Author Topic: POLL: RPI (Read 18960 times)

PaulieWalnuts · « **on:** February 26, 2012, 10:57 »

It doesn't look like one of these has been done in a while so here it is. The ever popular RPI statistic.

For those of you not familiar, RPI is Return Per Image and for this poll we're doing monthly. Why is this important? For a lot of people it's not. Higher RPI means you're making more money per image. This can be helpful to see how your portfolio is performing against other contributors.

So...

If you have an average of 1,000 images across all sites and make $1,000 per month, your RPI is $1.00
If you have an average of 1,000 images across all sites and make $500 per month, your RPI is $.50
If you have an average of 1,000 images across all sites and make $100 per month, your RPI is $.10 and so on

steheap · « **Reply #1 on:** February 26, 2012, 11:17 »

Looking at the results so far, I think you have too few choices in the lower earnings bracket and too many at the high end. Mine was 70c per image per month, and that gets absorbed into a much bigger group of 50 - 75c

Steve

{although I have just noticed only 6 people have voted!}
{ and is it worth splitting between vectors and photographs?}

microstockphoto.co.uk · « **Reply #2 on:** February 26, 2012, 12:11 »

If you have an average of x images at some sites, <x at istock and dreamstime (due tu upload limits and "similars" policy), and >x at some minor sites that accept all cr*p, how do you calculate rpi?

I know, a weighted mean - but it's a huge work if the sites are 20+... so my answer is: I don't know (and don't even care too much)

PaulieWalnuts · « **Reply #3 on:** February 26, 2012, 12:27 »

Quote from: microstockphoto.co.uk on February 26, 2012, 12:11

If you have an average of x images at some sites, <x at istock and dreamstime (due tu upload limits and "similars" policy), and >x at some minor sites that accept all cr*p, how do you calculate rpi?

Then maybe your RPI could, and probably would, indicate that you shouldn't be submitting crap or submitting to minor sites.

Quote

I know, a weighted mean - but it's a huge work if the sites are 20+... so my answer is: I don't know (and don't even care too much)

As stated at the beginning, some people don't think it's important, and that's fine. I used to track RPI per site and on average as a whole. I still do for IS and for me it's important.

Microbius · « **Reply #4 on:** February 26, 2012, 12:28 »

I tend to go by total number of images submitted/ produced as I submit everything to every site.
Even if the image is rejected by some or all of the sites or I later remove it, I have still payed out to produce it so this RPI of total potential portfolio is the most useful to me.

PaulieWalnuts · « **Reply #5 on:** February 26, 2012, 12:30 »

Quote from: steheap on February 26, 2012, 11:17

Looking at the results so far, I think you have too few choices in the lower earnings bracket and too many at the high end. Mine was 70c per image per month, and that gets absorbed into a much bigger group of 50 - 75c

Steve

{although I have just noticed only 6 people have voted!}
{ and is it worth splitting between vectors and photographs?}

So what would you suggest? 5 or 10 cent increments?

stockmarketer · « **Reply #6 on:** February 26, 2012, 12:35 »

Quote from: Microbius on February 26, 2012, 12:28

I tend to go by total number of images submitted/ produced as I submit everything to every site.
Even if the image is rejected by some or all of the sites or I later remove it, I have still payed out to produce it so this RPI of total potential portfolio is the most useful to me.

+1

Exactly how I do it.

If I create 99 pieces of crap that don't get accepted anywhere and 1 great pic that sells like hotcakes, I should divide my sales by 100. Otherwise, if I just divide by 1, I'd distort things so I feel like a genius when in reality I'm pretty lousy.

lagereek · « **Reply #7 on:** February 26, 2012, 13:03 »

Why is this important? all I care about is the monthly net pay, sod the rest.

PaulieWalnuts · « **Reply #8 on:** February 26, 2012, 13:12 »

Quote from: lagereek on February 26, 2012, 13:03

Why is this important? all I care about is the monthly net pay, sod the rest.

So if you had 100 images and made $10,000 per month or had 10,000 images and made $100 per month this would mean nothing to you?

CD123 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 26, 2012, 13:59 »

There are just to many variables for me in this one to make the result worthwhile. Number of low earner sites one contributes to is one. It takes a few seconds longer to submit to 2 or 3 sites more, but according to my understanding of your calculation it will have an effect on the RPI if you do. Further there is the huge difference between Vector and JPG income at certain sites (your poll does not distinguish). Then there is "big site" non accepted "crap" which do sell at quite nice pricing at some of the lower earner sites.

All just to confusing to try and make sense of this in a single poll imo.

