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Author Topic: Sales collapse at Istock. Are credit sales dead ?  (Read 34290 times)

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« on: November 26, 2015, 07:42 »
+10
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?
« Last Edit: November 26, 2015, 07:51 by everest »


« Reply #1 on: November 26, 2015, 07:53 »
+4
Yes, credit sales have almost completely dried up this year.  Too bad.

« Reply #2 on: November 26, 2015, 08:23 »
0
Partner sales plus subs make up about 2/3 of my income, credit sales the rest, I'm independent.

« Reply #3 on: November 26, 2015, 09:15 »
+8
For me every month is going down hill as credit sales diminish. Like shutterstock, i keep hoping for a big thinkstock image pack sale to keep my head at water level. I see istock eventially being a $60 to $80 a month site in the next two years or so. I have about 3000 images there. My best times there was about $700 a month. Today i am at $300-$400. This month i am at $165 but that is before pp kicks in. I believe that if thinkstock goes away a percentage of clients will migrate to other sites and we will not have a one to one hand off from TS to IS sub program. Credits are a thing of the past as agencies know they can make more by calling everything subs.
« Last Edit: November 26, 2015, 09:31 by Mantis »

« Reply #4 on: November 26, 2015, 09:23 »
0
Indipendent

2014

Credit sales: 19% of total earnings rpd 1,28 $
Partner and Sub: 81% of total earnings rpd 0,46 $

2015 (+21% portfolio +8% earnings)

Credit sales: 23% of total earnings rpd 1,73 $
Partner and Sub: 77% of total earnings rpd 0,46 $

The introduction of the 10 images subscriptions don't affect my credit sales so far.

« Reply #5 on: November 26, 2015, 09:27 »
0
Since the introduction of the 10 images subscriptions my credit sales have gone down the drain.
@everest Are you exclusive with iStock?

« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2015, 09:29 »
0
i'm overall up 10% this year compared to 2014...but i've a 25% bigger port

ps i mean in credit sales
« Last Edit: November 26, 2015, 10:01 by mojaric »

« Reply #7 on: November 26, 2015, 09:37 »
0
Since the introduction of the 10 images subscriptions my credit sales have gone down the drain.
@everest Are you exclusive with iStock?

Yes . I am exclusive with them. My full time income comes from Istock and Gettyimages

« Reply #8 on: November 26, 2015, 09:45 »
0
Haven't noticed any big change from the introduction of new sub/credit plans, maybe a 10-15% less or so. Introduction of regular subs was far worse. Of course, credits sales are a pittance compared with what they once were.

And today is very slow, but, then again, today is a holiday in the USA.

« Reply #9 on: November 26, 2015, 10:01 »
+5
Credit sales are down for me and video is in terrible shape, I don't know if that is related to fewer people buying credits. Tough times at iStock!

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #10 on: November 26, 2015, 12:02 »
+4
Credit sales disappearing like snow in summer. Subs sales increasing, but even sub sales + credit dls are a fraction of previous years. Not sure if my total income from this year will reach even 60% of last year.
True, I'm hardly uploading now, but I was finding that files uploaded in the past couple of years are almost inevitably selling as subs only, so why bother? My few credit sales are almost all much older files (2011 or earlier). Have no way of knowing whether subs buyers see a different best match, or  ...
« Last Edit: November 26, 2015, 14:39 by ShadySue »

op

« Reply #11 on: November 26, 2015, 13:19 »
+3
I'm not on iStock but GI and I see the same trend since few months ago..

It is ridiculous, GI sell videos via subs even cheaper than microstock, it goes as cheap as $4! (I had two of those last month) and at the same time sell the same footage to a non sub client $xxxx... Sometimes I wonder what those clients would think about that if they knew...

Anyway, when we ask GI about those crazy low prices subs, they tell us that they need new competitive offers in order to reach new markets but the only thing that does is turning good old RM sales into subs...

« Reply #12 on: November 26, 2015, 14:24 »
+17
Credit sales are not dead, Credit sales are murdered. Murdered because GI wants to squeeze the lemon even further in detriment of contributors pockets. Greed murdered credit sales in IS.

Chichikov

« Reply #13 on: November 26, 2015, 14:53 »
+2
This month, even if it is not finished, is my best month ever
Not sure that sales collapse for everybody.

