Raise at SS - Page 3

Karimala · #21 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjlocke

I doubt we'll see a day where there's an action like that to back up the talk.

Leaving doesn't necessarily mean pulling one's portfolio. It could mean not uploading again, which is what I keep thinking about doing sometime in the future.

ajn · #22 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 04:50 PM

I too believe it's a problem of expectations. They raised the expectations and didn't deliver.

Even if their sales go down, they will profit the same in %, unless all buyers suddenly start downloading their maximum images a day.

I wonder how many are above 10.000 (with a 27% raise), above 3.000 (a 20% raise) and above 500 (a 10% raise). I believe the vast majority is getting 10% or nothing with this change, even though the prices went up 50%. This is pure speculation, of course, so it's worth what is worth.

a 27% raise is nice, but I wish sales didn't drop so drastically. Even with new images, I'm 50% down from Jan and on level with last May (which never happened before). DT, as an example, is up by 50% compared to May last year. The time new images are affected by the "new photo effect" is shorter and shorter.

helix7 · #23 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karimala

...Doesn't surprise me, if the current downward sales trend continues, that he is thinking about leaving SS. I've been thinking the same thing, and probably would have left by now, if my overall income from other sites was about 30-40% higher. SS has become a source of never-ending frustration for me. I don't give a hoot if they are my highest earner...

Forgive me if I'm missing something here, but if SS is still your highest earner, doesn't that suggest that your earnings growth at all sites are below your expectations? If other sites were growing while SS remained stagnant, wouldn't other sites have surpassed your SS earnings by now?

mantonino · #24 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by louoates

I can't believe there are so many whiners out there. You'd think the leg irons anchored to their desks were rubbing their ankles raw.

I removed my shackles and feel much better now - but honestly it'll be "fine" - that's kind of why people were disappointed though. If you were told you were getting a raise at your day job (say $35k a year) that you'd be "very pleased" with and they gave you $100 cash in hand one day, you probably wouldn't be "very pleased." You'd probably be pretty ticked off that they were mistreating you or leading you on.

The raise was "fine" - the expectation management blew chunks. That makes people mad.

sharpshot · #25 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 05:38 PM

I am in the same position as Karin. SS is still my highest earner despite going nowhere for a year while the other sites are improving. SS was making over 50% of my earnings and now it is down in the 30's. At least I don't rely on them so much now and if this trend continues there might be a time when it isn't worth selling there. I hope they take some action and keep me interested.

Karimala · #26 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 06:55 PM

Same here, Steve. SS used to be 45% of my revenue, and this month for the first time ever it dropped below 30% and is making up 25% of my revenue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by helix7

Forgive me if I'm missing something here, but if SS is still your highest earner, doesn't that suggest that your earnings growth at all sites are below your expectations? If other sites were growing while SS remained stagnant, wouldn't other sites have surpassed your SS earnings by now?

The other sites are knocking on SS's door in terms of earnings, in particular IS and DT. They are all increasing (except BSP), while SS keeps dropping. The past two months were exceptions to SS's downward trend. This month, after a BME last month, my daily earnings are on par with February 2007 when I was still earning 25 cents per sale. Pathetic.

helix7 · #27 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karimala

...This month, after a BME last month, my daily earnings are on par with February 2007 when I was still earning 25 cents per sale. Pathetic.

Damn. That hurts.

Well do let us know if SS slips into 2nd or 3rd place. Will be interesting to see how things progress for everyone over the next several months after a disappointing raise.

RTimages · #28 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharpshot

It is strange that SS hasn't tried more ways to sell our images. They should try pay per download from the main site. The other site they had was hard to find and closed down. I would like to see them find ways to bring some of the old photos that are now lost in the search back to life. The lucky oliver sideshow should make a comeback

That would surely increase earnings for them and us.

There are lots of simple ideas they could implement to boost sales. Perhaps up to now they have thought if it ain't broke don't fix it. Now is the time to do something.

I started a thread on the SS forum entitled "Is it time for SS to evolve" a while ago, it echoed your statements above, unfortunately it didn't get much of a response, IMO there are too many small time contributors that are happy to get a few dollars each month, and they far outweigh those who are more serious and look at things from a long term business point of view, how can you win a serious argument against people who upload one photo a month and get exited about a couple of 25cent sales?

This is the reason that microsites will continue to screw us for many years to come, they love the weekend photographers, and as long as these people publicly celebrate every time there's an announcement that in actual fact benefits the site more than us things will never get better.

I'm happy to say I've yet to see a 'woohoo you guys rock' on any of the traditional sites I'm with :-))

Batman2000 · #29 (**permalink**) 05-14-2008, 11:05 PM

I too feel that the SS model is getting old and it?s begining to show cracks. The availability of many buying methods on many sites have made the suscription model more ubiquitous and having the opportunity to buy single images, to buy credits and to buy suscription in other sites, all in one place, have put a stress in the SS model, especially since suscription has gone up two years in a row.

If they don?t start to make changes and give buyers alternatives they will lose their position in the market.

I?ve stoped submiting to micros since almost 6 months ago, giving more emphasis to Alamy and other kinds of work. The return per image at the micros is nice, but not worth the effort that I have to put in as a part timer.

ReeF · #30 (**permalink**) 05-15-2008, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RTimages

I'm happy to say I've yet to see a 'woohoo you guys rock' on any of the traditional sites I'm with :-))

I do a lot of woohoo's when I buy and use a MS image that I've marked up by a few hundred dollars (minimum)