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Author Topic: April 2015 Earnings  (Read 14798 times)

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KB

« on: May 01, 2015, 10:08 »
+8
In honor of my worst month ever as an exclusive iStock contributor, and my worst month as a contributor since 2008 (when I had a few dozen images in my port), I thought I'd start this month's earnings thread.  ::)

My April earnings were down 34% from last year's April earnings (exclusive of subs and GI), and down 35% from March earnings.

To give an idea of how far I've fallen, April earnings were almost exactly one third of my BME (which was only in Sep 2013) ... and over 40% off my average earnings from just last year (which itself was my worst year as an exclusive).


« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2015, 11:34 »
+4
For me it was down about 34% from last month (which was a BME) and a little over 11% from April last year.  So not great but not horrible either.

dpimborough

« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2015, 11:36 »
+3
Don't worry KB it was terrible all round even for a none exclusive

April was 28.35% down on March and the worst month ever globally considering the images I've added across 16  agencies.

 :'(

« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2015, 11:50 »
0
April 15 up about 8% vs Apr 2014.

Comparing April to March is pointless, since March is always better than April.   I was down 10% from March 15 (BME) to April 15, which is a typical difference between the two months, so nothing of great insight there.

EDIT: In terms of avg daily income, Feb 15 was my BME.  But since there were only 28 days in Feb vs 31 in Mar, the total was a bit off.  So I'm calling Feb my BME since daily avg income is the more useful number to analyze.
« Last Edit: May 01, 2015, 11:55 by stockmarketer »

KB

« Reply #4 on: May 01, 2015, 11:52 »
+3
Don't worry KB it was terrible all round even for a none exclusive
 :'(
I understand what you mean (and appreciate hearing it) -- but are you sure that isn't a reason to worry even more?

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2015, 12:08 »
+3
Don't worry KB it was terrible all round even for a none exclusive
 :'(
I understand what you mean (and appreciate hearing it) -- but are you sure that isn't a reason to worry even more?
I think it is, because although I think the main reason for the downswing is subs, I also feel I'm losing out to being undercut on my own site.
The fact that indies aren't benefitting from that is, indeed, very worrying.
(My dismal stats coming soon ...)

Semmick Photo

« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2015, 12:13 »
+1
One word,  pants. Will post stats in a few days.

« Reply #7 on: May 01, 2015, 14:54 »
0
Not really a good month - down by 18% overall from March, -32% down from Apeil 2014

Stocksy 76%
SS 11% (WM since 2010)
DT 7%
FT 4%
others 2%

« Reply #8 on: May 01, 2015, 15:35 »
+4
Rough April.  Down 17% from March and down 14% from last April. 

Bah.  Doesn't seem worth the effort uploading anymore. 

Only bright spots were FT and 123, which showed significant growth from last year.

SS earnings about half last April.  Jon O., enjoy your 28 mil bonus.  It's clear you got it from boning us
« Last Edit: May 01, 2015, 15:39 by PixelBytes »

« Reply #9 on: May 01, 2015, 15:40 »
0
Best month ever at SS.

Regular sales at P5

Even got a sale at A

Closed my Istock account last year and have never looked back.

lucato

  • [<o>] Brasil


« Reply #10 on: May 01, 2015, 15:54 »
+3
In honor of my worst month ever as an exclusive iStock contributor, and my worst month as a contributor since 2008 (when I had a few dozen images in my port), I thought I'd start this month's earnings thread.  ::)

My April earnings were down 34% from last year's April earnings (exclusive of subs and GI), and down 35% from March earnings.

To give an idea of how far I've fallen, April earnings were almost exactly one third of my BME (which was only in Sep 2013) ... and over 40% off my average earnings from just last year (which itself was my worst year as an exclusive).
I'm sorry to hear that. Just as curiosity, I have left exclusivity on 2012. I wonder once you are there since 2008, how much your April earning are down from your latest Feb/13?