« Reply #14 on: November 26, 2015, 15:04 »
+12
How long have you been on istock and are you exclusive

« Reply #15 on: November 26, 2015, 18:26 »
0
This month, even if it is not finished, is my best month ever
Not sure that sales collapse for everybody.
Marriage is like that...for a while.

« Reply #16 on: November 26, 2015, 19:13 »
+7
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?


« Reply #17 on: November 26, 2015, 20:17 »
+8
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.

dbvirago

« Reply #18 on: November 26, 2015, 20:41 »
0
About 95% or more of my income is from PP sales. I don't even check credit sales there any more. Not worth the time or effort.

« Reply #19 on: November 26, 2015, 22:30 »
+1
I'm exclusive. My credit sales are at 42% of my peak in 2012. Sub sales are not awesome, but they soften the huge decline in credit sales.

KB

« Reply #20 on: November 27, 2015, 00:29 »
+1
I'm exclusive. My credit sales are at 42% of my peak in 2012. Sub sales are not awesome, but they soften the huge decline in credit sales.
Exclusive here, too. My credit sales also peaked in 2012, though the decline in 2013 was minuscule. Through the first 11 months, my credit sales are at 46% of 2012's first 11 months. So quite similar. Though as others have said, the collapse has greatly accelerated, and in fact Nov will definitely be my WME as an exclusive (it won't be close). Sub sales along with GI sales add a bit of flavor, but they surely don't make up for the credit sale downfall.

« Reply #21 on: November 27, 2015, 00:58 »
0
Nov best month this year for me.

« Reply #22 on: November 27, 2015, 02:41 »
0
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.

« Reply #23 on: November 27, 2015, 02:46 »
+5
same for me. 6000+ images, exclusive - 7 days this month with 0 sales.

With the current level of decline if I'm still exclusive this time next year, I will be homeless  :o

« Reply #24 on: November 27, 2015, 08:59 »
0
For the first time 0 sale with port of 1300 images. Subs or thinkstock may provide some relief. Independent yes.

« 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).

« Reply #50 on: November 28, 2015, 16:50 »
+5

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.


I agree with Jo Ann.... Istock was once a money printing machine. I arrived very late in the game but after 2 years I was already able to pull a 6 figure yearly income as many diamond contributors at that time. I understand that times have changed and the low prices of competition and some crazy prices increases in a very short time that Istock implemented drove many clients away. Oversuply might be the biggest reason of the drops but somehow the worst pill to swallow is the push to downgrade contributor royalties move after move.

If Istock drops prices to recover market share fine we are all in the puddle but why do exclusives get only a 20% at Getty if their work cannot be sold anywhere else. Why does the new monthly subscriptions sales also trend to this 20%. It I take into account who looses more with this new 1 month subscription the numbers are really disheartening of how well Istock cares for exclusives. 10 images at 2.5$ or 3 $/image lets take 2.80 as middle ground that makes 28$ for those 10 images. My average credit sale brings me 10$ so I go from 100 to 28. That is a 72% drop. Istock goes from 200$ to 99$ (converting from Euros as I cannot see prices in $), that's a 50% drop. And this if the buyer really uses his 10 images because if he doen't (and I bet a good number does not) the drop for the contributor is even more dramatic.

For me it is no longer viable to invest in any productions that costs more than a few hundreds as the time to recoup investment is just to far away. I still upload low budget shootings and some travel images, till how long....? Not much if there is no incentive to do so.
« Last Edit: November 28, 2015, 16:54 by everest »

« Reply #51 on: November 28, 2015, 16:53 »
0
-

« Reply #52 on: November 28, 2015, 16:58 »
0
Nov best month this year for me.
Another newbie?

Not newbie. 2000+ images

PaulieWalnuts

  • We Have Exciting News For You
« Reply #53 on: November 28, 2015, 17:05 »
+2
To the OP, yes for me subs replaced regular downloads. And that could only lead to earnings going down which, for me, they did. Back in 2012 I topped out at around 30 regular sales a day. Monthly RPI on regular sales alone was excellent.

Fast forward to 2014 with the new subs offering and regular sales had dropped to around 5 a day with around another 5 sub downloads a day. 2014 average monthly earnings were around half of 2012.

