Holy Mother!!!! look at that thread!

[lagereek]

Jeez!!  look at the IS thread about the April-stats!  ever seen anything like it?  every single one, I mean everyone, diamonds, golds, exclusives, independants, are just down, down, down, down,, begging on their bare knees to do something, change the best match, blaming Vettas for everything.

The Admins answer??  NOTHING!  a big fat NADA.  What a total joke.

[cthoman]

For me, they've definitely been in a slide. I can't say where the money has gone though. This month was the big one because it was my best month at IS last year and was 50% less this year.

[pancaketom]

While I would agree that it was a bad month at IS and many are not happy about it, as reported on that thread there are some exclusives that had good months, some even BME's. I think one non exclusive reported a bme too.

I had my lowest RPI there ever last month. (since Feb 2007)

While I would agree that things look dire there - perhaps the Gostwyck hypothesis is correct - I do think it is incorrect to say that thread only reports bad news.

[sharpshot]

April has always been bad there for me, although not as bad as this.  I haven't uploaded since last year, so it's hard for me to know what my earnings are doing there but it doesn't look good.  There must be some people doing OK because the poll results are up here.  Where are the conspiracy theorists when you need them

[lagereek]

While I would agree that it was a bad month at IS and many are not happy about it, as reported on that thread there are some exclusives that had good months, some even BME's. I think one non exclusive reported a bme too.

I had my lowest RPI there ever last month. (since Feb 2007)

While I would agree that things look dire there - perhaps the Gostwyck hypothesis is correct - I do think it is incorrect to say that thread only reports bad news.

Youre forgetting something!  these are just the ordinary forum people reporting, what about the thousands that never report, that cant be bothered with the forum. Well in the UK, theres another forum or conglomerate and there every single one, hundereds are just down and out.

If it was just "a bad month"  hell, thats nothing to worry about, we, they all have good and bad months, nothing new.

This however is a totally differant story, this is miss-management on the highest level,  internal and external politics problems where the contributors and members are the losers and victims.

[sharpshot]

...Well in the UK, theres another forum or conglomerate and there every single one, hundereds are just down and out....

Do you have a link?

[fotografer]

I'm literally being kept afloat by 2 old files.  One of them is over 5 years old and has 2000 dls. Yesterday for instance it sold 11 times.  I really think that buyers are so sick of the best match search that they are switching to highest Dls and so files with lots of dls are getting attention.  Is anybody else that has images on the first page of highest dl searches seeing the same?  This particular image a couple of monhs ago would only  have sold 2 or 3 times a day.

[BaldricksTrousers]

I'm literally being kept afloat by 2 old files.  One of them is over 5 years old and has 2000 dls. Yesterday for instance it sold 11 times.  I really think that buyers are so sick of the best match search that they are switching to highest Dls and so files with lots of dls are getting attention.  Is anybody else that has images on the first page of highest dl searches seeing the same?  This particular image a couple of monhs ago would only  have sold 2 or 3 times a day.

It's probably also a cheap file near the top of the best match amid a sea of expensive files. That would give it an advantage.

[fotografer]

I've just had a look and it's on the 2nd page of a 100 image per page search.  The other one still comes up in the first 50 of search of over 300,000.  I guess I'm lucky enough to have a couple of images that are the token non exclusive on the front page. If they got moved my sales would tank to an all time low.
I think that this really shows how difficult it is to make much money if you are starting out in stock now.  If I had to rely on my uploads of the last couple of years I wouldn't be making anything.