I have just posted in another thread that:
Yes, in my case, the exclusive income started to drop like a crazy starting on Mar/11 (35%+). I quit the exclusivity on 04/12. Since then I didn't get to make even the income as non-exclusive based on the latest income as exclusive, but the times were other and the income was better in that time for exclusives. The things has changed a lot since then and as you said, the market is really oversaturated now. So in sum, after 3 years as non-exclusive, summing up all agencies income/month, the actual income as non-exclusive, represents 52% of the income I was receiving as exclusive at iStock in 2012 average month. By reading that you assume that non-exclusive doesn't worth, but it is hard to say, once I have my doubts if I was exclusive today it would be the same average income as I was receiving on 2012.

KB

« Reply #11 on: May 01, 2015, 16:27 »
0
Just as curiosity, I have left exclusivity on 2012. I wonder once you are there since 2008, how much your April earning are down from your latest Feb/13?

I have just posted in another thread that:
Yes, in my case, the exclusive income started to drop like a crazy starting on Mar/11 (35%+). I quit the exclusivity on 04/12. Since then I didn't get to make even the income as non-exclusive based on the latest income as exclusive, but the times were other and the income was better in that time for exclusives. The things has changed a lot since then and as you said, the market is really oversaturated now. So in sum, after 3 years as non-exclusive, summing up all agencies income/month, the actual income as non-exclusive, represents 52% of the income I was receiving as exclusive at iStock in 2012 average month. By reading that you assume that non-exclusive doesn't worth, but it is hard to say, once I have my doubts if I was exclusive today it would be the same average income as I was receiving on 2012.
Your portfolio is about 5x the size of mine, so there's a very good chance that it would act differently from mine.

But to answer your question, Feb '13 happened to be the third-best month of that year for me.  Removing GI sales from the comparison, April 2015 was down 60% as compared with my Feb '13. As a more accurate comparison, compared with the "average" month in 2013, April 2015 was down 55%.

« Reply #12 on: May 01, 2015, 16:38 »
+1
so, based on the -1 I got I'll assume that this is a thread for IS non-exclusive income only or something.


Carry on  ::)

« Reply #13 on: May 01, 2015, 16:44 »
0
April was an improvement over a weak March.  Up 7% over March, down 8% from April '14, up 2% year over year.  SS was #1 at 44% of my total, up 66% over March and up 18% over April '14.  123RF was 2nd at 25%, down 32% from March (when it surpassed SS for the first time) but up 4% over April '14.  They were followed by Deposit at 6%, iStock at 5%, Envato at 4%, DT at 4%, Canva at 4%, BigStock at 3%, CanStock at 3% and a few other small fry for that last 2%.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #14 on: May 01, 2015, 16:45 »
+1
so, based on the -1 I got I'll assume that this is a thread for IS non-exclusive income only or something.


Carry on  ::)

Stupid if so, as the OP is photo-exclusive.

KB

« Reply #15 on: May 01, 2015, 17:04 »
+1
so, based on the -1 I got I'll assume that this is a thread for IS non-exclusive income only or something.
Apparently the person disagrees with the idea that you had a BME at SS.  ::) I plussed you, because I agree.  :D

lucato

  • [<o>] Brasil


« Reply #16 on: May 01, 2015, 17:04 »
+1
Quote
Your portfolio is about 5x the size of mine, so there's a very good chance that it would act differently from mine.

But to answer your question, Feb '13 happened to be the third-best month of that year for me.  Removing GI sales from the comparison, April 2015 was down 60% as compared with my Feb '13. As a more accurate comparison, compared with the "average" month in 2013, April 2015 was down 55%.

Thanks a lot for your feedback. I appreciated that. Taking that value as a reference I would say that today I'm making the same income as non-exclusive when I was exclusive. I know it is not a real way to compare, but just a way to fool myself. :0)


KB

« Reply #17 on: May 01, 2015, 17:07 »
0
Quote
Your portfolio is about 5x the size of mine, so there's a very good chance that it would act differently from mine.

