MicrostockGroup Sponsors


Author Topic: Summer Slowdown  (Read 12126 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

« on: June 27, 2009, 10:03 »
0
Well it is late June and school is out here in the US.
My sales have become slow and the downloads that I do get are in the smaller/cheaper sizes as of late.

I know that I am not alone, and others are seeing a similar sales slump.

So the question is; when do we start to pick up again?
Is it as I suspect that around late August/early September when school starts back up and people return from vacation?
Or is there some other dynamic that I am unaware of (besides the present stinking world economy) that affects the yearly cycle?

Also wondering if I should hold off from uploading finished edits at this time and wait until near the end of summer to keep them 'fresh'.

Regards,
Joseph


sc

« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2009, 10:15 »
0
Why as a business would you hold something off the market if there is potential to sell.
Even though the potential might be smaller during the summer months - it just doesn't make sense to me. Maybe not upload the whole of a series - dole them out over the next couple of months - but if you don't upload them there is zero potential for them to sell. The best plan is to keep shooting and uploading. Just one opinion

Steve


« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2009, 10:16 »
0
Well it is late June and school is out here in the US.
My sales have become slow and the downloads that I do get are in the smaller/cheaper sizes as of late.

I know that I am not alone, and others are seeing a similar sales slump.

So the question is; when do we start to pick up again?
Is it as I suspect that around late August/early September when school starts back up and people return from vacation?
Or is there some other dynamic that I am unaware of (besides the present stinking world economy) that affects the yearly cycle?

Also wondering if I should hold off from uploading finished edits at this time and wait until near the end of summer to keep them 'fresh'.

Regards,
Joseph

Generally sales pick up in early September.  I would not hold off uploading.  In fact, because I have extra time in summer I usually try and upload more so I have a large inventory when the sales pick up.

I would hold off on uploading Christmas/New Year stuff until Sept. though.  

JMHO.  Everyone has their own methods...

m@m

« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2009, 12:24 »
0
Well, since it seems that newly uploads in most sites are gettin little or no views at all for some weeks, even months, in my personal experience, (and I've heard the same complain by many on this forum) I'll personally will stay uploading as schedule, to be able to give my photos some maturity time on all sites, once the market does pick up after the summer months, those photos would have settle in place, I feel and notice through past years, that if I wait until the last moment to upload fresh photos, it takes them some time to adjust, and that's not counting, the upload rush from all photographers that will wait until September to unveil their new stuff.

My 2 cents on the subject.

bittersweet

« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2009, 13:12 »
0

I would hold off on uploading Christmas/New Year stuff until Sept. though.  


FWIW, the publishing schedule I am on for one of my clients has me working on January layouts in September.

Also, I've already been selling Christmas images once or twice a week for the last month.

« Reply #5 on: June 27, 2009, 13:13 »
0
I think you should  hold off new uploads for now __ and so should everyone else too. I will write again when it is safe to carry on.

Seriously __ what summer slowdown? I'm on target for a BME thanks to projected record months at both IS and SS. FT are steady although DT, StockXpert & BigStock are down a bit.

According to my stat's July should be a bit better than June, followed by a minor slump in August and then growth in Sept/Oct.

« Reply #6 on: June 27, 2009, 13:37 »
0
I didn't use to feel this summer slowndown much in June, but this year June is a total failure in most sites, although IS and DT are about my recent average.

vonkara

« Reply #7 on: June 27, 2009, 13:59 »
0
Noticeable slowdown for me that's sure and everywhere

helix7

« Reply #8 on: June 27, 2009, 15:54 »
0
...Seriously __ what summer slowdown?...

If you ask me, summer slowdown is a myth. Business doesn't stop in the summer just because the kids are out of school. And this year, it's even less likely that any sort of vacation slump would happen with less people taking vacations.

I think summer slowdown is just one of many many dozens of ways that people explain any change in sales volume in their own portfolio. Some people (myself included) have never seen a dip in sales during July and August.

« Reply #9 on: June 27, 2009, 16:13 »
0
Hope you and Gostwyck are right Helix.  Or I wish I had your stats :)

Personally I usually do see some dip in sales over the summer, or at a minimum, slowed growth.  Not earth shattering, but definitely noticeable. 


« Reply #10 on: June 27, 2009, 22:57 »
0
I just went back and took a hard look at my stats on IS over the last 3 1/2 years.
There is most definitely a slump (for me) in the summer months with August seeming to take the biggest hit.

Granted I do have a small portfolio and I grow it rather organically.

@SC, you asked why as a business, would I hold off?
There is precedent for this in many business operations.
Banks are holding off on making loans. The diamond cutters in India closed shop last December due to too much inventory and lack of sales.

It makes little sense to me to put up fresh work if there are few eyes to look at the files.
I will keep uploading during the summer to test the water, but I will kept the bulk of new material in stasis until I see some signs of life.

« Last Edit: June 27, 2009, 22:58 by nosaya »

sc

« Reply #11 on: June 27, 2009, 23:43 »
0
I just went back and took a hard look at my stats on IS over the last 3 1/2 years.
There is most definitely a slump (for me) in the summer months with August seeming to take the biggest hit.

Granted I do have a small portfolio and I grow it rather organically.

@SC, you asked why as a business, would I hold off?
There is precedent for this in many business operations.
Banks are holding off on making loans. The diamond cutters in India closed shop last December due to too much inventory and lack of sales.

It makes little sense to me to put up fresh work if there are few eyes to look at the files.
I will keep uploading during the summer to test the water, but I will kept the bulk of new material in stasis until I see some signs of life.



Well that's what makes the world go round - everybody to their own method. Good Luck. Like I sad just my opinion.
Neither is right or wrong.

« Reply #12 on: June 28, 2009, 04:24 »
0
june last year was one of my best months ever, this one is the worst in about 18months :(

« Reply #13 on: June 28, 2009, 10:52 »
0
...Seriously __ what summer slowdown?...
If you ask me, summer slowdown is a myth. Business doesn't stop in the summer just because the kids are out of school. And this year, it's even less likely that any sort of vacation slump would happen with less people taking vacations.

You can choose to not take vacations? That is not an option here. Some buisnesses even close and have "Fellesferie" (=vacation together) during July. So I expect to see less sales the next month or so.

« Reply #14 on: June 28, 2009, 11:06 »
0
@Gaja, I assume that you are in Europe.

Americans are workaholics.
Many companies frown on people taking time off, even though vacation time is part of the employment package.

And in a faltering economy, there are plenty of people ready and willing to step in and take your job if you seem to be something other than a 'team' player.

These are the harsh realities of the times, here in the good ol' US of A.


« Reply #15 on: June 28, 2009, 16:53 »
0
First half of June was more than great, but second is not good...

« Reply #16 on: June 30, 2009, 02:48 »
0
I have had a pretty good month all round in June.
If July is as good, I will be more than happy!


« Reply #17 on: June 30, 2009, 06:41 »
0
Kidding me with summer slowdown???

I have no practical explanation but usually July and August are two of the busiest months for my sales.

Perhaps this is linked to the particular kind of images that make up most part of my portfolio???

Slowdown is instead quite sensible on sales from RM agencies.

« Reply #18 on: July 03, 2009, 15:54 »
0
First of July was excellent, but last two days were disaster...

Your experience?

« Reply #19 on: July 03, 2009, 15:57 »
0
Today is very slow, but that makes sense.  Fourth of July is a big holiday for Americans and a lot of people have today off too, for a long weekend.  

I could tell because when we went to the movies it was packed like a weekend.  

« Reply #20 on: July 03, 2009, 16:21 »
0
Slow? Not here!  ;D

« Reply #21 on: July 03, 2009, 17:02 »
0
It is a myth that business advertise less when business is slow. That is when they advertise the most! (to get more business)

Has your TV station shut down due to lack of advertisers? NO!

Holidays: Any of them: Advertiser's work with their agencies and designers, planning sales advertising at least 6 months in advance. Christmas is my target today.

In fifty or so years  of commercial photography before I retired and started playing with the Stock Photo Market, summer was always my busy months.

-Larry

Squat

  • If you think you know, you know squat
« Reply #22 on: July 03, 2009, 17:06 »
0
Sales are down 4 folds, except for Fotolia.
Guinness intake is up 4 folds... no exceptions.
Stock Images production is out of the question for now , except for Fotolia and maybe Veer Marketplace.
Summer's here in Halifax, and I don' t intend to do anything but get out and enjoy the heat and good looking girls in shorts, ha!ha!...

« Reply #23 on: July 03, 2009, 19:39 »
0
I definitely notice the summer slowdown now, it started in mid June (well, mid Feb on Dreamstime) and I expect sales to be depressed until September. However, I am about to take a month off so I can't really be annoyed if others do too!

« Reply #24 on: July 03, 2009, 21:40 »
0
June was very good for me, BME on 4 sites. I do see a slowdown for the beginning of July but that's understandable due to 4th of July in the US.


 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
8 Replies
4771 Views
Last post June 15, 2010, 04:50
by Reaktori
8 Replies
3300 Views
Last post July 04, 2012, 16:58
by wut
13 Replies
4961 Views
Last post July 26, 2012, 16:18
by Karimala
10 Replies
4849 Views
Last post June 20, 2014, 08:22
by pixsol
9 Replies
8228 Views
Last post November 12, 2018, 02:59
by Pauws99

Sponsors

Mega Bundle of 5,900+ Professional Lightroom Presets

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors