Author Topic: new stuff dont sell? (Read 8948 times)

dreamstock · « **on:** February 13, 2012, 08:35 »

hi guys

have you experienced that new uploads don't sell as much as they used to be in the first 2 weeks? I've done 4 shoots this year, and noticed that on SS new content still sells but at much slower rate, for example, if i upload 50 new images on SS, it used to sell +/- 20 pics per day, but now only 5 or 6 in the first two weeks. it looks like that it will take longer to recover shooting cost for each shoot, at least it's my case.

what's your experience?

Microstock Posts · « **Reply #1 on:** February 13, 2012, 09:07 »

http://www.microstockgroup.com/shutterstock-com/old-sales-vs-new-sales-now-at-ss-what-do-you-think/

wut · « **Reply #2 on:** February 13, 2012, 09:48 »

Quote from: dreamstock on February 13, 2012, 08:35

hi guys

have you experienced that new uploads don't sell as much as they used to be in the first 2 weeks? I've done 4 shoots this year, and noticed that on SS new content still sells but at much slower rate, for example, if i upload 50 new images on SS, it used to sell +/- 20 pics per day, but now only 5 or 6 in the first two weeks. it looks like that it will take longer to recover shooting cost for each shoot, at least it's my case.

what's your experience?

My experience is the same, but it levels out in the long run. The days of feeding the beast are gone (I'm glad they're) and now the quality will matter, not quantity. That's good too since those low quality/high volume togs will stop uploading since they won't be able to recover the costs anymore and their substandard files won't be pushing my files from the first pages in a matter of hours. They have 20+ mil files, they don't need the volume anymore, just quality, they'll lower their expenses for inspectors that way as well (that started last spring/summer when inspections got stricter and many got up to 100% rejections)

ruxpriencdiam · « **Reply #3 on:** February 13, 2012, 10:22 »

Quote from: dreamstock on February 13, 2012, 08:35

hi guys

have you experienced that new uploads don't sell as much as they used to be in the first 2 weeks? I've done 4 shoots this year, and noticed that on SS new content still sells but at much slower rate, for example, if i upload 50 new images on SS, it used to sell +/- 20 pics per day, but now only 5 or 6 in the first two weeks. it looks like that it will take longer to recover shooting cost for each shoot, at least it's my case.

what's your experience?

Do you not read the SS forums?

This started last year and has been talked about in numerous threads in the Bugs/General/Anything go's and Questions and Answers forums!

Take some time and read the forums and do some research.

stockmarketer · « **Reply #4 on:** February 13, 2012, 10:46 »

Yes, new stuff no longer has the boost it used to get, and I think that's a good thing. It gets people out of the mentality of "Feed the Beast" which had become the crutch of the unimaginative and copycats.

stockastic · « **Reply #5 on:** February 13, 2012, 12:36 »

I never really believed the theory that you had to keep uploading to maintain sales. For many months last year I didn't upload anything, but my existing (small) portfolio continued to make the same trickle of sales, in fact it actually increased.

Artemis · « **Reply #6 on:** February 13, 2012, 13:35 »

Quote from: stockastic on February 13, 2012, 12:36

I never really believed the theory that you had to keep uploading to maintain sales. For many months last year I didn't upload anything, but my existing (small) portfolio continued to make the same trickle of sales, in fact it actually increased.

Likewise, i never followed the 'feed the beast' strategy and always uploaded with hiatusses (hiati? hiates?

) , my sales never suffered from it.

wut · « **Reply #7 on:** February 13, 2012, 14:03 »

Quote from: stockastic on February 13, 2012, 12:36

I never really believed the theory that you had to keep uploading to maintain sales. For many months last year I didn't upload anything, but my existing (small) portfolio continued to make the same trickle of sales, in fact it actually increased.

Indeed. I never wanted to believe it, I didn't want to compromise quality and just shoot whatever I get my hands on. There's no joy in that and certainly no challenge (in being below average). I have to compromise shooting for MS anyway (cheesy smiles, even lighting, moderate contrasts, no shallow DOF etc - all boring stuff if you shoot ppl)

SA · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2012, 16:11 »

wut · « **Reply #9 on:** February 17, 2012, 16:15 »

It doesn't work that way anymore, since last spring. Sales won't dry out just like that, bestsellers just keep on selling for years (in my case 2 years at best since I started in 2010). Sales are steadier now (though the boost for new images is gone), but bestsellers were always selling for a long period of time. That way they're giving good images an advantage and keeping low quality/high volume shooters away

SA · « **Reply #10 on:** February 17, 2012, 16:17 »

wut · « **Reply #11 on:** February 17, 2012, 16:19 »

My own, usually 2-6 times a day, but that's just a handful of files since my port is relatively small and I'm not that good

Mantis · « **Reply #12 on:** February 18, 2012, 20:13 »

Quote from: ruxpriencdiam on February 13, 2012, 10:22

Quote from: dreamstock on February 13, 2012, 08:35
hi guys

have you experienced that new uploads don't sell as much as they used to be in the first 2 weeks? I've done 4 shoots this year, and noticed that on SS new content still sells but at much slower rate, for example, if i upload 50 new images on SS, it used to sell +/- 20 pics per day, but now only 5 or 6 in the first two weeks. it looks like that it will take longer to recover shooting cost for each shoot, at least it's my case.

what's your experience?
Do you not read the SS forums?

