Quote from: HalfFull on May 21, 2018, 22:23

Quote from: Pauws99 on May 19, 2018, 10:26
I usually find "Facts" emphasised in capitals to be anything but. The facts I rely on are the quarterly audited reports that SS publish these seem to show SS are pretty static. The success or otherwise of SS does not directly relate to the income of individual contributors.

Yeah, that's what freaked the investors. Little to no increase in volume after SS targets / hopes wanted a reasonable increase. I think SS acknowledge that they'd like to do better, and probably will, but investors were a little shaken and the share price fell. Next quarter will be interesting.

Seems to be creeping back up.....some investors seem to have short memories...without looking I think this has been a regular pattern the last few reports.

the problem is not the number but the quality. used to 2 3 78 and more download per month...since january totally gone, maximum 14 dollar...this month last 10 days only 4 2,85 dollar sale rest sub.
for me what is impacting is also the fact that people can easily find free photo from instagram to the new free website.

they should change name

SHUTTERSUBS

Go away.

Quote from: Dumc on May 23, 2018, 19:37
Go away.

what do u want..easy speaks behind a glass dumb...no? keyboard warriors and mediocre photographer.

At this time Contributors should have a raise...from 2.85 to 4.25.... it is 10 years without any raise, and please start to complaint if not in 10 more years you still have 2,85 that equals according inflation through 20 years to 10 cents

it's utter C**p and more and more are complaining.

Quote from: ThinkingLouder on May 24, 2018, 17:32
At this time Contributors should have a raise...from 2.85 to 4.25.... it is 10 years without any raise, and please start to complaint if not in 10 more years you still have 2,85 that equals according inflation through 20 years to 10 cents

That's right and worrying.
If we assume that yearly inflation is 2.5%, it is around 28% after 10 years. That means 2.85 should be 3.65 now.

Quote from: pics2 on May 25, 2018, 20:11
That's right and worrying.
If we assume that yearly inflation is 2.5%, it is around 28% after 10 years. That means 2.85 should be 3.65 now.

But it wasn't. The last 10 years US inflation was 16.4%. So $3.32 is the magical number. 

Do you have any recent sods as mine stopped.

Quote from: increasingdifficulty on May 25, 2018, 21:03

Quote from: pics2 on May 25, 2018, 20:11
That's right and worrying.
If we assume that yearly inflation is 2.5%, it is around 28% after 10 years. That means 2.85 should be 3.65 now.

But it wasn't. The last 10 years US inflation was 16.4%. So $3.32 is the magical number. 

What an inflation calculator gives you is a different thing  then a real life experience. Even ten years ago low risk funds were returning 2,5% per year, the ones for low risk investor with sole aim to fight inflation. So, investing in these funds 10 years ago would give you 28% return.
But, thanks for providing the exact numbers

Quote from: pics2 on May 26, 2018, 13:25

Quote from: increasingdifficulty on May 25, 2018, 21:03

Quote from: pics2 on May 25, 2018, 20:11
That's right and worrying.
If we assume that yearly inflation is 2.5%, it is around 28% after 10 years. That means 2.85 should be 3.65 now.

But it wasn't. The last 10 years US inflation was 16.4%. So $3.32 is the magical number. 

What an inflation calculator gives you is a different thing  then a real life experience. Even ten years ago low risk funds were returning 2,5% per year, the ones for low risk investor with sole aim to fight inflation. So, investing in these funds 10 years ago would give you 28% return.
But, thanks for providing the exact numbers

Why would any business give an increase to suppliers when they are flooded with new supply? Its not going to happen. An inflation calculator is an average....the cost of producing images has probably fallen. Return on Investment is not really anything to do with inflation....but interesting to compare whether all those  $$$s spend on cameras, software, models props etc generates more than investing in funds.

Quote from: pics2 on May 26, 2018, 13:25
What an inflation calculator gives you is a different thing  then a real life experience.

No, it gives you exactly the real life experience. 2008-2018 the US inflation was 16.4%, which means the average was just above 1.32% per year.

Quote from: pics2 on May 26, 2018, 13:25
Even ten years ago low risk funds were returning 2,5% per year, the ones for low risk investor with sole aim to fight inflation. So, investing in these funds 10 years ago would give you 28% return.
But, thanks for providing the exact numbers

What do low risk funds have to do with anything? They could just as easily have gone down 10% while the inflation was still 16.4%, unless those funds included a small piece of exactly everything in the US economy.

