Wednesday 1 April 2009

Microstock results for March 2009

Sales jumped up significantly to levels not seen since March 2008.  Istock has changed their search algorithm again and it seems to have helped me.  A big jump at stockxpert as well as I think they now license through an additional site.  All the others keep providing which is nice considering it over 18 months since I last contributed (literally all I do is check my earnings once a month to request payouts and write this blog (and I dont do this half the time)).


Below are percentages for the month to show how I have been going:
14% shutterstock
12% dreamtime
19% Fotolia
14% istockphoto
3% bigstockphoto
6% 123RF
32% StockXpert
0% Featurepics


Previous 12 months results:

February 2009 Results
January 2009 Results
December 2008 Results
November 2008 Results
October 2008 Results
September 2008 Earnings
August 2008 Earnings
July 2008 Earnings
June 2008 Earnings
May 2008 Earnings
April 2008 Earnings
March 2008 Earnings

Shutterstock
Royalty Free Images

13 comments:

Mark Stout said...

Up or down, microstock is not fairly rewarding photographers for thier work and does not pay enough to support the costs of a shoot. With each photo uploaded to microstock, you are eliminating a client who would otherwise pay you a fair price. With each photo you upload to microstock, you are telling the world you consider your talent and creativity worthless. With each photo you upload, you are making it possibly for corporations to gain the image used in a multi million dollar ad campaign for a couple bucks. Stop screwing yourself. FIND OUT WHAT YOUR WORK IS WORTH AND REFUSE TO LET PEOPLE HAVE IT FOR NOTHING. For gods sakes, the credit card companies charge more to process the transaction than you get for your hard work when an image is downloaded!

CJPhoto said...

Mark - that is one view.
Microstock is not designed for large multinationals and it is unfortunately that they do take advantage of it sometimes (I think I have posted previously about time when they did and used the same photo as their competitor).

Microstock is designed for those that cant afford $100 for a photo to put on their website or blog or a brochure for a 1 or 2 man business.

plrang said...

Thinking this way we could say that mobile operators are so stupid as they give their service for pennys and got nothing, sure right. One has income other hasn't. no on is forced to be at microstock and if the photo master sells he;s photo for 1000$ why i see them stil complaining. Mind Your own and that's all.
And for me the numbers are slight different for March but i'm fresh submitter and also small portfolio owner ;) Greetings

hkki said...

nice post.
inspiring
:)

GreenGal said...

hey! CJ, i just got interested in this field. Really interested in knowing that how do these agencies make money when they sell at such low prices? also how do they manage to sell such high volumes?.. is it only the website or do they have a strong marketing and sales department pitching to buyers as well?

CJPhoto said...

GreenGal - the agencies take between 20 and 80% commission, though mostly toward the higher end. They only sell through the internet - the world is a big place and lots of things need pictures. Agencies that take a higher commission can afford more advertising so usually earn people more than the low commission places.

gubh83 said...

great blog!
I think everyone has the right to decide if they want or not to sell their work for pennies. In my case, I havent been working for the moment and I'm using my free time to earn some money. I wouldnt be able to sell images all over the world without microstocking..so, i'm glad it exists

Tyler said...

It's interesting to see that stockxpert is doing so well for you. For me it's usually shutterstock that takes the top.

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