Trends At iStockphoto: Unit Sales Decline

To make some determination of microstock trends, for more than 3 years we have been tracking the number of downloads of about 200 of iStocks most productive contributors. We have also tracked the number of images each has in the iStock collection.

We believe we have identified in excess of 80% of the iStock contributors that have more than 50,000 total downloads. In the early years this was relatively easy thanks to istockcharts. However, in the spring of 2012 istockcharts stopped supplying daily updates of the sales of more than 38,000 contributors. Then the task of gathering such data became much more laborious. As of the end of June we have tracked 193 of the best selling contributors for more than 18 months and another 37 since the beginning of 2012. We have also added another 210 to our list since January. Thus, in January 2013 we will be able to make our 6 month estimates based on the downloads of 440 of the top contributors.

Of the 193 that we have followed since the beginning of 2011 the combined total downloads as or June 30, 2012 was at least 30,449,000. This group had a minimum of 1,192,000 downloads between January 1, 2012 and the last week of June 2012. The maximum possible downloads by this group for this period was 2,660,000.



Given the way iStock reports downloads on photographers portfolio pages we know that the actual number of downloads for each contributor is somewhat higher than the minimum number reported. For Yuri Arcurs, LiseGagne and DNY59 the number could actually be anything from 1 to 99,999 higher than the minimum number reported. For the next 122 contributors the actual number could be anything from 1 to 9,999 higher and for the 68 with fewer than 100,000 downloads the number could be anything from 1 to 999 higher.

In order to make some rough calculations of the actual number of images downloaded in the past 6 months we have assumed that each contributor was in the middle or his or her possible range and taken an average of the low and high figures. This resulted in an estimated 1,926,000 total downloads for this group.



In January 2012 we used the same strategy for this group of 193 to determine their total downloads for all of 2011. (See here.) The minimum downloads for the full year were 4,327,000 and the possible high was 5,522,000. This gave us an average for 12 months of 4,924,500. If we assume that the first six months and the last six months of 2011 were about equal that would work out to 2,462,250 downloads for the first six months in 2011.

iStock has often argued that the summer is always slow, and the last quarter is always by far the strongest quarter. Based on our calculations we did not see a big difference between the first and last half of the 2011.

Thus, when comparing average downloads of 2,462,250 in the first half of 2011 with the 1,926,000 so far this year we see that there was about a 22% year-to-year decline. It is important to note that it is possible that at the beginning of the year a large portion of the contributors might have just passed their minimum number and now many might be just about to reach their maximum number. This would throw the averages off and could reduce the percent of decline significantly.

Why Is This Important?

This decline in downloads does not necessarily mean a decline in revenue. It is not only possible, but seems likely that an increasingly higher percentage of images licensed are from the higher priced brands (Exclusive+, Vetta and TAC). The company has certainly been pushing these higher priced brands in its search return order. Thus, even with a fall in the number of downloads revenue could still be rising somewhat.

The danger for microstock shooters is that as iStock raises its prices it may be pricing itself out of the market and driving its customers to its competitors. In many cases certain volume customers can now even purchase Rights Managed images for less than what they would have to pay for comparable images on iStockphoto.

There have also been indications for some time that many of iStock’s customers have been switching to other microstock brands. The more the prices go up the more that is likely to continue.

Are Downloads Of So Few Contributors Representative?

As of January 1, 2012 istockcharts reported the total download for 38,163 of iStock contributors was 114,875,519+. This figure was believed to represent well over 90% of all iStock downloads. I estimate that number is now no more than a maximum of 125 million, The minimum number of downloads for the 230 contributors that we have tracked since January is 34,899,000+. This small group of contributors represents about 28% of iStock total downloads. If we add in the 14,582,000+ downloads of the other 210 contributors that I will be tracking going forward we have a minimum total of 49,481,000+, or 40% of all iStock downloads.

To see which contributors we have been tracking and their individual numbers check the chart below. We have tracked the first group for more than 18 months and the second group for only 6 months.

