MicrostockGroup

Agency Based Discussion => Dreamstime.com => Topic started by: rene on July 25, 2008, 02:22

Title: DT become new SS ?
Post by: rene on July 25, 2008, 02:22

My RPD is still falling down here. Worst in 24 month! Number of subscriptions is very worrying. DT subscription payout is the lowest of all sites I'm in. They promised rising in the middle  of july but now Achilles gave new date :
"Let's schedule it for the next alignment of all planets. Wait, that will be never. What do you say about "just" Mars, Venus and Saturn?"
Good thing they respond, bad thing we have to wait long time.
DT's business model is based on astrology. Why not ? After alliance random payouts everything is possible.

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: DanP68 on July 25, 2008, 04:27

You obviously cannot stand Dreamstime.  Why are you still contributing there?  Just remove your portfolio as soon as you are allowed to.  I think you will be much happier.

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: rene on July 25, 2008, 05:54

Quote from: DanP68 on July 25, 2008, 04:27

You obviously cannot stand Dreamstime.  Why are you still contributing there?  Just remove your portfolio as soon as you are allowed to.  I think you will be much happier.

Only for money.
DT's regular sales will disapear soon. Example:
3 level (nothing extraordinary, only over 20dls) costs 9 credits for 8-12MP size. If designer needs 10 photos he have to pay 90$. One month subscription price is 89.99$ and  levels and sizes limits are not applied. So if this designer buy 1 month subscription he will spend same money with a possibility to download other... 290 images.
Dan68, maybe you should stop uploading now. I think you will be much happier in 6 months  ;)

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: Dreamframer on July 25, 2008, 05:59

I love DT.  :)

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: graficallyminded on July 25, 2008, 06:07

BME this month.  DT is a tough cookie to increase sales for me, though.  I got stuck on the $100/month mark forever.  So glad I could finally blow that away this month - it took lots of new uploads :)

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: epixx on July 25, 2008, 07:32

Quote from: rene on July 25, 2008, 05:54

Example:
3 level (nothing extraordinary, only over 20dls) costs 9 credits for 8-12MP size. If designer needs 10 photos he have to pay 90$. One month subscription price is 89.99$ and  levels and sizes limits are not applied. So if this designer buy 1 month subscription he will spend same money with a possibility to download other... 290 images.

And with this example, DT's profit will increase drastically, while the photographer is left with next to nothing. Bad deal.

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: Phil on July 25, 2008, 07:47

deleted

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: DanP68 on July 25, 2008, 15:04

Quote from: rene on July 25, 2008, 05:54

Quote from: DanP68 on July 25, 2008, 04:27

You obviously cannot stand Dreamstime.  Why are you still contributing there?  Just remove your portfolio as soon as you are allowed to.  I think you will be much happier.

Only for money.
DT's regular sales will disapear soon. Example:
3 level (nothing extraordinary, only over 20dls) costs 9 credits for 8-12MP size. If designer needs 10 photos he have to pay 90$. One month subscription price is 89.99$ and  levels and sizes limits are not applied. So if this designer buy 1 month subscription he will spend same money with a possibility to download other... 290 images.
Dan68, maybe you should stop uploading now. I think you will be much happier in 6 months  ;)

Perhaps.   8)

But I doubt it.  I'm still not seeing the subs increase.  My RPD keeps going up and up, and is well over $1.00 this month.  As I posted previously, I don't think this is sustainable until I get a few more Level 3 images.  But it sure is nice at the moment.

I really love DT.  But I do understand your reasoning to continue contributing even if you do not.  There is 1 site I contribute to for the money only.  I guess that makes me greedy, since they only contribute 5-10% to my bottom line.   :D

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: jsnover on July 25, 2008, 16:29

Quote from: DanP68 on July 25, 2008, 15:04

...I'm still not seeing the subs increase.  ...I don't think this is sustainable until I get a few more Level 3 images. 

But I've seen a ton more subs this month - and I think you will see more as you get more higher level images. The advantages of buying subs are greatest when it's a high level image.

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: Kngkyle on July 25, 2008, 16:54

Subs have not increased near as much at DT as they have on StockXpert for me. Earnings are still staying about the same though.

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: angel gab on July 26, 2008, 11:55

So one big question looms over us, and I am wondering :

Is this the end of an era for earning non-sub commissions from micro?
also, will we be seeing a definite border that separates RM and RF?
and for those in micro, is it the end of opt in / opt out with no choice.
be in or get out the door.  go macro.

lots of questions, but really i am sure many of you ask too.
thanks in advance. i like this forum for its wide audience and comments from contributors and buyers of various stock sites. which is less bias than
going into the specific site to ask these questions, where usually
you have to "toe the line" or risk being "ex-communicated".

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: jsnover on July 26, 2008, 12:45

Quote from: angel gab on July 26, 2008, 11:55

So one big question looms over us, and I am wondering :

Is this the end of an era for earning non-sub commissions from micro?

I don't think so, as long as IS is around in its current state. I've had a few subs sales there - reasonably priced if slightly below my typical commissions - but the bulk of my sales are per image and I have an opt out for subs if I want.

FT's model is somewhat like Jupiter's  at Photos.com - size L and below available via subscription, larger you have to pay. If the subs commissions were competitive (which they aren't) and if the sales counted 1 for 1 for rank (which they don't) this would be a reasonable model. If their site, especially search, actually worked all the time, things might be reasonably good there (this month, for me, it's been awful, rescued somewhat by 2 ELs).

