I've only ever done microstock as a hobby on the side because of my job. My portfolio has therefore always remained very small.

I started with Fotolia in 2009, with Shutterstock at the end of 2010 and with istock in 2012. I also started with 4 other agencies at that time. Things went uphill until 2015/2016, since then it's been downhill.

Back then, in the best phase, it looked like this for me per month per 1,000 images on average:

- Fotolia/AS: $460
- Shutterstock: $600
- Istock: $200 - but I only had about 600 images there, so this would be about $330 for 1000 images
- 123rf: $75
- deposit: $75
- Dreamstime: $50

It was a lot of fun back then because you were motivated by the ranking systems. Unfortunately, Shutterstock had an upper limit of $10,000 and that was reached very quickly.
I definitely wouldn't want to miss that time. It was great!

Quote from: Wilm on April 15, 2024, 10:51
Now I have checked my RPD for istock. Only images, no videos.

2023 = 0,66
2022 = 0,58
2021 = 0,68
2020 = 0,60
2019 = 0,62
2018 = 0,65
2017 = 0,62

Not statistically usable, but still quite interesting:
01.2024 = 1,24
02.2024 = 1,09

For 03.2024 I can only say that I had 10% more downloads than in January and February.

03.2024 = 0,52   

For the first time ever I had a download for $0,33 this morning. The race to the bottom has started...

Downloads slightly above average, revenue dramatically below average. In my case, the revenue is 40% compared to March 2023.

Quote from: Injustice for all on April 16, 2024, 20:20

Quote from: Wilm on April 16, 2024, 18:22

Quote from: Wilm on April 15, 2024, 21:45

Quote from: Injustice for all on April 15, 2024, 19:54

Quote from: Wilm on April 15, 2024, 18:30

Quote from: Injustice for all on April 15, 2024, 17:01

Quote from: Wilm on April 15, 2024, 15:07
For countless years downloads weren't below 0,38. This is what came in this afternoon - those 0,34 are becoming more and more...

I recently saw videos for 10 USD and images for 1.65 USD,my RPD on Adobe goes up,if you don't upload Wilm this is the result.

if I were you I would take advantage of your advantageous position,go back to uploading at least 30 contents a month,any type of content and you will see how everything goes back uphill,if you no longer upload anything the system starts to put you aside.

I am in a more disadvantaged position than you,I produce much more than you but I collect less than you,because you started before me,but I know that in a couple of years I will start to harvest the fruits of my work,just as I am now reaping the fruits of what I produced a year ago and more.

this in my opinion is one of the things that has changed a lot in recent years,as time passes we need more and more time to see the results of our work.

Why should the RPD go down, if I don't upload? If the number of downloads would go down, I would agree. But the RPD has nothing to do with it.

because maybe you make more sales and most likely you also make higher sales?

but please satisfy my curiosity,are you telling me that even if you don't upload your download numbers remains unchanged?If so,how long has it been since you uploaded?

if I may ask of course.

Of course you may ask. 

I've uploaded 13 images in the last six months - so 2 images a month on average. I now have a total of 1567 on Adobe Stock. If you like, I have increased my portfolio by 0.8% in this six-month period. These images have generated a total of 11 downloads - an extremely unsatisfactory result. My hit rate used to be much better.

Nevertheless, as I have already written, the download figures are fairly constant.

And because the download figures are constant, but less money is coming in, there is a problem with the RPD.

Of course, I could upload significantly more, perhaps sell a little more and earn the same money at the end of the day. But that doesn't change the deteriorating RPD. If 1,000 sales used to bring in $ 1,200 and now only bring in $ 750, it's clear that the RPD is clearly trending downwards.

After all, I have just noticed that one of those 13 pictures - uploaded at the beginning of February - has now achieved 8 sales and has made it to page 1 of 8750 pages on the subject. Maybe there will be more sales to come...

this is because you are a long-standing first level contributor,so the sales system favors you.

I'm not an expert on how Adobe's sales system works but I've been following it carefully for several years.

