October 2012 Earning Thread

[ShadySue]

(IS Exclusive. I reworked my Sept stats, with the CC sales included, which made them nothing like as bad as I reported last month. Similarly, October's stats include the CC sales.)

Compared to Sept 12: DLs +35%; $$ +15% (discrepancy due to two good ELs in Sept and 0 in October). ULs in Oct 12: 38 (only 1 DL from these, but that's been usual for ages now).

Compared to Oct 11: DLs -5%, $$ +17% (2ELs last Oct). UL in past year: 539.

Port size: 3326 as of this moment. (Can't remember if that counts DB files?)

Added: plus three RM from Alamy.

[Jo Ann Snover]

It was a good month - not a BME overall, but SS was a BME by 20% (last November was the previous BME). If IS hadn't been in such bad shape - down 6% over September 2012...

It's important to note that I have been using StatsPlus to get my iStock sales, so I am picking up the cash sales missing from the IS stats - and it's still down.

Total for the month was up 17% over Sept 2012 and 59% over October 2011 (a bit artificial as I had left exclusivity in June 2011 and was still on the climb back on other sites last year). Nevertheless, it's good to see healthy sales. I haven't grown my port much in the last few months, but I don't have numbers for that.

Given the month delay in delivering PP sales, I've plugged in September's PP sales and DLs in for October as a placeholder. As my PP sales for September were up 25% over August, it may get a little better once October's actual PP sales come in (although that may be January 2013 given how they keep pushing those dates out!)

SS was up 26% from September (which was up 22% from August) - fewer ELs but one big single download that made up for that

DT did OK - flat, essentially with October 2011 (although my portfolio is much bigger there now as I have more of it uploaded than I did last October). It says to me that they've traded fewer downloads for higher prices per download. As a contributor I'm not sure that I'm helped by that as the money per month ends up the same.

123rf did OK - up 12% from September. Given that I haven't uploaded there for many months (since they announced their new royalty scheme) that's pretty decent. No thanks to them (why don't they include the credit totals in the earnings chart?) I have figured my credit total for the year so far and am will probably get 45% next year if I stay with them - I don't think there's a prayer that I'll make enough there this month and next to stay at 50%. Given their very heavy discounting of credit prices, 50% of already cheap images isn't all that good. I'm still hoping they'll change their minds and halt this greedy cash grab...

BigStock did very nicely - up 52% from Sept (which was up from August). PhotoDune, Veer and CanStock did OK  but are very inconsistent - PD was down a bit, CanStock up a bit and Veer down a bit. Alamy contributed two sales - sounds small, but my take will be $108 whenever I actually get paid, so that's not too bad

[pancaketom]

BME (so far) for me. SS had the most DL ever but with enough less EL and OD to keep it from being a BME there. Alamy did quite well - another BME unless things are refunded.  In fact just SS and Alamy made for a decent month - better than last months total.

I have no idea how IS did, but relatively unimportant at this point. Veer also has some reporting issues for me. 

BS was a non EL BME but still a small player. PD was another small fry BME. DT was back up to about average for the last 12 months - better than most of the last 4 or so.

Once I sort out Veer and in a few years if/when the IS and PP income are all reported it should be an even better month.

I think I added around 1% new images to my portfolio of up to 3,000 images. One thing about the port growth vs income growth is at some point you should hit some sort of steady state and if your work to produce new images isn't too onerous you are making a pretty good income at this (although it might be some time before past work is fully recouped).

[Poncke]

One off topic question :  why are Leaf and I the only ones in this topic showing port size (and links to portfolio) ?

Probably because people want to remain anonymous here because agencies are checking this forum and every now and then trolls ridicule someone's work in flame wars

[Anyka]

One off topic question :  why are Leaf and I the only ones in this topic showing port size (and links to portfolio) ?

Probably because people want to remain anonymous here because agencies are checking this forum and every now and then trolls ridicule someone's work in flame wars

I understand that for the portfolio links, but why hide the port size dials under your avatar?

[Poncke]

One off topic question :  why are Leaf and I the only ones in this topic showing port size (and links to portfolio) ?

Probably because people want to remain anonymous here because agencies are checking this forum and every now and then trolls ridicule someone's work in flame wars

I understand that for the portfolio links, but why hide the port size dials under your avatar?

  I dont even know how to turn that on. I didnt even know you could turn that on. But probably for the same reason. If you dont have a large port and you post your opinion you get slain for not knowing what you are talking about.

[Jo Ann Snover]

...I understand that for the portfolio links, but why hide the port size dials under your avatar?

  I dont even know how to turn that on. I didnt even know you could turn that on. But probably for the same reason. If you dont have a large port and you post your opinion you get slain for not knowing what you are talking about.
[/quote]

Go to the profile menu and select Forum Profile. Put your DT and SS user info into the fields provided then check the "Hide Portfolio Links" if you don't want them displayed.

When you haven't been doing this for very long and don't have very many images online, you have to expect that people will point this out if your experience and view differs from someone who has been doing it for longer - or from statisticians, who know a lot about how very small sample sizes can produce unreliable results. It might feel uncomfortable, but it also feels uncomfortable to be lectured to by newcomers if you've been around the block a few times.

The problem with leaving nothing is that you'll likely be treated as if you have a very small portfolio anyway, so I'm not sure it solves your problem

[pixmicro]

Best month ever for me ! :-)

BME on SS, FT, 123 RF.

