Average Gross revenue/sale trends?

[M.Chapman]

Alamy "Our average price across the board remains pretty static at around $30 across all licences and this has been the case for the last few years". 

See https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/15060-018-sale/?do=findComment&comment=304682

 

So I thought I'd see how my gross revenue / sale compares with this $30 "benchmark".

 

 

Above data was compiled by hovering the mouse over each data point in the Revenue and Sales graphs on my dashboard and writing down the numbers. Obviously in early years my sales were so low that the data isn't statistically significant.

 

How do your numbers compare with the $30?

 

Unfortunately my net revenue per sale data is harder to compile (and would only upset me ) so I haven't bothered with that...

 

PS. The vast majority of my images are RM, and I haven't restricted PU, NU or distributor sales. Most are also Alamy exclusive and taken in UK.

 

Mark

 

 

Edited November 26, 2021 by M.Chapman

[John Mitchell]

A downward trend for me but still over the average of $30:

 

Average Gross Sale Per Image (rounded up as Alamy tends to do)

 

2012 -- $91

2013 -- $79

2014 -- $81

2015 -- $69

2016 -- $58

2017 -- $50

2018 -- $48

2019 -- $48

2020 -- $44

2021-- $38*

 

*due mainly to more tiddlers and fewer high$$ and $$$ sales

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 26, 2021 by John Mitchell

[Michael Ventura]

Going back to 2006, here is my average gross price per sale.

 

2006 -- $246 (only three sales that year) 

2007 -- $163

2008 -- $146

2009 -- $158

2010 -- $109

2011 -- $98

2012 -- $93

2013 -- $82

2014 -- $73

2015 -- $64

2016 -- $66

2017 -- $58

2018 -- $57

2019 -- $55

2020 -- $51

2021 -- $44

 

I just added averages going back to when I started with Alamy.

Edited November 27, 2021 by Michael Ventura

[geogphotos]

If the mean sale fee is being maintained at $30 over the last few years then I can't see any point in offering bulk sales for 18 cents. 

 

 

[gvallee]

2003	241
2004	136
2005	163
2006	108
2007	126
2008	109
2009	97
2010	103
2011	65
2012	76
2013	77
2014	77
2015	58
2016	44
2017	33
2018	35
2019	30
2020	30
2021	29

[wiskerke]

Yr         Av       sales

2005 - $195       6
2006 - $179       8
2007 - $458     26
2008 - $143     54
2009 - $ 73      60
2010 - $ 69      74
2011 - $ 65      92
2012 - $ 54    134
2013 - $ 52    202
2014 - $ 55    185
2015 - $ 59    219
2016 - $ 48    351
2017 - $ 46    315
2018 - $ 44    330
2019 - $ 37    322
2020 - $ 35    254
2021 - $ 30    275

 

no comment

 

wim

 

[Panthera tigris]

Just in case anyone from the outside (i.e not an Alamy contributor) is reading this thread, you do not get 30 USD per image sale on average. Your average income would be at most 40% of that average. More probably 30%.

[M.Chapman]

9 hours ago, geogphotos said:

If the mean sale fee is being maintained at $30 over the last few years then I can't see any point in offering bulk sales for 18 cents. 

 

It certainly won't be helping to maintain that mean...

 

Mark

[geogphotos]

1 hour ago, M.Chapman said:

 

It certainly won't be helping to maintain that mean...

 

Mark

 

 

It could be that Alamy ignore Novel Use /Photo Pack 'sales' in their calculations.

 

Otherwise, if the low priced scheme was having an impact the mean image price would have reduced significantly. If it is not having much effect it does make you wonder if it is worth all the grief that 5c 'sales' bring and the consequent loss of goodwill. 

 

What I think it would be telling to look at, though it would be depressing, is the month on month figure paid into my bank account and how that has changed through the years. That would show not only the reduction in average fees, the reduction in commission. but also reflect the total of sales ( which might potentially have compensated).  

[geogphotos]

Anyway, if we take $30, call it £25, @ 40% = £10.

 

How many sales a day would you need to have a decent income??

 

If you were a Newbie starting from scratch what chance would you have?

[Radim]

If I was a newbie and I started from scratch, I probably would have this chance  🖕🖕

[VbFolly]

My average gross $ per sale is a bit below average, and peaked last year when I had the most $$$ sales. Most of my sales are to the UK, and I'm not in Live News.