I have income per image sold per site I submit to as well as a combined average, as well as a distinction between my Dollar, Pound and Euro income sites. I also keep a thumb of every image sold at every site (yes my sales allow it still at this time), which give me an instant glance of what sells where and what sells everywhere. Think I am OK with my info without this one.

wut · « **Reply #10 on:** February 26, 2012, 16:15 »

It's very simple, it tells you how good (or bad) stock photographer you really are. If that's important to you, than this stat is important to you, if it's not, you don't bother with it anyway

sharpshot · « **Reply #11 on:** February 26, 2012, 16:18 »

Quote from: PaulieWalnuts on February 26, 2012, 13:12

Quote from: lagereek on February 26, 2012, 13:03
Why is this important? all I care about is the monthly net pay, sod the rest.

So if you had 100 images and made $10,000 per month or had 10,000 images and made $100 per month this would mean nothing to you?

You could also have 10,000 images making $10,000 or 100 making $1,000. I would rather have the lower RPI and more money.

PaulieWalnuts · « **Reply #12 on:** February 26, 2012, 16:28 »

Quote from: sharpshot on February 26, 2012, 16:18

Quote from: PaulieWalnuts on February 26, 2012, 13:12
Quote from: lagereek on February 26, 2012, 13:03
Why is this important? all I care about is the monthly net pay, sod the rest.

So if you had 100 images and made $10,000 per month or had 10,000 images and made $100 per month this would mean nothing to you?
You could also have 10,000 images making $10,000 or 100 making $1,000. I would rather have the lower RPI and more money.

You've gotta be kidding, right? So, if there was a way to make a higher $10 RPI, you would rather not stop at making 1,000 images to make $10,000, but keep going to make 10,000 images to make $10,000? Work harder and longer for the same money? And if you had 10,000 images you would not want the $10 RPI and make $100,000 per month?

I'm speechless.

Perry · « **Reply #13 on:** February 26, 2012, 16:29 »

My RPI is somewhere in the $0.80 region. Photos, no people shots. I spend very little money on my shoots, only a cheap prop now and then (and very often the prop is something that I can use late on!)

luissantos84 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 26, 2012, 16:35 »

I am sure most of us can delete half port and have the exact same earnings, the point is how much have we spent to produce those pictures and if we could have been shooting a much better subject, per example if there are no props/models is kind of hard to produce good stock pictures.. (yes there are many subjects that sell very nice such as concepts on corkboard/chalkboard, cute charts and words, etc)

RPI is very relative because we can do 15k in a year but have spent 5k in models/props/other.. and some other guy may earn perhaps a little less but without spending the 5k, basically its very hard to define a "good" RPI, every case is a case

CD123 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 26, 2012, 16:36 »

Quote from: wut on February 26, 2012, 16:15

It's very simple, it tells you how good (or bad) stock photographer you really are. If that's important to you, than this stat is important to you, if it's not, you don't bother with it anyway

You think this is the only way you can establish it?

So if you happen to support a few to many low earners you might be bad, but if you did not you might be good.....?

This is not a race for me, it is a way to earn extra income I really need. If I reach my personal sales target, I am good, if I did not, the industry is bad! Does it not work for most of you that way?

Oh yes, and my congratulations to the big winners!

PS wut I am rooting for you, are you the hat or the iron?

sharpshot · « **Reply #16 on:** February 26, 2012, 17:11 »

Quote from: PaulieWalnuts on February 26, 2012, 16:28

Quote from: sharpshot on February 26, 2012, 16:18
Quote from: PaulieWalnuts on February 26, 2012, 13:12
Quote from: lagereek on February 26, 2012, 13:03
Why is this important? all I care about is the monthly net pay, sod the rest.

So if you had 100 images and made $10,000 per month or had 10,000 images and made $100 per month this would mean nothing to you?
You could also have 10,000 images making $10,000 or 100 making $1,000. I would rather have the lower RPI and more money.

You've gotta be kidding, right? So, if there was a way to make a higher $10 RPI, you would rather not stop at making 1,000 images to make $10,000, but keep going to make 10,000 images to make $10,000? Work harder and longer for the same money? And if you had 10,000 images you would not want the $10 RPI and make $100,000 per month?

I'm speechless.

That's too simplistic. It's not easy to get $10 RPI. If I concentrated on doing that, I would be producing very few images. A few people can do big portfolios and high RPI but I'm not one of them. They spend far less time on this forum

It's probably going to get harder in microstock, with increased competition, higher review standards and commissions being cut.

Perry · « **Reply #17 on:** February 26, 2012, 17:42 »

-- Delete this ---

wut · « **Reply #18 on:** February 26, 2012, 17:46 »

Quote from: CD123 on February 26, 2012, 16:36

Quote from: wut on February 26, 2012, 16:15
It's very simple, it tells you how good (or bad) stock photographer you really are. If that's important to you, than this stat is important to you, if it's not, you don't bother with it anyway
You think this is the only way you can establish it?

So if you happen to support a few to many low earners you might be bad, but if you did not you might be good.....?

This is not a race for me, it is a way to earn extra income I really need. If I reach my personal sales target, I am good, if I did not, the industry is bad! Does it not work for most of you that way?

Oh yes, and my congratulations to the big winners!

PS wut I am rooting for you, are you the hat or the iron?

I don't see the relation with low earners. RPI has nothing to do with the number of sites you sell your photos on.

Indeed it's not a race. I didn't even define my view on RPI, just mentioned the 2 possibilities and what I thing RPI really tells. But I gotta admit reaching my personal targets is the most important thing to me as well. If I wouldn't reach at least some of them I'd already quit. Though to be honest I can't see why anyone, who wants to live off of MS, would do that if his RPI is below 1$. Well it would work if you either have a big port or live in a country with a low standard of living.

Tnx for rooting for me. I guess, since I don't know what you meant by iron/hat (since I'm not a native speaker)

CD123 · « **Reply #19 on:** February 26, 2012, 17:59 »

Native growler?

Or you do not have to do this for a living but only for an extra income OR your exchange rate make a big difference in what you can do with your earnings OR you have a physical disability and this is one of a few methods to get extra cash OR you are so self opinionated that you think that you can think of all the possible scenarios which might make it worth someones while (even if others might think you are bad :"it tells you how good (or bad) stock photographer you really are").

PS Monopoly is a very old western money/property game. Some of the players pieces are a hat, iron, racing car, etc. Better known in more modern societies, so you are excused....

Artemis · « **Reply #20 on:** February 26, 2012, 19:18 »

I fall in the $3-4 category; for me its important... i cant stand feeling ripped off and abused. (although i know its not only or totally what this poll reflects, still, a good part of this RPI comes from ditching the a-holes)
If there was a site that payed 5 cents per sold image but had huuuuge sales volume, i still would NOT submit to it. The idea that only what you get at the end of the month counts is what keeps us getting screwed and the" take whatever pennies you can get" attitude makes me cringe. I know im losing money over it (definitly by ditching istock and FT), and i do regret that, but its not worth the constant bitter taste in my mouth. I know many will disagree, but to each its own i guess.

wut · « **Reply #21 on:** February 26, 2012, 19:37 »

Quote from: CD123 on February 26, 2012, 17:59

Native growler?

Or you do not have to do this for a living but only for an extra income OR your exchange rate make a big difference in what you can do with your earnings OR you have a physical disability and this is one of a few methods to get extra cash OR you are so self opinionated that you think that you can think of all the possible scenarios which might make it worth someones while (even if others might think you are bad :"it tells you how good (or bad) stock photographer you really are").

PS Monopoly is a very old western money/property game. Some of the players pieces are a hat, iron, racing car, etc. Better known in more modern societies, so you are excused....

Some nerve I've hit, you must be in that 0-0,25$ category

stockmarketer · « **Reply #22 on:** February 26, 2012, 19:37 »

I care about RPI for two reasons:

1. It helps me project. If RPI is steady (and it has been for me for nearly four years) I can set up a simple formula on an Excel sheet and see what my earnings will be a year from now if I upload a certain number of shots per day. So a year ago, I predicted almost to the dollar what I am earning today. Who wouldn't like an earnings crystal ball? For me, RPI is that crystal ball, and a shockingly reliable one at that.

2. If I see a fall in RPI, I will know something is wrong. It won't tell me the cause, but it will set off an alarm and tell me to dig for an answer. Maybe my OLD stuff has stopped selling, in which case there's not much I can do about it. Or maybe my NEW stuff isn't selling... which tells me that I need to reassess what I'm doing and change course.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #23 on:** February 26, 2012, 20:15 »

Quote from: CD123 on February 26, 2012, 17:59

PS Monopoly is a very old western money/property game. Some of the players pieces are a hat, iron, racing car, etc. Better known in more modern societies, so you are excused....

my old monopoly haven´t got those

CD123 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 26, 2012, 23:24 »

So glad for every person this info helps. We need all the help we can! Personally, I find the site specific info I have, plus the combination of it quite adequate for my needs. As mentioned, I am also not convinced of this poll's accuracy, but if it help you, go for it!

Oh wut, the only nerve around is still yours and even if I earned $0.0.1 on this scale it would not have worried me for one moment. You are clearly struggling with the race, but maybe if you behave a bit better, some of the bigger guys will also allow you a bit of their shine. That is why I am rooting for you. The poor underdog must get his day some day.....

Show them wut, show them wut, wut, wut, wut, hooray!!!! (oh, forgot to ask, you are a "good" stock photographer aren't you?)

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What's your average monthly RPI?

Author Topic: POLL: RPI (Read 18960 times)

PaulieWalnuts

steheap

microstockphoto.co.uk

PaulieWalnuts

Microbius

PaulieWalnuts

stockmarketer

lagereek

PaulieWalnuts

CD123

wut

sharpshot

PaulieWalnuts

Perry

luissantos84

CD123

sharpshot

Perry

wut

CD123

Artemis

wut

stockmarketer

luissantos84

CD123

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