Author Topic: The Invisible Wall (Read 6297 times)

jbarber873 · « **on:** February 03, 2010, 20:32 »

Hi-
Sales at SS have a curious pattern. I've only been selling a little over a year on SS, but after the first month of startup, my sales have been remarkably consistent. Almost too consistent. What i mean is this: once my sales reach a certain point for the day, they NEVER go over that amount. Yet, i get very near the top a good 25% of the time. It can be early in the afternoon, but if I get to that number, that's it for the day. One or two sales for the rest of the day. Other times it's a steady sale all day until midnight. It's almost as though sales are capped ( or siphoned off? ) by an invisible wall that can't be passed. Statistically, this is very unusual. Your would expect at least one or two outliers in a year. Plenty on the downside, but none on the upside.
This brings up the question of an outside sales audit. Has one ever been done, or proposed?
I would think that it would a reasonable request. Or should I go now and see if my account has been closed?

stockastic · « **Reply #1 on:** February 03, 2010, 20:51 »

How many images do you have?

I also started a year ago, but I'm just a dabbler. I started with a dozen or so and now have just over 100 images at SS. And the funny thing is, my earnings today with 100 are the same as they were at the start, with just a few images. As I added images, my earnings never increased. At IS on the other hand, sales have increased in rough proportion to my number of images.

jbarber873 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2010, 21:00 »

I have around 500 images there , give or take. everyone says you have to " feed the beast", which I have consistently done. But there's always that wall...

gostwyck · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2010, 22:21 »

I've been there over 5 years, have a portfolio of about 4000 images with nearly 100K sales and do not recognise the phenomena that you describe. Sure, sales are busier during the European and US working day, but still they can come at any time.

There should be a Government Health Warning about our industry. Microstock is a leading source of conspiracy theorists __ whenever their sales fall short of their own expectations.

jbarber873 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 04, 2010, 09:04 »

Well i guess you are right. I hope you are right. Because we have no way of telling what they do behind the scenes. It's only when they are stupid and do it in your face that people wake up and scream. ( see fotolia)

Dmvphotos · « **Reply #5 on:** February 04, 2010, 09:51 »

Quote from: gostwyck on February 03, 2010, 22:21

I've been there over 5 years, have a portfolio of about 4000 images with nearly 100K sales and do not recognise the phenomena that you describe. Sure, sales are busier during the European and US working day, but still they can come at any time.

There should be a Government Health Warning about our industry. Microstock is a leading source of conspiracy theorists __ whenever their sales fall short of their own expectations.

I am fairly new (submitting about 7 mos.) and also have not seen this situation.

cathyslife · « **Reply #6 on:** February 04, 2010, 09:52 »

I have over 800 images on SS and do not notice the wall you are talking about. My sales have risen steadily over the 4-1/2 years I have been there. Unlike Gostwyck, I don't make anyways NEAR $100k, but for the type of images I have and the frequency with which i upload, I would say that I am probably on the right track. You will make yourself crazy if you constantly try to analyze the typical ebbs and flows of microstock.

sharpshot · « **Reply #7 on:** February 04, 2010, 09:56 »

I haven't noticed this but I am sure that if you upload something the buyers really like, you will break through your invisible wall.

sharply_done · « **Reply #8 on:** February 04, 2010, 10:05 »

Quote from: cclapper on February 04, 2010, 09:52

I have over 800 images on SS and do not notice the wall you are talking about. My sales have risen steadily over the 4-1/2 years I have been there. Unlike Gostwyck, I don't make anyways NEAR $100k, but for the type of images I have and the frequency with which i upload, I would say that I am probably on the right track. You will make yourself crazy if you constantly try to analyze the typical ebbs and flows of microstock.

You've misread the post - gostwyck said he's sold 100,000 images on SS in 5+ years.
He didn't say he's made $100,000 there, nor did he say he earns $100,000 annually. Big difference.

Red Dove · « **Reply #9 on:** February 04, 2010, 10:21 »

Quote from: sharpshot on February 04, 2010, 09:56

I haven't noticed this but I am sure that if you upload something the buyers really like, you will break through your invisible wall.

Everybody wants a breakthrough image

On IS for example, some of the guys with 100k DL and a portfolio of 2k plus images have made (in some cases) 20-25% of that DL number out of a very tiny percentage of their portfolio. The old 80-20 rule.

As yet, I don't have any breakthrough images, just steady earners, so musn't grumble

MikLav · « **Reply #10 on:** February 04, 2010, 10:38 »

I doubt very seriously that such cap would make any benefit for SS.

(and I don't see such patters after being 4 yrs on SS - I see some jumps and drops).

cathyslife · « **Reply #11 on:** February 04, 2010, 11:18 »

Quote

You've misread the post - gostwyck said he's sold 100,000 images on SS in 5+ years.
He didn't say he's made $100,000 there, nor did he say he earns $100,000 annually. Big difference.

Yes, indeed, I did misinterpret. What he said was nearly 100K sales. I misinterpreted to read 100k in sales. Yes there is a big difference. Thanks for pointing it out.

borg · « **Reply #12 on:** February 04, 2010, 14:24 »

I notice that wall to, and some strange pattern somtimes...

melastmohican · « **Reply #13 on:** February 04, 2010, 14:35 »

As somebody said before try upload different things. I have been doing it for almost two years and at first my dominant theme was nature and landscapes. Some of them were selling some never got single DL. When I started experimenting with different subjects I am convinced that people shots are more wanted. Good food shots should sell as well. If you can find your niche it would be a greatest thing.

cascoly · « **Reply #14 on:** February 04, 2010, 15:05 »

i HAVE noticed the wall - but as someone else pointed out, it tracks with the US-EU market day - similarly, weekends & holidays are consistently slower.

we need to get designers to have a better work ethic and to work longer hours!

s

Oldhand · « **Reply #15 on:** February 04, 2010, 15:55 »

My tuppence (2 cents) worth!

My sales at SS were always steady, without any great increases over time. My material is hugely varied, and I submitted regularly. This was my wall, the quality of my pics, subject matter and frequency of upload led to a leveling out of income, i.e my worth.

Problem here for me was SS has great potential for income. I posted several times on a different topic towards the end of last year about the amount of uploads needed to succeed in Micro, well if I've gone quiet since then, it's because production had to increase.

SS has around 10 million images, increasing at around 100,000 per week. That's a 1% growth every seven days.

I have been increasing my portfolio size by 5% per week - (currently that means uploading 100 every seven days).

My image quaility is largely the same, although subject matter more varied. The net result is I am increasing sales consistently every month by around 5%.

For me wether or not there is an invisible barrier is irrelevant ( I am sure there is not), but it can feel like one when sales don't increase. I'm no photographic genius, so my only option at present is to increase my presence on their site by more than their growth. DT has an option to let you see your percentage of their library - try it sometime.

You only have three options - more pics of a similar standard to the ones you have online, better quality pictures, or more sellable ones.

I'll keep you posted how I get on.

Oldhand

jbarber873 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 04, 2010, 21:24 »

Thanks for all your feedback everyone!
Got to get back to shooting...

MicrostockGroup Sponsors

Author Topic: The Invisible Wall (Read 6297 times)

jbarber873

stockastic

jbarber873

gostwyck

jbarber873

Dmvphotos

cathyslife

sharpshot

sharply_done

Red Dove

MikLav

cathyslife

borg

melastmohican

cascoly

Oldhand

jbarber873

Related Topics

Sponsors

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors