IS Exclusive, BME, last BME was May 2010.

$ +40% over Jan 2011

ETA: January has never been one of my best months. At best, it has usually been an average to below average month each year. This has me excited for the rest of the year.

I really don't understand why I have to go over this every month with some exclusive or other, trying to persuade me to go exclusive with Istock.

I have to say, I was tempted to start a facetious thread congratulating you on your decision to finally go exclusive after many years on the fence. Maybe, next month.  

	01.2012	01.2011		RPD 01.2012	RPD 01.2011
fotolia	30%	21%	+9	1,42$	1,79$	-0,37$
shutterstock	26%	25%	+1	0,55$	0,57$	-0,02$
dreamstime	17%	13%	+4	2,59$	2,46$	+0,13$
istock	9%	28%	-19	2,42$	2,82$	-0,40$
canstock	8%	8%	+0	2,10$	2,37$	-0,27$
bigstock	5%	2%	+3	2,03$	1,47$	+0,56$
123rf	3%	1%	+2	0,75$	0,70$	+0,05$
glstock	1%			3,81$
yay	1%	1%	+0	6,36$	3,23$	+3,14$
veer	1%	2%	-1	0,63$	2,45$	-1,82$
alltogether				1,12$	1,30$	-0,18$

In January 2012 I had nearly the same download numbers as January 2011.
Cause of big comission cut at fotolia and istock, I got 14% less money in microstock.
But ok, I made not more than a handful of illustrations for stock in 2011 and can pay my bills.
I am an independent illustrator! and sold yesterday a non-stock-license!
So my totally January "RPD" was much better ! 

iStock exclusive.

Compared to January 2011:

DL -42.2%
$ -19.8%

Compared to January 2010:

DL -57.8%
$ -11.7%

I don't track how many images I create each year, but I guess it's about 1500 to 2000. Current portfolio size 8000.

Lisa FWIW I'm also not trying to convert you - although I have often looked at the stats and wondered how much the decision to remain independent has cost in $$ over the years. None of us really know what the future holds, and the problem with this system is that there's no way of knowing which way is the better until after you've taken a very serious decision. Even then a few shifts in the best match and it can make a massive difference to the end result.  

So an approximation of my stats for the month (based on TS & Getty income being equal to December)

Compared to Dec 2011:
$$ -7%
DLs  -1%
 
Compared to Jan 2011:
$$ +138%
Dls + 71%
(portfolio +106%)

I also had 2 footage sales this month on each of Pond 5 and SS, so its nice that those are starting to tick over a little bit.

Quote from: lisafx on February 01, 2012, 17:46

I really don't understand why I have to go over this every month with some exclusive or other, trying to persuade me to go exclusive with Istock.

I have to say, I was tempted to start a facetious thread congratulating you on your decision to finally go exclusive after many years on the fence. Maybe, next month.  

ROFL!!  Thanks for starting my day off with a great laugh Cory

When Istock had '70% market share' exclusivity didn't exist as an option (as Shutterstock hadn't opened it's doors) and everyone was on 20%. When they did introduce it and you had sold 25K licenses to qualify for 40% commissions then Istock's share of most independents' earnings was very much lower (35% in my case in June 2007).

Can you run that arithmetic past me again?
Are you saying that as an indy, you were getting 65% in June 2007? (from ..."IStock's share of most indies earnings was much lower, 35% in my case...")

Quote from: gostwyck on February 02, 2012, 10:35

That's because the fraud issue mostly 'jacked up' the stat's for December, not January, whilst Istock's HQ was shut down for Xmas. See here;

It's applicable to me.  I had almost 500 fraudulent downloads in January 2011.

How many in December?

Quote from: gostwyck on February 02, 2012, 10:35

That's because the fraud issue mostly 'jacked up' the stat's for December, not January, whilst Istock's HQ was shut down for Xmas. See here;

It's applicable to me.  I had almost 500 fraudulent downloads in January 2011.

