WOOHOO 

Another 1000 sales and maybe you'll reach 100 $ for the energy bill...good luck

Yup, happened to me too.  After getting five sales for $0.36 today, I got one sale for $0.14 and another for $0.10.

Good bye Shutterstock

Just got a 0.10$ SOD too (L5/35%) . Maybe I should save those to buy that poor SOB CEO a beer. Cheers!

Indeed.  We have.  Smug comment there...

shitterstock.com

I just got my first 10 cent sale from SS on this photo. The good news, this has been a good seller and I have made a couple of thousand dollars of the lifetime of image. The next couple of thousand at 10 cents will take a long time.

$0.14 over here ... (lvl 5)

Honestly, who would have thought that Bigstock would become the better of the two...

0.10 and 0.14 here too 
few 0.38 subs, pretty dead day for  me!

$0.14 and $0.87 over here, both listed as Single & Other ... (Level 4 / 30%)

Wasn't subscriptions supposed to change? I am still getting a lot of $0.38 or maybe they kept the annual prepaid plans the same and they changed only the dl's from new customers?

Did they clarify this anywhere? I still have a large part of "normal" sub downloads.

The only way to test what really SS did is by monitoring it as Lifetime downloads vs lifetime downloads before new system came into effect.

So for example my lifetime average in SS was 0,65 / dl, if it drops it means that the new system isn't all that good for contributors.

Quote from: Allsa on June 01, 2020, 11:15

I just got a $0.10 sale and a $0.14 sale. I shut down my portfolio.

I'm due to get a payout at the end of May. It hasn't gone through yet, so I have to put my portfolio back up until it goes through. It should be very soon, within the next couple of days.

If you reached the payout minimum by May 31st they should pay you don't have to have an active portfolio.

Bear in mind payments are usually made around the 7th day.

Unless they get the bright idea to change that too

Quote from: astockphotographer088 on June 01, 2020, 14:44

Wasn't subscriptions supposed to change? I am still getting a lot of $0.38 or maybe they kept the annual prepaid plans the same and they changed only the dl's from new customers?

Did they clarify this anywhere? I still have a large part of "normal" sub downloads.

The only way to test what really SS did is by monitoring it as Lifetime downloads vs lifetime downloads before new system came into effect.

So for example my lifetime average in SS was 0,65 / dl, if it drops it means that the new system isn't all that good for contributors.

Subscription now seems to be in Single And Others now

They are in both, just depends on how they were purchased. Deals made with the Enterprise Team will be in Single And Others and likely discounted hence 10c.

Subscription now seems to be in Single And Others now

Kate Shutterstock answer:

"As you've noticed, most earnings are displaying in the Single & Other column. This is a display issue that we are working to resolve.

All your commissions are being calculated correctly, they are just displaying in the wrong category.

Thanks for your patience while we prepare a fix for this issue."

Quote from: Morphart on June 01, 2020, 14:54

Subscription now seems to be in Single And Others now

Kate Shutterstock answer:

"As you've noticed, most earnings are displaying in the Single & Other column. This is a display issue that we are working to resolve.

All your commissions are being calculated correctly, they are just displaying in the wrong category.

Thanks for your patience while we prepare a fix for this issue."

it is scary how much this sound like a reply from IS back in the day

I'm in a way glad I got some 'old-fashioned' $2.85 and $0.38 sales today, no $0.10 sales yet.

I started off with a .38 sub sale this morning so thought maybe it was going to be OK.  After that it was a bunch of SODs ranging from 0.10 to 0.63, with most at 0.10.  More SODs in a day than I've had in a long time - are they doing some sort of special promotion? 

In a way this is sort of a relief.  I was debating how much time to spend on microstock and was feeling guilty that I wasn't doing more, but with this it clearly is no longer worth the effort (hasn't been for quite a while, really) so will focus on other projects.  It was a fun 11-year run for me and sad to see it mostly go away.  For a while there Canva really picked things up and beat SS for a few months so I thought they were the way to go.  Now they have faded way back and after their current six-month guarantee runs out they will be down to peanuts too.  Then AS looked like they were going to take over but sales slowed down and they never really got out of fourth place for me (although they might be able to overtake SS now).  Won't even talk about the drops at iS and 123.  During all that time even though SS had slowed a lot from the peak they were still fairly steady.  I assume this will cause most contributors to drop out and maybe eventually there will be an equilibrium but I won't hold my breath for that.  It's too bad but probably inevitable.

