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Agency Based Discussion => Sites that no longer exist => StockXpert.com => Topic started by: gostwyck on February 06, 2009, 07:32

Title: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: gostwyck on February 06, 2009, 07:32
Anyone else experiencing that total sales revenue from StockXpert has been heading sharply south from about the time that our images were added to the collections at Jupiter and Photos.com?

My own sales revenue had been growing nicely up to Aug 2008 but have slipped badly since. The way this month has started suggests that revenue will have almost halved in the last 6 months.

I'm actually selling nearly twice as many licenses per month but almost all of them now are 30c sub sales, mostly at Jupiter and Photos.com.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: Freezingpictures on February 06, 2009, 07:34
My sales are lately also quite dissappointing at StockXpert...
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: anton9 on February 06, 2009, 07:42
lately ive only been getting sub $0.30 sales and nothing else
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: fotografer on February 06, 2009, 07:48
Same here since the last couple of weeks. :(

Quote from: anton9 on February 06, 2009, 07:42
lately ive only been getting sub $0.30 sales and nothing else
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: sharpshot on February 06, 2009, 08:25
Mine has held up well.  I get lots of subs but ppd still earns more.

(http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/7456/sxprx4.jpg)
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: MikLav on February 06, 2009, 08:36
for me it's getting up and down for more than a year, but in average is more or less flat, despite growing portfolio.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: j2k on February 06, 2009, 08:36
I'm getting mostly subs these days as well  :-[
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: sharply_done on February 06, 2009, 11:21
Everything at StockXpert is up, up, up for me since the introduction of subs/JIU/photos.com: Revenue +100%, DLs +300%, RPI +250%, DL/Image +250%. I wish all my charts displayed such positive trends.

(http://www.strathdee.net/temp/sxp_chart1.jpg)
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: lisafx on February 06, 2009, 12:39
I've experienced exactly the same thing as Gostwyck.  My sales have jumped but $ are sharply declining. 

I will say that it improved somewhat last month due to my opting out of subs.  I am selling less on StockXpert than with the subs opted in, but at least the sales are full priced credit ones.  And I am still selling on photos.com and JUI because it takes 90 days to remove them. 
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: charlesknox on February 06, 2009, 13:08
They are doing really well for me they are ranked 3rd-4th every month for me
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: takestock on February 06, 2009, 13:11
StockXpert continues to do very well for me with regular sales.
Now firmly in my Top 3.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: madelaide on February 06, 2009, 15:30
StockXpert sales decreased a lot for me since November and it isn't my top-seller anymore.  I'm opted-out, so I don't know if this has any impact.  When I opted-out in May, before the Photos.com/JIU deal, I saw no loss in performance, in fact had very good months there in June and July.

Regards,
Adelaide
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: sharply_done on February 06, 2009, 15:43
Quote from: madelaide on February 06, 2009, 15:30
StockXpert sales decreased a lot for me since November and it isn't my top-seller anymore.  I'm opted-out, so I don't know if this has any impact.  When I opted-out in May, before the Photos.com/JIU deal, I saw no loss in performance, in fact had very good months there in June and July.

Regards,
Adelaide

I think opting-out at StockXpert has a negative, but not immediate, effect on sales. Given that it takes up to 90 days for images to be removed from JUI/photos.com, this might explain your predicament.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: Kngkyle on February 06, 2009, 15:49
Huge decline for me. Only getting sub sales. Crestock might even be ahead of them this month.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: takestock on February 06, 2009, 15:59
Quote from: j2k on February 06, 2009, 08:36
I'm getting mostly subs these days as well  :-[

I'm opted in but had a StockXpert PPD for $2.50 today
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: Gregor909 on February 06, 2009, 16:00
Yes, decline for me as well, and now I know why;

Today I received an email from StockXpert; "XpertTips" . Which I assume is send to all the buyers as well.
And what are they advertising in that same mail? Photos.com subscriptions!!!  >:(
So all the StockXpert buyers can skip right over to Photos.com and we are back where we began at SS earning only a miserable 30 cents!
So this is what happens when the big companies take us over!  >:(
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: madelaide on February 06, 2009, 16:29
Quote from: sharply_done on February 06, 2009, 15:43
I think opting-out at StockXpert has a negative, but not immediate, effect on sales. Given that it takes up to 90 days for images to be removed from JUI/photos.com, this might explain your predicament.