 

Year	Sales	Gross	Gross/Sale
2016	8	74	9
2017	24	512	21
2018	50	1181	24
2019	123	2411	20
2020	142	4066	29
2021	235	4990	21

[geogphotos]

12 minutes ago, Radim said:

If I was a newbie and I started from scratch, I probably would have this chance  🖕🖕

 

 

I spoke at length about this with my son who is now 32. He knows people who are making money from their photography through Instagram - the whole slow, incremental nature of stock puts him off completely. I did try to get him going with Alamy when he was about 17 - he has a good eye, much more creative than me ( no need to snigger), but just couldn't be bothered with the rigmarole and waiting. 

 

https://www.alamy.com/search/imageresults.aspx?pseudoid={EE25E103-81B9-4392-9AAE-5B52C9A28E40}&name=Joe%2bMurray&st=11&mode=0&comp=1&ps=100&pn=1&cbstore=0#BHM=foo%3Dbar%26st%3D11%26sortby%3D3%26qt%3D%20kenya%20child%26qt_raw%3D%20kenya%20child%26qn%3Dmurray%26lic%3D3%26edrf%3D0%26mr%3D0%26pr%3D0%26aoa%3D1%26creative%3D%26videos%3D%26nu%3D%26ccc%3D%26bespoke%3D%26apalib%3D%26ag%3D0%26hc%3D0%26et%3D0x000000000000000000000%26vp%3D0%26loc%3D0%26ot%3D0%26imgt%3D0%26dtfr%3D%26dtto%3D%26size%3D0xFF%26blackwhite%3D%26cutout%3D%26archive%3D1%26name%3DJoe%20Murray%26groupid%3D%26pseudoid%3D{EE25E103-81B9-4392-9AAE-5B52C9A28E40}%26userid%3D%26id%3D%26a%3D%26xstx%3D0%26cbstore%3D0%26resultview%3DsortbyRelevant%26lightbox%3D%26gname%3D%26gtype%3D%26apalic%3D%26tbar%3D0%26pc%3D%26simid%3D%26cap%3D1%26customgeoip%3DGB%26vd%3D0%26cid%3D%26pe%3D%26so%3D%26lb%3D%26pl%3D0%26plno%3D%26fi%3D0%26langcode%3Den%26upl%3D0%26cufr%3D%26cuto%3D%26howler%3D%26cvrem%3D0%26cvtype%3D0%26cvloc%3D0%26cl%3D0%26upfr%3D%26upto%3D%26primcat%3D%26seccat%3D%26cvcategory%3D*%26restriction%3D%26random%3D%26ispremium%3D1%26flip%3D0%26contributorqt%3D%26plgalleryno%3D%26plpublic%3D0%26viewaspublic%3D0%26isplcurate%3D0%26imageurl%3D%26saveQry%3D%26editorial%3D%26t%3D0%26filters%3D1%26ps%3D100%26pn%3D1%26cbstore%3D0

 

The younger generation are used to getting immediate gratification through 'likes'. A friend of his is getting commissions through Instagram and selling his prints. 

 

He suggested that people are so keen to share their phone pics that they would probably give them away for free - I had to explain that was already a 'thing'. 

Edited November 27, 2021 by geogphotos

[Radim]

1 hour ago, geogphotos said:

 

 

I spoke at length about this with my son who is now 32. He knows people who are making money from their photography through Instagram - the whole slow, incremental nature of stock puts him off completely. I did try to get him going with Alamy when he was about 17 - he has a good eye, much more creative than me ( no need to snigger), but just couldn't be bothered with the rigmarole and waiting. 

 

https://www.alamy.com/search/imageresults.aspx?pseudoid={EE25E103-81B9-4392-9AAE-5B52C9A28E40}&name=Joe%2bMurray&st=11&mode=0&comp=1&ps=100&pn=1&cbstore=0#BHM=foo%3Dbar%26st%3D11%26sortby%3D3%26qt%3D%20kenya%20child%26qt_raw%3D%20kenya%20child%26qn%3Dmurray%26lic%3D3%26edrf%3D0%26mr%3D0%26pr%3D0%26aoa%3D1%26creative%3D%26videos%3D%26nu%3D%26ccc%3D%26bespoke%3D%26apalib%3D%26ag%3D0%26hc%3D0%26et%3D0x000000000000000000000%26vp%3D0%26loc%3D0%26ot%3D0%26imgt%3D0%26dtfr%3D%26dtto%3D%26size%3D0xFF%26blackwhite%3D%26cutout%3D%26archive%3D1%26name%3DJoe%20Murray%26groupid%3D%26pseudoid%3D{EE25E103-81B9-4392-9AAE-5B52C9A28E40}%26userid%3D%26id%3D%26a%3D%26xstx%3D0%26cbstore%3D0%26resultview%3DsortbyRelevant%26lightbox%3D%26gname%3D%26gtype%3D%26apalic%3D%26tbar%3D0%26pc%3D%26simid%3D%26cap%3D1%26customgeoip%3DGB%26vd%3D0%26cid%3D%26pe%3D%26so%3D%26lb%3D%26pl%3D0%26plno%3D%26fi%3D0%26langcode%3Den%26upl%3D0%26cufr%3D%26cuto%3D%26howler%3D%26cvrem%3D0%26cvtype%3D0%26cvloc%3D0%26cl%3D0%26upfr%3D%26upto%3D%26primcat%3D%26seccat%3D%26cvcategory%3D*%26restriction%3D%26random%3D%26ispremium%3D1%26flip%3D0%26contributorqt%3D%26plgalleryno%3D%26plpublic%3D0%26viewaspublic%3D0%26isplcurate%3D0%26imageurl%3D%26saveQry%3D%26editorial%3D%26t%3D0%26filters%3D1%26ps%3D100%26pn%3D1%26cbstore%3D0

