical 711 images on line is bringing any luck.

I'm wondering if the influx from Shutterstock Bridge has diluted my sales?  Anyone else seeing such drastic drops ... increases?
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: luissantos84 on May 18, 2011, 18:23
never had there nice sales.. this month 3 sales for 2$ :)
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: WarrenPrice on May 18, 2011, 19:05
never had nice sales too; but now, even less nice.
BTW; $2 a month is twice as nice as my sales.   ::)
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: LSD72 on May 18, 2011, 20:58
I finally just converted my money to credits. Tooooo slowwwww.
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: lagereek on May 18, 2011, 23:22
Best one so far, in the middle tier.
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: pancaketom on May 19, 2011, 00:12
In my experience sales are a slow trickle - it does seem to be somewhat steady though. I do wonder if the increase in files from the bridge to BS has diluted sales somewhat though.
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: Freezingpictures on May 19, 2011, 02:30
It never worked out well for me with BS, I earned like $5-$10 or so a month with them with 150 images or so. Because I wanted to put some of my images exclusive with another agency, I decided to delete the whole portfolio, I figured that would be easier. The funny things was, that a couple of days later I got a message from Shutterstock that I am invited to join the Bridge to Bigstock program. I accepted and they put my 800+ files on BS. Now I am earning about $40 /month. Not much but worth it :-)
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: sharpshot on May 19, 2011, 02:37
....My portfolio is only around 100 images; do I need some sort of critical mass to start seeing a decent return?...
I think you might need at least 500 to get a payout several times a year.  I started getting a lot more sales when I uploaded over 1,000.  BS is definitely worth it in the long run.
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: lisafx on May 19, 2011, 12:49
In my experience sales are a slow trickle - it does seem to be somewhat steady though. I do wonder if the increase in files from the bridge to BS has diluted sales somewhat though.

I am sure the B2B program has diluted my sales quite a bit.  I had mostly the same portfolio on both sites and sales were pretty good.  The last couple months since B2B sales are noticeably down for me. 
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: Allsa on May 19, 2011, 13:37
In my experience sales are a slow trickle - it does seem to be somewhat steady though. I do wonder if the increase in files from the bridge to BS has diluted sales somewhat though.

I am sure the B2B program has diluted my sales quite a bit.  I had mostly the same portfolio on both sites and sales were pretty good.  The last couple months since B2B sales are noticeably down for me. 

Same here, I'll be lucky if my earnings for BS are half what they were in 2010.
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: gostwyck on May 19, 2011, 13:56
I am sure the B2B program has diluted my sales quite a bit.  I had mostly the same portfolio on both sites and sales were pretty good.  The last couple months since B2B sales are noticeably down for me. 

You're probably right Lisa. I've benefitted from B2B by about 50% because that's about how much my port at BigStock was boosted by it. It just demonstrates how much I was throwing away by not having my full port there originally.
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: lisafx on May 19, 2011, 16:37
You're probably right Lisa. I've benefitted from B2B by about 50% because that's about how much my port at BigStock was boosted by it. It just demonstrates how much I was throwing away by not having my full port there originally.

You may have gotten the better end of the deal.  If you had wasted years diligently uploading there every week, you would now be rewarded by seeing your sales drop like a rock.  ;)
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: spike on May 19, 2011, 18:29
Ultra-slow.
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: fotografer on May 20, 2011, 02:12
I am sure the B2B program has diluted my sales quite a bit.  I had mostly the same portfolio on both sites and sales were pretty good.  The last couple months since B2B sales are noticeably down for me. 

You're probably right Lisa. I've benefitted from B2B by about 50% because that's about how much my port at BigStock was boosted by it. It just demonstrates how much I was throwing away by not having my full port there originally.
Same here. I almost doubled my port at BS and sales are up by about 60%
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: WarrenPrice on May 20, 2011, 16:02
Just when I thought it could not get any worse ... it did!   :'(
I have ZERO sales for the last 30 days.   :(

Makes one thankful for Thinkstock.   :P
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: Carl on May 22, 2011, 21:36
I get more sales on SS in one day than I've gotten on BS the entire time I've been a member there (since April of last year).  381 files on BS with six sales totaling $4.00.
Title: Re: Sales at BS ???
Post by: RacePhoto on May 24, 2011, 20:54
Just when I thought it could not get any worse ... it did!   :'(
I have ZERO sales for the last 30 days.   :(

Makes one thankful for Thinkstock.   :P

I tried to resist but when I looked and thought about it, you are correct. I sell more on ThinkStock than BigStock. Earned more last month on ThinkStock than I did on BigStock in a year, with the same photos and ThinkStock took some small total crap snapshots that no one else would accept. Makes me also wonder who buys that stuff! Maybe I do need to start the CrapStock site. :D

So maybe BigStock buyers have better taste and that explains it? By I don't put taste in the bank, I need sales!