MicrostockGroup

Microstock Photography Forum - General => General Stock Discussion => Topic started by: GeoPappas on March 31, 2006, 15:20

Title: What are #3 and #4 top microstock sites?
Post by: GeoPappas on March 31, 2006, 15:20
It seems that iStockphoto and Shutterstock are the #1 and #2 best selling sites for almost everyone.

What are your third and fourth best selling sites (by either downloads or total sales)?
Title: Re: What are #3 and #4 top microstock sites?
Post by: leaf on March 31, 2006, 15:42
Well actually dreamstime makes more for me than istock, but only because I am able to get more images on dreamstime.. however that has to count for something.  At the end of the day if i had to pick one, i would pick dreamstime.

So after those 3 sites are out of the picture.

123RF and Fotolia are both tied for 4th and 5th place earning the same amt. per day.
Title: Re: What are #3 and #4 top microstock sites?
Post by: GeoPappas on April 04, 2006, 13:33
Anyone else care to play nice and share?
Title: Re: What are #3 and #4 top microstock sites?
Post by: CJPhoto on April 05, 2006, 02:56
In order for last month:

Shutterstock (http://submit.shutterstock.com/?ref=60535)
Dreamtime (http://www.dreamstime.com/res125558)
Featurepics (http://www.featurepics.com)
Bigstockphoto (http://www.bigstockphoto.com/?refid=ip416bLuq1)
Istockphoto (http://www.istockphoto.com/index.php?refnum=Jakich)
Fotolia (http://www.fotolia.co.uk/partner/39857)
123RF (http://www.123rf.com/src_cjphoto)
Canstock (http://www.canstockphoto.com?r=16626)

Title: Re: What are #3 and #4 top microstock sites?
Post by: leaf on April 05, 2006, 12:29
wow.. was feature pics that much??

on the note of feature picks... i wrote an email to them with a bunch of sudjestions of how to improve their uploading (make it quicker for the user).  It seems as though they will have it in order by the weekend :)  Maybe I will be convinced to upload there yet.
Title: Re: What are #3 and #4 top microstock sites?
Post by: CJPhoto on April 05, 2006, 14:18
That was only my first full month so maybe it isn't representative.  This month is turning out a bit different.
Title: Re: What are #3 and #4 top microstock sites?
Post by: admart01 on April 06, 2006, 07:56
Just signed up and working on uploading.  I see they ask for price -- what's your opinion of the "going rate" i.e. the rate that's triggering sales.

Thanks,
Theresa
Title: Re: What are #3 and #4 top microstock sites?
Post by: leaf on April 06, 2006, 08:07
i'm putting mine at $3-$4 .. but not sure what is the best.  I figure though, if they want the image they will be willing to pay $3.  However on the other hand, if they might shop around to other sites and just buy it from dreamstime. 

However, that being said, if they are buying images from feature pics, is is probably because they don't know about dreamstime.  Why would someone buy from feature pics with a limited selection when they could shop at dreamstime or another site and get the same selection possibly cheaper.
Title: Re: What are #3 and #4 top microstock sites?
Post by: admart01 on April 06, 2006, 08:53
Thanks for your opinion.  I tend to agree on your logic here and will upload about 50 photos to see how it goes.  Do you know off hand the cut they take?  If it's 50%, then charging $1 (same as istock etc.)  would keep it in the ballpark.  I'll go with your 3-4$ as that seems like a fair  compromise.

T
Title: Re: What are #3 and #4 top microstock sites?
Post by: CJPhoto on April 06, 2006, 09:01
admart01 - you get 70% of sale price.

Mine are currently in at $1 but I plan to increase them as sales at the site increase.  there is currenly no distincition between high and low resoluation pictures (ie other sites charge different amounts for the same photo depending on resolution) which is a shame as I would prefer to do say $1 for web quality but say $3 for full resolution.
Title: Re: What are #3 and #4 top microstock sites?
Post by: Freezingpictures on April 06, 2006, 13:27
Hey, you know what, you can upload photos twice, with different resultions and set your price. A great thing. I have several photos with different resoution and you can make them cheaper then on any other photosite, but also expensive for the high resolution. I think it is amazing how much freedom you have there. For the photographer the best site if you would have more customers over there. But I guess for its age the site is doing quite well. I hope it will improve.
Title: Re: What are #3 and #4 top microstock sites?
Post by: fintastique on April 06, 2006, 13:35
I sold a photo at Featurepics for $2 and got $1.40 that 70% for moi
Title: Re: What are #3 and #4 top microstock sites?
Post by: CJPhoto on April 06, 2006, 15:12
Hey, you know what, you can upload photos twice, with different resultions and set your price. A great thing. I have several photos with different resoution and you can make them cheaper then on any other photosite, but also expensive for the high resolution.
I would prefer if they select the photo then the size rather than doing there search and being "spammed" by the same image at different resolutions.  Most sites now have variable pricing for different sizes.
Title: Re: What are #3 and #4 top microstock sites?
Post by: admart01 on April 06, 2006, 16:12
I sold a photo at Featurepics for $2 and got $1.40 that 70% for moi

That's an amazing percentage.  I've been keywording, etc. a few at a time and have set prices from $1 to $4 (my more popular images from other sites).  I may move them all to $1 and see what works for this site.  As has been said in other threads -- what sells big on one site may not be big on another (search sequence, audience, etc.)

Once again,  thanks for all the help -- so great having a place to kick ideas around on these topics.
Title: Re: What are #3 and #4 top microstock sites?
Post by: leaf on April 06, 2006, 16:34
yeah I quite agree.  I think it would be better if they did like fotolia, where you set your base price and then for example 1/2 the pixels, half the price and 1/4 the pixels, 1/4 the price and so on.