 

The younger generation are used to getting immediate gratification through 'likes'. A friend of his is getting commissions through Instagram and selling his prints. 

 

He suggested that people are so keen to share their phone pics that they would probably give them away for free - I had to explain that was already a 'thing'. 

I don't know if it's a generational issue, but I'm old enough for fundamental changes. I've always valued my work, so I never wanted to sell photos for peanuts. I won't start with that.

[David eastley]

 

my average gross per image from the good old days  to this year so far

 

2006	257.00
2007	180.00
2008	187.50
2009	63.91
2010	57.67
2011	52.09
2012	49.11
2013	58.30
2014	35.83
2015	30.42
2016	29.04
1017	25.23
2018	23.13
2019	23.27
2020	29.55
2021	30.37

 

Similar pattern to others with 2018 and 2019 really bad prices for me although things are improving now. 

 

each of the last 6 years has improved on the previous year ( both volume and value of sales) so I am happy with what Alamy is doing for me.

 

 

 

[Mr Standfast]

Some good portfolio to sales ratios posted. Well done! 

[M.Chapman]

Simple* average result from those who have provided numbers so far (thanks).

 

*This isn't a weighted average as it ignores the number of sales from each contributor. i.e. those with the most sales have the same influence on the average result as those with the least. (I did this because not everyone has provided the number of sales in each year).

 

Mark 

[Inchiquin]

All over the shop:

 

2008  £180 (only 1 sale)

2009  £0

2010  £109

2011  £65

2012  £63

2013  £76

2014  £65

2015  £124 (inflated by one $$$$ sale)

2016  £30

2017  £33

2018  £21

2019  £37

2020  £26

2021  £24

 

As you can see, a sudden drop-off in 2016 but since then fairly consistent.

 

Alan

[Malcolm Park]

 

2005 - $126 (4 sales)

2006 - $127

2007 - $200

2008 - $189

2009 - $114

2010 - $111

2011 - $74

2012 - $59

2013 - $72

2014 - $52

2015 - $37

2016 - $31

2017 - $37

2018 - $36

2019 - $36

2020 - $32

 

(onwards and downwards)

Edited November 28, 2021 by Malcolm Park
dropped a 100 on 2005

[Abiyoyo]

My figures are:

 

2014 -- $50

2015 -- $55

2016 -- $47

2017 -- $44

2018 -- $33

2019 -- $30

2020 -- $33

2021 -- $44

[TeeCee]

And mine:

 

2003          85
2004        166
2005        147
2006        166
2007        251
2008        173
2009         66
2010         68
2011         65
2012         46
2013         41
2014         47
2015         73
2016         45
2017         40
2018         27
2019         24
2020         20
2021         23

[Dave Nelson]

I joined Alamy in 2017 when license amounts were a bit higher, but I missed the good old days that I read about here.

So far I am pleased with the increase in the number of licenses, so I really can't complain.

I just have to keep uploading more images as much as my health allows and hope for the best.

 

               Number         Average

 

2018.          8.                  54.

2019.          8                   42

2020.         16                  36

2021.         24.                 40       

[Stan Pritchard]

My gross average price since I joined in 2006 is $40.48 (total income divided by total sales).

[wiskerke]

16 minutes ago, Stan Pritchard said:

My gross average price since I joined in 2006 is $40.48 (total income divided by total sales).

 

Also an interesting number.

So mine is $52.69

This year however: $30

And this (admittedly pretty good) month: $26.65 which is almost 50%: 50.58 % to be precise.

All gross.

 

wim

[Phil Crean]

Here's an interesting comparison with a UK based POD:

"In the last 365 days we have paid out £180,155.49 in commissions, with 8,208 sales"

That = 21.95 Average Commission per sale in the last year!

 

Phil