Author Topic: RPD on Various Sites (Read 13238 times)

lisafx · « **on:** April 07, 2010, 10:43 »

There has been a lot of talk about RPD (royalty per download) of the various sites and it got me curious. I normally only track RPD for my whole portfolio per month, but I decided to go back and calculate it per site for March.

Here's the results: Are the rest of you finding similar?

IS $1.13
SS .55
DT 1.67
FOT 1.55
BigStock .95
123 .81
CanStockPhoto 1.33

sc · « **Reply #1 on:** April 07, 2010, 10:49 »

Mine

IS $1.18
SS .52
DT 1.15
FOT .93
BigStock .79
123 .83
CanStockPhoto .51

fotografer · « **Reply #2 on:** April 07, 2010, 11:09 »

I've put highest earnings for last month as a comparison.

RPD Highest Earnings
DT - 2.84 FOT
Fot - 1.60 (1 EL netting over 70$) DT
IS - 1.30 (1 EL) IS
BigStock - 0.89 SS
123 - 0.73 BigStock
SS - 0.65 (9 ELs) 123

gostwyck · « **Reply #3 on:** April 07, 2010, 11:11 »

Here's mine;

IS $1.25
SS 0.58
FT 1.24
DT 1.43
BigStock 0.84

I guess FT contributors of Emerald and above ranking will tend to have a much higher RPD due to the higer prices.

cathyslife · « **Reply #4 on:** April 07, 2010, 11:22 »

Here are my numbers:

IS - 1.28
SS - .69
DT - 1.62
BigStock - .76

ap · « **Reply #5 on:** April 07, 2010, 11:34 »

having a small port, the numbers will probably seem wacky:

is - 1.1
ss - .74
123 - 4.1
dt - .77
v - 1.05
pc - 4.5
(photocase)

KB · « **Reply #6 on:** April 07, 2010, 11:34 »

Seems like my FT is way out of line with everyone else's.

Here are mine: March, All-time, Earnings rank

123: 0.54, 0.70, #6
BigStock: 1.03, 1.08, #5
DT: 1.49, 1.16, #3
FT: 0.59, 0.81, #4
IS: 1.06, 1.08, #1
SS: 0.74, 0.39 (3 ELs), #2

(Edited to add earnings rank, since a high RPD is just part of the equation)

fotografer · « **Reply #7 on:** April 07, 2010, 11:35 »

Emerald ranking makes a huge difference. My earnings more than doubled when I went Emerald. As the sub prices didn't double I can only think that when you double your prices you get better placing in the search or dls just coincidently rose at about that time.

Quote from: gostwyck on April 07, 2010, 11:11

I guess FT contributors of Emerald and above ranking will tend to have a much higher RPD due to the higer prices.

lisafx · « **Reply #8 on:** April 07, 2010, 11:38 »

Interesting stats so far. Looks like DT has pretty consistently high RPD compared to the others.

Gostwyck, you are right, I should have mentioned I am emerald on Fotolia so that will skew my RPD there.

Albert Martin · « **Reply #9 on:** April 07, 2010, 11:46 »

More than $50 RPD here ;-)

gostwyck · « **Reply #10 on:** April 07, 2010, 11:49 »

Quote from: lisafx on April 07, 2010, 11:38

Looks like DT has pretty consistently high RPD compared to the others.

Of course that's why Serban keeps banging on about it, as if it is really important __ but really it isn't. What is far more important is revenue/image/month (RIM?!) i.e. how much income will said agency generate from a given portfolio per month. DT may be leading on RPD but is way behind the Top 3 on RIM.

sharply_done · « **Reply #11 on:** April 07, 2010, 11:51 »

Quote from: gostwyck on April 07, 2010, 11:49

Of course that's why Serban keeps banging on about it, as if it is really important __ but really it isn't. What is far more important is revenue/image/month (RIM?!) i.e. how much income will said agency generate from a given portfolio per month. DT may be leading on RPD but is way behind the Top 3 on RIM.

Um, that's RPI.
And yeah, RPDL is almost meaningless without mentioning sales volume.

cthoman · « **Reply #12 on:** April 07, 2010, 12:00 »

Quote from: lisafx on April 07, 2010, 11:38

Interesting stats so far. Looks like DT has pretty consistently high RPD compared to the others.

My DT RPD is all over the place, although it's been around $.80 the last 2 months. If I were to guess, I'd think IS would be the clear winner because of the all vector sales. Well, excluding Graphic Leftovers, Veer and Clipartof. Hmm... I guess I may need a rule clarification, then? Also, do extended licenses count? Because SS seems to sell more of those than anyone else.

lisafx · « **Reply #13 on:** April 07, 2010, 12:06 »

Quote from: cthoman on April 07, 2010, 12:00

My DT RPD is all over the place, although it's been around $.80 the last 2 months. If I were to guess, I'd think IS would be the clear winner because of the all vector sales. Well, excluding Graphic Leftovers, Veer and Clipartof. Hmm... I guess I may need a rule clarification, then? Also, do extended licenses count? Because SS seems to sell more of those than anyone else.

I included ELs in my calculations.

On GL, Veer, Clipartof, etc. Feel free to include them! I didn't because I am not on those sites.

RT · « **Reply #14 on:** April 07, 2010, 12:12 »

Quote from: sharply_done on April 07, 2010, 11:51

Quote from: gostwyck on April 07, 2010, 11:49
Of course that's why Serban keeps banging on about it, as if it is really important __ but really it isn't. What is far more important is revenue/image/month (RIM?!) i.e. how much income will said agency generate from a given portfolio per month. DT may be leading on RPD but is way behind the Top 3 on RIM.

Um, that's RPI.
And yeah, RPDL is almost meaningless without mentioning sales volume.

What he means is that if you have 1000 images at every agency the important thing is how much that agency brings you each month total, RPD is pointless if you only sell a few images on that site per month.

For microstock sites the most important factor as far as I'm concerned is the total nett amount I get from the agency in any given month, on macro agencies RPI is more relevant because you're selling less volume, microstock is a volume game so I consider RPI & RPD figures on microstock agencies to be less important that the MPR - Monthly Portfolio Return (sorry everyone else is making one up so I wanted my turn

)

Edited to add: I'm only referring to the figures I use to assess the viability of which agencies to spend time uploading to, the worth of RPI has a completely different meaning when it comes to research statistics, although factoring in whether or not you should go onto certain site forums and make "positive" comments is making true RPI assessment even harder

lisafx · « **Reply #15 on:** April 07, 2010, 12:38 »

I agree that monthly portfolio return is extremely important. Probably even the most important factor ITLR.

But we keep hearing that as a justification for lowering per/sale royalties. You know the old "you'll make it up on volume" justification handed out every time royalty % is cut on any site.

For that reason I think it is good to bear in mind the RPD as well.

After all, if the RPD was higher on the "volume" sites we contributors would be seeing the same kind of massive income growth the sites are enjoying as a result of our work...

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #16 on:** April 07, 2010, 13:04 »

I'm not sure that this is useful, but FWIW my RPD for March for IS was $3.71 - no extended licenses last month to skew the numbers.

If you adjust that to a 20% royalty rate it would be $2.12. I think that gives you an idea of what Vetta and exclusive image prices does to the totals.

ap · « **Reply #17 on:** April 07, 2010, 13:38 »

Quote from: jsnover on April 07, 2010, 13:04

I'm not sure that this is useful, but FWIW my RPD for March for IS was $3.71 - no extended licenses last month to skew the numbers.

wow!!

however, even if i adjusted my is rpd to yours (but minus your great port), i'd still be short of what my combined portfolio does as an indie by about 50%.

gostwyck · « **Reply #18 on:** April 07, 2010, 14:12 »

Quote from: lisafx on April 07, 2010, 12:38

I agree that monthly portfolio return is extremely important. Probably even the most important factor ITLR.

But we keep hearing that as a justification for lowering per/sale royalties. You know the old "you'll make it up on volume" justification handed out every time royalty % is cut on any site.

True enough but the difference here is that FT is actually delivering on the volume thing __ but DT is not. Sure, my 'RPD' at DT has been steadily increasing but sales are slipping and revenue stagnant.

Kngkyle · « **Reply #19 on:** April 07, 2010, 15:36 »

Quote from: ap on April 07, 2010, 13:38

Quote from: jsnover on April 07, 2010, 13:04
I'm not sure that this is useful, but FWIW my RPD for March for IS was $3.71 - no extended licenses last month to skew the numbers.

wow!!

however, even if i adjusted my is rpd to yours (but minus your great port), i'd still be short of what my combined portfolio does as an indie by about 50%.

Perhaps. But you are not taking into account the better search placement that you would get as an exclusive. I'm not sure how much of a difference that makes but I'm sure it's something. So being exclusive your RPD and your number of downloads should increase, not just RPD as you estimated.

melastmohican · « **Reply #20 on:** April 07, 2010, 15:44 »

SS      0.43
123RF   1.35
FT      0.57
DT      0.81
IS      2.90
BS      0.50

Average   0.58

I should try to do better on IS cause it seems like they pay me most :-) On the other hand many subs on SS produce better result than few credit sales on IS :-)

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #21 on:** April 07, 2010, 15:52 »

Quote from: lisafx on April 07, 2010, 12:38

I agree that monthly portfolio return is extremely important. Probably even the most important factor ITLR.