But to answer your question, Feb '13 happened to be the third-best month of that year for me.  Removing GI sales from the comparison, April 2015 was down 60% as compared with my Feb '13. As a more accurate comparison, compared with the "average" month in 2013, April 2015 was down 55%.

Thanks a lot for your feedback. I appreciated that. Taking that value as a reference I would say that today I'm making the same income as non-exclusive when I was exclusive. I know it is not a real way to compare, but just a way to fool myself. :0)
If you had a lot of income from Vetta or Agency sales, I think it is safe to assume that you are probably better off now as a non-exclusive, than you would be if you had stayed exclusive. If not, then probably about the same income, as you said.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #18 on: May 01, 2015, 17:10 »
0
Quote
Your portfolio is about 5x the size of mine, so there's a very good chance that it would act differently from mine.

But to answer your question, Feb '13 happened to be the third-best month of that year for me.  Removing GI sales from the comparison, April 2015 was down 60% as compared with my Feb '13. As a more accurate comparison, compared with the "average" month in 2013, April 2015 was down 55%.

Thanks a lot for your feedback. I appreciated that. Taking that value as a reference I would say that today I'm making the same income as non-exclusive when I was exclusive. I know it is not a real way to compare, but just a way to fool myself. :0)
If you had a lot of income from Vetta or Agency sales, I think it is safe to assume that you are probably better off now as a non-exclusive, than you would be if you had stayed exclusive. If not, then probably about the same income, as you said.
Ah, but what if he had a lot of Getty sales of these Vetta files? Some Getty sales are good value, even though sales are for peanuts. Still, he'll be making up the Getty Peanuts from the PP, maybe.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #19 on: May 01, 2015, 17:23 »
+1
So here goes.
Unlike what was posted above, my April, historically, has not been always lower than March, it's about 50-50.
Last year, April was my BMY, by a considerable margin, helped by 2 ELs. Even without them the regular credits were BMY by a fair bit. Then came subs ...  >:(

So, compared to April 2014, my normal credit $$ is -c66%. With the ELs, -c75%
Compared to March 2015, credits only: -c52%
My total payout for April, viz March subs and GI + April credits will be -45%

New worst full month as an exclusive.

Last 100 files sold as 'normal' credits (doesn't include any duplicate sales):
2007: 22
2008: 16
2009:   4
2010:   4
2011: 37
2012:   7
2013:   5
2014:   5
2015:   0
As I said on a different thread, I'm not noticing that what does sell are necessarily files with high previous sales.

~~~~~~
Added: Actually, the subs stats aren't so different (again, duplicate sales not accounted for):
2006:   2
2007: 19
2008: 13
2009:   4
2010:   4
2011: 39
2012:   9
2013:   3
2014:   4
2015:   3

~~~~~~~~~~~

Alamy: 4 sales netting $21.24 total.  >:(

FAA: 1 sale.  :)
« Last Edit: May 01, 2015, 20:12 by ShadySue »

lucato

  • [<o>] Brasil


« Reply #20 on: May 01, 2015, 17:30 »
+1
Quote
Ah, but what if he had a lot of Getty sales of these Vetta files? Some Getty sales are good value, even though sales are for peanuts. Still, he'll be making up the Getty Peanuts from the PP, maybe.
My iStock portfolio files never got into Getty or had Vetta files or better collections. Just regular files at iStock (PP+EL). ;0)

« Reply #21 on: May 01, 2015, 17:50 »
0
I had best Month EVER!! On Shutterstock!  Yahoo!

« Reply #22 on: May 01, 2015, 18:03 »
+3
Great month from Toonvectors!  These guys are usually pretty solid for me but sales about doubled in relatively week month. I don't usually participate in sales threads but these guys deserved a shout out. 70% commissions and now competing with dreamstime and 123 in commissions. These guys are worth looking into if you are an illustrator.