The downward trend continued into 2015. Regular sales were 1/3 of 2013. Subscription sales never even came close to making up the gap of lost regular sales. Neither did GI sales. I dropped the crown mid-year.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #54 on: November 28, 2015, 17:21 »
+2
Nov best month this year for me.
Another newbie?

Not newbie. 2000+ images

Well, clearly one month will be the BMY, the question is how does it compare with previous years, esp e.g. 2011 - 13, one of which many people report as their best year on iS.

« Reply #55 on: November 28, 2015, 17:24 »
+1
Nov best month this year for me.
Another newbie?

Not newbie. 2000+ images
Since iStock removed QC, anyone can easily have 10000+ images port.  Even newbies.  ;D

So, you say this Nov is already your BMY.    How many sales?  And how many sales in Nov 2014, 2013, 2012, etc?

« Reply #56 on: November 28, 2015, 23:05 »
+3
Credit Sales are not dead, but subs are clearly growing while credits have been decreasing. When it will level off is anyone's guess. Personally my sales are on an upswing now despite being down overall from 2014. Q3 and Q4 are both up from last year.


Chichikov

« Reply #57 on: November 29, 2015, 03:18 »
0

Since iStock removed QC, anyone can easily have 10000+ images port.
Are you speaking about you?  :P
« Last Edit: November 29, 2015, 04:54 by Chichikov »

Justanotherphotographer

« Reply #58 on: November 29, 2015, 05:26 »
+5
Here's some rough stats for me as an independent.

October 2015 roughly 300 purchase downloads with about 7000 images online.
October 2011 roughly 500 purchase downloads with 2000 images online

2015 0.04 dls per image as opposed to 0.25 dls per image 2011. i.e. a more than five fold decrease in sales per image.

« Reply #59 on: November 29, 2015, 14:00 »
+6
I don't know that credit sales are dead, but in my case, they are certainly very unhealthy. 

My portfolio is too small to be statistically significant (to anyone other than myself), but my impressions are ... 

1. Subs sales are trending upwards.
2. Credit sales are trending downwards.
3, Revenue is either flat or decreasing (dependent on whether Getty bails out the figures.

Overall,  I believe that subs are cannibalizing credit sales (from an anecdotal survey of image sales), and that the medium term looks uncertain enough to motivate me to look elsewhere for future revenue.

« Reply #60 on: November 29, 2015, 14:35 »
0
I've long since quit iStock and had my meager portfolio removed but am wondering how much having to purchase something called a "credit", which everyone knows can be valued at a hundred different conversion rates, has contributed to the demise of same said credit sales.

Justanotherphotographer

« Reply #61 on: November 29, 2015, 15:07 »
+5
I don't know that credit sales are dead, but in my case, they are certainly very unhealthy. 

My portfolio is too small to be statistically significant (to anyone other than myself), but my impressions are ... 

1. Subs sales are trending upwards.
2. Credit sales are trending downwards.
3, Revenue is either flat or decreasing (dependent on whether Getty bails out the figures.

Overall,  I believe that subs are cannibalizing credit sales (from an anecdotal survey of image sales), and that the medium term looks uncertain enough to motivate me to look elsewhere for future revenue.
Pretty much a perfect summary of the situation.

« Reply #62 on: November 29, 2015, 17:46 »
+1
Credit sales are not dead, Credit sales are murdered. Murdered because GI wants to squeeze the lemon even further in detriment of contributors pockets. Greed murdered credit sales in IS.

Corporations exist to make money for shareholders not suppliers or workers - murder implies they're interested / care but it's more like collateral damage...

« Reply #63 on: November 29, 2015, 19:16 »
+4
Credit Sales are not dead, but subs are clearly growing while credits have been decreasing. When it will level off is anyone's guess. Personally my sales are on an upswing now despite being down overall from 2014. Q3 and Q4 are both up from last year.
Not dead yet, but getting closer.  Obviously, with a port as huge and good as yours it will take longer for credit sales to get to a critical level, but eventually they will, if the people in charge of iStock keep things as they are now.

As for subscriptions, they have grown during Q4, but nothing impressive.  iStock is far from reaching the volume needed to make it worth investing time and money in new productions that will be sold mainly/only in subscriptions.

And as for Getty sales...   ::)


 

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