They always say that when one door closes another opens, but nobody has a saying for when many doors close at once.  Glad I still have my real job.

Im seeing sub sales of 10c, 12c and 17c.  And im at level 5.

So in January i guess those will all be nearer 10 cents.

Im not yet feeling the motivation and fairness they promised me in the email.

I'm getting higher payments in the Subscription section of the earnings report, but then lots of smaller numbers in the Single and Other section. And what is even worse - those small numbers don't align with the table that we sort of understood would be used to pay out against the various subscription packages. I included that table in my blog post so I have an easy place to find it, but it is here as well. I don't know who produced the first version of this (lost in the Shutterstock forum), but thanks to that person:



Steve

Interesting about the discounting comment - so that is maybe why Shutterstock would not produce a chart showing these sort of numbers I guess.

Steve

Quote from: steheap on June 02, 2020, 11:00

I'm getting higher payments in the Subscription section of the earnings report, but then lots of smaller numbers in the Single and Other section. And what is even worse - those small numbers don't align with the table that we sort of understood would be used to pay out against the various subscription packages. I included that table in my blog post so I have an easy place to find it, but it is here as well. I don't know who produced the first version of this (lost in the Shutterstock forum), but thanks to that person:



Steve

You will never be able to follow that chart due to discounting, and now they can do it big time.

They can pretty much show whatever they like now. All tables, calculations and estimates are useless. They have complete control. Or so they think

Interesting about the discounting comment - so that is maybe why Shutterstock would not produce a chart showing these sort of numbers I guess.

Steve

Set rates for subs would have cost them lots of money if they tried to discount too much, not anymore because they can do it with our money and still profit from it. Before it cost them 38cents for every sub now it's 10c, that gives them 28c for each sub to play with, enough to cover the difference with Istock's 0.2c. if they want to get in a price war and market share is what they have always been about.

They have a list of every buyer who left and moved to other agencies and each and everyone of them will have had a call from the Enterprise Team saying that they can now do a deal that they can't refuse.  I expect that in January when everybody is at 15% 10cents will look generous compared to Istock's 0.2cents.

Leave your images on these sites at your own risk.

Level 4, a really enchanting day too...im waiting 3 or 4 days and will shutdown my portfolio.

Quote from: Microstockphoto on June 01, 2020, 17:31

Quote from: Bauman on June 01, 2020, 16:02

Quote from: Morphart on June 01, 2020, 14:54

Subscription now seems to be in Single And Others now

Kate Shutterstock answer:

"As you've noticed, most earnings are displaying in the Single & Other column. This is a display issue that we are working to resolve.

All your commissions are being calculated correctly, they are just displaying in the wrong category.

Thanks for your patience while we prepare a fix for this issue."

it is scary how much this sound like a reply from IS back in the day

Exactly right. Circa 2011.

And I predict this will end just as badly for SS.

I'm feeling nostalgic with a dash of Deja Vu. Did they hire Kelly "Money will not make you happy" Thompson?

3rd day in a row one single image (with highest price) sold on Adobe stock is more valuable than total daily amount of sale at Shutterstock.
My Shutterstock portfolio of 6000+ images was just disabled indefinitely.

As of this week for the first time in 15 years my Adobe account is the highest paying of all the sites this week for me. I am guessing that will be the trend from now on. I have not canceled my SS account but will stop uploading new images.  At 10 cents a sell it just is not worth it to upload new images. I am at level 4 and I am now getting 10-14 cents an image. SS is truly dead....

But by not closing your account and leaving, you apparently ARE willing to accept .10 per image. Not uploading new images doesn�t prevent you from getting .10 per image. After all, .10 is better than nothing, right?

I've just noticed now they;ve fixed the earnings page that i get far less for On Demand now as well.

Previously i got $2.85 for every OD sale.

This month im getting $2.53 and $2.27 for them all.

This is level 5.

So its not just subs we're losing on...