If we take a photo of the same tomato,same exactly picture in all details,and we both send it at the same time for review,you are 90% more likely than me to sell it first,as for now.

if we repeat the experiment in a few years we will instead have 50%

as regards more specific contents,the situation is different.

how can I say it more clearly?your shop is open 24h a day or maybe 15h a day on average mine is open at the moment 3h a day on average(I don't know,it's just an example)

of course it is important what content you have for sale,but it is also important whether you have the favor of the sales system,something that is earned over time.

From what I have seen,Adobe's sales system is the best of all agencies because it is the only one that guarantees growth over time.

other agencies such as SS or Istock are more immediate but do not guarantee a stable income over time,especially in the near future given the current condition of the microstock.

I don't know how the algorithm works either. Nobody knows that.

But I agree with you because I still suspect that the portfolio ranking might have an influence on the starting ranking of new images. And a portfolio that has been on the market for much longer naturally has an easier time of it than a contributor who has just started out.

With $36 today at AS has made up for yesterday and so the RPD has also improved a little this month.
However, AS is developing a bit like shutterstock: you are dependent on the large downloads to compensate for the increasing mass of small downloads. And I don't like this development! For me, the number of licenses sold for $3.30 at AS has dropped noticeably in recent months.

Quote from: Wilm on April 15, 2024, 21:45

Quote from: Injustice for all on April 15, 2024, 19:54

Quote from: Wilm on April 15, 2024, 18:30

Quote from: Injustice for all on April 15, 2024, 17:01

Quote from: Wilm on April 15, 2024, 15:07
For countless years downloads weren't below 0,38. This is what came in this afternoon - those 0,34 are becoming more and more...

I recently saw videos for 10 USD and images for 1.65 USD,my RPD on Adobe goes up,if you don't upload Wilm this is the result.

if I were you I would take advantage of your advantageous position,go back to uploading at least 30 contents a month,any type of content and you will see how everything goes back uphill,if you no longer upload anything the system starts to put you aside.

I am in a more disadvantaged position than you,I produce much more than you but I collect less than you,because you started before me,but I know that in a couple of years I will start to harvest the fruits of my work,just as I am now reaping the fruits of what I produced a year ago and more.

this in my opinion is one of the things that has changed a lot in recent years,as time passes we need more and more time to see the results of our work.

Why should the RPD go down, if I don't upload? If the number of downloads would go down, I would agree. But the RPD has nothing to do with it.

because maybe you make more sales and most likely you also make higher sales?

but please satisfy my curiosity,are you telling me that even if you don't upload your download numbers remains unchanged?If so,how long has it been since you uploaded?

if I may ask of course.

Of course you may ask. 

I've uploaded 13 images in the last six months - so 2 images a month on average. I now have a total of 1567 on Adobe Stock. If you like, I have increased my portfolio by 0.8% in this six-month period. These images have generated a total of 11 downloads - an extremely unsatisfactory result. My hit rate used to be much better.

Nevertheless, as I have already written, the download figures are fairly constant.

And because the download figures are constant, but less money is coming in, there is a problem with the RPD.

Of course, I could upload significantly more, perhaps sell a little more and earn the same money at the end of the day. But that doesn't change the deteriorating RPD. If 1,000 sales used to bring in $ 1,200 and now only bring in $ 750, it's clear that the RPD is clearly trending downwards.

After all, I have just noticed that one of those 13 pictures - uploaded at the beginning of February - has now achieved 8 sales and has made it to page 1 of 8750 pages on the subject. Maybe there will be more sales to come...

Quote from: Injustice for all on April 15, 2024, 22:59
@Wilm

of course if the number of downloads remains more or less constant at this point an RPD is an excellent reference,from here I now understand your concern.

I could write you my RPD on Adobe but my situation is completely different,because my RPD is going up but more importantly I more than doubled the number of sales between 2022 and 2023 and tripled my earnings,so I don't have a constant number of downloads like you and therefore my RPD doesn't matter as much.

I had read that you are losing inspiration somehow,that's maybe even why you're not uploading,music helps me a lot in this,and I always try to look up because if I start looking down I get dizzy
or more simply,it's better not to think about the years that are passing and that we are getting older and all the rest,so much is of little use.

but anyway for you this is just a hobby,I aim for something more,I know I still have a lot of work to do and it will take a few more years but I will make it.

thank you for your reply!

I am pleased for you that your efforts are being rewarded.

