Author Topic: Mid October - Still no post summer, pre-holiday bump? (Read 28662 times)

lisafx · « **on:** October 14, 2013, 10:09 »

Not sure if it's just me or if it is widespread, but my sales across all sites are still at (anemic) summer levels. This is the first time in 8 years I have not seen a significant jump in sales in September, and a very robust October.

I'm curious if this is a widespread phenomenon. If it is, then it may be related to the uncertainty around a possible US debt default, or perhaps the long-term results of the changes in the way google displays images, or phases of the moon, or .....?

If it's just me, I'd like to know. In that case I guess it could be portfolio aging, reduced production of new images, someone spreading rumors that my photos have cooties, or ....?

I know we have an end of the month thread, but sales are so dire I'd like to find some way to improve them ASAP, if there is a way.

Tror · « **Reply #1 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:12 »

Quote from: lisafx on October 14, 2013, 10:09

Not sure if it's just me or if it is widespread, but my sales across all sites are still at (anemic) summer levels. This is the first time in 8 years I have not seen a significant jump in sales in September, and a very robust October.

I'm curious if this is a widespread phenomenon. If it is, then it may be related to the uncertainty around a possible US debt default, or perhaps the long-term results of the changes in the way google displays images, or phases of the moon, or .....?

If it's just me, I'd like to know. In that case I guess it could be portfolio aging, reduced production of new images, someone spreading rumors that my photos have cooties, or ....?

I know we have an end of the month thread, but sales are so dire I'd like to find some way to improve them ASAP, if there is a way.

It feels like walking through mud. I am with Microstock since many years and never had the case of uploading so much relevant material with so little response in sales. You are not alone. It gets more difficult every year. I wonder when the huge suppliers drop out (after Yuri).

etienjones · « **Reply #2 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:13 »

lisafx

I'm seeing the same as you are, but with a much smaller portfolio (~1000 images) across all the agencies.

ShadySue · « **Reply #3 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:13 »

Definitely awful for me on iS - Sept picked up a bit relative to Jul-Aug, but October is way down again. And nada so far in Oct on Alamy.
In fact, almost halfway through the month and I'm WELL under half the dls I had in July, which was my worst month since becoming exclusive in mid 2007.
But very concerned that your port over a range of agencies is stagnant, Lisa. That's bad for the industry.
Let's hope that the "UKIP with Guns" party sees sense.

fotoVoyager · « **Reply #4 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:18 »

Terrible, terrible sales on iStock this past couple of weeks, really dire.

I would guess I'm approaching 10% of the volumes I would have sold a few years ago with a portfolio half the size.

lisafx · « **Reply #5 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:24 »

Thanks very much for the replies so far. I am not sure if I am comforted or alarmed that others are seeing the same. A bit of both. Hope more folks weigh in.

Oh, and apologies to anyone not in the US for the complete incompetence of our elected government, if that is part of what's going on.

hjalmeida · « **Reply #6 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:26 »

Same with me.

I think there are lots of phenomenons ... market, competition, and many others ... but I wonder if others like me are slowing the production even more (for micro) and trying other ways to sell at better prices.

I am doing less and less images with microstock in mind, because I believe that all images may sell but they do not sell in volume as they do in the past.

I really prefer to be represented with an agencie that sell fewer times at better prices, and microstock are not in this business model.

cthoman · « **Reply #7 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:27 »

Hopefully, I'm not the only one with positive news. October has been a lot better. The summer and September were pretty terrible though.

ShadySue · « **Reply #8 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:31 »

Quote from: cthoman on October 14, 2013, 10:27

Hopefully, I'm not the only one with positive news. October has been a lot better. The summer and September were pretty terrible though.

It's good to hear that at least someone is doing well.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:32 »

as usually SS doing well, all other doing peanuts

hjalmeida · « **Reply #10 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:36 »

As I said before is easy to do well if you earn less than, lets say, $1000/month ... more than that I guess it is rare the contributor that are doing well.

But if is someone out there, keep your secret ;-)

jbarber873 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:38 »

"someone spreading rumors that my photos have cooties, or ....? "

The cooties theory is very interesting.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:39 »

Quote from: hjalmeida on October 14, 2013, 10:36

As I said before is easy to do well if you earn less than, lets say, $1000/month ... more than that I guess it is rare the contributor that are doing well.

But if is someone out there, keep your secret ;-)

is that a joke? nobody doing over 1k $ is doing well? that is the dumbest statement I have ever heard, I understand what you mean but you haven't said it properly

fotoVoyager · « **Reply #13 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:44 »

Quote from: lisafx on October 14, 2013, 10:24

Oh, and apologies to anyone not in the US for the complete incompetence of our elected government, if that is part of what's going on.

