Author Topic: What's the best month for stock sales? (Read 8655 times)

snoozle · « **on:** April 18, 2008, 16:45 »

I ask this as my previous best ever month was April last year. I had only been uploading for a couple of months, and have uploaded less in the last 12 months than some people seem to manage in a week.

Last month I almost managed to beat my previous best, but uploaded for me a reasonable increase in images, some sites I now have over 200 images! However now 12 months on from my previous best, and without uploading a single file I have managed to beat my figure from last April and with nearly 2 weeks to spare.

Do most people find that this is the best time of year too?

RT · « **Reply #1 on:** April 18, 2008, 17:56 »

Quote from: snoozle on April 18, 2008, 16:45

Do most people find that this is the best time of year too?

The only prediction I can give is that during summer holidays and over Christmas there will be a lull, other than that it all depends on your portfolio.

But this only seems to apply to Microstock, I've been doing traditional stock for years and the only time there's a lull in sales is on public holidays.

michaeldb · « **Reply #2 on:** April 18, 2008, 18:04 »

This April has been slow for me so far. And my sales also dropped off in April 2007 and 2006. I don't know why.

In April 2006 there was a thread on SS about slow April sales (and there is another thread like it this year). I remember Rinder saying that his April sales were slow too, and speculating that the cause was tax season in the US.

Summer has been good for me, in spite of the slowdown some people experience then. My best month has been November, probably because I have had Christmas images which did well.

TonyD · « **Reply #3 on:** April 12, 2022, 03:49 »

Feb 2022 is my best ever for number of DLs but not amount Thats after just over two yrs of submitting to Sstock

cloudvisual · « **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2022, 04:27 »

Six years worth of data, all agencies, for me it's November with September a close second.

Wilm · « **Reply #5 on:** April 12, 2022, 05:39 »

For me, it's always March. However, this has nothing to do with Easter motifs. Why that is so, I do not know exactly.

But I suspect it's quite different for contributors who have a lot of Christmas themes or Halloween themes, for example.

Brasilnut · « **Reply #6 on:** April 12, 2022, 05:59 »

Sept/Oct for me, makes sense as it's just after the lazy summer months

Me · « **Reply #7 on:** April 12, 2022, 06:43 »

Wow, someone's bored, 14 year old thread!

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #8 on:** April 12, 2022, 08:51 »

Quote from: Me on April 12, 2022, 06:43

Wow, someone's bored, 14 year old thread!

No kidding and there are many more for the same question, including polls.

The forum software does force old threads up to the top for new members which creates this time warp, or the Zombie threads?

cloudvisual · « **Reply #9 on:** April 12, 2022, 09:10 »

Quote from: Uncle Pete on April 12, 2022, 08:51

Quote from: Me on April 12, 2022, 06:43
Wow, someone's bored, 14 year old thread!

No kidding and there are many more for the same question, including polls.

The forum software does force old threads up to the top for new members which creates this time warp, or the Zombie threads?

My bet is that it's someone wondering the question and using the search function for a change.

Zero Talent · « **Reply #10 on:** April 12, 2022, 10:04 »

It's still a good question and it made me curious.

Here is each month's median rank, for the past 4 years (higher position = better earnings).
November was the best month for me (followed by Sept and Oct), while July was the worst (followed by December)

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #11 on:** April 12, 2022, 10:27 »

Quote from: cloudvisual on April 12, 2022, 09:10

Quote from: Uncle Pete on April 12, 2022, 08:51
Quote from: Me on April 12, 2022, 06:43
Wow, someone's bored, 14 year old thread!

No kidding and there are many more for the same question, including polls.

The forum software does force old threads up to the top for new members which creates this time warp, or the Zombie threads?

My bet is that it's someone wondering the question and using the search function for a change.

That too.

By the way, from memory the best month ever was on SS, April 2016? Unless I can include Alamy, then it's July 2011.

SpaceStockFootage · « **Reply #12 on:** April 12, 2022, 12:30 »

I normally find April and October to be the best. Worst would be July/August and December/January.

cascoly · « **Reply #13 on:** April 12, 2022, 14:01 »

as always, no simple answer - depends on the sample size & variance & content - my sales/mo, while relatively stable over each year, are drastically affected by EL and single sales (or alamy when there could be scattered $200+ sales).

and, eg, those shooting mostly for holidays would see best sales in the months before those holidays

Wilm · « **Reply #14 on:** April 12, 2022, 15:16 »

Quote from: Zero Talent on April 12, 2022, 10:04

It's still a good question and it made me curious.

Here is each month's median rank, for the past 4 years (higher position = better earnings).
November was the best month for me (followed by Sept and Oct), while July was the worst (followed by December)

I could imagine that your pictures are suitable for annual calendars. That could be why you are doing so well in the last quarter of the year.

With me, it's probably the industry that wants to present the new products in late spring.

TonyD · « **Reply #15 on:** April 13, 2022, 03:43 »

Quote from: Me on April 12, 2022, 06:43

Wow, someone's bored, 14 year old thread!

Yes it popped up at the top of the list of topics and didn't realise how old

Jens G · « **Reply #16 on:** April 13, 2022, 05:37 »

Even though it's an old thread, it go me curious too.

So I made this chart, with data from 11 years.
October is a clear winner, but the differences are not that big.

Justanotherphotographer · « **Reply #17 on:** April 13, 2022, 05:46 »

Also last three months of the year for me. Most business step up their promotion activity for Christmas sales so lots of images see good sales (even if they aren't specifically seasonal/ holiday).

Zero Talent · « **Reply #18 on:** April 13, 2022, 09:05 »

Quote from: Jens G on April 13, 2022, 05:37

Even though it's an old thread, it go me curious too.

So I made this chart, with data from 11 years.
October is a clear winner, but the differences are not that big.

I added 2 more years to mine to cover 2016 - 2021. Before that, I was growing almost month to month, so those years were not representative (because the last months of the year always looked better).

UPLOAD-UPLOAD-UPLOAD · « **Reply #19 on:** April 21, 2022, 14:38 »

This may be an ancient thread but the numbers never change.
For me September is by far the the best selling month.
May is my worst month.
Shutterstock is my best selling, best money making agency.

Milleflore · « **Reply #20 on:** April 21, 2022, 15:50 »

March and November are my biggest selling months across all agencies. But I also think it depends on what you shoot. For example, if you shoot a lot of holidays, November has Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year.

However there is another theory, and that is big holiday months boost all sales because buyers come in to buy their holiday stock, and then use up their subscriptions for that month to buy other stock.

stockastic · « **Reply #21 on:** April 22, 2022, 10:01 »

The best month was probably when this thread was started.

JaenStock · « **Reply #22 on:** April 22, 2022, 10:43 »

Nevermber... out jokes, my best month is march and may, a lot of family shots

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Author Topic: What's the best month for stock sales? (Read 8655 times)

snoozle

RT

michaeldb

TonyD

cloudvisual

Wilm

Brasilnut

Me

Uncle Pete

cloudvisual

Zero Talent

Uncle Pete

SpaceStockFootage

cascoly

Wilm

TonyD

Jens G

Justanotherphotographer

Zero Talent

UPLOAD-UPLOAD-UPLOAD

Milleflore

stockastic

JaenStock

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