But we keep hearing that as a justification for lowering per/sale royalties. You know the old "you'll make it up on volume" justification handed out every time royalty % is cut on any site. ...

Here's today's variation on this theme. Getty now has a collection of "iStock vectors" - these are all available on both sites, but the Getty collection comes at a higher price with built in extended licenses (unlimited print run, unlimited reproduction). The catch? It's the Getty 20% not the iStocker's cannister percentage.

This doesn't directly affect most of us - hand selected content and it's only from exclusives. To me, it's another way they're trying to shift sales to the 20% royalty for everyone. Instead of saying that you'll make it up in volume, they're saying look at the nice big $$ amount, hoping the smaller cut will be OK.

See the locked discussion here and the official announcement here.

Kone · « **Reply #22 on:** April 07, 2010, 16:01 »

Here's mine for March 2010:

SS 0.55
IS 1.39
DT 0.90
FT 0.90
BigStock 1.2
123 0.58

RacePhoto · « **Reply #23 on:** April 07, 2010, 16:17 »

Lifetime from the Peanut Gallery

SS = 42c
IS = 1.44

The rest are only theoretical since I've never reached payout anywhere else but Alamy and that's not Micro! (closed all others except BigStock and StockXpert)

Still hoping to become a SS exclusive some day.

lisafx · « **Reply #24 on:** April 07, 2010, 16:21 »

Quote from: jsnover on April 07, 2010, 15:52

This doesn't directly affect most of us - hand selected content and it's only from exclusives. To me, it's another way they're trying to shift sales to the 20% royalty for everyone. Instead of saying that you'll make it up in volume, they're saying look at the nice big $$ amount, hoping the smaller cut will be OK.

See the locked discussion here and the official announcement here.

Thanks for the links JoAnn. I had missed this discussion - probably because I am not directly affected. But ITLR we are all affected when the sites find subtle (and not so subtle) ways of lowering contributor percentages.

ap · « **Reply #25 on:** April 07, 2010, 17:18 »

Quote from: Kngkyle on April 07, 2010, 15:36

Perhaps. But you are not taking into account the better search placement that you would get as an exclusive. I'm not sure how much of a difference that makes but I'm sure it's something. So being exclusive your RPD and your number of downloads should increase, not just RPD as you estimated.

didn't you go exclusive at is only a short while ago? (i remembered the drama with dt.

) how are you finding your new status? is it all it's cracked up to be? vetta and better search placements? any other perks? (complimentary drinks and napkins in first class, eh)

PixelsAway · « **Reply #26 on:** April 07, 2010, 18:00 »

my numbers look pretty low ...

IS 0.98
SS 0.46
DT 0.77
FT 0.59
BS 0.77
123 0.79

but I had a nice BME in March anyway.
Probably, I specialize in XXsmall sizes.

cathyslife · « **Reply #27 on:** April 08, 2010, 06:48 »

Quote from: ap on April 07, 2010, 17:18

Quote from: Kngkyle on April 07, 2010, 15:36

Perhaps. But you are not taking into account the better search placement that you would get as an exclusive. I'm not sure how much of a difference that makes but I'm sure it's something. So being exclusive your RPD and your number of downloads should increase, not just RPD as you estimated.

didn't you go exclusive at is only a short while ago? (i remembered the drama with dt. ) how are you finding your new status? is it all it's cracked up to be? vetta and better search placements? any other perks? (complimentary drinks and napkins in first class, eh)

Exclusives are sworn to secrecy.

packerguy · « **Reply #28 on:** April 08, 2010, 12:07 »

My RPD for March which was my BME. I have been uploading for about a year.

IS 1.08
SS .52
DT .77
FOT .65
BigStock .88
123 .59

ap · « **Reply #29 on:** April 08, 2010, 13:10 »

Quote from: PixelsAway on April 07, 2010, 18:00

but I had a nice BME in March anyway.
Probably, I specialize in XXsmall sizes.

lol! what's almost as annoying than subs are those xsmall credit sales at is. but the fact that el's are so rare makes me wonder if the is buyers are either individuals or small cos (if not xmall). in comparison, ss buyers are probably the bigger corporates, since els are so plentiful.

ShadySue · « **Reply #30 on:** April 08, 2010, 13:40 »

iStock only: $3.12 RPD. (some Vettas, a Vetta EL - whoop-de-doop - and an ordinary EL, averaged over January to March.
Of course, RPI is much lower

Kngkyle · « **Reply #31 on:** April 08, 2010, 13:50 »

Quote from: ap on April 07, 2010, 17:18

Quote from: Kngkyle on April 07, 2010, 15:36

Perhaps. But you are not taking into account the better search placement that you would get as an exclusive. I'm not sure how much of a difference that makes but I'm sure it's something. So being exclusive your RPD and your number of downloads should increase, not just RPD as you estimated.

didn't you go exclusive at is only a short while ago? (i remembered the drama with dt. ) how are you finding your new status? is it all it's cracked up to be? vetta and better search placements? any other perks? (complimentary drinks and napkins in first class, eh)

Still stuck on DT for another 2 and a half months. I will certainly post sharing my experiences when I can.

