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Author Topic: So How was your May?  (Read 7832 times)

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steheap

  • Author of best selling "Get Started in Stock"

« Reply #25 on: June 02, 2018, 20:19 »
+2
Pretty good month for me - I must have been following the advice in my book!


Since August last year, almost every month has been better than previous years.

Full details on my blog as usual.

Steve


« Reply #26 on: June 03, 2018, 04:36 »
0
I've been in microstock 10 years now.

I remember when it was exciting to track sales and watch my income steadily rise, like some on this page are reporting. 

But a few years back, everything changed:

- My port size hit 10,000 and each new upload was a miniscule addition as a percentage of my total collection... meaning I couldn't expect to see constant growth like I did as a newbie.

- At the same time, oversupply at the agencies was getting out of control... total collection sizes were going up by tens of millions a month, and my few hundred new images meant nothing.

- The agencies started stacking the deck against us, favoring the brand new artists to give them hope that this is a sustainable income so they keep uploading.  (news flash... it's not.)

So, how was my May?  Crap.  At least I assume, because looking too deep into the numbers is depressing and I've stopped putting myself through that.

Same experience. And still listening to naive arguments around here, that our sales aren't capped. Sure they are, the bigger you go, the more they suppress your sales so that newbies have more of sales share. That's why I lost interest even in responding or discuss in topics.

If you are big, that means you must have some best-sellers and a port full of rich content that sells. Why would an agency push good content to the back? They profit from your popular files as much as you do.

« Reply #27 on: June 03, 2018, 12:20 »
0
I haven't uploaded anywhere in months....busy with other things, but in March SS really took off and April it was still quite solid -Adobe and Alamy also looked to be really gaining momentum to the point that I was hoping to find time to feed the beast once again...sadly, I didn't and SS and Adobe both slid in May...but Alamy continues to grow for me with 4 decent to excellently priced sales netting me a tidy sum. My own site also picked up and with two solid fine art sales - one in person and one via FAA - (which I wish we would add to the poll) and some little POD stuff as well, the month ended up being above average.

I'm hoping once some large projects are behind me that I can start uploading again. I bought a new Sony A7Rii a few month ago and I really want to put it thorough its paces.
« Last Edit: June 03, 2018, 20:51 by wordplanet »

« Reply #28 on: June 03, 2018, 12:40 »
+1
Overall, May was just dreadful.  My worst month since Dec '12

Down 56% from April '18
Down 52% from May '17

Shutterstock continues it's slide, Getty iStock (April) was the worst month since the 2016. 
Dreamstime, 123RF & Fotolia all had weak months, and Alamy was nonexistent.


niktol

« Reply #29 on: June 03, 2018, 13:00 »
0
Not a BME, but fine, particularly considering that I didn't have time to upload regularly lately. Interestingly, SS continues to fall, while other stocks are rising.  The microstock ranking from polls is far from what I experience.  This creates a reasonably balanced distribution in income.

« Reply #30 on: June 03, 2018, 13:52 »
0
Not a BME, but fine, particularly considering that I didn't have time to upload regularly lately. Interestingly, SS continues to fall, while other stocks are rising.  The microstock ranking from polls is far from what I experience.  This creates a reasonably balanced distribution in income.
For me SS is holding steady while the small sites are collapsing...though I've had a whopping TWO sales from Canstock already this month ;-). The poll on the right is very close to my experience. Just when I think fotolia is on a good run and actually threatening SS it stalls.

« Reply #31 on: June 04, 2018, 16:53 »
+1
I've been in microstock 10 years now.

I remember when it was exciting to track sales and watch my income steadily rise, like some on this page are reporting. 

But a few years back, everything changed:

- My port size hit 10,000 and each new upload was a miniscule addition as a percentage of my total collection... meaning I couldn't expect to see constant growth like I did as a newbie.

- At the same time, oversupply at the agencies was getting out of control... total collection sizes were going up by tens of millions a month, and my few hundred new images meant nothing.

- The agencies started stacking the deck against us, favoring the brand new artists to give them hope that this is a sustainable income so they keep uploading.  (news flash... it's not.)

So, how was my May?  Crap.  At least I assume, because looking too deep into the numbers is depressing and I've stopped putting myself through that.
Im in the same place.  when i had 3000 images and 4 years in my microstock income used to pay my mortgage.. now I'm at 5000 and 7 years in and wow its a kick in the face seeing how each quarter I'm less and less profitable..
so the question is, if this 'hitting the wall' is the inevitable fate why aren't we all uploading under a new account under our spouses or best friends credentials and start from scratch?

« Reply #32 on: June 04, 2018, 18:43 »
0
My annual return per photo is half of what it was in 2012.  Total income is below last year despite steady uploads.  I've arrived at the proverbial wall... looking for a way around it...

« Reply #33 on: June 05, 2018, 21:52 »
0
SS close to BME; canva & fotolia near BME also -- bottom feeders continue their dismal results, but easy to upl so I get a few more cappuccinos every month and my travel jones is paid for


until may, had been a poor year, but 5 yr trend was still upwards at about 10% / yr -- selling images across the years - some new, some 30+ yrs old

« Reply #34 on: June 06, 2018, 10:48 »
0
SS down a lot
FT Stable
DT up
Alamy up
Pond up

Total up (Pond and Alamy saved me this month ;) )


which one is FT?  :-\
thanks

« Reply #35 on: June 06, 2018, 12:27 »
0
SS down a lot
FT Stable
DT up
Alamy up
Pond up

Total up (Pond and Alamy saved me this month ;) )
welche is the FT? :/

which one is FT?  :-\
thanks

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #36 on: June 06, 2018, 12:29 »
0
welche is the FT? :/
which one is FT?  :-\
thanks
Fotolia

« Reply #37 on: June 06, 2018, 12:55 »
0
soo, okay :D couse no more fotolia. Thanks

SpaceStockFootage

  • Space, Sci-Fi and Astronomy Related Stock Footage

« Reply #38 on: June 06, 2018, 20:01 »
0

dpimborough

« Reply #39 on: June 07, 2018, 00:59 »
+1
...and June looks like it will be worse than May so far SS sales have collapsed.


« Reply #40 on: June 07, 2018, 03:07 »
+2
same here... :\


 

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