	Downloads							Images
	1/1/2012	7/1/2012	7/1/2012		6 month	6month		1/1/2012	7/1/2012	6 month
People	Low	Low	High		low	high				adds
Yuri Arcurs	1300000	1400000	1500000		100000	200000		9968	11041	1073
LiseGagne	1100000	1100000	1200000		0	100000		7808	7971	163
DNY59	980000	1000000	1100000		20000	50000		8884	9519	635
sjlocke	830000	860000	870000		30000	40000		11315	12038	723
hidesy	670000	690000	700000		20000	30000		16291	17128	837
alexsl	490000	530000	540000		40000	50000		6412	6740	328
jhorracks	510000	520000	530000		10000	20000		6803	7271	468
Nikada	360000	380000	390000		20000	30000		8519	9130	611
duncan1890	340000	350000	360000		10000	20000		8845	9289	444
nico_blue	330000	340000	350000		10000	20000		3457	3460	3
blackred	330000	330000	340000		0	10000		4384	5126	742
sodafish	310000	320000	330000		10000	20000		772	834	62
webphotographeer	300000	320000	330000		20000	30000		11265	11291	26
skodonnell	290000	300000	310000		10000	20000		2825	3131	306
4x6	270000	290000	300000		20000	30000		18702	23150	4448
neustockimages	260000	290000	300000		30000	40000		8128	9675	1547
andresr	270000	280000	290000		10000	20000		3810	4372	562
enjoynz	270000	280000	290000		10000	20000		2788	3028	240
peepo	260000	270000	280000		10000	20000		8241	8301	60
jgroup	250000	260000	270000		10000	20000		1909	1939	30
GlobalP	230000	250000	260000		20000	30000		7594	8253	659
bubaone	230000	240000	250000		10000	20000		14628	15050	422
sdominick	230000	240000	250000		10000	20000		5740	6031	291
shironosov	230000	240000	250000		10000	20000		6550	7629	1079
AndrewJohnson	220000	230000	240000		10000	20000		5309	4232	-1077
Cimmerian	230000	230000	240000		0	10000		3030	3032	2
kirstypargeter	220000	230000	240000		10000	20000		4331	4665	334
mammamaart	220000	230000	240000		10000	20000		1462	1674	212
aldomurillo	200000	220000	230000		20000	30000		6205	6724	519
mstay	210000	220000	230000		10000	20000		6338	7272	934
Mlenny	200000	210000	220000		10000	20000		9067	9459	392
YinYang	190000	210000	220000		20000	30000		8000	8750	750
A-Digit	190000	200000	210000		10000	20000		4157	5076	919
digitalskillet	180000	200000	210000		20000	30000		5700	5854	154
filo	190000	200000	210000		10000	20000		2944	3174	230
bluestocking	180000	190000	200000		10000	20000		924	935	11
enot-poloskun	190000	190000	200000		0	10000		403	429	26
Kativ	190000	190000	200000		0	10000		2202	2353	151
lugo	180000	190000	200000		10000	20000		4420	4460	40
narvikk	180000	190000	200000		10000	20000		2452	2660	208
RapidEye	170000	190000	200000		20000	30000		9446	11149	1703
sx70	180000	190000	200000		10000	20000		2140	2139	-1
TommL	170000	190000	200000		20000	30000		2210	2473	263
appleuzr	170000	180000	190000		10000	20000		1069	1152	83
geopaul	180000	180000	190000		0	10000		2251	2254	3
kcline	230000	180000	190000			-40000		2421	2418	-3
aleksandarvelasevic	150000	160000	170000		10000	20000		457	506	49
billnoll	150000	160000	170000		10000	20000		4025	4514	489
Grafissimo	150000	160000	170000		10000	20000		4131	4355	224
Juanmonino	150000	160000	170000		10000	20000		14749	16676	1927
MorganL	150000	160000	170000		10000	20000		7163	8000	837
Palto	150000	160000	170000		10000	20000		2168	2384	216
Avtg	140000	150000	160000		10000	20000		2340	2540	200