I opted out much before the new deal, so I was never in it.  What I meant is that maybe now that Photos.com/JUI was in place, having opted out makes a difference.  Or maybe it has to be with credit prices being so high that some frequent buyers prefer to change to subs due the cost/benefit advantage.  Still, I get some nice credit sales in DT, just not as plenty as before.

Regards,
Adelaide
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: vonkara on February 06, 2009, 18:07
Decline + lot of humiliating 0.30 subs (95% of sales). I don't like StockXpert anymore
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: epixx on February 06, 2009, 21:11
My StockXpert sales have declined dramatically since November, and I've been opted out of subs all the time. 123rf is doing better for me now. Who would have thought that a year ago?

I noticed the ad in the mail as well. My guess is that photos.com is getting the marketing money. I wouldn't be surprised if StockXpert is discontinued as a separate brand within a year or two.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: Dreamframer on February 07, 2009, 11:41
I can't really judge because my StockXpert sales were poor before. I joined in march 2008 and I have 200-something images there. I made some 20$ until january 2009. Then, in january I earned more than 15$, which means more than a half of all sales...which can be totally by coincidence because I don't have very big portfolio to see consistence in sales.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: Randomway on February 07, 2009, 15:05
All my sales so far this month are either Photos.com or Jupiter. I don't know the magic formula yet for sales directly from Stockxpert. If anyone has a copy of said formula, don't hesitate.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: massman on February 07, 2009, 15:32
Here is a link http://www.microstockgroup.com/index.php?topic=3785.0 (http://www.microstockgroup.com/index.php?topic=3785.0) to the same subject from about a 10 months ago. I thought I would bring my stats up to date, the figures don't make for good reading, unless, of course, you love subscription sales:

Oct '07 subscription DLs = 3% of total DLs
Nov '07 subscription DLs = 17% of total DLs
Dec '07 subscription DLs = 20% of total DLs
Jan '08 subscription DLs = 22% of total DLs
Feb '08 subscription DLs = 46% of total DLs
Mar '08 subscription DLs = 47% of total DLs
Apr '08 subscription DLs = 45% of total DLs
May '08 subscription DLs = 46% of total DLs
June '08 subscription DLs = 37% of total DLs
July '08 subscription DLs = 48% of total DLs
Aug '08 subscription DLs = 54% of total DLs
Sept '08 subscription DLs = 62% of total DLs
Oct '08 subscription DLs = 49% of total DLs
Nov '08 subscription DLs = 58% of total DLs
Dec '08 subscription DLs = 67% of total DLs
Jan '09 subscription DLs = 82% of total DLs
Feb '09 subscription DLs = 87% of total DLs (projected)

It would be interesting to see if this is a general trend across different submitters or if it's just me. My income from StockXpert is now about 30% of what it was a year ago. It's a shame, I had really high hopes that StockXpert was going to be a big player with emphasis on a fair comission structure for it's contributors. Any thoughts?
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: gostwyck on February 07, 2009, 16:08
My own figures are not dissimilar to yours Massman.

Of considerable concern to me is that the average royalty achieved per download at StockXpert is now the lowest of any agency that I contribute to __ and a few months ago they were the highest.

These are my figures so far this month;

StockXpert - 73 sales at an average of 52.7c

SS (next lowest) - 369 sales at an average of 60.9c

I'm getting increasingly uncomfortable with the JupiterUnlimited and Photos.com tie-in. I particularly dislike the way StockXpert images are somewhat patronisingly described as the 'Value Collection' on JupiterUnlimited (i.e. they might just about be OK for a project that doesn't matter much).