Quote from: Wilm on April 15, 2024, 21:45

Quote from: Injustice for all on April 15, 2024, 19:54

Quote from: Wilm on April 15, 2024, 18:30

Quote from: Injustice for all on April 15, 2024, 17:01

Quote from: Wilm on April 15, 2024, 15:07
For countless years downloads weren't below 0,38. This is what came in this afternoon - those 0,34 are becoming more and more...

I recently saw videos for 10 USD and images for 1.65 USD,my RPD on Adobe goes up,if you don't upload Wilm this is the result.

if I were you I would take advantage of your advantageous position,go back to uploading at least 30 contents a month,any type of content and you will see how everything goes back uphill,if you no longer upload anything the system starts to put you aside.

I am in a more disadvantaged position than you,I produce much more than you but I collect less than you,because you started before me,but I know that in a couple of years I will start to harvest the fruits of my work,just as I am now reaping the fruits of what I produced a year ago and more.

this in my opinion is one of the things that has changed a lot in recent years,as time passes we need more and more time to see the results of our work.

Why should the RPD go down, if I don't upload? If the number of downloads would go down, I would agree. But the RPD has nothing to do with it.

because maybe you make more sales and most likely you also make higher sales?

but please satisfy my curiosity,are you telling me that even if you don't upload your download numbers remains unchanged?If so,how long has it been since you uploaded?

if I may ask of course.

Of course you may ask. 

I've uploaded 13 images in the last six months - so 2 images a month on average. I now have a total of 1567 on Adobe Stock. If you like, I have increased my portfolio by 0.8% in this six-month period. These images have generated a total of 11 downloads - an extremely unsatisfactory result. My hit rate used to be much better.

Nevertheless, as I have already written, the download figures are fairly constant.

And because the download figures are constant, but less money is coming in, there is a problem with the RPD.

Of course, I could upload significantly more, perhaps sell a little more and earn the same money at the end of the day. But that doesn't change the deteriorating RPD. If 1,000 sales used to bring in $ 1,200 and now only bring in $ 750, it's clear that the RPD is clearly trending downwards.

Based on today's RPD 1,000 downloads = $560.

Quote from: Injustice for all on April 15, 2024, 19:54

Quote from: Wilm on April 15, 2024, 18:30

Quote from: Injustice for all on April 15, 2024, 17:01

Quote from: Wilm on April 15, 2024, 15:07
For countless years downloads weren't below 0,38. This is what came in this afternoon - those 0,34 are becoming more and more...

I recently saw videos for 10 USD and images for 1.65 USD,my RPD on Adobe goes up,if you don't upload Wilm this is the result.

if I were you I would take advantage of your advantageous position,go back to uploading at least 30 contents a month,any type of content and you will see how everything goes back uphill,if you no longer upload anything the system starts to put you aside.

I am in a more disadvantaged position than you,I produce much more than you but I collect less than you,because you started before me,but I know that in a couple of years I will start to harvest the fruits of my work,just as I am now reaping the fruits of what I produced a year ago and more.

this in my opinion is one of the things that has changed a lot in recent years,as time passes we need more and more time to see the results of our work.

Why should the RPD go down, if I don't upload? If the number of downloads would go down, I would agree. But the RPD has nothing to do with it.

because maybe you make more sales and most likely you also make higher sales?

but please satisfy my curiosity,are you telling me that even if you don't upload your download numbers remains unchanged?If so,how long has it been since you uploaded?

if I may ask of course.

Of course you may ask. 

I've uploaded 13 images in the last six months - so 2 images a month on average. I now have a total of 1567 on Adobe Stock. If you like, I have increased my portfolio by 0.8% in this six-month period. These images have generated a total of 11 downloads - an extremely unsatisfactory result. My hit rate used to be much better.

Nevertheless, as I have already written, the download figures are fairly constant.

And because the download figures are constant, but less money is coming in, there is a problem with the RPD.

Of course, I could upload significantly more, perhaps sell a little more and earn the same money at the end of the day. But that doesn't change the deteriorating RPD. If 1,000 sales used to bring in $ 1,200 and now only bring in $ 750, it's clear that the RPD is clearly trending downwards.