browndogstudios	140000	150000	160000		10000	20000		1094	1128	34
Floortje	140000	150000	160000		10000	20000		5128	5789	661
jacomstephens	140000	150000	160000		10000	20000		2671	2801	130
joshblake	150000	150000	160000		0	10000		1738	1761	23
kemie	140000	150000	160000		10000	20000		1019	1019	0
Maliketh	140000	150000	160000		10000	20000		807	915	108
nyul	140000	150000	160000		10000	20000		3778	3820	42
ooyoo	140000	150000	160000		10000	20000		3840	4273	433
PeskyMonkey	140000	150000	160000		10000	20000		8803	9192	389
aldra	140000	140000	150000		0	10000		8047	8076	29
barsik	130000	140000	150000		10000	20000		2292	2291	-1
Elenathewise	130000	140000	150000		10000	20000		6953	7494	541
fpm	140000	140000	150000		0	10000		454	458	4
LeggNet	140000	140000	150000		0	10000		7900	9382	1482
mbbirdy	140000	140000	150000		0	10000		5577	6119	542
russelltatedotcom	130000	140000	150000		10000	20000		2592	2630	38
snapphoto	130000	140000	150000		10000	20000		4343	4458	115
Stockphoto4U	120000	140000	150000		20000	30000		5189	5785	596
tacojim	140000	140000	150000		0	10000		4336	4339	3
ThePalmer	130000	140000	150000		10000	20000		8582	10809	2227
Ultra_generic	130000	140000	150000		10000	20000		2732	2938	206
francisblack	120000	130000	140000		10000	20000		1070	1217	147
Graffizone	130000	130000	140000		0	10000		4292	4507	215
jsmith	130000	130000	140000		0	10000		618	665	47
koun	130000	130000	140000		0	10000		233	233	0
abzee	120000	120000	130000		0	10000		4143	4625	482
buzbuzzer	120000	120000	130000		0	10000		1902	1923	21
dlewis33	120000	120000	130000		0	10000		4080	4246	166
duckycards	110000	120000	130000		10000	20000		3151	3401	250
EricHood	110000	120000	130000		10000	20000		5308	5768	460
ImagineGolf	120000	120000	130000		0	10000		3816	4208	392
iofoto	110000	120000	130000		10000	20000		1573	1573	0
johnwoodcock	110000	120000	130000		10000	20000		2769	2940	171
kate_sept2004	110000	120000	130000		10000	20000		4487	4641	154
konradlew	110000	120000	130000		10000	20000		1539	1564	25
kycstudio	110000	120000	130000		10000	20000		2112	2314	202
leezsnow	110000	120000	130000		10000	20000		3850	4209	359
Leontura	110000	120000	130000		10000	20000		2113	2426	313
molotovcoketail	120000	120000	130000		0	10000		573	587	14
nano	120000	120000	130000		0	10000		957	956	-1
PhotoEuphoria	120000	120000	130000		0	10000		5126	5126	0
RBFried	120000	120000	130000		0	10000		2868	2867	-1
scottdunlap	110000	120000	130000		10000	20000		390	396	6
Sportstock	120000	120000	130000		0	10000		3217	3251	34
TriggerPhoto	120000	120000	130000		0	10000		2547	2535	-12
Vasko	110000	120000	130000		10000	20000		3747	3852	105
Viorika	120000	120000	130000		0	10000		1869	1870	1
ZoneCreative	110000	120000	130000		10000	20000		3065	3303	238
andipantz	110000	110000	120000		0	10000		7397	7885	488
eyeidea	110000	110000	120000		0	10000		2955	2962	7
Jbryson	100000	110000	120000		10000	20000		5631	6344	713
MarsBars	100000	110000	120000		10000	20000		1071	1155	84
piksel	100000	110000	120000		10000	20000		4827	5388	561
rzdeb	100000	110000	120000		10000	20000		1648	1927	279
veni	110000	110000	120000		0	10000		1342	1348	6
Art-Y	100000	100000	110000		0	10000		690	691	1
belterz	98000	100000	110000		2000	12000		4285	4499	214