That's an unimaginable rip off

BTW has anyone ever heard of a refund at SS? Of course no one in his right mind would demand it for a sub DL, I had ODs, SODs and ELs in mind

Quote from: gostwyck on February 02, 2012, 07:38

Quote from: fotoVoyager on February 02, 2012, 07:13

iStock exclusive.

Compared to January 2011:

DL -42.2%
$ -19.8%

Compared to January 2010:

DL -57.8%
$ -11.7%

I don't track how many images I create each year, but I guess it's about 1500 to 2000. Current portfolio size 8000.

^^^ I'm staggered how many contributors with mature portfolios, both exclusive and independent, are reporting a decline in sales of 40-50% over the year. That's huge and it's difficult to believe that the slack is all being taken up by newbies with growing portfolios. If that pattern continues for much longer ... it really will be unsustainable.

Have you made a decision at what point you will pull the plug on exclusivity?

Its also funny how only Sean reminded people of the huge fraud that jacked up stats for jan 2011.  The bigger the contributor the bigger the fraud.   So, you can knock of a good % reported as decline as what it really was "inflated numbers". 

I am staggered that some indies never went exclusive when IS held 70% market share and paid out double to exclusives. 

My figures are correct.

Most of my fraud took place on Boxing Day ($2.5k!!) and over the Xmas holiday period before January.

Quote from: gostwyck on February 02, 2012, 07:38

Quote from: fotoVoyager on February 02, 2012, 07:13

iStock exclusive.

Compared to January 2011:

DL -42.2%
$ -19.8%

Compared to January 2010:

DL -57.8%
$ -11.7%

I don't track how many images I create each year, but I guess it's about 1500 to 2000. Current portfolio size 8000.

^^^ I'm staggered how many contributors with mature portfolios, both exclusive and independent, are reporting a decline in sales of 40-50% over the year. That's huge and it's difficult to believe that the slack is all being taken up by newbies with growing portfolios. If that pattern continues for much longer ... it really will be unsustainable.

Have you made a decision at what point you will pull the plug on exclusivity?

Probably long after I should have, desperately hoping someone at iStock will see sense and make it worthwhile to remain.

It's a big job adding all the metadata to my portfolio but I've started it.

Assuming I'll pretty much destroy my income for a year when I'm forced to jump means I have to save up enough to cover that period.

might be worth asking any one can they do something programmatically through the API

providing an xml file with the file id, title, description and keywords

Quote from: fotoVoyager on February 02, 2012, 12:19

Quote from: gostwyck on February 02, 2012, 07:38

Quote from: fotoVoyager on February 02, 2012, 07:13

iStock exclusive.

Compared to January 2011:

DL -42.2%
$ -19.8%

Compared to January 2010:

DL -57.8%
$ -11.7%

I don't track how many images I create each year, but I guess it's about 1500 to 2000. Current portfolio size 8000.

^^^ I'm staggered how many contributors with mature portfolios, both exclusive and independent, are reporting a decline in sales of 40-50% over the year. That's huge and it's difficult to believe that the slack is all being taken up by newbies with growing portfolios. If that pattern continues for much longer ... it really will be unsustainable.

Have you made a decision at what point you will pull the plug on exclusivity?

Probably long after I should have, desperately hoping someone at iStock will see sense and make it worthwhile to remain.

It's a big job adding all the metadata to my portfolio but I've started it.

Assuming I'll pretty much destroy my income for a year when I'm forced to jump means I have to save up enough to cover that period.

might be worth asking any one can they do something programmatically through the API

providing an xml file with the file id, title, description and keywords

I did think of that and you don't need access to the api since all the data is in DeepMeta which can export a CSV.

Unfortunately the flaw in that plan is that my images aren't tagged with the iStock image number or exactly the same title so you can't automate the process. That'll learn me for not adding the metadata in LR at creation time.

Quote from: lagereek on February 02, 2012, 12:35

And we think us microstockers earns money?  get this then,  cant mention his name but this guy during january earned himself a cool, 28K and apparently he does that every month of the year. not bad hey?

Macro RM ?

Yep!