[vlad_the_imp]

every single one, I mean everyone,

Whilst I agree it is a bad situation at IS income and download-wise, and there are a lot of negative reports in that thread, in fact probably one of the worst I've seen, you don't do your argument any favors by inaccurately reporting the facts. On the first page, where there are 20 posts, 8 of those report BME's. ( Best month ever for the uninitiated)

[lagereek]

every single one, I mean everyone,

Whilst I agree it is a bad situation at IS income and download-wise, and there are a lot of negative reports in that thread, in fact probably one of the worse I've seen, you don't do your argument any favors by inaccurately reporting the facts. On the first page, where there are 20 posts, 8 of those report BME's. ( Best month ever for the uninitiated)

First page??  oh well fair enough then, begging you pardon, I was thinking more of the next 11 pages.  If you notice, the ones reporting BME are mostly Bronze/Silver cannistors with small ports, etc, which doesnt give any indication at all.  Its like when somebody here say they have a fantastic day!, like 3 dls with a port of say 100 files. means nothing.

They are even noticing this themselves in the IS forum.

I find it very hard to believe that you dont see whats happening here when some even scream out their frustration in capital letters about the  Vetta and agency files all over the place.

[vlad_the_imp]

I find it very hard to believe that you dont see whats happening here

"I agree it is a bad situation at IS income and download-wise" is what I said. That implies I do see what's happening.

[ShadySue]

double post. Sorry.

[ShadySue]

First page??  oh well fair enough then, begging you pardon, I was thinking more of the next 11 pages.  If you notice, the ones reporting BME are mostly Bronze/Silver cannistors with small ports, etc, which doesnt give any indication at all.  Its like when somebody here say they have a fantastic day!, like 3 dls with a port of say 100 files. means nothing.

Actually, if I had 3 dls per 100 files in my port that would more than double my second best day ever, so I guess I'd be having a fantastic day. The only day which would beat it was the day in my first year here when I had a small port and someone bought 17 of my monkey photos at once (all XSm).
Just because someone doesn't have a big port with widely lauded photos or a gold or diamond doesn't mean they are "nobody".

[fotografer]

Actually, if I had 3 dls per 100 files in my port that would more than double my second best day ever, so I guess I'd be having a fantastic day.
Just because someone doesn't have a big port with widely lauded photos or a gold or diamond doesn't mean they are "nobody".

I agree with this.  3dls a day  per 100 images is not bad these days at IS.

[Microbius]

Youre forgetting something!  these are just the ordinary forum people reporting, what about the thousands that never report, that cant be bothered with the forum. Well in the UK, theres another forum or conglomerate and there every single one, hundereds are just down and out.

If it was just "a bad month"  hell, thats nothing to worry about, we, they all have good and bad months, nothing new.

This however is a totally differant story, this is miss-management on the highest level,  internal and external politics problems where the contributors and members are the losers and victims.

I'd be interested in the UK forum too, any chance of seeing that link?

[gostwyck]

I'd be interested in the UK forum too, any chance of seeing that link?

It's probably a 'special' link only open to the very top professional photographers who remember the 'good old days' well and have lots and lots of personal contacts who keep popping up to buy images directly when they can't find them on the agencies.

[ShadySue]

Youre forgetting something!  these are just the ordinary forum people reporting, what about the thousands that never report, that cant be bothered with the forum. Well in the UK, theres another forum or conglomerate and there every single one, hundereds are just down and out.

I'd be interested in the UK forum too, any chance of seeing that link?

Me2

[ShadySue]

I'd be interested in the UK forum too, any chance of seeing that link?

It's probably a 'special' link only open to the very top professional photographers who remember the 'good old days' well and have lots and lots of personal contacts who keep popping up to buy images directly when they can't find them on the agencies.

Yeah, the very top "hundreds" of UK togs who are now on iStock. Not open to Nobodies.

[lagereek]

I'd be interested in the UK forum too, any chance of seeing that link?

It's probably a 'special' link only open to the very top professional photographers who remember the 'good old days' well and have lots and lots of personal contacts who keep popping up to buy images directly when they can't find them on the agencies.

BINGO!!!  but you dont qualify,  youre just too old, however I will reserve you for the geriatric forum. You should do very well there.

[gostwyck]

I guess I'm lucky enough to have a couple of images that are the token non exclusive on the front page.