« Reply #23 on: May 01, 2015, 18:05 »
0
It was my best month this year - about on par with the average monthly income last year. SS sales were a bit lower in # but I actually had a good number of ODD compared to normal. The thing that made the difference was 2 good Alamy sales. April 2014 was my 3rd worst month that year though, so at least I beat that this year. None of the regular earning sites were particularly high or low compared to last years average - although especially Alamy was quite good for this year.

I think if you are taking the $/day average then the number of weekends and holidays per month will be a significant factor.

Justanotherphotographer

« Reply #24 on: May 02, 2015, 03:49 »
+2
Looks to be be way down on last month and the same month last year. Not sure what else I can do to increase my income!

« Reply #25 on: May 02, 2015, 08:34 »
+12
My BME.  Now, let me bring this into perspective & scale.  My last BME was $2300 (I think Jan 2015). This month (April) was $2500, but I had a very non-normal month on Alamy which kicked up my net revenue by $350 (normally $75-100) and addition of a video site landed me a few more bucks.  I had a very non-normal 123 month and made $200 instead of my normal $100, so in the end I had about $300 more that is not repeatable income. So BME? Yes. To coin an IS phrase, "is it sustainable"....no.

I hope you don't mind me sharing actual numbers.  To me that brings context to percentages, but I do understand why others don't wish to share actual numbers.
« Last Edit: May 02, 2015, 20:32 by Mantis »

« Reply #26 on: May 02, 2015, 10:10 »
0
No promlem Mantis. Just bring it on!


« Reply #27 on: May 02, 2015, 10:36 »
+3
Quote
Your portfolio is about 5x the size of mine, so there's a very good chance that it would act differently from mine.

But to answer your question, Feb '13 happened to be the third-best month of that year for me.  Removing GI sales from the comparison, April 2015 was down 60% as compared with my Feb '13. As a more accurate comparison, compared with the "average" month in 2013, April 2015 was down 55%.

Thanks a lot for your feedback. I appreciated that. Taking that value as a reference I would say that today I'm making the same income as non-exclusive when I was exclusive. I know it is not a real way to compare, but just a way to fool myself. :0)
If you had a lot of income from Vetta or Agency sales, I think it is safe to assume that you are probably better off now as a non-exclusive, than you would be if you had stayed exclusive. If not, then probably about the same income, as you said.

Right.  I have no idea where I'd be today as an exclusive, because Agency from IS and Getty brought in a lot for me.  I'd probably be lower than I am right now as a non-exclusive with no IS.

Semmick Photo

« Reply #28 on: May 04, 2015, 14:11 »
+1
Right, $200 down from BME.

SS was pants. Not one dollar up from last year, even down 8% from April 2014.
Photodune, pants, like it was 2012
Bigstock, BME
123, BME
CanStockPhoto, pants, like it was 2013
Canva, normal, but no growth

FAA, nothing

Overall, PANTS


Semmick Photo

« Reply #29 on: May 04, 2015, 14:35 »
+7
Also, there is no growth on SS, its just adding images to get about the same monthly earnings since February 2014

« Reply #30 on: May 04, 2015, 23:42 »
+2
Also, there is no growth on SS, its just adding images to get about the same monthly earnings since February 2014

Beats adding more images to make LESS earnings, which seems to be my specialty lately.

dpimborough

« Reply #31 on: May 05, 2015, 11:01 »
+3
Something awful happened

Averaged daily earnings (month earnings divided by days in month) up to and including May 5th (all agencies)

 :'(

« Last Edit: May 05, 2015, 11:04 by Teddy the Cat »

ultimagina

« Reply #32 on: May 05, 2015, 13:09 »
+2
Once the PP and GI sales will be in, I can expect April to become an overall BME
« Last Edit: May 05, 2015, 13:13 by ultimagaina »

« Reply #33 on: May 07, 2015, 12:20 »
+2
Right.  I have no idea where I'd be today as an exclusive, because Agency from IS and Getty brought in a lot for me.  I'd probably be lower than I am right now as a non-exclusive with no IS.

