MicrostockGroup

Agency Based Discussion => iStockPhoto.com => Topic started by: fritz on December 13, 2010, 18:13

Title: Drop in sales
Post by: fritz on December 13, 2010, 18:13
Do you notice a significant drop in sales at iStock since last week.Is it because of new search engine? or maybe it's just me. ???
What do you think?
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: ibogdan on December 13, 2010, 18:15
Same here. What did they change on SE?
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: Perry on December 13, 2010, 18:24
Yes, a very significant drop here also. Last month was BME and this month can be the worst of this year.
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: Sean Locke Photography on December 13, 2010, 18:42
People, it's the after Thankgiving rundown till Xmas.  You're probably going to have really slow sales the last week of December ;).
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: ShadySue on December 13, 2010, 18:48
People, it's the after Thankgiving rundown till Xmas.  You're probably going to have really slow sales the last week of December ;).
Probably, but this is only the middle of the month, which has traditionally been good for me. But I've already seen that last week was much worse than the corresponding month in previous years.
The promised "50% in the last four months" hasn't worked for me, and no-one answered when I asked if it had been true for them.
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: cathyslife on December 13, 2010, 18:53
People, it's the after Thankgiving rundown till Xmas.  You're probably going to have really slow sales the last week of December ;).
Probably, but this is only the middle of the month, which has traditionally been good for me. But I've already seen that last week was much worse than the corresponding month in previous years.
The promised "50% in the last four months" hasn't worked for me, and no-one answered when I asked if it had been true for them.

Not true for me.
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: lisafx on December 13, 2010, 18:55
Probably, but this is only the middle of the month, which has traditionally been good for me. But I've already seen that last week was much worse than the corresponding month in previous years.
The promised "50% in the last four months" hasn't worked for me, and no-one answered when I asked if it had been true for them.

Not true for me.

Even in good years (which this wasn't) I never got anywhere near 50% of earnings in the last four months of the year.
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: Noodles on December 13, 2010, 19:30
Last few weeks have been excellent for me - though its mainly my xmas niche work getting bought. Fortunately I also have some spring niche work to follow :)
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: pancaketom on December 13, 2010, 19:31
definitely not 50% in the last quarter for me.
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: SNP on December 13, 2010, 19:39
People, it's the after Thankgiving rundown till Xmas.  You're probably going to have really slow sales the last week of December ;).

yes. and the new search has things a little bonkers right now, but that's not widely reported. some contributors I know have basically normal sales. mine are down. week before Christmas, so I'm just not going to worry about it.
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: Perry on December 14, 2010, 12:55
I had to start a poll questioning the 50% thing: http://www.microstockgroup.com/istockphoto-com/50-in-the-last-four-months-does-this-apply-you (http://www.microstockgroup.com/istockphoto-com/50-in-the-last-four-months-does-this-apply-you)
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: eppic on December 14, 2010, 13:05
Not a single sale for me on IS since the 10th, and I've been getting daily sales for the past couple of years.  Something's amiss.
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: SNP on December 14, 2010, 13:11
the answer is in your statement....to suggest any sort of sales regularity with such a small port and small rates of dls...I'll be accused of being a dls snob. but that's not what it's about. when you have very few files and very few dls, and report major sales 'upheavals'...just seems silly.

anyways, sales are back to normal today after the horrendous Monday.
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: BooKitty on December 14, 2010, 21:55
Not a single sale for me on IS since the 10th, and I've been getting daily sales for the past couple of years.  Something's amiss.

I think that if you get DAILY sales for the past couple of years and then none for a long stretch it is possible that something is amiss, no matter how SMALL your portfolio is. I also think you should be able to report it here without getting poo pood by bigger port/dl snobs.

Now me on the other hand I have a tiny port and sales are up and down constantly so I would never post slow sales cuz they are always slow. In November I had 11 dls on one day (I was so excited) but then nothing for three days but that is how it goes for me.

Just wanted to say I think your concerns are valid (to you) and you have the right to express them. I am listening.
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: BaldricksTrousers on December 14, 2010, 22:08
anyways, sales are back to normal today after the horrendous Monday.

Time must be running slowly in my neck of the woods, because I still seem to be trapped in Monday and the calendar says it should be Wednesday.
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: Graffoto on December 14, 2010, 22:12
Not a single sale for me on IS since the 10th, and I've been getting daily sales for the past couple of years.  Something's amiss.

Yup, pretty much the same here.
This is looking like my worst month in two years.
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: SNP on December 14, 2010, 22:23
Not a single sale for me on IS since the 10th, and I've been getting daily sales for the past couple of years.  Something's amiss.

I think that if you get DAILY sales for the past couple of years and then none for a long stretch it is possible that something is amiss, no matter how SMALL your portfolio is. I also think you should be able to report it here without getting poo pood by bigger port/dl snobs.

Now me on the other hand I have a tiny port and sales are up and down constantly so I would never post slow sales cuz they are always slow. In November I had 11 dls on one day (I was so excited) but then nothing for three days but that is how it goes for me.

Just wanted to say I think your concerns are valid (to you) and you have the right to express them. I am listening.

no one said his/her concerns weren't valid. they're just not statistically significant in terms of predicting up/downturns on the site, which is what the poster implied with their post.
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: qwerty on December 14, 2010, 22:55
At IS
2009 last 4 months was 35% of the yearly total
this years last 4 months (still half of december to go) is 33% of the yearly total.
I estimate it will probably end up at about 35-40% of the yearly total.

So no where near 50% for me
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: lagereek on December 15, 2010, 02:11
Dont agree, no slowdown here, pretty steady actually. Probably X-mas slowdown if anything.
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: SNP on December 15, 2010, 10:35
yesterday's sales were fantastic for me too. too early to say about today but looks like things are basically normal ebb and flow for my December sales.
Title: Re: Drop in sales
Post by: donding on December 15, 2010, 12:07
I think a lot of the sales volume depends on rather you have a lot of Christmas stuff on there. Also size of port as well as rather you are exclusive and in Vetta.