If you try a few searches of the different collections then, quite frankly, the StockXpert 'cheap rubbish' looks much better than most of their 'Premium Collections' __ but that's not much of a surprise to most of us.

I'm getting very close to opting out of all subs at StockXpert. If StockXpert then subsequently drops below 2% of my total income (quite likely the way things are going) then they won't be getting any new uploads either.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: thesentinel on February 07, 2009, 17:04
But the Poll results on the side bar now show StockXpert in 3rd position  ???
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: qwerty on February 07, 2009, 19:31
StockXpert comes in 4th on my earning list, lots of subscriptions >80%. My earning aren't plummeting they just swing up and down each month, no general trend.
Majority of subcriptions are from Jupiter or photos.com.  Hopefully these are new and different buyers than those who use to buy pay per image on StockXpert (or any other pay per image site I submit to) How you work that out I don't know, though if you had steady pay per image sales before and now none (absolute # not %) you could draw some conclusions
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: imageZebra on February 09, 2009, 03:55
Quote from: qwerty on February 07, 2009, 19:31
StockXpert comes in 4th on my earning list...

StockXpert on my list is earner #7, which means it doesn't even make into my Big 6.

I was never opted in suscriptions; didn't like the way it was originally handled. I was about to opt in; but looks like it doesn't make much difference...
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: Fred on February 09, 2009, 12:47
Quote from: massman on February 07, 2009, 15:32
Here is a link [url]http://www.microstockgroup.com/index.php?topic=3785.0[/url] ([url]http://www.microstockgroup.com/index.php?topic=3785.0[/url]) to the same subject from about a 10 months ago. I thought I would bring my stats up to date, the figures don't make for good reading, unless, of course, you love subscription sales:

Oct '07 subscription DLs = 3% of total DLs
Nov '07 subscription DLs = 17% of total DLs
Dec '07 subscription DLs = 20% of total DLs
Jan '08 subscription DLs = 22% of total DLs
Feb '08 subscription DLs = 46% of total DLs
Mar '08 subscription DLs = 47% of total DLs
Apr '08 subscription DLs = 45% of total DLs
May '08 subscription DLs = 46% of total DLs
June '08 subscription DLs = 37% of total DLs
July '08 subscription DLs = 48% of total DLs
Aug '08 subscription DLs = 54% of total DLs
Sept '08 subscription DLs = 62% of total DLs
Oct '08 subscription DLs = 49% of total DLs
Nov '08 subscription DLs = 58% of total DLs
Dec '08 subscription DLs = 67% of total DLs
Jan '09 subscription DLs = 82% of total DLs
Feb '09 subscription DLs = 87% of total DLs (projected)

It would be interesting to see if this is a general trend across different submitters or if it's just me. My income from StockXpert is now about 30% of what it was a year ago. It's a shame, I had really high hopes that StockXpert was going to be a big player with emphasis on a fair comission structure for it's contributors. Any thoughts?


Not a very good statistical period to use for getting at the reasons for your 30% income drop.  I have dropped over 50% on both SS and IS over the same period - with a more than doubled portfolio.  I don't think I can blame the SS move to On Demand Dls, or the IS best match machinations for all of that drop.  More likely the surge in image databases plus the economic slump accounts for most of it.  Your experience at StockXpert is probably similarly affected.

fred
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: tan510jomast on February 09, 2009, 12:55
Quote from: thesentinel on February 07, 2009, 17:04
But the Poll results on the side bar now show StockXpert in 3rd position  ???
not just that , sentinel, also the only one rising.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: vonkara on February 09, 2009, 13:10
Quote from: massman on February 07, 2009, 15:32