I had a lot of V/A images, and last September, when they stopped selling higher priced images based on merit, execution and scarcity, I lost about 50% overnight. Then sub sales have been growing, accounting for about 10%. So getting the boot GI may have been a really nice blessing.

50%

« Reply #34 on: May 07, 2015, 12:53 »
-4
Also, there is no growth on SS, its just adding images to get about the same monthly earnings since February 2014
adding images was one of my biggest mistake. If you had a good portfolio exposure and high acceptance rate than you better leave it as it is. If you adding images nowadays you just kill your good portfolio score and your good sellers will decline.

ultimagina

« Reply #35 on: May 07, 2015, 13:04 »
+1
Also, there is no growth on SS, its just adding images to get about the same monthly earnings since February 2014
adding images was one of my biggest mistake. If you had a good portfolio exposure and high acceptance rate than you better leave it as it is. If you adding images nowadays you just kill your good portfolio score and your good sellers will decline.

What makes you think that there is an overall portfolio score beating the individual image merits?

50%

« Reply #36 on: May 07, 2015, 13:07 »
+2
Also, there is no growth on SS, its just adding images to get about the same monthly earnings since February 2014
adding images was one of my biggest mistake. If you had a good portfolio exposure and high acceptance rate than you better leave it as it is. If you adding images nowadays you just kill your good portfolio score and your good sellers will decline.

What makes you think that there is an overall portfolio score beating the individual image merits?
What makes you think that there is no overall portfolio score? From an agency side it does make totally sense to have it and it makes even more sense to deny it that they have one! I'm 100% sure every major agency does have one!


ultimagina

« Reply #37 on: May 07, 2015, 14:13 »
0
Also, there is no growth on SS, its just adding images to get about the same monthly earnings since February 2014
adding images was one of my biggest mistake. If you had a good portfolio exposure and high acceptance rate than you better leave it as it is. If you adding images nowadays you just kill your good portfolio score and your good sellers will decline.

What makes you think that there is an overall portfolio score beating the individual image merits?
What makes you think that there is no overall portfolio score? From an agency side it does make totally sense to have it and it makes even more sense to deny it that they have one! I'm 100% sure every major agency does have one!

So you only have a strong belief, but no proof, right?

50%

« Reply #38 on: May 07, 2015, 14:44 »
-1
No proof of course. Despite marketing the only difference between the micros is their inhouse technology mainly their search engine you can be assured that everyone that have proof had signed a waterproof NDA!

« Reply #39 on: May 07, 2015, 16:25 »
0
I really believe that there is one statistical tool that would be helpful here thatI have used many times; that being the Moving Average.  It is a powerful tool for trend tracking and smoothing and takes less than one minute to calculate per each data point even for a slow person (like me). 

1.Average a series of numbers. (eg 1+8+2=avg of 3.7. )  The number"3.7" will then be the first point in the new smoothed data set (graph or whatever.)

2.When you have the next point of additional raw data (lets say, for example "9"), remove the first number of your initial average series ("1"), and add the last number ("9") which results in the series (8+2+9), the average of which is 6.3.  The data point 6.3, then, is your 2nd data point in the new smoothed graph.  A move from 3.7 to 6.3 is a lot easier trend to follow than a move from 1 to 8.
 
There are a couple of disadvantages; eg your latest Smoothing Average (SA) graph will always be 2 points (eg months) behind the real data.

You can include as many points in your calculation as you wish, the more more points the better the smoothing, but then SA calculation represents some older data. Each situation has its sweetest spot.

BTW, I'm told that this is a fairly easy formula to set up on a spreadsheet.  I often take a quick look at spreadsheet formulae to try to find MA but so far have been unsuccessful.

« Reply #40 on: May 07, 2015, 18:07 »
+2
You may also need to take seasonal factors into account. IMHO the best way is to chart it then let your brain work out the pattern otherwise it gets complicated and a relatively small data set is not really reliable enough. Better to spend time taking more pics

« Reply #41 on: May 07, 2015, 19:30 »
+1
No proof of course. Despite marketing the only difference between the micros is their inhouse technology mainly their search engine you can be assured that everyone that have proof had signed a waterproof NDA!