Typically, I'm off on a tour of the southwest National Parks in a weeks time. I'll be sitting around twiddling my thumbs unless they get their act together!

hjalmeida · « **Reply #14 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:48 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on October 14, 2013, 10:39

Quote from: hjalmeida on October 14, 2013, 10:36
As I said before is easy to do well if you earn less than, lets say, $1000/month ... more than that I guess it is rare the contributor that are doing well.

But if is someone out there, keep your secret ;-)

is that a joke? nobody doing over 1k $ is doing well? that is the dumbest statement I have ever heard, I understand what you mean but you haven't said it properly

Luis,

Maybe you are not trying to understand my sentence properly ... but I can explain to you.

Always have been easy to grow when the photographer is starting and the income is low, and it's hard to keep making more and more money when you already earn a lot.
Now I believe that almost all photographers that earn, lets say, more than $1000 are earning less than the year before (or even the month before).
Of course I am not sure, but it's what I think is happen.

Why do you think Yuri are trying the exclusive thing at istock? ;-)

ShadySue · « **Reply #15 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:50 »

I'm earning much less than $1000pm and I'm still in a falling sales and $$ scenario. It's not suprising at iS, where uploading makes little or no difference nowadays; but I hadn't guessed that things would be as bad elsewhere.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:55 »

Quote from: hjalmeida on October 14, 2013, 10:48

Quote from: luissantos84 on October 14, 2013, 10:39
Quote from: hjalmeida on October 14, 2013, 10:36
As I said before is easy to do well if you earn less than, lets say, $1000/month ... more than that I guess it is rare the contributor that are doing well.

But if is someone out there, keep your secret ;-)

is that a joke? nobody doing over 1k $ is doing well? that is the dumbest statement I have ever heard, I understand what you mean but you haven't said it properly
Luis,

Maybe you are not trying to understand my sentence properly ... but I can explain to you.

Always have been easy to grow when the photographer is starting and the income is low, and it's hard to keep making more and more money when you already earn a lot.
Now I believe that almost all photographers that earn, lets say, more than $1000 are earning less than the year before (or even the month before).
Of course I am not sure, but it's what I think is happen.

Why do you think Yuri are trying the exclusive thing at istock? ;-)

that is not correct, if you check the monthly earnings topic here at MSG you will see that many are still growing and are certainly doing more than 1k $, you can add me on that statistic as well, your logic may be right for a big chunk of contributors but not for everybody

regarding Yuri I rather not talk about him because I am just tired of it, it won't take us anywhere

gostwyck · « **Reply #17 on:** October 14, 2013, 10:59 »

I'm currently projected to be about 8% down on Oct 2012. The situation may actually be a bit worse than that as I had an early flurry of SOD's on SS which may be distorting the numbers somewhat. Certainly no seasonal boost evident. It didn't happen in the Spring and it looks like it's not happening in the Autumn either.

hjalmeida · « **Reply #18 on:** October 14, 2013, 11:00 »

Quote from: ShadySue on October 14, 2013, 10:50

I'm earning much less than $1000pm and I'm still in a falling sales and $$ scenario. It's not suprising at iS, where uploading makes little or no difference nowadays; but I hadn't guessed that things would be as bad elsewhere.

Yep, and many that earn less than $1000pm also.

There is a world crise lots of small business closing, and over supply ... soon or later most of us will lost the starting motivation in microstock and have to find other ways to make money with photography.

hjalmeida · « **Reply #19 on:** October 14, 2013, 11:01 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on October 14, 2013, 10:55

Quote from: hjalmeida on October 14, 2013, 10:48
Quote from: luissantos84 on October 14, 2013, 10:39
Quote from: hjalmeida on October 14, 2013, 10:36
As I said before is easy to do well if you earn less than, lets say, $1000/month ... more than that I guess it is rare the contributor that are doing well.

But if is someone out there, keep your secret ;-)

is that a joke? nobody doing over 1k $ is doing well? that is the dumbest statement I have ever heard, I understand what you mean but you haven't said it properly
Luis,

Maybe you are not trying to understand my sentence properly ... but I can explain to you.

Always have been easy to grow when the photographer is starting and the income is low, and it's hard to keep making more and more money when you already earn a lot.
Now I believe that almost all photographers that earn, lets say, more than $1000 are earning less than the year before (or even the month before).
Of course I am not sure, but it's what I think is happen.

