Pond5 was a standout for me performing well until the take over. Now down over 2/3's.
I designed my whole life around stock. It's beyond discouraging and clearly the bottom has not arrived. Yet one company treats us well. Why don't the rest?

#insanity

hard to draw any conclusions from 1-2 months - what were you earning before the takeover?

I designed my whole life around stock.

That's the thing. You should branch out before it's too late. Microstock is a sinking ship*, so find other ways to monetize your talents.

* Meaning maybe the industry won't disappear, but the average RPI for contributors is already diminishing rapidly.

Pond5 was a standout for me performing well until the take over. Now down over 2/3's.
I designed my whole life around stock. It's beyond discouraging and clearly the bottom has not arrived. Yet one company treats us well. Why don't the rest?

#insanity

Ten years ago I was hoping the bottom would come soon.

Quote from: cboswell on June 13, 2022, 19:00

Pond5 was a standout for me performing well until the take over. Now down over 2/3's.
I designed my whole life around stock. It's beyond discouraging and clearly the bottom has not arrived. Yet one company treats us well. Why don't the rest?

#insanity

Ten years ago I was hoping the bottom would come soon.

I think the only way "the bottom will come" is if or when royalties were driven so low that there was an obvious lack of new quality (well produced with models) content being uploaded and they saw that as a result of that sales dropped.

Summer on the other side of the planet but it is winter in this part of Earth.

Same here, it is one of my worst months since I joined P5 many years ago, and the fact that the world economy seems to be going down the toilet I suppose isn't helping.

Sure but that's no fun when the game is Blame ShutterStock?

SS hasn't had time to screw up P5 yet, lets wait until something actually happens and then find fault?

They bought the company on May 11, 2022, it's been just days over one month. I think a little early and quick, to call SSTK out as the cause.

Actually all this discussion of big 4 down to big 3 reminds me of those documentaries I used to see showing the waterhole on the African savannah steadily shrinking in summer and the wildlife getting more desparate as the water source slowly shrinks to a muddy puddle.

I think we can safely say we are at the muddy puddle stage and the hyenas are circling with promises of more "exciting news" 

That's a perfect allegory, Mimi! 

Just had a sale on Pond5 with a pretty good commission - which will be missed if the new owner starts meddling with royalties.

Actually all this discussion of big 4 down to big 3 reminds me of those documentaries I used to see showing the waterhole on the African savannah steadily shrinking in summer and the wildlife getting more desparate as the water source slowly shrinks to a muddy puddle.

I think we can safely say we are at the muddy puddle stage and the hyenas are circling with promises of more "exciting news" 

Ah the Wild Kingdom narrator speaking in low tones, softly... describes how the big six, became the big five and now it's the big four, but Pond5 is wounded and limping, the pack will soon surround, separate, and devour the weakest.

Ah yes, we recall how iStock was the Silverback of the Microstock agencies. Oh how age and nature has taken it's toll.    Don't look at DT too close? what's a 3.4 compared to 32 or 64?

Tough economy, world and the biggest buyers, this will get worse, before it gets better. If it ever gets better?