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Author Topic: Sales collapse at Istock. Are credit sales dead ?  (Read 34294 times)

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« Reply #25 on: November 27, 2015, 09:58 »
+3
This month, even if it is not finished, is my best month ever
Not sure that sales collapse for everybody.

For me it's the same, I'm exclusive with 9000 images.

And how many sales?


« Reply #26 on: November 27, 2015, 11:05 »
+2
Nov best month this year for me.
Another newbie?

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #27 on: November 27, 2015, 11:08 »
+2
This month, even if it is not finished, is my best month ever
Not sure that sales collapse for everybody.

For me it's the same, I'm exclusive with 9000 images.

And how many sales?

That's interesting, but not fully relevant. They're saying that they are having their personal BME for credit sales, so the downward trend isn't universal.
I'm having my worst full Nov ever.
Nov was always my BMY previously, but not even that this year.
« Last Edit: November 29, 2015, 15:43 by ShadySue »

« Reply #28 on: November 27, 2015, 11:37 »
+4
This month, even if it is not finished, is my best month ever
Not sure that sales collapse for everybody.
For me it's the same, I'm exclusive with 9000 images.
And how many sales?
That's interesting, but not fully relevant. They're saying that they are having their personal BME for credit sales, so the downward trend isn't universal.
No exclusive iStocker is having the amount of credit sales we still used to have just a couple of years ago. Not even the current top sellers with really huge and excelent ports.

So, the only way to have a BME for credits nowadays is by being a newbie.  They are used to subscriptions and a single credit sale can make a month a BME.

« Reply #29 on: November 27, 2015, 11:37 »
+7
It's relevant because a BME of 5 sales is just random luck.  An increase from 200 to 300 says something else.

« Reply #30 on: November 27, 2015, 16:40 »
+2
Since the introduction of the 10 images subscriptions my credit sales have gone down the drain. Right now I have many days with only 5 sales with a port of over 10.000 images (used to get +100 daily with a port of 3000 only a few years back). Of course subscriptions have increased, but the income is a joke compared to what credit sales mean to my income (around 10$/sale).

So it definetely seems that credit sales are trending to 0 and that is the final nail in my istock exclusivity coffin. Are other exclusives and independents also seeing this credit disappearance or is it just me?

It's not just the subs and the new 'credits disguised as subs packs' - the removal of similars from the search (or the burying of them) will have a negative impact on sales of both credits and subs for most people.  As I understand it, those similars will now only be seen in the similars carousel and not in the search itself.  This of course is potentially disastrous for anyone who has had great sales from sets of images over the years.  It seems that istock has absolutely no interest or commitment to maintaining sales and income for any suppliers, including those who have supported the business over the long term.

I predict -or hope- that they will abandon this idiotic hiding of similars soon.  I always used to sell several of images in a series every day.  Even better when thay showed the series links I spent many hours to add to my image descriptions. 

This is so stupid cuz it hurts istock,  denying them multiple sales, just like it hurt the contributors.   Maybe someone with a clue will figure this out and sh*tcan this terrible search that leave us all poorer.

« Reply #31 on: November 27, 2015, 19:58 »
+6
It's relevant because a BME of 5 sales is just random luck.  An increase from 200 to 300 says something else.

In addition to the above, quoting portfolio size doesn't mean much.

I can think of an exclusive with more than twice the portfolio size of the poster above but who is barely past the gold mark. iStock has accepted things with technical quality but little sales potential, meaning that not all portfolios are of equal commercial appeal.

« Reply #32 on: November 27, 2015, 20:25 »
+3
In 2011 istock was 22% of my sales.  2012 it was 20%, 2013 - 18%, 2014 - 16%, this year 14%.  In seven more years there may not be anything to worry about. 
« Last Edit: November 28, 2015, 01:11 by trek »

« Reply #33 on: November 28, 2015, 02:44 »
+1
This month, even if it is not finished, is my best month ever
Not sure that sales collapse for everybody.

For me it's the same, I'm exclusive with 9000 images.

And how many sales?

Sean this is my report:
162 subs
33 istock downloads
12 GI sales
1 extended license
6 pp

Previously it was:
100 subs
24 Istock dowls
6 GI
4pp

It seems to be a trend because in November Number of Istock sales has rise up ...even if I have to see the subs and GI ...
« Last Edit: November 28, 2015, 02:52 by angelaph »

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #34 on: November 28, 2015, 06:18 »
+3
How does your number of credit sales compare with sales in previous years, which is what this thread is about?

