Author Topic: Subscritions at StockXpert (Read 6807 times)

Allsa · « **on:** March 17, 2008, 10:44 »

I have subscription sales enabled at SX, and now I'm wondering if I
should disable it. It seems that the percentage of subscription
downloads is increasing, and I wonder if I'm hurting my earnings
potential by allowing it. What are most contributers doing? If you
disabled subscription downloads, did you do it because you thought it
would increase your overall SX earnings? Or did you do it simply
because you are offended by the idea that someone can download an XL
image for only 30 cents? Is it the money, the principle of the thing
or both? Any recommendations for me...?
thanks
Linda B

epixx · « **Reply #1 on:** March 17, 2008, 13:06 »

For me, the profit at all the agencies that offer subscriptions have been developing negatively compared to those who don't, for the last six months. I opted out of subs at StockXpert the day it went online, and I can't see what I have to lose from missing the odd .30 sales.

Dr Bouz · « **Reply #2 on:** March 17, 2008, 15:09 »

StockXpert is fair on that issue, because everyone can choose opt-int/opt-out subs. - so if someone is happy with 0.3$ for 12mp image - that's o.k. if someone is not - that's o.k. too.
i would call this "fair deal"

Allsa · « **Reply #3 on:** March 17, 2008, 15:59 »

Quote from: Dr Bouz on March 17, 2008, 15:09

StockXpert is fair on that issue, because everyone can choose opt-int/opt-out subs. - so if someone is happy with 0.3$ for 12mp image - that's o.k. if someone is not - that's o.k. too.
i would call this "fair deal"

I have no complaints with SX, they have always been fair with me. I'm just trying to find out if it's a good idea to opt out of subscriptions. I've opted out for now, it was getting discouraging to see so many 30 cent downloads.

madelaide · « **Reply #4 on:** March 17, 2008, 18:40 »

Allsa,

Check this recent thread for discussions about experiences with StockXpert subs:
http://www.microstockgroup.com/index.php/topic,3785.0.html

Regards,
Adelaide

Gregor909 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 17, 2008, 23:13 »

Quote from: epixx on March 17, 2008, 13:06

I opted out of subs at StockXpert the day it went online, and I can't see what I have to lose from missing the odd .30 sales.

Search engine ranking!
I also hate the 30 cents sales, but if you opt out on the subs, your files can end up lower in the search results because they have less sales. And then you lose credit sales as well.
I hate to see my eps files go away for 30 cents, but if I should opt out on StockXpert, then I have to be consistent and delete my account on Shutterstock as well. And then I definitely lose out on income.

nruboc · « **Reply #6 on:** March 17, 2008, 23:36 »

Quote from: Gregor909 on March 17, 2008, 23:13

Quote from: epixx on March 17, 2008, 13:06
I opted out of subs at StockXpert the day it went online, and I can't see what I have to lose from missing the odd .30 sales.
Search engine ranking!
I also hate the 30 cents sales, but if you opt out on the subs, your files can end up lower in the search results because they have less sales. And then you lose credit sales as well.
I hate to see my eps files go away for 30 cents, but if I should opt out on StockXpert, then I have to be consistent and delete my account on Shutterstock as well. And then I definitely lose out on income.

I agree with this 100%, if you opt out at StockXpert but still submit to ShutterStock, and/or Dreamstime, you are biting off your nose to spite your face

Travelling-light · « **Reply #7 on:** March 18, 2008, 00:15 »

Quote from: nruboc on March 17, 2008, 23:36

Quote from: Gregor909 on March 17, 2008, 23:13
Quote from: epixx on March 17, 2008, 13:06
I opted out of subs at StockXpert the day it went online, and I can't see what I have to lose from missing the odd .30 sales.
Search engine ranking!
I also hate the 30 cents sales, but if you opt out on the subs, your files can end up lower in the search results because they have less sales. And then you lose credit sales as well.
I hate to see my eps files go away for 30 cents, but if I should opt out on StockXpert, then I have to be consistent and delete my account on Shutterstock as well. And then I definitely lose out on income.

I agree with this 100%, if you opt out at StockXpert but still submit to ShutterStock, and/or Dreamstime, you are biting off your nose to spite your face

Nah. My face would look better with less nose

epixx · « **Reply #8 on:** March 18, 2008, 00:38 »

There is one important difference between SS and DT/StockXpert: at SS, I can upload minimum sized photos without hurting my sales significantly, since it's all subscription anyway. At StockXpert or DT, that would lower the sales potential as well as the income from regular sales.

Another thing is the principle: the photos that I uploaded to SS, I uploaded there knowing that it was a subscription site. When I uploaded to DT and StockXpert, at least before subs, it was in the belief that this would all be regular microstock sales, generating normal microstock profits.

The agencies change their contracts as they find suitable, while the photographers are just sitting on the bench, watching as their cut of the cake is reduced. Sorry to say, but I don't see that as an ethical way of doing business.

rene · « **Reply #9 on:** March 18, 2008, 07:16 »

Quote from: epixx on March 18, 2008, 00:38

There is one important difference between SS and DT/StockXpert: at SS, I can upload minimum sized photos without hurting my sales significantly, since it's all subscription anyway. At StockXpert or DT, that would lower the sales potential as well as the income from regular sales.

Another thing is the principle: the photos that I uploaded to SS, I uploaded there knowing that it was a subscription site. When I uploaded to DT and StockXpert, at least before subs, it was in the belief that this would all be regular microstock sales, generating normal microstock profits.

The agencies change their contracts as they find suitable, while the photographers are just sitting on the bench, watching as their cut of the cake is reduced. Sorry to say, but I don't see that as an ethical way of doing business.