'Token non-exclusive image'? That's a bit harsh isn't it? I've just done a search on 'Chinese Cuisine' (Photos only) and of the 6158 results there were actually TWO non-exclusive images in the first 100 results, another THREE in the next 100 results and a very generous SIX in the next 100 results.

That means non-exclusives are being allowed over 3% of the slots in the first 300 results. Lucky us!

In one of my specialist niche subjects, before the best match change, I used to have 22-24 of the first 100 results. Now I'm down to just 2. In another subject I used to 7-8 in the first 100 and now I'm down to just 1. Based on those figures I'm actually quite surprised that my sales haven't (yet) collapsed further than they already have.

[BaldricksTrousers]

I'd be interested in the UK forum too, any chance of seeing that link?

It's probably a 'special' link only open to the very top professional photographers who remember the 'good old days' well and have lots and lots of personal contacts who keep popping up to buy images directly when they can't find them on the agencies.

BINGO!!!  but you dont qualify,  youre just too old, however I will reserve you for the geriatric forum. You should do very well there.

That's a pity. I thought you might be about to substantiate one of your claims.

[lagereek]

I'd be interested in the UK forum too, any chance of seeing that link?

It's probably a 'special' link only open to the very top professional photographers who remember the 'good old days' well and have lots and lots of personal contacts who keep popping up to buy images directly when they can't find them on the agencies.

BINGO!!!  but you dont qualify,  youre just too old, however I will reserve you for the geriatric forum. You should do very well there.

That's a pity. I thought you might be about to substantiate one of your claims.

According to another member at IS, its a glossy pro photo journal forum or something in the UK,  whatever?  I have no reason for distrusting him since he has been an exclusive member of IS for over 5 years.

Hardly the importance in this thread, is it?  since I cant read all the gossip myself,  rumors has it thats its even hit the DPR  but dont know?

[gostwyck]

According to another member at IS, its a glossy pro photo journal forum or something in the UK,  whatever?  I have no reason for distrusting him since he has been an exclusive member of IS for over 5 years.

Hardly the importance in this thread, is it?  since I cant read all the gossip myself,  rumors has it thats its even hit the DPR  but dont know?

So you're quoting 'facts' from a 'something' that you haven't seen and can't access. Where would we be without your illuminating and detailed reports?

[Microbius]

Just to clarify things a bit for those who haven't read the whole thread then:

ever seen anything like it?  every single one, I mean everyone, diamonds, golds, exclusives, independants, are just down, down, down, down [except all the ones that aren't]

and

in the UK, theres another forum or conglomerate  [I don't know which one and haven't seen it but am reliably informed by sources which will remain nameless]and there every single one, hundereds are just down and out.[except all the ones that aren't?]

Think we could have done without wasting the time reading this thread

[bunhill]

I've just done a search on 'Chinese Cuisine' (Photos only) and of the 6158 results there were actually TWO non-exclusive images in the first 100 results, another THREE in the next 100 results and a very generous SIX in the next 100 results.

The results look really good for that search - food photography is a skilled niche and the images look really well styled etc. On the whole.

There are over 6000 images in that search. If you compare the first page with the last page it does seem to indicate that the best match is producing very good results from a buyer perspective. And at a variety of prices. The first page of that search certainly isn't overly thick with Vetta and Agency --- although, undeniably, Vetta and Agency images are some of the best.

[BaldricksTrousers]

According to another member at IS, its a glossy pro photo journal forum or something in the UK,  whatever?  I have no reason for distrusting him since he has been an exclusive member of IS for over 5 years.

What has exclusivity got to do with trusting what someone says? I thought the qualification was selling 500 pictures, not having reputation for veracity.

I'm afraid the idea of hundreds and hundreds of istockers posting end of month stats on an obscure UK forum and 100% having the same trend, not just bad but "down and out" stretches the credulity more than a bit. That makes the unknown forum far more popular than iStock's own thread.