My port : around 750 illustrations. Being on IS, SS, DT,BigStock,GL,Veer,CanStockPhoto,123RF,DP,FT, Stockfresh

First time ever I almost reach 2000$ in a month without iStock pp !
So most probably 1st time I pass the 2000$/month
Hope it will keep on

[lisafx]

I can't seem to get Stats Plus to work right, so I have to work with what Istock is showing me, which means the 31st is still missing. 

Given the info I have, $ are up 6% from last month, but down 16% from last October.  Down 25% from high water mark of October 2009. 

Total portfolio just over 7k, with 500 or so added in the past year. 

[Poncke]

...I understand that for the portfolio links, but why hide the port size dials under your avatar?

  I dont even know how to turn that on. I didnt even know you could turn that on. But probably for the same reason. If you dont have a large port and you post your opinion you get slain for not knowing what you are talking about.

Go to the profile menu and select Forum Profile. Put your DT and SS user info into the fields provided then check the "Hide Portfolio Links" if you don't want them displayed.

When you haven't been doing this for very long and don't have very many images online, you have to expect that people will point this out if your experience and view differs from someone who has been doing it for longer - or from statisticians, who know a lot about how very small sample sizes can produce unreliable results. It might feel uncomfortable, but it also feels uncomfortable to be lectured to by newcomers if you've been around the block a few times.

The problem with leaving nothing is that you'll likely be treated as if you have a very small portfolio anyway, so I'm not sure it solves your problem

I see loads of rubbish being posted as well by so called 'experts' in the industry... Its not about how big your port is, but about if what you say holds water.

Thanks anyway, I was just pointing out why people dont share their stuff. Its not really a problem I have.

[cthoman]

7th BME. Up slightly from September, but down from August (which is weird to say). With only two months left, this should end up being a BYE (best year ever).

[SNP]

Sales have been down since August. September was awful. October was slightly better than September, but still down by a lot.

[cthoman]

On a side note, did your SS earnings not clear out at the end of the month? Don't they usually start at zero to begin a new month?

[lisafx]

On a side note, did your SS earnings not clear out at the end of the month? Don't they usually start at zero to begin a new month?

I noticed the same thing. 

[ClaridgeJ]

Same here.

[cobalt]

Sales have come back to a normal level. Now that the stats are correct I can see that I even have 1% more Royalties than October 2011. Compared to the horrible September 2012 Royalties are up 93%!!!

I have never had such a drastic upswing ever.

But I am not complaining

[pancaketom]

On a side note, did your SS earnings not clear out at the end of the month? Don't they usually start at zero to begin a new month?

I noticed the same thing.

I saw that too, maybe something to do with Sandy?

[gostwyck]

On a side note, did your SS earnings not clear out at the end of the month? Don't they usually start at zero to begin a new month?

How disappointing __ I just thought my November had got off to an unbelievable start.

[nicku]

One off topic question :  why are Leaf and I the only ones in this topic showing port size (and links to portfolio) ?

If this make any sense for you ... here are my numbers; Ports size:  between 1000 images on 123RF and 2270 on SS. sales in the thousands /month.

[microstockphoto.co.uk]

On a side note, did your SS earnings not clear out at the end of the month? Don't they usually start at zero to begin a new month?

I noticed the same thing.

I saw that too, maybe something to do with Sandy?

This may have something to do with Sandy as well: today I submitted a batch of 40 pictures and got stuck during process. Now I see that I have 160 pictures pending and I'll have to delete one by one before they think I am deliberately submitting multiple times...

Back on topic: October not a BME, but a good month at Shutterstock, and also a decent month at other sites, with some improvement over a bad september

[aeonf]

Another bad month.

Just above 2,000$ made.

+ 17% compared to Sept 2012
+ 18% compared to Oct 2011

Port grew by about 50% to ~5,000 images.

[leaf]

On a side note, did your SS earnings not clear out at the end of the month? Don't they usually start at zero to begin a new month?

On a side note, did your SS earnings not clear out at the end of the month? Don't they usually start at zero to begin a new month?

I noticed the same thing.

I saw that too, maybe something to do with Sandy?

yep, check out this post
http://www.microstockgroup.com/17278/17278/msg277828/#msg277828

[Poncke]

On a side note, did your SS earnings not clear out at the end of the month? Don't they usually start at zero to begin a new month?

On a side note, did your SS earnings not clear out at the end of the month? Don't they usually start at zero to begin a new month?

I noticed the same thing.

I saw that too, maybe something to do with Sandy?

yep, check out this post
http://www.microstockgroup.com/17278/17278/msg277828/#msg277828

The numbers have reset now, so the systems have been synced.

[Morphart]

BME ever for me. Shutterstock went over the top too with over 20% increase in income and downloads (600 DL more than last BME)

[tavi]

   BME for me, but I'm a beginner with port growing so it's normal I think. BME at SS for no of dlds, but the overall BME is due to a sale at IS of 30$ (don't know what has sold as it was credit card I think) and a first sale on Alamy.
   Now I'm worried because for something like 10 days, the only one that sells consistent is SS. I,ve reached BME by 20 oct, and after it was disaster. 2 sales on FT, only 1 at IS, and the other disaster. November started bad as well-2 sales at SS and that's all for yesterday. Anyone sees a big drop in sales in the past 10 days of so? I have that problem to all the sites, that's weird. SS sells but no OD SOD or EL in the past 2 weeks.
   I'm a poor seller with no commercial images, but the drop is so bad that I cannot explain.