DT's model might be OK if they did something to charge more for subs sales for high level images or restrict the max size you can buy via a subscription. I see a disproportionate number of my subs sales  being for level 3+ images where subs are a huge bargain. They do let the subs sales count one for one towards and image's level, but that only helps if you can sell in the future as a per-image sale.

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: mantonino on July 26, 2008, 13:09

BME on DT this month with BRPD ever.

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: tan510jomast on July 26, 2008, 13:13

As a DT contributor (don't get me wrong, I like DT, they gave me my first sales in micro),
can I opt out of sub. This is not an option, is it?

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: fotografer on July 27, 2008, 04:50

No, unfortunatly you can't opt out of subs at DT

Quote from: tan510jomast on July 26, 2008, 13:13

As a DT contributor (don't get me wrong, I like DT, they gave me my first sales in micro),
can I opt out of sub. This is not an option, is it?

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: viki2win on July 27, 2008, 10:17

BME for me   :D

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: grp_photo on July 27, 2008, 12:06

Quote from: viki2win on July 27, 2008, 10:17

BME for me   :D

Thank you for adding nothing to the actual topic  ::)

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: RGebbiePhoto on July 27, 2008, 15:05

Of the last 20 sales we've had, we've only had 2 subs.
I'm sure as someone else said, as soon as the levels of the images go higher, we'll see more subs, but for now, it's our BME and we're happy with the site :)

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: litifeta on July 27, 2008, 19:34

Very weird. Each month my portfolio increases at DT and each month the sales decrease.

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: litifeta on July 27, 2008, 19:47

Over the past 18 months my portfolio at DT has increased by 63% at the same time as my revenue has decreased by 45%. Currently I have 341 images on line. Based on this, I predict that by the time my portfolio is increased to 500 images online, I will have 0 sales.

DATE   INCREASE   SALES   $   RPI
Feb-07   3   141   $106.00   $0.75
Mar-07   17   131   $107.75   $0.82
Apr-07   0   135   $131.75   $0.98
May-07   0   83   $67.00   $0.81
Jun-07   18   60   $51.25   $0.85
Jul-07      53   $41.25   $0.78
Aug-07   3   56   $47.75   $0.85
Sep-07   2   70   $57.25   $0.82
Oct-07   8   63   $55.95   $0.89
Nov-07      61   $58.15   $0.95
Dec-07      45   $45.50   $1.01
Jan-08      53   $61.45   $1.16
Feb-08   4   68   $65.32   $0.96
Mar-08   1   68   $64.15   $0.94
Apr-08   21   89   $89.10   $1.00
May-08   15   69   $65.40   $0.95
Jun-08   22   64   $60.87   $0.95
Jul-08   18   52   $47.87   $0.92
   132   69   $61   $0.88

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: litifeta on July 27, 2008, 21:15

Quote from: graficallyminded on July 25, 2008, 06:07

BME this month.  DT is a tough cookie to increase sales for me, though.  I got stuck on the $100/month mark forever.  So glad I could finally blow that away this month - it took lots of new uploads :)

Does not add man.

You have 1101 files online and only 2296 sales. Even at $1 a pic that averages $69 a month. If you are doing better than $100 a month it must mean you sold very few over the years and are only now getting sales.

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: Microbius on July 28, 2008, 02:37

Quote from: litifeta on July 27, 2008, 21:15

Quote from: graficallyminded on July 25, 2008, 06:07

BME this month.  DT is a tough cookie to increase sales for me, though.  I got stuck on the $100/month mark forever.  So glad I could finally blow that away this month - it took lots of new uploads :)

Does not add man.

You have 1101 files online and only 2296 sales. Even at $1 a pic that averages $69 a month. If you are doing better than $100 a month it must mean you sold very few over the years and are only now getting sales.

I don't get your math, they didn't start out with over 1000 images, they would have started from zero (or close to). In their first month they would have had close to no downloads, next month slightly more etc. till they get up to better than $100 per month.
That's why your average is pretty meaningless here. People have made this mistake lots of times on this (and other) forums.

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: Jasenka on July 28, 2008, 03:51

Quote from: mantonino on July 26, 2008, 13:09

BME on DT this month with BRPD ever.

Same for me :)

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: kgtoh on July 28, 2008, 05:09

Litifeta,
I think the column you have as RPI (Revenue per Image) is actually RPD (Revenue per Download). Are you copying straight from the DT control panel?

RPI, which DT doesn't seem to calculate, can be figured out by dividing revenue for each month by your portfolio size for that month.

Here's mine for comparison, and it does seem to indicate a downward trend (for me at least).  RPI is in cents by the way, and embarassingly low.  :'(

June July August September October November December January February March April May June

11.8 5.5 8.5 12.3 13.6 14.0 8.8 12.1 11.0 10.4 8.0 8.1 7.2

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: kgtoh on July 28, 2008, 05:13

If your portfolio is growing at a healthy rate, each month should theoretically bring improved sales.  Every month should be a BME.
What's important is whether an increased portfolio brings proportionate extra income.  As such, RPI is more important to measure "bang for buck".

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: litifeta on July 29, 2008, 17:11

Regardless of the theory. Fact is my facts. My portfolio has increased significantly at the same time as my revenue from the site. From a statistical perspective I figure that is a problem. And I am not responsible for marketing Dreamstime. I think they have an issue with their marketing.

Overall their sales may be increasing. But from what I have seen the major contributors are actually recording the same downward trend as I.

Title: Re: DT become new SS ?
Post by: kgtoh on July 30, 2008, 00:41

Litifeta, I agree with you regarding the downwards trend.
I'm just trying to get a more mathematically organized way of reaching the conclusion.