Chichikov

« Reply #35 on: November 28, 2015, 08:17 »
+2
This month, even if it is not finished, is my best month ever
Not sure that sales collapse for everybody.
Newbie?
Five more cents made it a BME?
Newbie?
No, almost 4 years now - 3200 images
I generally make around $ 100 / 150 a month and this month I have already got $250 (due to some unexpected EL)
I know that it is (unfortunately) temporary.

By the way I follow this forum form many time and I have understood that for a lot of people it is just a place to whine about anything If microstocks is so hard for you why you don't go to flip burgers? (Fix salary, 8 hours a day, pension, etc)
« Last Edit: November 28, 2015, 08:26 by Chichikov »

Chichikov

« Reply #36 on: November 28, 2015, 08:20 »
0
[double post]

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #37 on: November 28, 2015, 08:27 »
+3
This month, even if it is not finished, is my best month ever
Not sure that sales collapse for everybody.
Newbie?
Five more cents made it a BME?
Newbie?
No, almost 4 years now - 3200 images
I generally make around $ 100 / 150 a month and this month I have already got $250
That really doesn't prove anything, but obviously is nice for you. For some reason my March this year was by miles my BMY for credit sales, but it was only a blip (and still much worse than most previous Marches).

« Reply #38 on: November 28, 2015, 08:50 »
0
How does your number of credit sales compare with sales in previous years, which is what this thread is about?

 last year my subs sales were much less and istock downloads were quite the same...so the trend is very positive for the subs...

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #39 on: November 28, 2015, 09:41 »
+5
How does your number of credit sales compare with sales in previous years, which is what this thread is about?

 last year my subs sales were much less and istock downloads were quite the same...so the trend is very positive for the subs...
Who cares about subs, other than they're eroding credit sales. My subs keep increasing as my credits and $$ keep decreasing. It would take about 8 or 9 subs to equal one Sig credit sale for me.
Note the thread title: "...Are credit sales dead?"
« Last Edit: November 28, 2015, 09:44 by ShadySue »

« Reply #40 on: November 28, 2015, 09:46 »
+5
How does your number of credit sales compare with sales in previous years, which is what this thread is about?

 last year my subs sales were much less and istock downloads were quite the same...so the trend is very positive for the subs...

Sub volume would have to rise exponentially to make up for lost credit sales. That means a magnitude of roughly 10 times more downloads. Since 10x more downloads will never happen, the yield in income is much lower. So an upward trend in subs with a declining trend in credit sales = less money for contributors.

Chichikov

« Reply #41 on: November 28, 2015, 11:24 »
+1
This month, even if it is not finished, is my best month ever
Not sure that sales collapse for everybody.
Newbie?
Five more cents made it a BME?
Newbie?
No, almost 4 years now - 3200 images
I generally make around $ 100 / 150 a month and this month I have already got $250
That really doesn't prove anything, but obviously is nice for you. For some reason my March this year was by miles my BMY for credit sales, but it was only a blip (and still much worse than most previous Marches).

Of course it does not proves anything.
But it does not prove the contrary too
I never said that it proves something and I have only told about my personal experience.
Then some arrogant, knowing absolutely nothing about me, came and called me newbie, and fooled me with stupid affirmations, from the heights of his pedestal

Do you really think that the 15 or 20 persons regularly present on this forum are the reflect of all the microstock industry??

Generally people come on forums:
1) because they have some problem and they need some help to solve it or to understand it
2) to lament of something.
People not having problem or not wishing to whine about something are the majority and don't come here.

I don't know how many contributors there are on iStock, but the 10 persons writing on this thread probably represent no more than 0,01% of these contributors
So draw your conclusion ;)


« Reply #42 on: November 28, 2015, 11:27 »
+6
This month, even if it is not finished, is my best month ever
Not sure that sales collapse for everybody.
Newbie?
Five more cents made it a BME?
Newbie?
No, almost 4 years now - 3200 images
I generally make around $ 100 / 150 a month and this month I have already got $250
That really doesn't prove anything, but obviously is nice for you. For some reason my March this year was by miles my BMY for credit sales, but it was only a blip (and still much worse than most previous Marches).

Of course it does not proves anything.
But it does not prove the contrary too
I never said that it proves something and I have only told about my personal experience.
Then some arrogant, knowing absolutely nothing about me, came and called me newbie, and fooled me with stupid affirmations, from the heights of his pedestal

Do you really think that the 15 or 20 persons regularly present on this forum are the reflect of all the microstock industry??