[lagereek]

Just to clarify things a bit for those who haven't read the whole thread then:

ever seen anything like it?  every single one, I mean everyone, diamonds, golds, exclusives, independants, are just down, down, down, down [except all the ones that aren't]

and

in the UK, theres another forum or conglomerate  [I don't know which one and haven't seen it but am reliably informed by sources which will remain nameless]and there every single one, hundereds are just down and out.[except all the ones that aren't?]

Think we could have done without wasting the time reading this thread

well you ARE reading it, if you dont like it then dont waste your time.

[lagereek]

DONT GET YOUR KNICKERS IN A TWIST!!  instead concentrate on the IS forum thread and if you want to find out about other differant forums then why not just scout around the internet,  Im sure there are plenty there.

As the OP here, the importance is the fact that relativly new and small ports are the ones reporting BMEs, etc, almost all high-cannister contributors are complaining bitterly,  so what does that indicate? 
Try and adjust the brain-cells to that instead of the tail-end of something I havent even read myself, basically from lack of interest.

Me personally:  dont give a flying * about it, just happend to mention it thats all.

As it happens I can tell that not many of the posters here have even bothered to read the IS thread but just posting off the cuff.

[Microbius]

.....  every single one, I mean everyone..... are just down, down, down, down,, begging on their bare knees to do something, change the best match, blaming Vettas for everything.

hmmmmm

[loop]

I would never report a good month while others report a bad one. Don't seem tasteful to me. And, btw, May has begun very well. 

[lagereek]

I would never report a good month while others report a bad one. Don't seem tasteful to me. And, btw, May has begun very well. 

Actually  May has begun well,  oddly enough, lets hope it stays that way.

[ProArtwork]

I used to see many admins and inspectors post their woo yay results. I only see one admin and one inspector posts and is negative. 

[gostwyck]

I used to see many admins and inspectors post their woo yay results. I only see one admin and one inspector posts and is negative. 

I noticed that too. Mind you aren't most of them currently living it up on a contributor company expensed vacation at a posh hotel in London? Thinkstock needs more images after all.

[ShadySue]

I would never report a good month while others report a bad one. Don't seem tasteful to me. And, btw, May has begun very well. 

Conversely, in the Good Old Days, I remember some people saying they were embarrassed to post poor results when everyone else seemed to be donig well.

[jamirae]

I would never report a good month while others report a bad one. Don't seem tasteful to me. And, btw, May has begun very well. 

Conversely, in the Good Old Days, I remember some people saying they were embarrassed to post poor results when everyone else seemed to be donig well.

I guess these days it's "misery loves company" posts

[Jo Ann Snover]

I would never report a good month while others report a bad one. Don't seem tasteful to me. And, btw, May has begun very well. 

That's one way of looking at it. OTOH, if you're interested in painting an accurate picture of how things are at IS, you might help everyone out by posting about it.

I noted one diamond exclusive who reported a good month (2nd BME) and one gold exclusive who had a great month. Otherwise it was bronze and silvers - and it's not that these folks don't count, but when the numbers are much smaller or there aren't the multi-year comparisons, it really isn't saying the same thing as someone with a bigger portfolio, more sales and a longer time over which to compare.

[lagereek]

I would never report a good month while others report a bad one. Don't seem tasteful to me. And, btw, May has begun very well.  

That's one way of looking at it. OTOH, if you're interested in painting an accurate picture of how things are at IS, you might help everyone out by posting about it.

I noted one diamond exclusive who reported a good month (2nd BME) and one gold exclusive who had a great month. Otherwise it was bronze and silvers - and it's not that these folks don't count, but when the numbers are much smaller or there aren't the multi-year comparisons, it really isn't saying the same thing as someone with a bigger portfolio, more sales and a longer time over which to compare.

Exactly the important issue here!  Im glad!  you were in fact the only one that grasped that,  smaller bronze and silver contributors reporting BME, etc and ofcourse it counts but it doesnt in any way alter the overall picture.