This started last year and has been talked about in numerous threads in the Bugs/General/Anything go's and Questions and Answers forums!

Take some time and read the forums and do some research.

Lighten up a tad. Not everyone has the time nor the patience to follow every MS forum, let alone the SS forum which is essentially dead.

RacePhoto · « **Reply #13 on:** February 22, 2012, 15:58 »

Dec 10, 2004: Over 45,000 photos available for download / 6,700 new photos added in the past week (first date with photo count)

Feb 22, 2005: Over 101,000 photos available for download / 9,671 new photos added [+66,000]

Feb 9, 2006: 565,840 royalty-free stock photos / 10,907 new stock photos added / 21,693 photographers [+465,000]

Feb 21, 2007: 1,533,485 royalty-free stock photos / 27,037 new stock photos added / 51,750 photographers [+968,000]

Feb 23, 2008: 3,115,362 foto stock royalty-free / 33,297 nuove foto questa settimana / 91,342 fotografi [+1,582,000]

Feb 22, 2009: 6,011,892 royalty-free stock photos / 85,090 new stock photos added / 145,753 photographers [+2,897,000]

Feb 11, 2010: 9,969,652 royalty-free stock photos / 102,149 new stock photos added / 214,591 photographers [+3,959,000]

Feb 24 2011: 14,366,327 royalty-free stock photos / 74,620 new stock photos added / 279,989 photographers [+4,396,000]

Feb 22, 2012: 18,150,074 royalty-free stock photos / 81,147 new stock photos added this week [+3,784,000]

(July 25, 2011: 307,926 photographers - last date with number of photographers listed on site)
Shutterstock data: 33 560 artists, Number of photos: 17,328,975

-=-=-

New stuff sells, it's just that you are competing with eight million new images since 2010! 12 million new images since 2009! Of course that means the easy and obvious. Smaller slice of the pie for a much smaller percentage of the total images. Competition is double = sales will go down.

My newest images sell better than my older images. Maybe the question is, what are the new images, not just "are they new". And no more free ride, the honeymoon ended over a year ago. New images don't sell, just because they are new and the hoarders are stockpiling. Even those people have limits and pick the best of the best now.

If you have something new that's different and in demand... It Will Sell.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 22, 2012, 16:08 »

incredible

will it ever stop? amazing really!

+3,784,000 in 2011 from 33 560 contributors = 112 pics each

even if there are only 3 560 active = 1062 (which is only 88 pics per month)

everybody is doing more than OK in microstock, hobby, pro, whatever, it is working!

stockmarketer · « **Reply #15 on:** February 22, 2012, 16:10 »

Quote from: RacePhoto on February 22, 2012, 15:58

If you have something new that's different and in demand... It Will Sell.

+1

The "different" and "in demand" are the essential things here. Create your own style, a unique take on your subject matter. And make sure the subject matter is actually needed by customers. No need covering something that is already oversaturated, unless your originality will blow everyone's socks off.

But as stated, no need to "feed the beast" anymore, expecting to see a boost for new images. Those days are over.

RacePhoto · « **Reply #16 on:** February 22, 2012, 17:08 »

Quote from: stockmarketer on February 22, 2012, 16:10

Quote from: RacePhoto on February 22, 2012, 15:58
If you have something new that's different and in demand... It Will Sell.

+1

The "different" and "in demand" are the essential things here. Create your own style, a unique take on your subject matter. And make sure the subject matter is actually needed by customers. No need covering something that is already oversaturated, unless your originality will blow everyone's socks off.

But as stated, no need to "feed the beast" anymore, expecting to see a boost for new images. Those days are over.

But it's fun to have a new image just about every week, that's feed the beast for me. (whoa, big overachiever here, one new image a week?)

As some wiser people have observed, there are some of us here for the hobby. And in my case there's also the challenge. There are others interested in Microstock for income . We still get the same reviews and standing on SS as someone who's been there since 2004 or yesterday. Everyone is pretty much equal. The rules are the same and all things being close to equal, it's the best image that meets the needs of the buyer, that sells! (I think that's just what you said...)

Want new images that sell? Don't copy best sellers, don't follow the herd. Do something new that's actually creative and maybe original! 10,000 more sliced vegetable shots may make some sales, but not like they did in 2006. That party is over, the ship has sailed, stick a fork in it, all the low hanging fruit has been picked...

The only thing that's constant is change!

What worked before isn't the same as what's going to sell tomorrow! Even a better produced and technical shot will sometimes lose out to a better concept or picture of what the buyer wants. Too bad that SS has too many great shots already and we're into LCV reviews, because the agency has now become a psychic and muse by way of various channeling reviewers.

If there's anyone who missed this link, have some fun. http://www.microstocktime.com/tool/stats/ss/

Speaking of the averages: the middle user has 95 images. 70% of the contributors have under 250 works.

Top 12 in 2012 Feb SS Contributors:

The first six make Yuri look like a piker? LOL I don't know how many are agencies, (or maybe I should say, if any are NOT agencies?) but hey wait, he's an agency... Go Helga! She's got more images than some microstock sites.

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Author Topic: new stuff dont sell? (Read 8948 times)

dreamstock

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wut

ruxpriencdiam

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stockastic

Artemis

wut

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wut

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