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Author Topic: should I give up on SS next?  (Read 12728 times)

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RacePhoto

« Reply #25 on: July 01, 2010, 12:40 »
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About cross-shopping and I won't poke you in the ribs about cheap subs vs cheap subs.  ;D

I am now only Micro with SS, BigStock, and IS. That means whatever other places I had photos placed at, are now removed and accounts closed or with one place holder shot for my name. I'd drop BigStock but I keep hoping that something will change on the SS Sister site. Sales on BigStock have dropped since last year and since I removed the other agencies. Proof of nothing, but a fact.

I have seen no change in sales as a result of moving photos out of the other six agencies. (or was it eight? I forget now) If people were cross-shopping, I would expect the sales I used to get on the other six would now be coming from IS or SS? Small time personal experience, but some information from one person.

More fun, less effort uploading. Low expectations, but nothing exceptional coming out of my photos, so I'm getting what I deserve in return. Snapshots getting snapshot prices.


vonkara

« Reply #26 on: July 01, 2010, 14:06 »
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Since the less expensive On Demand purchase cost 49$ for 5 downloads or 12 Small and Medium downloads, I don't see why it will be popular for the designers. You are way better as a designer to buy the cheapest subscription package at 249$ for 25 images a day.

If they want a particular image on Shutterstock, it's easier to buy a small credit package for 12$ or so at Istock or Dreamstime

« Reply #27 on: July 01, 2010, 14:15 »
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It's not like I was expecting that if I deleted a photo from SS it would start selling more often at DT.  Having observed that (in my case) SS sales are increasingly just 25 cent subs, and that (in my case) other sites are now making me more (both in total and per download), maybe we're hurting ourselves in the long run by giving our output to SS.

Others have pointed out - in those friendly, polite responses above  :) -  that they continue to make plenty of OD and EL sales on SS.  So my falloff might be related to the fact that I'm no longer uploading there; it's impossible to know, since these agencies apparently feel it's in their interest to keep contributors completely in the dark about such things.

« Reply #28 on: July 01, 2010, 15:05 »
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Since the less expensive On Demand purchase cost 49$ for 5 downloads or 12 Small and Medium downloads, I don't see why it will be popular for the designers. You are way better as a designer to buy the cheapest subscription package at 249$ for 25 images a day.

If they want a particular image on Shutterstock, it's easier to buy a small credit package for 12$ or so at Istock or Dreamstime
+1
By day I am a designer (the last 16 years) and I've never purchased an image from SS. I SELL them there, but when a client needs an image (or images), we cherry pick from all the rest of the sites to avoid wasting money on a subscription package. I'm sure the bigger design firms rely on SS, but I have to maximize my profits by not leaving money on the table.

« Reply #29 on: July 01, 2010, 15:47 »
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Others have pointed out - in those friendly, polite responses above  :) -  that they continue to make plenty of OD and EL sales on SS.  So my falloff might be related to the fact that I'm no longer uploading there; it's impossible to know, since these agencies apparently feel it's in their interest to keep contributors completely in the dark about such things.

If I had to make a guess, I would say that your falloff is from your not uploading. I stopped uploading to sites last year because I was pondering exclusivity at IS. I did not upload for at least a couple of months and noticed a big falloff, at SS and DT in particular. As soon as I started uploading again, it picked up again. But there will be a point (the diminishing returns thingy) when even increasing your port big time will result in dropoff. Just ask lisafx. She has added a ton of new images, and yet her increase in sales was not proportionate with her increase in uploads. In fact, she is down, like the rest of us. To me, that is VERY discouraging.

lisafx

« Reply #30 on: July 01, 2010, 16:38 »
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Just ask lisafx. She has added a ton of new images, and yet her increase in sales was not proportionate with her increase in uploads. In fact, she is down, like the rest of us. To me, that is VERY discouraging.

Sorry to be a downer :(

Don't take my experience to heart though.  Others with different types of portfolios may get totally different results.  

When I feel unmotivated I just think about my daughter's upcoming college education and keep plugging away.  Sure hope she's prepared to support me in my old age ;D

« Reply #31 on: July 01, 2010, 16:43 »
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Sorry to be a downer :(
Don't take my experience to heart though.  Others with different types of portfolios may get totally different results.  
When I feel unmotivated I just think about my daughter's upcoming college education and keep plugging away :)

No problem, Lisa, it's not you, that's for sure...and yes, I agree, others get totally different results. Sounds like you have a good motivational tool!

I was only pointing out that not uploading to one's portfolio, in general, in my opinion, has a negative effect on sales.


 

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