It might be something somebody said last year, maybe they are investing heavlily in new faces, etc, since the old ones and high cannister members are pretty wise to all the moves and cant really be bullied anymore. we shall see.

[PaulieWalnuts]

I would never report a good month while others report a bad one. Don't seem tasteful to me. And, btw, May has begun very well.  

That's one way of looking at it. OTOH, if you're interested in painting an accurate picture of how things are at IS, you might help everyone out by posting about it.

I noted one diamond exclusive who reported a good month (2nd BME) and one gold exclusive who had a great month. Otherwise it was bronze and silvers - and it's not that these folks don't count, but when the numbers are much smaller or there aren't the multi-year comparisons, it really isn't saying the same thing as someone with a bigger portfolio, more sales and a longer time over which to compare.

Exactly the important issue here!  Im glad!  you were in fact the only one that grasped that,  smaller bronze and silver contributors reporting BME, etc and ofcourse it counts but it doesnt in any way alter the overall picture.

It might be something somebody said last year, maybe they are investing heavlily in new faces, etc, since the old ones and high cannister members are pretty wise to all the moves and cant really be bullied anymore. we shall see.

Bullying/leverage may be one part. I'd say profitability is more likely.

[lisafx]

That's one way of looking at it. OTOH, if you're interested in painting an accurate picture of how things are at IS, you might help everyone out by posting about it.

I noted one diamond exclusive who reported a good month (2nd BME) and one gold exclusive who had a great month. Otherwise it was bronze and silvers - and it's not that these folks don't count, but when the numbers are much smaller or there aren't the multi-year comparisons, it really isn't saying the same thing as someone with a bigger portfolio, more sales and a longer time over which to compare.

Agreed on all counts.  Nobody's saying lower canisters don't count.  Just that they are less of an indication of overall site trends. 

And some of us post every month in the stats threads - good or bad - to help contribute to the overall picture of what sales are doing. 

[caspixel]

If things continue to look so dismal, I wonder if iStock will eliminate the monthly sales threads. Certainly doesn't look good for the company.

[gostwyck]

If things continue to look so dismal, I wonder if iStock will eliminate the monthly sales threads. Certainly doesn't look good for the company.

Maybe __ but then it would just turn up here or somewhere else where Istock would have absolutely no control of it whatsoever.

[sweetgirll]

I don't count, because I'm a silver...I  have a tiny portfolio, close to 300 images but I haven't uploaded for years, so if I don't upload I take it will decline anyway, but nothing like this year.
This month of april I made exactly 2.5 times less than what I made in january.  In january my return per vector was around 0.9

[lisafx]

If things continue to look so dismal, I wonder if iStock will eliminate the monthly sales threads. Certainly doesn't look good for the company.

I've been expecting them to get rid of the monthly sales threads for several months now.

This month's thread, in addition to being very depressing, is much shorter than in the past.  Maybe it won't be necessary to eliminate the monthly stats threads after all.  If enough people become dispirited and stop posting, the "problem" of unfavorable threads will take care of itself. 

[bunhill]

I've been expecting them to get rid of the monthly sales threads for several months now.

It maybe needs to be re scheduled given that for many people the GI and PP sales are an increasingly important part of the total picture and those results always come in later.

ETA: although most contributors never post in the sales thread from what I can gather. I doubt many read it either but I might be wrong.

[lisafx]

It maybe needs to be re scheduled given that for many people the GI and PP sales are an increasingly important part of the total picture and those results always come in later.

Can't they post those results to the existing sales threads when they come in? 

[gostwyck]

It maybe needs to be re scheduled given that for many people the GI and PP sales are an increasingly important part of the total picture and those results always come in later.

Can't they post those results to the existing sales threads when they come in? 

Don't you have to wait up to 3 months for the PP sales to dribble in?

[Phadrea]

May so far is even worse. What idiots have messed up the site ? It's disgraceful. I will be turning in my exclusivity as I will make more money on lots of cheaper sites. Eggs and baskets spring to mind.

