I don't think it invalidates the point, but I did check today and yesterday's sales total was actually 3, courtesy of one more sale at 11:27pm!!

3 sales in a day from a proven PF of what 2500 over there?
I really don't know where this is going to end.

I'm only trying to focus on why some people are reporting such few sales on iStock from their huge portfolios. My sales are quite good right now.

Well, I think you need to keep trying, because "crappy portfolios" is not the reason.  The sales crash is reported by most diamond level contributors, regardless of portfolio size, subject matter, or quality.  Lagereek, above, is a great example - his portfolio is top notch, highly specialized, and a lucrative niche, but his sales are way down. 

As for your sales being "quite good right now", congrats on that.  However it's pretty meaningless as an indicator of site performance over all.  Your best sales day ever might be the same as somebody else's worst in years.  It's all relative.

Quote from: Noodles on November 11, 2011, 14:36

I'm only trying to focus on why some people are reporting such few sales on iStock from their huge portfolios. My sales are quite good right now.

Well, I think you need to keep trying, because "crappy portfolios" is not the reason.  The sales crash is reported by most diamond level contributors, regardless of portfolio size, subject matter, or quality.  Lagereek, above, is a great example - his portfolio is top notch, highly specialized, and a lucrative niche, but his sales are way down. 

As for your sales being "quite good right now", congrats on that.  However it's pretty meaningless as an indicator of site performance over all.  Your best sales day ever might be the same as somebody else's worst in years.  It's all relative.

Fair enough. When things go wrong it seems people, including myself, look to blame everything but themselves. I totally agree IS has been pretty bad of recent years but there's no denying that MS in general is bursting at the seams with ordinary imagery. I just don't see how this can be maintained. IS probably recognise this and are focusing more on Midstock type imagery though I am as confused as anybody as to what IS is really up to. I'm just trying to produce better quality imagery, as in my case, sales results prove its worth it. Well at least for the moment they do, next week who knows!

Fair enough. When things go wrong it seems people, including myself, look to blame everything but themselves. I totally agree IS has been pretty bad of recent years but there's no denying that MS in general is bursting at the seams with ordinary imagery. I just don't see how this can be maintained. IS probably recognise this and are focusing more on Midstock type imagery though I am as confused as anybody as to what IS is really up to. I'm just trying to produce better quality imagery, as in my case, sales results prove its worth it. Well at least for the moment they do, next week who knows!

I just don't think your theory is true. My ordinary imagery, last month, made me a BME at shutterstock. I haven't uploaded any new images in months. I have less than 1000 images, but my ordinary stuff just seems to keep selling. So there must be some sort of market for it. Just not at istock. On that point, you are correct.

Quote from: Noodles on November 11, 2011, 14:36

I'm only trying to focus on why some people are reporting such few sales on iStock from their huge portfolios. My sales are quite good right now.

Well, I think you need to keep trying, because "crappy portfolios" is not the reason.  The sales crash is reported by most diamond level contributors, regardless of portfolio size, subject matter, or quality. 

I agree there seem to be some concerning trends. But I suggest you guys remember that only a fraction of a fraction of contributors even visit the forums on IS, and even less post their results. Even out of the top 50 diamonds, i think only a few have posted, and surely mainly the disgruntled ones. Unless I missed it, I've only seen 1 of the top 5 post and he was up a little over last year. Just sayin... The sky ain't falling yet

I have no idea what the whole picture at iStock looks like - and I don't think any contributors do. The people who do know don't talk about it.

What I would say regarding your comment that only a small fraction post in the forums is that while it's true some people don't bother, that has always been the case. In the past, those who posted in end-of-month threads had generally much more positive tales than those who have posted the last few months.

So while it's not impossible that the bad times have just happened to hit that small portion that posts and everyone else in the top 2% (diamonds and up) are doing great, it's hard to imagine a scenario in which that vocal group is the only one seeing a downturn.

The sky isn't falling because lots of people are buying stock images. Just not at iStock.

Quote from: lisafx on November 11, 2011, 17:33

Quote from: Noodles on November 11, 2011, 14:36

I'm only trying to focus on why some people are reporting such few sales on iStock from their huge portfolios. My sales are quite good right now.

Well, I think you need to keep trying, because "crappy portfolios" is not the reason.  The sales crash is reported by most diamond level contributors, regardless of portfolio size, subject matter, or quality.  

I agree there seem to be some concerning trends. But I suggest you guys remember that only a fraction of a fraction of contributors even visit the forums on IS, and even less post their results. Even out of the top 50 diamonds, i think only a few have posted, and surely mainly the disgruntled ones. Unless I missed it, I've only seen 1 of the top 5 post and he was up a little over last year. Just sayin... The sky ain't falling yet

Well, this time around I think you can draw the conclusion, its BAD!  Three of my pals at IS, are exclusive Diamonds, and they are way down, about 40% down AND they have Vettas, etc, they know in their turn, others who are also way down and so on.

Look, its a build up,  started almost two years back and since then, just about everything IS have touched, has gone wrong, many buyers are also contributors, I am sure they actually forgot that plus the fact of a very week Admin, allowing themselves to be bullied by Getty,  insulting contributors/buyers, in public forums. Sooner or later it will crash, simple as that.

Also, look at the major competition, SS, DT, FT, etc,  for just about everyone, these three have risen about the same percentage as IS have fallen,  what I have lost at IS, I have easily gained by the others.
I think we have to face facts, this time its serious, IS,  is not a major player anymore and their migration to TS, well that can result in catastrophy.

Lets be honest,  you wouldnt ask people to invest in SAAB, would you, well this is pretty much the same, only a differant product.

Quote from: Noodles on November 11, 2011, 18:08

there's no denying that MS in general is bursting at the seams with ordinary imagery. I just don't see how this can be maintained. IS probably recognise this and are focusing more on Midstock type imagery

You're not thinking of it from the agency's perspective. As long as there is huge demand for "ordinary" imagery an agency should be happy to be flooded with it. Maybe a million sales of ordinary stuff end up spread out between a million submitters, all of whom get almost nothing, but the lion's share of the take remains in one lump in the agency's pockets. Spreading the collection in new directions to attract a different kind of buyer also makes sense but the core income will probably always come from ordinary, useful stuff.

Yep, valid points. None of us have the raw data to make any kind of assumption so we assume a lot    Lagereek says his mates are 40% down but some people here are reporting such low sales you have to imagine they are more like 95% down. That can't be entirely due to IS policy is my point.

My best seller hasn't sold for 4 days now.  Not even once!!!  My sales are so low that I am selliing about the same as my best seller used to sell daily.
I've now been hit hard by both Fotolia and Istock.

Something is creepy about FT for me.  I have gone from a rank of about 1000 to 2000.  It hasn't returned to 1000.  Sales have plummeted in the last two months there....for me anyhow.

Has the best match changed again? Now I am getting DLs only during European working hours. No DLs on working hours Americas. That's very weird for me.
Anybody else having this pattern?

Nope, the very opposite. As I posted yesterday, I had one dl prior to 19:15GMT, then 5 dls after that. Still a poor day, but far worse during European working hours. No dls at all today, 1315GMT. I have few files of specifically American interest. (167/2729).