Based on sales at other sites, it appears that the smaller subscriptions of 10 to 50 images per month are more popular that the large subscriptions of 350+ images per month.  Based on this experience at other sites, I assumed the new structure might not be as big of disaster as most anticipated but now that we are three days in, that is not the case.  Why are all sales coming in around the 10 - 15 cent size.  Its hard to believe so many use the smaller subscriptions at the other agencies but no one does at Shutterstock.

Im not sure they do use them at other sites.  Also dont forget just HOW cheap SS is.  Its more affordable to buy a crazy big pack.

Based on sales at other sites, it appears that the smaller subscriptions of 10 to 50 images per month are more popular that the large subscriptions of 350+ images per month.  Based on this experience at other sites, I assumed the new structure might not be as big of disaster as most anticipated but now that we are three days in, that is not the case.  Why are all sales coming in around the 10 - 15 cent size.  Its hard to believe so many use the smaller subscriptions at the other agencies but no one does at Shutterstock.

These "subscriptions" of 10 or 50 images per month aren't really subscriptions at all - no volume. They're discounted image packs. However, I think Shutterstock was previously making out like bandits on any of the 10/50 per month as we would get 38� each and they'd pocket the rest. The On Demand images (a package where you have one year to use your downloads) paid $2.85 royalties each which left Shutterstock much better off when they bought the smaller package and worse off, but still profitable, when they bought the larger one.

Given how well Shutterstock was (theoretically) doing on the 10/50 subscriptions, I'm assuming they weren't selling, or at least not as much as the higher volume 350/750. And when they introduced the annual pay-up-front option recently, which discounted images to the buyer to as little as 22 cents, they would have lost up to $118 a month on each if a buyer downloaded all of a 750 subscription.

The other two options for 350/750 left Shutterstock a little better off. So my conclusion is that sales were down, or not growing as they'd like, and they tried to boost them with the cheaper annual pay-up-front option. They had to cut subscription royalties to be able to afford that, and they could offer almost whatever percentages they liked to try and persuade contributors to buy this awful arrangement because the percentages don't matter anything like as much as the massive reduction in subscription royalties.

One of the side effects I've noticed is that I get more for EL and large SODs.

I believe the large SODs were previously $75. Now it's $96. We just need more of these to offset the sub losses.

I had SODs for all sorts of values - $32 to $120 (I think that was the highest) There isn't a fixed royalty on those, just a percentage of the buyer's price. Certainly, if there were more of them, if you're at 40% you could do better.

However, their enterprise sales (where all those nice fat royalties come from ) has been shrinking for the last two quarters and the "e-commerce" side is what's growing

Apparently $.10 is the new $1.00

Curious to know what people are getting paid for on demand sales.
Yesterday I got two, $2.75 and $3.28. I am level 4.
I was not expecting that much to be honest, but apart from that it is a disaster...

Curious to know what people are getting paid for on demand sales.
Yesterday I got two, $2.75 and $3.28. I am level 4.
I was not expecting that much to be honest, but apart from that it is a disaster...

Just got 10c on demand. The same as the subs. I should feel lucky that I also got 50c demand. Wow.

 

Quote from: Minsc on June 03, 2020, 16:54

One of the side effects I've noticed is that I get more for EL and large SODs.

I believe the large SODs were previously $75. Now it's $96. We just need more of these to offset the sub losses.

I had SODs for all sorts of values - $32 to $120 (I think that was the highest) There isn't a fixed royalty on those, just a percentage of the buyer's price. Certainly, if there were more of them, if you're at 40% you could do better.

However, their enterprise sales (where all those nice fat royalties come from ) has been shrinking for the last two quarters and the "e-commerce" side is what's growing

I haven't seen EL's or SOD sales for months. Used to have 4-6 a month. I blamed it on the Corona and thought they will come back once the virus is gone.

What will happen with Shitterstock when we all stop uploading new stuff? I guess in some months the happy buyers will notice there is not much new stuff and might go elsewere and not extending their monthly packages etc. It might take some time and I hope a lot of contributors will stop uploading new stuff like me but the effect must be there!

SSTK....That is the Stock Symbol for SS. What I am going to say no one is going to like but this is one way to make some of your money back from SS. I really can't figure out how much money I am going to lose from my photos at SS but it is quite significant. My 38 cents sells are now 10-17 cents each. My 2.85 sells are now 87 cents. So it looks like I will lose somewhere in 60-75 % of my sells /dollars from last year. If my math is even close to correct SS (SSTK) Wall Street stock will have a huge increase in profits(60-75%) . Which means their Wall Street stock will go up , a lot. Buy their stock SSTK now and sell it when it goes up. It will go up most likely. No this is not what anyone here on microstock group wants to hear but this is one way of getting some of your losses back. I really see no other way. If you stay on SS with your photos you will lose money, if you close your account you will lose money. Yes this is a creepy/sorry way to get your money back but I see no other way if you want your money back. Money is not everthing and yes I know dignity is important but neather of these items buys you food or photo equipment. i am guessing this post will get some haters.

SSTK....That is the Stock Symbol for SS. What I am going to say no one is going to like but this is one way to make some of your money back from SS. I really can't figure out how much money I am going to lose from my photos at SS but it is quite significant. My 38 cents sells are now 10-17 cents each. My 2.85 sells are now 87 cents. So it looks like I will lose somewhere in 60-75 % of my sells /dollars from last year. If my math is even close to correct SS (SSTK) Wall Street stock will have a huge increase in profits(60-75%) . Which means their Wall Street stock will go up , a lot. Buy their stock SSTK now and sell it when it goes up. It will go up most likely. No this is not what anyone here on microstock group wants to hear but this is one way of getting some of your losses back. I really see no other way. If you stay on SS with your photos you will lose money, if you close your account you will lose money. Yes this is a creepy/sorry way to get your money back but I see no other way if you want your money back. Money is not everthing and yes I know dignity is important but neather of these items buys you food or photo equipment. i am guessing this post will get some haters.

Personally, I�m not convinced that SSTK will outperform ADBE or even basic stock indexes like S&P500. You will be better off investing elsewhere.

If you stay on SS with your photos you will lose money, if you close your account you will lose money.

I�m not sure about that, but if my picture is unique enough buyers might look for them at other agencies (like Adobe or Alamy) and buy them there- for a higher price and more profit for me.
As long as I sell the same pics for 10 cent on SS clever buyers will always choose the cheap option at SS.
If that option does not exist any longer they might (!- I don�t know if they will or prefer buying peanust for peanuts at SS) pay more at a different agency.

I had quite a few very good sales at Alamy which shows some buyers do prefer quality.

Astrantia,  no one wants to hear this also but it is true. My wife before she retired was a large buyer of images for a large corporation. She had accounts with Istock and SS. Her only goal was to find images that were correct for her assignment ASAP. She did not care what the price was as she has accounts already setup. All she wanted were images or illustrations that would work. We all think our images are special and they are to us. To my wife the buyer of images it was just a job finding images and she wanted to finnish her job so she could go home that day without working overtime that night.

This of course is exactly how large companies operate, your wife will have a trained eye for a good image.

Admittedly only 12 hours but so far ive only managed to sell 23 subs for a total sum of $3.06.  Last month i'd have earned 8.74 with that.
Giving me an average RPD of $0.13 down from $0.38.  Or roughly a 65% decrease in earnings.

And this is level 5.

Quote from: Thomas Dutour on June 04, 2020, 06:21

Curious to know what people are getting paid for on demand sales.
Yesterday I got two, $2.75 and $3.28. I am level 4.
I was not expecting that much to be honest, but apart from that it is a disaster...

Just got 10c on demand. The same as the subs. I should feel lucky that I also got 50c demand. Wow.

 

What? 10c on demand!?

Quote from: astockphotographer088 on June 01, 2020, 14:44

Wasn't subscriptions supposed to change? I am still getting a lot of $0.38 or maybe they kept the annual prepaid plans the same and they changed only the dl's from new customers?

Did they clarify this anywhere? I still have a large part of "normal" sub downloads.

The only way to test what really SS did is by monitoring it as Lifetime downloads vs lifetime downloads before new system came into effect.

So for example my lifetime average in SS was 0,65 / dl, if it drops it means that the new system isn't all that good for contributors.

Couldn't agree more. It's a waiting game. I think I will give it 30-60 days before making any decision. It does little good right now to shake your fist and shout at a corporation that has already determined they don't need the people that will pull their ports.

Let's be aware that even if afte 1-2 month the data would look tolerable (not likely..) it's still dangerous that the subscription downloads are also percent based, SS will able to discount subscription as much as they want...

This looks promising