[Mantis]

Scratching my head here but what kind of company treats their suppliers AND buyers like crap and expects to be successful? In my opinion there is DEFIANTLY an ulterior motive...should I say strategy..behind the behavior of the IS principles.  To me they are obviously (intentionally) not communicating whatever it is they are concocting behind the scenes and are surely trying to manipulate a different desired business outcome.  This is simple to infer due solely to their silence in the forums...all while their "valued" human capital (suppliers) are losing a huge chunk of their livelihood $$ and their equally valued revenue machines (buyers) are being shut out by high prices, poor system functionality and what amounts to ISTOCK trickery by placing Agency and Vetta at the top of best match searches.

They are a disgraceful business.

[cathyslife]

Scratching my head here but what kind of company treats their suppliers AND buyers like crap and expects to be successful? In my opinion there is DEFIANTLY an ulterior motive...should I say strategy..behind the behavior of the IS principles.  To me they are obviously (intentionally) not communicating whatever it is they are concocting behind the scenes and are surely trying to manipulate a different desired business outcome.  This is simple to infer due solely to their silence in the forums...all while their "valued" human capital (suppliers) are losing a huge chunk of their livelihood $$ and their equally valued revenue machines (buyers) are being shut out by high prices, poor system functionality and what amounts to ISTOCK trickery by placing Agency and Vetta at the top of best match searches.

They are a disgraceful business.

Word.

[bunhill]

Don't you have to wait up to 3 months for the PP sales to dribble in?

no

[gostwyck]

Don't you have to wait up to 3 months for the PP sales to dribble in?

no

Exactly how long do you have to wait then? Truthfully now.

[bunhill]

the past few months the PP numbers have been in by about the middle of the following month IIRC followed by GI numbers

[caspixel]

In my opinion there is DEFIANTLY an ulterior motive...should I say strategy..behind the behavior of the IS principles. 

Did you mean DEFINITELY, not DEFIANTLY? Just curious if that was a typo. Either way, it fits. Because they sure do seem to be DEFIANTLY disregarding the complaints of both buyers and contributors. And they are DEFINITELY doing that as well.

[lisafx]

Did you mean DEFINITELY, not DEFIANTLY? Just curious if that was a typo. Either way, it fits. Because they sure do seem to be DEFIANTLY disregarding the complaints of both buyers and contributors. And they are DEFINITELY doing that as well.

Carolyn, this is one of the reasons I love you.  Your command of the English language.   

Bless you for being one of the few people in the world (apparently) who knows the difference between DEFINITELY (as in define, and finite) vs. DEFIANT (as in defy).  Not to mention the ubiquitous misspelling DEFINATELY. 

[cthoman]

I've been expecting them to get rid of the monthly sales threads for several months now.

On the contrary, they've actually allowed the vector peeps to have their own separate stats thread, so I don't see them shutting it down.

[dhanford]

I've been expecting them to get rid of the monthly sales threads for several months now.

On the contrary, they've actually allowed the vector peeps to have their own separate stats thread, so I don't see them shutting it down.

The video people have a monthly stat thread of their own also.  So that is probably why it's allowed.  Did you happen to notice in the vector forum that the "Spring/Summer and the Fall/Winter Woo Yay" threads have disappeared?

[lagereek]

Did you mean DEFINITELY, not DEFIANTLY? Just curious if that was a typo. Either way, it fits. Because they sure do seem to be DEFIANTLY disregarding the complaints of both buyers and contributors. And they are DEFINITELY doing that as well.

Carolyn, this is one of the reasons I love you.  Your command of the English language.  

Bless you for being one of the few people in the world (apparently) who knows the difference between DEFINITELY (as in define, and finite) vs. DEFIANT (as in defy).  Not to mention the ubiquitous misspelling DEFINATELY.  

Well the gal is educated at Eaton and then went to oxford,  what do you expect?