Generally people come on forums:
1) because they have some problem and they need some help to solve it or to understand it
2) to lament of something.
People not having problem or not wishing to whine about something are the majority and don't come here.

I don't know how many contributors there are on iStock, but the 10 persons writing on this thread probably represent no more than 0,01% of these contributors
So draw your conclusion ;)

There are a few key players in here, one who is probably the top five microstock contributors of today.  Nobody ever claims here that MSG is all things microstock. You are right about the .01% statement, but i seriously doubt that the remaining 99.99% would say much different than what is posted in here. Some do better than others is the basic claim made by opposing opinions on msg.  But if you don't think that those who post here represent the basic 80/20 rule then why join?
« Last Edit: November 28, 2015, 11:33 by Mantis »

Chichikov

« Reply #43 on: November 28, 2015, 11:39 »
+2
This month, even if it is not finished, is my best month ever
Not sure that sales collapse for everybody.
Newbie?
Five more cents made it a BME?
Newbie?
No, almost 4 years now - 3200 images
I generally make around $ 100 / 150 a month and this month I have already got $250
That really doesn't prove anything, but obviously is nice for you. For some reason my March this year was by miles my BMY for credit sales, but it was only a blip (and still much worse than most previous Marches).

Of course it does not proves anything.
But it does not prove the contrary too
I never said that it proves something and I have only told about my personal experience.
Then some arrogant, knowing absolutely nothing about me, came and called me newbie, and fooled me with stupid affirmations, from the heights of his pedestal

Do you really think that the 15 or 20 persons regularly present on this forum are the reflect of all the microstock industry??

Generally people come on forums:
1) because they have some problem and they need some help to solve it or to understand it
2) to lament of something.
People not having problem or not wishing to whine about something are the majority and don't come here.

I don't know how many contributors there are on iStock, but the 10 persons writing on this thread probably represent no more than 0,01% of these contributors
So draw your conclusion ;)

There are a few key players in here, one who is probably the top five microstock contributors of today.  Nobody ever claims here that MSG is all things microstock. You are right about the .01% statement, but i seriously doubt that the remaining 99.99% would say much different than what is posted in here. Some do better than others is the basic claim made by opposing opinions on msg.  But if you don't think that those who post here represent the basic 80/20 rule then why join?
Because there are some interesting discussions on this forum, and good information.
Excuse me I have only told about my personal experience, and somebody attacked me calling me "newbie" and telling that "Five more cents made it a BME?"
Do you think that it is normal to be offensive with people when you don't agree with them?

« Reply #44 on: November 28, 2015, 12:09 »
+7
Everest, it's all of us, not just you. My credit sales used to average 50/day, now it's about one. Maybe less. The industry is being gutted and going through massive transformation. It is what it is. Best to look for another income source.

« Reply #45 on: November 28, 2015, 12:21 »
+2
This month, even if it is not finished, is my best month ever
Not sure that sales collapse for everybody.
Newbie?
Five more cents made it a BME?
Newbie?
No, almost 4 years now - 3200 images
I generally make around $ 100 / 150 a month and this month I have already got $250
That really doesn't prove anything, but obviously is nice for you. For some reason my March this year was by miles my BMY for credit sales, but it was only a blip (and still much worse than most previous Marches).

Of course it does not proves anything.
But it does not prove the contrary too
I never said that it proves something and I have only told about my personal experience.
Then some arrogant, knowing absolutely nothing about me, came and called me newbie, and fooled me with stupid affirmations, from the heights of his pedestal

Do you really think that the 15 or 20 persons regularly present on this forum are the reflect of all the microstock industry??

Generally people come on forums:
1) because they have some problem and they need some help to solve it or to understand it
2) to lament of something.
People not having problem or not wishing to whine about something are the majority and don't come here.

I don't know how many contributors there are on iStock, but the 10 persons writing on this thread probably represent no more than 0,01% of these contributors
So draw your conclusion ;)

There are a few key players in here, one who is probably the top five microstock contributors of today.  Nobody ever claims here that MSG is all things microstock. You are right about the .01% statement, but i seriously doubt that the remaining 99.99% would say much different than what is posted in here. Some do better than others is the basic claim made by opposing opinions on msg.  But if you don't think that those who post here represent the basic 80/20 rule then why join?
Because there are some interesting discussions on this forum, and good information.
Excuse me I have only told about my personal experience, and somebody attacked me calling me "newbie" and telling that "Five more cents made it a BME?"
Do you think that it is normal to be offensive with people when you don't agree with them?