DSGPro	100000	100000	110000		0	10000		2173	2172	-1
Eraxion	100000	100000	110000		0	10000		1563	1563	0
ftwitty	98000	100000	110000		2000	12000		2716	2716	0
ggodby	100000	100000	110000		0	10000		622	622	0
gmnicholas	100000	100000	110000		0	10000		3848	3878	30
jangeltun	100000	100000	110000		0	10000		895	981	86
kickstand	100000	100000	110000		0	10000		1402	1431	29
loooby	100000	100000	110000		0	10000		1297	1417	120
lovleah	100000	100000	110000		0	10000		4367	4478	111
LPETTET	100000	100000	110000		0	10000		3760	4000	240
mammuth	94000	100000	110000		6000	16000		3438	3820	382
NickS	100000	100000	110000		0	10000		1774	1778	4
phildate	100000	100000	110000		0	10000		4667	4667	0
redmal	100000	100000	110000		0	10000		1533	1533	0
tomazl	100000	100000	110000		0	10000		3316	3368	52
chuwy	94000	99000	100000		5000	6000		1376	1506	130
lucato	97000	99000	100000		2000	3000		7136	7191	55
onurdongel	94000	99000	100000		5000	6000		749	894	145
subjug	94000	98000	99000		4000	5000		598	617	19
simonox	94000	96000	97000		2000	3000		8871	9358	487
evirgen	91000	95000	96000		4000	5000		541	622	81
aabejon	92000	94000	95000		2000	3000		3500	3511	11
blackjack3D	87000	90000	91000		3000	4000		477	583	106
davidf	87000	90000	91000		3000	4000		5097	5486	389
Illustrious	88000	90000	91000		2000	3000		511	511	0
kameleon007	85000	90000	91000		5000	6000		13404	14112	708
Natural_Warp	89000	90000	91000		1000	2000		1133	1132	-1
Paha_L	87000	89000	90000		2000	3000		4955	5742	787
matka_wariatka	86000	88000	89000		2000	3000		8916	9123	207
penfold	85000	88000	89000		3000	4000		953	949	-4
rontech2000	83000	87000	88000		4000	5000		2328	2423	95
prill	83000	86000	87000		3000	4000		8976	9309	333
arsenik	82000	85000	86000		3000	4000		4890	4982	92
fstop123	79000	84000	85000		5000	6000		7830	8801	971
chictype	79000	81000	82000		2000	3000		744	770	26
YanC	79000	81000	82000		2000	3000		2694	2693	-1
exdez	78000	80000	81000		2000	3000		1510	1581	71
danielle71	78000	78000	79000		0	1000		490	486	-4
JLGutierrez	77000	78000	79000		1000	2000		3237	3242	5
Renphoto	74000	77000	78000		3000	4000		3597	4032	435
sweetym	76000	77000	78000		1000	2000		245	245	0
77DZIGN	75000	76000	77000		1000	2000		1087	1087	0
JoeGough	73000	76000	77000		3000	4000		4310	4696	386
webking	75000	76000	77000		1000	2000		3817	3817	0
Luso	74000	75000	76000		1000	2000		3736	3677	-59
LoBoCo	73000	74000	75000		1000	2000		1706	1706	0
grajte	71000	73000	74000		2000	3000		528	530	2
naphtalina	71000	72000	73000		1000	2000		2999	3143	144
Marje	70000	71000	72000		1000	2000		1735	1793	58
pkline	70000	71000	72000		1000	2000		2730	2729	-1
Ceneri	68000	70000	71000		2000	3000		1701	1728	27
Elerium	69000	70000	71000		1000	2000		569	570	1
endopack	68000	70000	71000		2000	3000		863	910	47
hypergon	69000	70000	71000		1000	2000		577	577	0
jamesbenet	69000	70000	71000		1000	2000		2864	3075	211
Pinopic	69000	70000	71000		1000	2000		740	740	0
Trout55	68000	70000	71000		2000	3000		2762	3014	252
creacart	66000	69000	70000		3000	4000		3516	3598	82
klikk	67000	69000	70000		2000	3000		1407	1407	0
claylib	67000	68000	69000		1000	2000		1310	1321	11
Nic_Taylor	67000	68000	69000		1000	2000		2810	2822	12
susaro	66000	68000	69000		2000	3000		958	1005	47
bonniej	66000	67000	68000		1000	2000		773	775	2