Why do you think Yuri are trying the exclusive thing at istock? ;-)

that is not correct, if you check the monthly earnings topic here at MSG you will see that many are still growing and are certainly doing more than 1k $, you can add me on that statistic as well, your logic may be right for a big chunk of contributors but not for everybody

regarding Yuri I rather not talk about him because I am just tired of it, it won't take us anywhere

Believe what you want ... you will get there some day.

Ron · « **Reply #20 on:** October 14, 2013, 11:03 »

I had high hopes for October, because I had a killer summer with my portfolio. But it seems October is much slower then July August September.

ShadySue · « **Reply #21 on:** October 14, 2013, 11:04 »

Quote from: hjalmeida on October 14, 2013, 11:00

Quote from: ShadySue on October 14, 2013, 10:50
I'm earning much less than $1000pm and I'm still in a falling sales and $$ scenario. It's not suprising at iS, where uploading makes little or no difference nowadays; but I hadn't guessed that things would be as bad elsewhere.

Yep, and many that earn less than $1000pm also.

There is a world crise lots of small business closing, and over supply ... soon or later most of us will lost the starting motivation in microstock and have to find other ways to make money with photography.

Or just other ways to make money.
In a financial crisis, there isn't much spare money to spend on portraits and wedding photography. I can easily see that here, but to be fair, watching CreativeLIVE, and seeing the reported sales on FAA, it seems that there's still a lot of discretionary money around in parts of the US.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #22 on:** October 14, 2013, 11:04 »

Quote from: hjalmeida on October 14, 2013, 11:01

Quote from: luissantos84 on October 14, 2013, 10:55
Quote from: hjalmeida on October 14, 2013, 10:48
Quote from: luissantos84 on October 14, 2013, 10:39
Quote from: hjalmeida on October 14, 2013, 10:36
As I said before is easy to do well if you earn less than, lets say, $1000/month ... more than that I guess it is rare the contributor that are doing well.

But if is someone out there, keep your secret ;-)

is that a joke? nobody doing over 1k $ is doing well? that is the dumbest statement I have ever heard, I understand what you mean but you haven't said it properly
Luis,

Maybe you are not trying to understand my sentence properly ... but I can explain to you.

Always have been easy to grow when the photographer is starting and the income is low, and it's hard to keep making more and more money when you already earn a lot.
Now I believe that almost all photographers that earn, lets say, more than $1000 are earning less than the year before (or even the month before).
Of course I am not sure, but it's what I think is happen.

Why do you think Yuri are trying the exclusive thing at istock? ;-)

that is not correct, if you check the monthly earnings topic here at MSG you will see that many are still growing and are certainly doing more than 1k $, you can add me on that statistic as well, your logic may be right for a big chunk of contributors but not for everybody

regarding Yuri I rather not talk about him because I am just tired of it, it won't take us anywhere

Believe what you want ... you will get there some day.

I believe in my own numbers, may I?

guess you are missing something, I haven't said I don't understand your logic but 1k $ is relatively low, I believe you should say 3-5k

cthoman · « **Reply #23 on:** October 14, 2013, 11:07 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on October 14, 2013, 10:55

...if you check the monthly earnings topic here at MSG you will see that many are still growing and are certainly doing more than 1k $...

I'd like to think I'm still growing, although it seems like a couple steps forward and a couple steps backward. I think there are still more steps forward overall though.

etienjones · « **Reply #24 on:** October 14, 2013, 11:09 »

Quote from: lisafx on October 14, 2013, 10:24

Thanks very much for the replies so far. I am not sure if I am comforted or alarmed that others are seeing the same. A bit of both. Hope more folks weigh in.

Oh, and apologies to anyone not in the US for the complete incompetence of our elected government, if that is part of what's going on.

That's probably part of it, but to be frank I think we have to except the fact that the market is just watered down with millions upon millions of images . . . . . the glory days are over. The crowd in "Crowd Sourcing" becomes bigger, . . . . remember the song "Video Killed The Radio Star"? Things move on.

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Author Topic: Mid October - Still no post summer, pre-holiday bump? (Read 28662 times)

lisafx

Tror

etienjones

ShadySue

fotoVoyager

lisafx

hjalmeida

cthoman

ShadySue

luissantos84

hjalmeida

jbarber873

luissantos84

fotoVoyager

hjalmeida

ShadySue

luissantos84

gostwyck

hjalmeida

hjalmeida

Ron

ShadySue

luissantos84

cthoman

etienjones

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