Oct '07 subscription DLs = 3% of total DLs
Nov '07 subscription DLs = 17% of total DLs
Dec '07 subscription DLs = 20% of total DLs
Jan '08 subscription DLs = 22% of total DLs
Feb '08 subscription DLs = 46% of total DLs
Mar '08 subscription DLs = 47% of total DLs
Apr '08 subscription DLs = 45% of total DLs
May '08 subscription DLs = 46% of total DLs
June '08 subscription DLs = 37% of total DLs
July '08 subscription DLs = 48% of total DLs
Aug '08 subscription DLs = 54% of total DLs
Sept '08 subscription DLs = 62% of total DLs
Oct '08 subscription DLs = 49% of total DLs
Nov '08 subscription DLs = 58% of total DLs
Dec '08 subscription DLs = 67% of total DLs
Jan '09 subscription DLs = 82% of total DLs
Feb '09 subscription DLs = 87% of total DLs (projected)

Almost exactly what happened to me. I don't even go watch my stats there anymore often than before. Ohh what a surprise I got 7 downloads today 3 XXL 3 XL and 1 photos.com L size that will probably be upsized to avoid paying the big prices. ALL 0.30$ It's becoming a pain in the xxx to look at 7 potential 5$ downloads... and one 50$.

Edited for being clear. Those 7 downloads were all 0.30$ and potentially 5$ and 50$ sales
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: tan510jomast on February 09, 2009, 13:14
Quote from: Vonkara on February 09, 2009, 13:10

Almost exactly what happened to me. I don't even go watch my stats there anymore often than before. Ohh what a surprise I got 7 downloads today 3 XXL 3 XL and 1 photos.com L size that will probably be upsized to avoid paying the big prices. It's becoming a pain in the xxx to look at 7 potential 5$ downloads... and one 50$
[/quote]

oi vonkara, i read your earlier comment you said you don't like StockXpert anymore. maybe you should say that more, and get  surprise downloads like today ;D
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: fotografer on February 09, 2009, 13:36
Similar results here.  It seems like somebody turned the subs off today and turned on the larger sized credit sales.  I hope it lasts.

Quote from: tan510jomast on February 09, 2009, 13:14
Quote from: Vonkara on February 09, 2009, 13:10

Almost exactly what happened to me. I don't even go watch my stats there anymore often than before. Ohh what a surprise I got 7 downloads today 3 XXL 3 XL and 1 photos.com L size that will probably be upsized to avoid paying the big prices. It's becoming a pain in the xxx to look at 7 potential 5$ downloads... and one 50$

oi vonkara, i read your earlier comment you said you don't like StockXpert anymore. maybe you should say that more, and get  surprise downloads like today ;D
[/quote]
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: vonkara on February 09, 2009, 13:57
Quote from: tan510jomast on February 09, 2009, 13:14

oi vonkara, i read your earlier comment you said you don't like StockXpert anymore. maybe you should say that more, and get  surprise downloads like today ;D
Sorry I meant all these was 0.30$ . I Edited the post
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: stokfoto on February 09, 2009, 14:35
My sales have been  declining too especially for the past two months. and subs are all over.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: Pixart on February 09, 2009, 14:38
^ You didn't read the part where he only made $2.10 from those 7 sales.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: massman on February 09, 2009, 14:52
Quote
Not a very good statistical period to use for getting at the reasons for your 30% income drop.  I have dropped over 50% on both SS and IS over the same period - with a more than doubled portfolio.  I don't think I can blame the SS move to On Demand Dls, or the IS best match machinations for all of that drop.  More likely the surge in image databases plus the economic slump accounts for most of it.  Your experience at StockXpert is probably similarly affected.

fred


The only places I have experienced a significant drop in revenue are IS and StockXpert. The loss of income at StockXpert is without question due to a massive increase in subscription sales.