KB · « **Reply #32 on:** April 08, 2010, 15:54 »

Quote from: ap on April 08, 2010, 13:10

what's more annoying than subs are those xsmall credit sales at is.

Really? So you find getting $0.19-$0.30 for a 300x400 sized image (0.1MP) more annoying than getting $0.35 or so for a maximum sized image (as high as 25MP)?

Not me. To me, one is ok compensation, the other is a rip-off.

ap · « **Reply #33 on:** April 08, 2010, 16:29 »

Quote from: KB on April 08, 2010, 15:54

Quote from: ap on April 08, 2010, 13:10
what's more annoying than subs are those xsmall credit sales at is.
Really? So you find getting $0.19-$0.30 for a 300x400 sized image (0.1MP) more annoying than getting $0.35 or so for a maximum sized image (as high as 25MP)?

Not me. To me, one is ok compensation, the other is a rip-off.

sure, it's fair. but, wouldn't you rather get xxxlarge size sales? i'm talking ideally of course and i was just responding to pixel away's sardonic remark about his #xxsmall sales.

KB · « **Reply #34 on:** April 08, 2010, 16:38 »

Quote from: ap on April 08, 2010, 16:29

sure, it's fair. but, wouldn't you rather get xxxlarge size sales? i'm talking ideally of course and i was just responding to pixel away's sardonic remark about his #xxsmall sales.

Ha! Yes, I definitely prefer XXXL sales to XS sales. (Except, of course, when the XXXL sale is a sub sale on a non-size-based sub site!)

crazychristina · « **Reply #35 on:** April 08, 2010, 17:01 »

My RPD so far this year on istock (bronze exclusive, no Vettas, no ELs) is $2.10

luissantos84 · « **Reply #36 on:** April 09, 2010, 10:49 »

from March (from start):
SS 0.42 - 0.32
IS 1.18 - 1.2 (partner program included)
FT 0.86 - 0.85
123RF 0.72 - 0.74
DT 0.76 - 0.77

pretty similar in fact, the others have small earnings so no big deal about RPD!

Klauts · « **Reply #37 on:** April 09, 2010, 12:24 »

I didn't count any EL's because my earnings are small and would skew the numbers too much.

SS- 0.30
IS- 1.51
FT- 1.44
DT- 0.39 !!!(no wonder DT is one of my lowest earners, for some reason my stuff doesn't sell there)

madelaide · « **Reply #38 on:** April 15, 2010, 17:52 »

I calculated it for IS, DT, FT, BigStock and 123RF, although the later is such a poor performer for me with just 4-5 dlds per month. The second group of DT and FT stas consider the non-subs only. Much nice numbers.

I was surprised in fact to see how well IS performed, but I wonder if FT would result in the best RPD if I were exclusive, thus being able to block subs and increase my prices, plus the higher commission. Not that I am considering exclusivity at all.

redo · « **Reply #39 on:** April 15, 2010, 18:29 »

RPD March 2010:
IS 2,65 USD
SS 0,46 USD
DT 2,27 USD
FT 1,83 USD
123 1,02 USD
CAN 4,08 USD
BIG 1,96 USD
VEER 7,00 USD

lisafx · « **Reply #40 on:** April 15, 2010, 18:33 »

Wow, those are some nice looking RPD's redo.

What size is your portfolio?

redo · « **Reply #41 on:** April 15, 2010, 18:35 »

under 200.
only illustrations.
and some works good.

Lcjtripod · « **Reply #42 on:** April 16, 2010, 12:43 »

OK Here is mine.

BigStock March .92 For the last 4-5 years when many were priced at .50 max. Average is .63 (2500 images)
DT March .68 14 months Average is .95 (622 images)

Also for the last 60-90 days I have not uploaded anything to anybody.

-Larry

Jonathan Ross · « **Reply #43 on:** April 24, 2010, 19:01 »

Hi All,

The best data I think to share to help educate each other is your return per image at these sites on a monthly basis. That would be the total dollar sales in one month divided by the number of images you have in your collection. What you made in actual money is what will tell us what returns are really like at different agencies and how well the subject of the photographer sells at each site. However some here have trouble sharing numbers and feel it is boasting. If anyone wants to hear my numbers please just e-mail me I would be happy to share my info.

Best,
Jonathan

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Author Topic: RPD on Various Sites (Read 13238 times)

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