FreeTransform	64000	67000	68000		3000	4000		847	851	4
Akirastock	65000	66000	67000		1000	2000		1013	1013	0
bkindler	65000	66000	67000		1000	2000		971	975	4
groveb	65000	66000	67000		1000	2000		1751	1754	3
keeweeboy	64000	66000	67000		2000	3000		4996	4996	0
StanRohrer	63000	64000	65000		1000	2000		1384	1411	27
zoomstudio	62000	63000	64000		1000	2000		2622	2700	78
laartist	60000	61000	62000		1000	2000		2109	2109	0
mecaleha	60000	61000	62000		1000	2000		1338	1707	369
wolv	60000	61000	62000		1000	2000		1640	1640	0
AngelGILD	59000	59000	60000		0	1000		628	628	0
aykuterdogan	59000	59000	60000		0	1000		175	191	16
dreaming2004	58000	59000	60000		1000	2000		823	836	13
Dizzo	56000	57000	58000		1000	2000		997	997	0
Tolchik	56000	56000	57000		0	1000		1759	1835	76
highhorse	53000	54000	55000		1000	2000		500	500	0
prawny	53000	54000	55000		1000	2000		1572	1572	0
alwyncooper	49000	50000	51000		1000	2000		499	499	0
Skashkin	49000	50000	51000		1000	2000		1978	1979	1
Flutter_97321	48000	48000	49000		0	1000		1105	1112	7
	29307000	30449000	32037000		1192000	2660000	0	700622	747935	47313
monkeybusinessimages	360000	390000	400000		30000	40000		4604	5470	866
skynesher	180000	250000	260000		70000	80000		11208	14855	3647
pixdeluxe	190000	230000	240000		40000	50000		9540	10807	1267
laflor	180000	220000	230000		40000	50000		11735	12957	1222
pagadesign	140000	170000	180000		30000	40000		5293	6220	927
stevecoleimages	150000	160000	170000		10000	20000		1909	2462	553
asiseeit	130000	150000	160000		20000	30000		9442	10551	1109
diego-cervo	110000	120000	130000		10000	20000		3231	3400	169
DomenicoGelermo	120000	120000	130000		0	10000		4724	5121	397
Photomorphic	110000	120000	130000		10000	20000		2164	3060	896
Robynmac	110000	120000	130000		10000	20000		3471	3680	209
akurtz	110000	110000	120000		0	10000		1455	1513	58
H-Gall	100000	110000	120000		10000	20000		522	545	23
LajosRepasi	110000	110000	120000		0	10000		1446	1460	14
1001nights	96000	100000	110000		4000	14000		15557	16051	494
ArtisticCaptures	100000	100000	110000		0	10000		3483	4095	612
deliormanli	96000	100000	110000		4000	14000		1867	2028	161
plainview	100000	100000	110000		0	10000		701	847	146
simonkr	93000	99000	100000		6000	7000		20150	21548	1398
wragg	85000	99000	100000		14000	15000		7889	8442	553
mattjeacock	87000	97000	98000		10000	11000		9158	9740	582
Bim	89000	96000	97000		7000	8000		2253	2579	326
AlexRaths	87000	95000	96000		8000	9000		1927	2175	248
Franck-Boston	89000	95000	96000		6000	7000		3105	3105	0
kzenon	84000	95000	96000		11000	12000		4578	5224	646
sandocir	87000	89000	90000		2000	3000		712	712	0
slobo	82000	88000	89000		6000	7000		4145	4380	235
da-kuk	83000	87000	88000		4000	5000		2356	2455	99
contour99	79000	86000	87000		7000	8000		4113	4493	380
jaroon	79000	84000	85000		5000	6000		6158	6662	504
Petrovich9	82000	84000	85000		2000	3000		206	239	33
sisoje	80000	83000	84000		3000	4000		7753	7924	171
CTRd	81000	82000	83000		1000	2000		587	589	2
melhi	75000	80000	81000		5000	6000		3947	4132	185
Beboy_ltd	76000	79000	80000		3000	4000		1362	1362	0
procurator	73000	77000	78000		4000	5000		648	686	38
mipan	73000	75000	76000		2000	3000		640	710	70
	4056000	4450000	4649000		394000	593000		174039	192279	18240