I watched a vid of a presentation from one of their programmers to a outside group of local programmers. He hinted that there was a ranking system in regard to content. He did not elaborate in any way as to how or why the images were ranked.

ultimagina

« Reply #42 on: May 07, 2015, 19:57 »
+1
I watched a vid of a presentation from one of their programmers to a outside group of local programmers. He hinted that there was a ranking system in regard to content. He did not elaborate in any way as to how or why the images were ranked.

Of course there is one. The image the popularity/relevance algorithm has a lot lot factors built in with different weights like number of downloads, interval between downloads, freshness, number of views, etc.

But I doubt the theories claiming that specific ports or contributors are treated preferentially. It would be counterproductive to favor ports as whole instead individual images. All agencies have all the incentives to present their best images in front of the customers. Who cares who made that photo?

« Reply #43 on: May 07, 2015, 20:47 »
+3
But I doubt the theories claiming that specific ports or contributors are treated preferentially. It would be counterproductive to favor ports as whole instead individual images. All agencies have all the incentives to present their best images in front of the customers. Who cares who made that photo?
You're wrong. So wrong...

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #44 on: May 07, 2015, 20:55 »
+3
But I doubt the theories claiming that specific ports or contributors are treated preferentially. It would be counterproductive to favor ports as whole instead individual images. All agencies have all the incentives to present their best images in front of the customers. Who cares who made that photo?
Alamy (FWIW) make no bones that specific ports are favoured in their Alamy Rank, though newbies get in at a 'middle rank'.
I remember iS once (at least 4 or 5 years ago) had a heavily 'person' weighted best match. It really didn't work, because some old standing big sellers hadn't DAd, so a lot of totally irrelevant files were showing up.
There are other problems with that system, e.g. someone might produce/sell very well in their main genre, but not so good in a new-to-them genre, which nevertheless gets promoted.

« Reply #45 on: May 07, 2015, 22:37 »
0
But I doubt the theories claiming that specific ports or contributors are treated preferentially. It would be counterproductive to favor ports as whole instead individual images. All agencies have all the incentives to present their best images in front of the customers. Who cares who made that photo?
You're wrong. So wrong...

His ranking comment was port specific in regard to quality, type of content which fit buyer needs. He did not elaborate further. I wish I could find the video again.

Semmick Photo

« Reply #46 on: May 08, 2015, 00:37 »
0
Yay the next conspiracy theory  ;)


ultimagina

« Reply #47 on: May 08, 2015, 06:48 »
0
But I doubt the theories claiming that specific ports or contributors are treated preferentially. It would be counterproductive to favor ports as whole instead individual images. All agencies have all the incentives to present their best images in front of the customers. Who cares who made that photo?
You're wrong. So wrong...
Maybe.
But without proof, we are equally wrong in front of the unknown. So far, I only see speculations.

« Reply #48 on: May 08, 2015, 11:18 »
+2
I think that at least SS must rank individual images. Even with a small port - just hit 300 images recently, I have files that have sold hundreds of times and they keep selling often the same handful day after day - some show up on page 1 of searches despite hundreds with the same keywords so I would guess that it has to be ranked by the image.

Just my experience but I can't imagine a small port like mine would rank high (unless it's based on the percentage of my images that sell) so it seems like it would be the image.   

Midstock/macrostock were up: a couple of sales on Alamy & a handful of direct licenses - zooms on Alamy up too which should mean more sales in the next couple of months.

iS was the only micro trending upward but my sales there are so low that it's probably an anomaly or not statistically significant. Small sales on FAA and redbubble. No ELs & fewer SODs on SS made for a lower than average month there. Higher than average number of sales so far this month at SS but mostly subs so $ is down. DT dropped down to average after an upward trend that started in fall 2014. 

Appreciate those who share real $ as well as their graphs.


 

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