Quote from: Injustice for all on April 15, 2024, 17:01

Quote from: Wilm on April 15, 2024, 15:07
For countless years downloads weren't below 0,38. This is what came in this afternoon - those 0,34 are becoming more and more...

I recently saw videos for 10 USD and images for 1.65 USD,my RPD on Adobe goes up,if you don't upload Wilm this is the result.

if I were you I would take advantage of your advantageous position,go back to uploading at least 30 contents a month,any type of content and you will see how everything goes back uphill,if you no longer upload anything the system starts to put you aside.

I am in a more disadvantaged position than you,I produce much more than you but I collect less than you,because you started before me,but I know that in a couple of years I will start to harvest the fruits of my work,just as I am now reaping the fruits of what I produced a year ago and more.

this in my opinion is one of the things that has changed a lot in recent years,as time passes we need more and more time to see the results of our work.

Why should the RPD go down, if I don't upload? If the number of downloads would go down, I would agree. But the RPD has nothing to do with it.

For countless years downloads weren't below 0,38. This is what came in this afternoon - those 0,34 are becoming more and more...

Now I have checked my RPD for istock. Only images, no videos.

2023 = 0,66
2022 = 0,58
2021 = 0,68
2020 = 0,60
2019 = 0,62
2018 = 0,65
2017 = 0,62

Not statistically usable, but still quite interesting:
01.2024 = 1,24
02.2024 = 1,09

For 03.2024 I can only say that I had 10% more downloads than in January and February.

Quote from: Injustice for all on April 13, 2024, 20:21

Quote from: Wilm on April 13, 2024, 17:58

Quote from: Injustice for all on April 12, 2024, 16:32
@Wilm

I just wanted to add this,and sorry if I'm digressing from the main topic:

an RPD down 16% means nothing,are your sales numbers increasing?Overall with the passing of the years,are you earning more on Adobe or not?

put RPD aside because they are also market strategies,more sales at a lower price lead to higher profits.

My sales have been relatively constant since 2020. Before that I had more sales. As I upload very few images (maybe 20 or 30 a year), I can't expect an increase in sales.

My best RPD was in 2015 - 1.37. Currently in 2024 I am at 0.94. In addition, the 1.37 was actually in Euros (which was equivalent to 1.54 USD at that time) and it is now 0.94 USD. If I deduct the exchange fees, that leaves 0.91 USD. However, I have not included these because otherwise the PRD would not be comparable with that of the contributors, who have always been paid in USD. Nevertheless, it is actually the case that I have a personally loss of 41% in 2024 compared to 2015 as far as the RPD alone is concerned. It doesn't look any better for the other agencies.

To answer your question specifically and briefly: My income at AS has fallen due to the lower RPD while sales figures have remained relatively constant since 2020.

Wilm,thanks for the reply!

You're welcome! 

Quote from: pancaketom on April 13, 2024, 20:33
I would say time is the biggest factor against making a lot of money at microstock. I have no idea of the actual half life of images, but in general with the same port you will make less money every year from a combination of more competition (both from other artists and thieves and now AI) plus the sites taking a bigger cut either by changing the terms, selling their own material, or through backdoor accounting shenanigans or just lower costs - although inflation seems to make everything more expensive, it doesn't seem to be the case for microstock which keeps getting cheaper either in terms of actual cost or better license deals or more subs for the same amount or all you can eat buffets.

So, if you want to make $ at this you are more likely to do that by working now rather than waiting a while when looking back these will be the good old days. It is sort of like planting a tree, the best time to do it is 10 years ago (or for microstock 15 years ago), but the next best time is now.

I am aware of that.

But: in general, there is hardly a development anywhere else where someone says they want to work more and more and more to get the same money as they did 10 years ago.

Everyone has to decide for themselves whether they are prepared to figuratively compensate for a lower hourly wage by working twice as much.

Personally, I don't want to do that because I would rather invest the time in work that pays better. I don't want to sound arrogant, but I simply don't want to feed a beast that is getting greedier and greedier at my expense.

When the time comes in this industry when you have to work 100 hours a week and continue to be active in the hamster wheel in order to earn what you got 10 years earlier with 10 hours of work, that is simply the wrong way for me personally.

However, I'm happy to admit that this is easy to say, because microstock has always been just a hobby for me and I've never been forced to make a living from it. And I would like to add: It really was a nice hobby that somehow made the work worthwhile. I wouldn't want to miss that time. I had a lot of fun!

And it is precisely this fun and the resulting motivation that I personally have unfortunately lost. I think that's a great pity, but I accept it.



I also have the problem that I'm running out of ideas. My creativity is waning - possibly also due to my age. And when images are copied almost unchanged and the agencies don't give a crap, that's another motivation killer!

Nevertheless, money still comes in - albeit much less than before - without me having to do anything for it. That's the beauty of it!

And: I hope every contributor who is hard-working and can therefore show a positive development, unlike me right now, is rewarded for their hard work! And I hope that every one of them will be able to say in a few years' time that their work has been worthwhile.

Quote from: Injustice for all on April 12, 2024, 16:32
@Wilm

I just wanted to add this,and sorry if I'm digressing from the main topic:

an RPD down 16% means nothing,are your sales numbers increasing?Overall with the passing of the years,are you earning more on Adobe or not?

put RPD aside because they are also market strategies,more sales at a lower price lead to higher profits.

My sales have been relatively constant since 2020. Before that I had more sales. As I upload very few images (maybe 20 or 30 a year), I can't expect an increase in sales.

My best RPD was in 2015 - 1.37. Currently in 2024 I am at 0.94. In addition, the 1.37 was actually in Euros (which was equivalent to 1.54 USD at that time) and it is now 0.94 USD. If I deduct the exchange fees, that leaves 0.91 USD. However, I have not included these because otherwise the PRD would not be comparable with that of the contributors, who have always been paid in USD. Nevertheless, it is actually the case that I have a personally loss of 41% in 2024 compared to 2015 as far as the RPD alone is concerned. It doesn't look any better for the other agencies.

To answer your question specifically and briefly: My income at AS has fallen due to the lower RPD while sales figures have remained relatively constant since 2020.

Quote from: Injustice for all on April 11, 2024, 10:59
more than happy to not have to see this rubbish anymore!

It's our fault that we continue to provide content to these agencies,like Istock or SS.

I stopped thinking about money in the short term,and I decided almost a year ago to only support Adobe which is the only honest agency,and which in my opinion could also raise the prices of content to customers,which unfortunately cannot do because it has to remain competitive with these other large agencies like Istock,and it's our fault because we continue to give content to these thieves.

I'm tired of this nonsense,15% and 10c on the other side and clip pack sales of 0.25c yes of course on SS you can also sell a video for 100usd or more but you have to be extremely lucky,but a business cannot be founded on luck.

anyway next month will be better (maybe) and many will forget all this until the next theft,and in the meantime you will continue to fill the bellies of these people who do not have the slightest respect for people and their work.

all this is our fault,the microstock has changed,maybe it's time for us to change too!

Since I've been working only with Adobe Stock,I've had a better and more peaceful life,and I am more focused and creative,I remember when I worked for Istock,with all their stupid and antiquated systems from indexing to statements and all the rest,they were eating my soul!

Basically, I agree with you.

Unfortunately, I - and other contributors - have noticed that RPD is also declining at AS. In my case, it's down 16% compared to one or two years ago. It has to be said clearly that AS still has the greatest fairness among the larger agencies. But they also operate for their own benefit - not ours.

Concentrating exclusively on AS is certainly a good way to counteract price dumping. But there is also a big risk. If there is a significant change in the AS search algorithm, sales can drop dramatically from one day to the next. That's why I've always avoided being dependent on a single agency.

No matter how you do it, there is always a catch.

Quote from: Andrej.S. on April 08, 2024, 22:12

Quote from: Uncle Pete on April 08, 2024, 17:13

Quote from: Andrej.S. on April 08, 2024, 14:50

But it's exciting and depressing at the same time what users can create.
I'm happy I'm not working in the design industry, would be extremely upset seeing what nowday's people can create without any digital image processing skills.
If development continues at this rate hardly anyone will use Photoshop in 10 years.

I know someone who is a former, successful, graphic artist and she says, the business was ruined when they came out with Adobe Illustrator and people don't have to be artists anymore, they can do everything on a computer.  I wanted to say, join in and learn Adobe Illustrator? She's still got the skills, talent, experience and brain.

If I see her this Summer I'll ask what she thinks of AI? Now people don't need to be much of any kind of artist, they just type in a prompt and have an illustration. Or don't like that? Alter the prompt, styles, lab settings, and make four more new "original" images.

Well, yeah if you go further back than the real artists, wo had real skills with pencil sketching, oil paintings, aquarell papers and colors, etc. had been really screwed up hard when Photoshop and Illustrator were published.
It was the digital nomad time when digital artists created stuff like logos and webdesigns in Illustrator.
You could get nice earnings with logo designing back then, e.g. about 200 to 300 bucks for one single corporate logo in ai / eps format.
Nowdays it is the time of digital theft. By looking at the discord channel I even believe that Midjourney generates masses of movie and series stills. If you use promptings like "cinematic still, cinematic vibe", etc. the images look really like from a movie or tv series.
I don't believe that the AI is in the current state so "clever" to apply image effects. There must be tons of material of movies that Midjourney uses for image generation.

@Back to topic:
My worst week since months sofar. No single sale.

May I ask where you come from or where you live?

Nobody here in Germany can live on 200 to 300 dollars for a corporate logo, let alone feed a family. The cost of living is simply too high for that.

I am a buyer and a seller. However, I don't buy many images. I estimate that it's between 50 and 100 per year. On demand at Adobe Stock.

In fact, there are subjects where it is very difficult to find good image material because they are niche topics.

Example: A customer specializes in basement windows and concrete light wells. However, the images required are not intended to advertise the basement as a basement, but as additional living space. There is hardly anything to be found. But it's also not worth producing this for Stock because I don't expect any significant sales figures.

Nevertheless, I bought images on this topic and edited them until they met the requirements to some extent.

Quote from: cobalt on April 05, 2024, 11:50
10k over all agencies, sorry.

Ah, okay, in that case I can join the 10k with one image club! 

Quote from: cobalt on April 05, 2024, 11:50
10k over all agencies, sorry.

Ah, okay, in that case I can join the 10k club! 

Quote from: cobalt on April 05, 2024, 03:24

Quote from: Wilm on April 04, 2024, 22:14
I have read several times here about "bestsellers". Now I'm curious as to what a "bestseller" at AS actually is.
500 downloads? 1,000 downloads? 2,500 downloads? 5,000 downloads? Or even more?

I have one file with over 10k lifetime sales.

But I would consider a file that sells at least 2-3 times a week to be a reliable bestseller, or around 100 sales a year.

The ideal bestsellers is something that gets sales nearly every day.

I do have seasonal bestsellers that can sell 5-10 a day in the season, but then die off quickly when the event is over. And that is usually just for 1-2 weeks very close to the holiday event.

But the most important - can the bestseller lead to more sales of the series? Then the file becomes really valuable.

It is the download of a complete series or at least 3 files at the same time that makes a real bestseller for me.

A lead file that can entice customers to look what else I have on the subject.

More than 10 k downloads for a single image on AS alone is a highlight. The image must be one of the best files on AS. The top sellers used to be displayed on fotolia. I remember, for example, the images by ioannis kounadeas, some of which had 6 or 7 k downloads over 10 years ago. But then they were copied without end.

Congratulations anyway - that's really great!

I have read several times here about "bestsellers". Now I'm curious as to what a "bestseller" at AS actually is.
500 downloads? 1,000 downloads? 2,500 downloads? 5,000 downloads? Or even more?

Quote from: PeteStock on April 03, 2024, 10:37
Best start of a month on SS for me so far 

Just let the month continue like this!!!

Quote from: Minsc on April 03, 2024, 15:55
Top 100 weekly, top 100 lifetime, less than 10k.

Wow!

From my point of view, it doesn't really matter whether you have "normal" photos, vectors, drone images or 360° images (I assume that I'm guessing correctly what you mean?) - ultimately, the only relevant thing is whether the files have commercial value.

You always have to ask yourself the question: What do potential customers need? What is suitable for advertising agencies, travel agencies, real estate agents, carpenters, driving schools, political parties, medical companies, restaurants, supermarket chains, etc.?

If you offer files that you don't know yourself whether and who might need them, you have a problem. In addition, files whose content is conceptually good but not aesthetically pleasing are also difficult to sell.