If your low risk fund went up 2.5% per year 2008-2018, great! You beat inflation. But inflation was still 1.32% per year on average.

Quote from: increasingdifficulty on May 26, 2018, 14:15

Quote from: pics2 on May 26, 2018, 13:25
What an inflation calculator gives you is a different thing  then a real life experience.

No, it gives you exactly the real life experience. 2008-2018 the US inflation was 16.4%, which means the average was just above 1.32% per year.

Quote from: pics2 on May 26, 2018, 13:25
Even ten years ago low risk funds were returning 2,5% per year, the ones for low risk investor with sole aim to fight inflation. So, investing in these funds 10 years ago would give you 28% return.
But, thanks for providing the exact numbers

What do low risk funds have to do with anything? They could just as easily have gone down 10% while the inflation was still 16.4%, unless those funds included a small piece of exactly everything in the US economy.

If your low risk fund went up 2.5% per year 2008-2018, great! You beat inflation. But inflation was still 1.32% per year on average.

If you are going to spend your money on every single product of US economy, like coal and lignite, beside bread, clothes and real estate, than yes, it is real life experience. The funds reflect the real inflation much better, because investor is deciding between investing in a fund and a house, for example, and the market dictates what returns are realistic.

Quote from: pics2 on May 26, 2018, 15:17

Quote from: increasingdifficulty on May 26, 2018, 14:15

Quote from: pics2 on May 26, 2018, 13:25
What an inflation calculator gives you is a different thing  then a real life experience.

No, it gives you exactly the real life experience. 2008-2018 the US inflation was 16.4%, which means the average was just above 1.32% per year.

Quote from: pics2 on May 26, 2018, 13:25
Even ten years ago low risk funds were returning 2,5% per year, the ones for low risk investor with sole aim to fight inflation. So, investing in these funds 10 years ago would give you 28% return.
But, thanks for providing the exact numbers

What do low risk funds have to do with anything? They could just as easily have gone down 10% while the inflation was still 16.4%, unless those funds included a small piece of exactly everything in the US economy.

If your low risk fund went up 2.5% per year 2008-2018, great! You beat inflation. But inflation was still 1.32% per year on average.

If you are going to spend your money on every single product of US economy, like coal and lignite, beside bread, clothes and real estate, than yes, it is real life experience. The funds reflect the real inflation much better, because investor is deciding between investing in a fund and a house, for example, and the market dictates what returns are realistic.

The return on an Investment fund has nothing whatsoever to do with inflation. I assume the US is similar to the UK where the inflation rate is calculated on a profile of an average consumer....which is as close to "real" as you are likely to get. (whatever that means).

Quote from: BalkanskiMacak on May 16, 2018, 15:45

Quote from: Herg on May 16, 2018, 12:54
It's obvious here that there are many (who are probably doing well) looking at life through SS tinted glasses. Sales have stopped dead for no reason for a few days THIS IS NOT NORMAL !!!!!!! THIS IS MANIPULATION OF THE ALGORITHMS.

Several things:
SS (probably) doesn't manipulate individual algorithms. However, they are frequently modifying it, which is understandable. Tbh, I would pay a lot to know how to be always on first position, as I would be able to earn even more money. Therefore, the algorithm remains secret, but time passing by, several criteria start to become obvious, thus leading SS to change it, even slightly. Furthermore, it is a good way to experiment parameters that could be more profitable. It lacks of transparency, but at least it prevents spam and algorithm bombing.

Seen from the point of view of someone who has been managing webadvertisement accounts, I don't see it shocking. Even on mid businesses, with several hundred sales a month, there were huge differences, day after day. Furthermore, there are business specifics you don't always understand. Coming back to SS, for instance, I have noticed over the past months that most of my sales will occur during the middle of the month. Knowing the fact that I have uploaded pictures of various topics during this time, I can't explain it, but I don't call this a trend, and, in some case, seasonality.

To summarize, I see as well pretty impressive stalls (-70% sales between the first and the second half of March, for instance), they are pretty stressful, but I don't see them as an issue, as long as the mid term and long term indicators remain positive.