I was only referring to the bolded statement about the forum making up .01%. If you feel someone attacked you it is fine to restate your position, i am not disagreeing with that.

« Reply #46 on: November 28, 2015, 14:29 »
+4
This month, even if it is not finished, is my best month ever
Not sure that sales collapse for everybody.
Newbie?
Five more cents made it a BME?
Newbie?
No, almost 4 years now - 3200 images
I generally make around $ 100 / 150 a month and this month I have already got $250 (due to some unexpected EL)"
That really doesn't prove anything, but obviously is nice for you. For some reason my March this year was by miles my BMY for credit sales, but it was only a blip (and still much worse than most previous Marches).

Of course it does not proves anything.
But it does not prove the contrary too
I never said that it proves something and I have only told about my personal experience.
Then some arrogant, knowing absolutely nothing about me, came and called me newbie, and fooled me with stupid affirmations, from the heights of his pedestal

Do you really think that the 15 or 20 persons regularly present on this forum are the reflect of all the microstock industry??

Generally people come on forums:
1) because they have some problem and they need some help to solve it or to understand it
2) to lament of something.
People not having problem or not wishing to whine about something are the majority and don't come here.

I don't know how many contributors there are on iStock, but the 10 persons writing on this thread probably represent no more than 0,01% of these contributors
So draw your conclusion ;)

There are a few key players in here, one who is probably the top five microstock contributors of today.  Nobody ever claims here that MSG is all things microstock. You are right about the .01% statement, but i seriously doubt that the remaining 99.99% would say much different than what is posted in here. Some do better than others is the basic claim made by opposing opinions on msg.  But if you don't think that those who post here represent the basic 80/20 rule then why join?
Because there are some interesting discussions on this forum, and good information.
Excuse me I have only told about my personal experience, and somebody attacked me calling me "newbie" and telling that "Five more cents made it a BME?"
Do you think that it is normal to be offensive with people when you don't agree with them?
Ok... not a newbie.  But you're obviously a very low exclusive seller who behaves like a newbie:  You get an EL and it makes your month a BME.  Then you think things at iStock are improving.  ::)

The collapse of credit sales is simply an undeniable fact.  Many of us would need more than one EL a day to make up for the huge loss of credit sales we've had.
« Last Edit: November 28, 2015, 14:35 by Digital66 »

« Reply #47 on: November 28, 2015, 14:33 »
+4
This month, even if it is not finished, is my best month ever
Not sure that sales collapse for everybody.

For me it's the same, I'm exclusive with 9000 images.

And how many sales?

Sean this is my report:
162 subs
33 istock downloads
12 GI sales
1 extended license
6 pp

Previously it was:
100 subs
24 Istock dowls
6 GI
4pp

It seems to be a trend because in November Number of Istock sales has rise up ...even if I have to see the subs and GI ...

Sorry but such low numbers mean nothing. That's not a trend.

Justanotherphotographer

« Reply #48 on: November 28, 2015, 15:27 »
+4
Yup. Another example where one or two ELs can make a BME. It isn't an insult to say that someone's experience is not statistically significant. Not everyone does this full time. Bigger numbers don't mean you are necessarily "better" but they could well be more meaningful. There's no need to take offence when people ask for ball park figures when someone claims a BME. Especially when they are accusing others of whinging

« Reply #49 on: November 28, 2015, 15:46 »
+8
I don't normally share specific numbers, but just to put this increase of 24->33 downloads and 100->162 subs from a portfolio of 9,000 exclusive images in perspective...

I was independent in November 2012 (I left exclusivity in June 2011) and with a portfolio of about 2,000 images at iStock I made just shy of $800 with just shy of 1,000 downloads - partner program and iStock combined. The earnings were a small fraction of what I made in November 2010 (my last November as an exclusive).

I was not an iStock star - I used to refer to myself as part of the iStock middle class. Your sales numbers represent - not criticizing you or your images - a total collapse of what iStock was once able to achieve. I'm aware that without having seen the prior earnings potential, you think people talking about a collapse are just whiners, but you just don't have the basis of comparison that others do.

Seeing a small bump up from one very small number to another, especially with a portfolio of 9,000 images, seems not to be any sort of good news. There are a few people I've heard from with some unexpectedly large GI sales, which is obviously wonderful when it happens, but the norm is much more even very low value sales from GI (where once they were much larger, apparently).


 

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