Has anyone had any PPD sales from Jupiter?
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: Perry on February 24, 2009, 08:30
My StockXpert shales have gone trough the floor this month. IS, SS, DT and FT gives me over three times more revenue.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: Kngkyle on February 24, 2009, 09:10
Well. I am getting the same amount of downloads as usual. They are just 100% subscription sales. Which means my income is down like 90%.  :D But then again I'm going down down down on all sites except Dreamstime and Crestock.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: Magnum on February 24, 2009, 10:52
No sales - almost no views any longer.   I donīt get the market?
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: fotografer on February 24, 2009, 11:00
Quote from: fotografer on February 09, 2009, 13:36
Similar results here.  It seems like somebody turned the subs off today and turned on the larger sized credit sales.  I hope it lasts.


It didn't last, it's back to subs and small sized dls. :(

Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: massman on February 24, 2009, 11:09
Quote from: fotografer on February 24, 2009, 11:00
Quote from: fotografer on February 09, 2009, 13:36
Similar results here.  It seems like somebody turned the subs off today and turned on the larger sized credit sales.  I hope it lasts.


It didn't last, it's back to subs and small sized dls. :(



At least you are getting DLs. I'm currently averaging one sub DL per day (down from an average of 11 PPD sales per day at the end of 2007). I think Jupiter switched off after the proposal from Getty was announced. Now the sale is official it will be interesting to see what happens. In any event, it can't get any worse, can it?
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: designalldone on February 24, 2009, 14:08
My sales at StockXpert are going great this month - it's going to be my BME on StockXpert.

My subscription sales aren't eating into my pay-per-download earnings at all, which is a relief.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: Freedom on February 24, 2009, 15:30
My DLs are up, and it could be my BME thanks to some rarely seen PPD sales.

But most sales are subs, so its earning ranks 4th among my micro agencies.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: epixx on February 24, 2009, 18:38
Quote from: qwerty on February 07, 2009, 19:31
Hopefully these are new and different buyers than those who use to buy pay per image on StockXpert (or any other pay per image site I submit to)


There are no "new and different buyers". All buyers come from somewhere, and even those who haven't previously bought stock photos have to choose between subs and ppd. If they choose subs, we get less and the agencies more.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: NYTumbleweeds on February 25, 2009, 10:17
The only thing I have to look fwd to at StockXpert anymore is a couple of sub sales. Nothing seems to make a difference lately. I'm thinking of opting out for good, I don't think 30 cents is worth it.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: Twist on February 25, 2009, 12:08
I joined after they started with photos.com and jupiter. Granted, I only have a gallery of around 60 images so far and have only been at it for about 2 months. I thought it might be worth mentioning to you that I have only had sales from those sites - none actually from StockXpert. I've found that odd...but since Im just starting there, I wasn't thinking it was TOO odd.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: massman on February 25, 2009, 13:41
Quote from: jmich on February 25, 2009, 12:08
I joined after they started with photos.com and jupiter. Granted, I only have a gallery of around 60 images so far and have only been at it for about 2 months. I thought it might be worth mentioning to you that I have only had sales from those sites - none actually from StockXpert. I've found that odd...but since Im just starting there, I wasn't thinking it was TOO odd.

Thats quite interesting. It sort of confirms my suspicions that StockXpert has done little or no marketing for a good while and have just been feeding photos.com and JUI with images available for subscription download. It looks like Getty have just bought themselves a large well developed subscriptions site(s), without blemishing the Getty and Istock brands.
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: Pixart on February 25, 2009, 14:31
To be fair, the big deal was just approved this week, and whenever I have worked on a sale of a company (in that other hellish life I had working for lawyers in the entertainment industry) virtually all spending of money was suspended in the weeks leading up to the closing (of the transaction).    If Getty plans to keep StockXpert in business, we'll have a better idea in 3 months or so once marketing campaigns kick in.   I wondered if they would close shop, but I'm guessing that they will want the content that StockXpert has that Istock does not.  Not to mention, what are their subsctiption networks without StockXpert?
Title: Re: Revenue plummeting at StockXpert
Post by: mantonino on February 25, 2009, 14:38
I know this is a lament thread but this is going to be one of my BME's on StockXpert.  It's mostly subs tho so that sucks.