One last thing: if there were a conspiracy I could believe in that could explain most of the irregularities, but that I haven't been able to prove, it's the theory that SS is trying to hide technical issues impacting the sales record adjusting the revenue afterwards with SOD's and other "adjustable" rates. Over the past months, I have noticed indeed that every drop in sales that was due to an official (or non official) issue on the website was followed by one or several SOD's of higher rates that I could not track. I have no proofs of it, maybe it's just my need for order, but it's not that impossible, given that I have done it in another field of webmarketing, working for a platform dealing with digital inventories.

What would you say to someone that gets the basic same amount of sales 7 days a week for the Last 3 Months Give or take 1/2 Images. Lucky?

Quote from: rinderart on May 30, 2018, 02:08

Quote from: BalkanskiMacak on May 16, 2018, 15:45

Quote from: Herg on May 16, 2018, 12:54
It's obvious here that there are many (who are probably doing well) looking at life through SS tinted glasses. Sales have stopped dead for no reason for a few days THIS IS NOT NORMAL !!!!!!! THIS IS MANIPULATION OF THE ALGORITHMS.

Several things:
SS (probably) doesn't manipulate individual algorithms. However, they are frequently modifying it, which is understandable. Tbh, I would pay a lot to know how to be always on first position, as I would be able to earn even more money. Therefore, the algorithm remains secret, but time passing by, several criteria start to become obvious, thus leading SS to change it, even slightly. Furthermore, it is a good way to experiment parameters that could be more profitable. It lacks of transparency, but at least it prevents spam and algorithm bombing.

Seen from the point of view of someone who has been managing webadvertisement accounts, I don't see it shocking. Even on mid businesses, with several hundred sales a month, there were huge differences, day after day. Furthermore, there are business specifics you don't always understand. Coming back to SS, for instance, I have noticed over the past months that most of my sales will occur during the middle of the month. Knowing the fact that I have uploaded pictures of various topics during this time, I can't explain it, but I don't call this a trend, and, in some case, seasonality.

To summarize, I see as well pretty impressive stalls (-70% sales between the first and the second half of March, for instance), they are pretty stressful, but I don't see them as an issue, as long as the mid term and long term indicators remain positive.

One last thing: if there were a conspiracy I could believe in that could explain most of the irregularities, but that I haven't been able to prove, it's the theory that SS is trying to hide technical issues impacting the sales record adjusting the revenue afterwards with SOD's and other "adjustable" rates. Over the past months, I have noticed indeed that every drop in sales that was due to an official (or non official) issue on the website was followed by one or several SOD's of higher rates that I could not track. I have no proofs of it, maybe it's just my need for order, but it's not that impossible, given that I have done it in another field of webmarketing, working for a platform dealing with digital inventories.

What would you say to someone that gets the basic same amount of sales 7 days a week for the Last 3 Months Give or take 1/2 Images. Lucky?

Its so incredibly rigged and cooked!!.   people are leaving in droves and at BS as well. I PM you about something! you wont believe this!

Quote from: rinderart on May 30, 2018, 02:08

Quote from: BalkanskiMacak on May 16, 2018, 15:45

Quote from: Herg on May 16, 2018, 12:54
It's obvious here that there are many (who are probably doing well) looking at life through SS tinted glasses. Sales have stopped dead for no reason for a few days THIS IS NOT NORMAL !!!!!!! THIS IS MANIPULATION OF THE ALGORITHMS.

Several things:
SS (probably) doesn't manipulate individual algorithms. However, they are frequently modifying it, which is understandable. Tbh, I would pay a lot to know how to be always on first position, as I would be able to earn even more money. Therefore, the algorithm remains secret, but time passing by, several criteria start to become obvious, thus leading SS to change it, even slightly. Furthermore, it is a good way to experiment parameters that could be more profitable. It lacks of transparency, but at least it prevents spam and algorithm bombing.

Seen from the point of view of someone who has been managing webadvertisement accounts, I don't see it shocking. Even on mid businesses, with several hundred sales a month, there were huge differences, day after day. Furthermore, there are business specifics you don't always understand. Coming back to SS, for instance, I have noticed over the past months that most of my sales will occur during the middle of the month. Knowing the fact that I have uploaded pictures of various topics during this time, I can't explain it, but I don't call this a trend, and, in some case, seasonality.

