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Author Topic: Subs increasing, volume is not  (Read 8766 times)

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« on: July 10, 2008, 17:50 »
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My worst fears are about to become reality at DT. Subs represent practically 50% of my sales there now, and earnings per sale so far in July is down to $0.59, which is the lowest since I started there two years ago and down from $1.22 in January. My maximum was $1.49, in August last year.

So far this month, DT is my sixth best earner, down from a very steady third place over the last two years. Even FP is better for me (50% more) so far in July.

From being one of my favourite agencies, DT has reduced themselves to one of the mediocre once. If the trend continues, I can easily see myself stop uploading to them, since they are reducing the value of my microstock portfolio.

Sorry for the rant, but reality doesn't look nice at DT at the moment, and no symbolic rise is going to change that.


« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2008, 19:34 »
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Mays was bad for me, June was ok (and one EL really paid my fes subs losses), now in July I'm seeing more subs sales again, but then another EL made my month.

I would still love to be able to opt-out. Today I sold an image at StockXpert, making US$2.50, the same image that made me give up on subs there when it was dld'ed four times as subs.

Regards,
Adelaide

vonkara

« Reply #2 on: July 10, 2008, 19:45 »
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Same thing at StockXpert. I just haved one today (XXL) for .30 . Very sad to me

On StockXpert subs are 50% mostly and I think about opting out again. On DT it's around 40% and still annoying

I would like to see the same subs as IS. I sold one large image that given me 1.90$
« Last Edit: July 10, 2008, 19:48 by Vonkara »

« Reply #3 on: July 10, 2008, 20:00 »
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jsnover

« Reply #4 on: July 10, 2008, 20:16 »
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...Subs represent practically 50% of my sales there now, and earnings per sale so far in July is down to $0.59, which is the lowest since I started there two years ago...

This month has been horrible at DT and like you, subs sales at one point were almost half the total - a couple of regular sales have boosted my per sale earnings to a whopping 62 cents (high was $1.34 in May).

I've just about written them off anyway as their search engine secret sauce has largely killed my sales there. I know others have been doing fine.

Things are slow this time of year anyway. It's natural for subs sales to be the one thing people will keep up with (given the use it or lose it nature of the beast). So it doesn't surprise me to see the percentage of subs sales rise. But when I looked at my last 20 sales earlier this week and saw that 9 of 20 were subs sales I wasn't pleased.

« Reply #5 on: July 10, 2008, 20:30 »
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Things are slow this time of year anyway. It's natural for subs sales to be the one thing people will keep up with (given the use it or lose it nature of the beast). So it doesn't surprise me to see the percentage of subs sales rise.

The problem is that the volume is about the same as last July, when there were no subs. If the subs meant a rise in volume, things would have been much better, but volume isn't going up, and I believe the reason is very simple: the clients don't need more photos if the prices go down. Reducing prices in a market that is more or less constant will get us nowhere. Somebody haven't done their homework.

« Reply #6 on: July 10, 2008, 20:34 »
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http://microstockpix.com/supplies/page7/page7.html

Cranky MIZ
The voice of reason


MIZ, you should connect a generator to your keyboard. You would produce enough electricity for three medium sized households on a cold winter day   :D

« Reply #7 on: July 11, 2008, 00:58 »
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I had a BME in June and my average sale was $0.92.  Sub sales are a concern but they do help push up the regular sales prices.  While DT is still one of my favourie sites, I would like to see them StockXpert, SV and Crestock raise their subs prices after the SS raise.

« Reply #8 on: July 11, 2008, 11:38 »
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It's Fotolia where my subs growth is too fast.  I guess I should just be thankful that someone is actually finding my photos on FT though.

« Reply #9 on: July 11, 2008, 12:36 »
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Noticing the same phenomenon. Sub sales are increasing consistently in July. Even if June was my BME on DT, it still had around 15% more sub sales than May. In July the RPD dropped from 1.10 to 0.76.

« Reply #10 on: July 11, 2008, 18:21 »
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It's Fotolia where my subs growth is too fast.  I guess I should just be thankful that someone is actually finding my photos on FT though.

I fear for the development at FT too. At the moment, FT is my second best agency, ahead of IS and way ahead of DT, while it used to be the other way around. If subs sales increase at FT as well, I will lose a lot of revenue.

DanP68

« Reply #11 on: July 11, 2008, 20:23 »
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I had a BME in June and my average sale was $0.92.  Sub sales are a concern but they do help push up the regular sales prices.  While DT is still one of my favourie sites, I would like to see them StockXpert, SV and Crestock raise their subs prices after the SS raise.

Dreamstime has already announced a sub commission increase.  35 cents per sale, 42 cents for exclusive photos. 

DanP68

« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2008, 14:56 »
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Epixx,

Strangely enough I am seeing the exact opposite at DT.  My sales have been going crazy lately, with a BME in June and a strong follow-up so far in July.  And my Earnings per Download is up to $1.11 this month.  More realistically, I am averaging $0.86 per DL for 2008.

Seriously, if this continues and the raise is as beneficial as Dreamstime thinks it will be, I will consider exclusivity with them next winter. 

« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2008, 22:39 »
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It's interesting. I'm down to $0.65 per DL so far this month, while it was $0.89 in July last year, which I considered bad, since I was usually over one dollar. As mentioned earlier, my main problem is with the vectors, which are mostly sold as subs now, while they earned up to 4 or 5 dollars per DL earlier. There are lots of nice vectors at DT, so ad agencies etc. can probably save a lot on a subscription there, but that doesn't help those who create the vectors.

« Reply #14 on: July 16, 2008, 04:52 »
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Seriously, if this continues and the raise is as beneficial as Dreamstime thinks it will be, I will consider exclusivity with them next winter. 
Exclusivity with DT ? Think twice before do that. Their subs program is the worst in microstock (after Creastock).

« Reply #15 on: July 16, 2008, 19:11 »
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And while I'm sitting here complaining and whining, I have a BDE at DT (ELs not included), bringing the earnings per DL up to 0.88 and the earnings this month right up behind IS and FT, go figure   :D

DanP68

« Reply #16 on: July 16, 2008, 21:15 »
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Seriously, if this continues and the raise is as beneficial as Dreamstime thinks it will be, I will consider exclusivity with them next winter. 
Exclusivity with DT ? Think twice before do that. Their subs program is the worst in microstock (after Creastock).


DT now pays 35c for sub sales, and 42c for exclusive sub sales.  That's significantly better than Stockxpert and Fotolia, and better than Shutterstock for most contributors too.  So calling DT's sub program the worst in microstock seems a bit odd.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2008, 21:52 by DanP68 »

jsnover

« Reply #17 on: July 17, 2008, 00:22 »
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I don't see any 35 cents subs sales yet - I'm getting either 30 cents, 25 cents or 21 cents (those partner sales).

I think what makes DT's subs problematic - other than the lack of an opt-out - is that there is no limit on the size or level of the image you get. It's all very well to say that you're helped to the next level by the subs sales, but that (a) appeals much more to people with all level 1 images than someone with lots of higher level images and (b) doesn't help you at all if all the sales are subs.

DT's performance (for me) this month is dead last - lower than even 123rf, and that's really saying something as the latter's not having a good month. Volume is low and proportion of subs sales is much higher. This from the agency that once was a reliable #3 performer month after month after month.

If you take the major players - I think it's a big 5 as I can't see why 123rf is listed on the right as comparable to the others - DT has the worst subscription program of the 4 in that group who offer both subscriptions and credit sales.

With SS, as it's subs only, people can submit only downsized images (as many people have reported doing when they don't want 20+ MP images going on the cheap). You can also omit vectors if you want to sell those only at higher prices.

With the mixed model sites you can't do that as you cut off your credit sales, but StockXpert and IS offer an opt out and FT limits the size to Large (I don't count their opt out as it's exclusive images only).

DT is the only one that has no limits and no opt out. So I think you could make the case that it's the least appealing of the bunch. You can't count exclusive subs prices as that's only available if you give up everywhere else, but 35 cents is hardly exciting - 123rf has been offering that for a very long time. And partner sales will reduce that to something quite a bit less (25 cents perhaps).

« Reply #18 on: September 12, 2008, 20:23 »
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I got 24c on a subs sale today, sh....   >:(

Is that a partner sale?  Do we need to share that little subs income with someone else? I can understand partners for credit sales, but for subs??

Regards,
Adelaide

« Reply #19 on: September 13, 2008, 10:55 »
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Was it a subs for sure, or a level I XS? 

I try to keep track of numbers and it's hard to tell on DT what is what sometimes.

« Reply #20 on: September 13, 2008, 12:55 »
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According to the earnings page, it was a subscription, but indeed the size was XS.  Still a mistery and no reply at DT forum.

Regards,
Adelaide


 

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