Very good point Epixx.

Gregor909 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 18, 2008, 09:08 »

Indeed a good point. But I was talking about vectors, and you can't submit low resolution vectors.

HughStoneIan · « **Reply #11 on:** March 18, 2008, 10:57 »

Quote from: nruboc on March 17, 2008, 23:36

Quote from: Gregor909 on March 17, 2008, 23:13
Quote from: epixx on March 17, 2008, 13:06
I opted out of subs at StockXpert the day it went online, and I can't see what I have to lose from missing the odd .30 sales.
Search engine ranking!
I also hate the 30 cents sales, but if you opt out on the subs, your files can end up lower in the search results because they have less sales. And then you lose credit sales as well.
I hate to see my eps files go away for 30 cents, but if I should opt out on StockXpert, then I have to be consistent and delete my account on Shutterstock as well. And then I definitely lose out on income.

I agree with this 100%, if you opt out at StockXpert but still submit to ShutterStock, and/or Dreamstime, you are biting off your nose to spite your face

I disagree. It's obvious from the sales volume of SS that they have a different client base than StockXpert or DT. It's highly doubtful that many of the same clients that download madly on Shutterstock to fill their daily/monthly quotas have the luxury of time to browse StockXpert or DT to see which files they'd like to search for on SS. I'm sure some do, but not many can afford the time involved. Shutterstock's strategy works to give you a decent income with subscription sales----none of the others do, so far.

jsnover · « **Reply #12 on:** March 18, 2008, 11:19 »

Quote from: nruboc on March 17, 2008, 23:36

...if you opt out at StockXpert but still submit to ShutterStock, and/or Dreamstime, you are biting off your nose to spite your face

I don't think that's the way to look at this issue. It's about sites that consistently make money vs. those that shrink or are stagnant.

I have no philosophical objection to subscription sales - I submit to SS and will continue to do so while they make me money. They are typically my #1 earner each month and have been for a while now (and that's not about referral sales as I don't have any).

I don't upload vectors to SS (just a selection of JPEGs from them) because I'm not willing to give those away for 30 cents a pop. I do upload full size images when I upload photos (but then I've only got a 20D, so that's 8MP pix).

The SS wannabes have mixed subscriptions into their product mix trying to swipe some of SS's business, but have ended up diluting earnings for contributors by their failure to generate the volume needed to make the subscription sales work for contributors. Perhaps it's working financially for the sites, but obviously I have no clue about that.

DT sales started to stagnate and then fall for me last year, so I don't upload there any more while I decide what to do about that site. There is the very small sweetener that subscription sales bump images up a level, but that only matters to future credit sales, not future subs. The partner sales at 21 cents commission stink.

123rf is a conundrum. They started as a subscription site, but lately credit sales have been outstripping subscriptions (which is good) so they've been improving in earnings. As long as they're growing, that's cool.

I dropped CanStock because their sales were pitiful and the percentage of subscriptions kept growing (it was at about 50% until I deactivated all my bestsellers, at which point I made only per image sales until I cashed out and quit).

This is about encouraging the business models that make us money and dropping those that don't. By and large the mixed model (subs and per image sales) seems not to be good news for contributors.

madelaide · « **Reply #13 on:** March 18, 2008, 18:07 »

Quote from: jsnover on March 18, 2008, 11:19

I have no philosophical objection to subscription sales

I do. I think it's an absurd that images may cost so little. The "advantage" of subs model is offering images "as low as 30c" or something like that. I don't see the merit in selling high res images so cheap. What do you buy with 30c? Bubble gum?

Regards,
Adelaide

fotografer · « **Reply #14 on:** March 19, 2008, 02:37 »

To me it's all about total earnings. I have 800 images on SS and this month I'm averaging just over 100 dls/day. With a few el's thrown in I should earn about 1000$ by the end of the month. The most I've ever made anywhere else is about 700$ a couple of times on IS. To me that is a convincing enough reason to accept 30c a time.
I check my stats far more at SS than anywhere else. I also like the satisfaticion of seeing the numbers go up quickly

Quote from: madelaide on March 18, 2008, 18:07

Quote from: jsnover on March 18, 2008, 11:19
I have no philosophical objection to subscription sales

I do. I think it's an absurd that images may cost so little. The "advantage" of subs model is offering images "as low as 30c" or something like that. I don't see the merit in selling high res images so cheap. What do you buy with 30c? Bubble gum?

Regards,
Adelaide

HughStoneIan · « **Reply #15 on:** March 19, 2008, 09:55 »

Quote from: fotografer on March 19, 2008, 02:37

To me it's all about total earnings. I have 800 images on SS and this month I'm averaging just over 100 dls/day. With a few el's thrown in I should earn about 1000$ by the end of the month. The most I've ever made anywhere else is about 700$ a couple of times on IS. To me that is a convincing enough reason to accept 30c a time.I check my stats far more at SS than anywhere else. I also like the satisfaticion of seeing the numbers go up quickly

Yer exactly right. They're the only ones doing sub sales effectively. The others are just sapping their contributors' profits (and patience).

madelaide · « **Reply #16 on:** March 19, 2008, 11:41 »

Both discussed the earnings, not the prices. What I don't like in subs model is that buyers get good images too cheap (even if I get 100% of what they pay), and they're not worth so little. You could makes subs cost at least US$1 per image and they would be still incredibly cheap.

Regards,
Adelaide

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Author Topic: Subscritions at StockXpert (Read 6807 times)

Allsa

epixx

Dr Bouz

Allsa

madelaide

Gregor909

nruboc

Travelling-light

epixx

rene

Gregor909

HughStoneIan

jsnover

madelaide

fotografer

HughStoneIan

madelaide

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