To summarize, I see as well pretty impressive stalls (-70% sales between the first and the second half of March, for instance), they are pretty stressful, but I don't see them as an issue, as long as the mid term and long term indicators remain positive.

One last thing: if there were a conspiracy I could believe in that could explain most of the irregularities, but that I haven't been able to prove, it's the theory that SS is trying to hide technical issues impacting the sales record adjusting the revenue afterwards with SOD's and other "adjustable" rates. Over the past months, I have noticed indeed that every drop in sales that was due to an official (or non official) issue on the website was followed by one or several SOD's of higher rates that I could not track. I have no proofs of it, maybe it's just my need for order, but it's not that impossible, given that I have done it in another field of webmarketing, working for a platform dealing with digital inventories.

What would you say to someone that gets the basic same amount of sales 7 days a week for the Last 3 Months Give or take 1/2 Images. Lucky?

No, just that your sales are stable...

May is going to be a shockingly bad SS month for me. Probably less income than my first year with the agency. Am I worried? No.

The only important statistic, and I know I'm repeating myself, is your yearly income. So far, year after year - for my first 6 years - overall income has increased. If that changes at the end of 2018 I'll be concerned. In the meantime I'm not going to sweat a particularly bad month. Its just the nature of the business and I'll look forward to better than average months down the road.

BTW. SS is terrible this month but Pond5 has made up for it with an exceptionally good May. 

well, our yearly income in 2017 was identical to 2016. Are we worried? Sure we are. We can assume that they are capping our sales or SS overall sales are going down.

Quote from: Video-StockOrg on May 30, 2018, 14:31
well, our yearly income in 2017 was identical to 2016. Are we worried? Sure we are. We can assume that they are capping our sales or SS overall sales are going down.

...or you can assume that you worked just hard enough to keep your sales despite an exponential increase in competition. The expected result in such a scenario would be decreased sales unless you worked hard to add to your portfolio.

And we have already established that Shutterstock overall sales are going up. That is public information.

Quote from: rinderart on May 30, 2018, 02:08
What would you say to someone that gets the basic same amount of sales 7 days a week for the Last 3 Months Give or take 1/2 Images. Lucky?

It could mean that Shutterstock put you on black list or that customers only want so much of your work, these days.

You can obviously choose the most convenient explanation and always blame a conspiracy for your performance.

Quote from: increasingdifficulty on May 30, 2018, 15:13

Quote from: Video-StockOrg on May 30, 2018, 14:31
well, our yearly income in 2017 was identical to 2016. Are we worried? Sure we are. We can assume that they are capping our sales or SS overall sales are going down.

...or you can assume that you worked just hard enough to keep your sales despite an exponential increase in competition. The expected result in such a scenario would be decreased sales unless you worked hard to add to your portfolio.

And we have already established that Shutterstock overall sales are going up. That is public information.

Can't see how your statement can hold, we always had much better results with each new year... and we still added many new video footage to collections.

Quote from: Video-StockOrg on May 30, 2018, 18:34

Quote from: increasingdifficulty on May 30, 2018, 15:13

Quote from: Video-StockOrg on May 30, 2018, 14:31
well, our yearly income in 2017 was identical to 2016. Are we worried? Sure we are. We can assume that they are capping our sales or SS overall sales are going down.

...or you can assume that you worked just hard enough to keep your sales despite an exponential increase in competition. The expected result in such a scenario would be decreased sales unless you worked hard to add to your portfolio.

And we have already established that Shutterstock overall sales are going up. That is public information.

Can't see how your statement can hold, we always had much better results with each new year... and we still added many new video footage to collections.

My 2017 at Shutterstock was 59% better than 2016. Does that mean that I think that EVERYONE experienced that? No.

Individual sales patterns will vary as many times as there are individuals. You can't assume anything based on that. There could be a million reasons why your sales increase, decrease or stay the same.

Historical sales doesn't necessarily mean you can predict future sales. Nothing continues to go up forever. At some point you will see resistance.

At Fotolia, 2017 sales were only 79% of 2016 for example. But now, in 2018, I will pass 2016 total sales in June already, and I have already passed 2017 total sales.

At Pond5, my sales can fluctuate $1,000 up or down from one month to the next.

This is clearly turning into the boasting thread.