Dying sales?

Anyone else seen there sales die a slow painful death over the past year and a half? My sales habe dropped by about 75% with no real explanation I can think of other than a lack of buyers. Anyone else in the same boat? I’ve got some top selling tracks and have been one of the websites top selling audio contributors but this is a drastic change. I actually seen a very similar patter on another popular RF site. Also, is there any way around the painful way people seem to name their tracks these days? Mines are loaded with search terms in brackets but it’s starting to feel like it’s a must or tracks will he lost in the pile. A nice cheery post to start the day!

@sweetwaveaudio That and the low cut we now get def hurts, I hope this can get better because It does not really inspire me to try and record as much to make so little, very upsetting to see these changes happening.

NOTE: I am posting this for those who may not know, If you are not being notified that someone responded to your post, Click (View all posts in this forum) and then scroll all the way to the bottom, check the (Subscribe to this forum box) and then you should be notified via email. I bet most never get notified as they never knew to check the box, so they have no clue if they got a response unless they check back constantly on the actual forum they last posted to.

For me the same. Pond5 used to be my top audio earner but it has drastically fallen off since July onwards. I have only managed to save some of my income by raising prices but now I am getting more and more non sale days, which never used to happen. Trying to be positive as I used to look forward to statements with multiple sales. Now I dread my emails, that is if I even get any. So sad.

Same here.

Yep, the same. Across the board on all sites, but P5 hurts the most as it was my top earner by far.

Hey Guys,
I'm new here. Sounds like Pond5 is looking out for their bottom line.
Seem all creatives are being under valued and basically getting ripped off.

I propose a solution.
Sell your media on your own website.
I use Bandzoogle and they now have a membership tool.
I believe the time has come to own it all.
Why give these companies money to house your content.
I can sell any file in my store with my website.
Thanks, David Negus. Lifndef .com

yep. Dying sales.

same here

sales are getting more and more rare. everywhere...

@Lifndef - The problem with your solution is lack of distribution. What Pond5 and other sites like it have going for them is that they can offer their clients a massive amount of variety and choices in one simple interface. Those same clients don't want to go to your site for your music, and then my site, and then someone else's, and then sort through all our different licensing terms. If there was a unified system where all of us could host our music in a unified interface, that would be different. Right now, the closest thing we have are sites like Pond5.

Months ago when Pond5 announced their new split terms, I pulled all 555 tracks from the site. I've been involved in a project that would approach composers and their music more like a co-op. The composer would pay a small fee to host their music, there would be a vetting process to get in, and a small maintenance/admin fee per sale, but the composer would earn in the neighborhood of 80% of the sale. I believe this is the long term solution for composers - flip the business model. The only way this really has a chance though is if A) composers choose not to participate in the existing business model where the library is dictating terms and taking most of the money, and B) the existing RF sites continue to weaken as sales drop and composers leave.

Until I can find a new place to land my music, such as this co-op idea, or another strong RF library that has favorable terms for the composer, I will sit on my RF tracks and keep doing work for music libraries that are higher up the food chain.

So, in a way, it's encouraging to see so many posts on this forum complaining about dropping sales and income. I feel bad for all of you losing money, especially those who do this for a living, but I honestly think the only way this gets better in the long run is for the business model to tank. I think it's similar to what we just saw with Discovery announcing they were going to force composers to go to direct licensing and give up all performing rights. Composers were fed up, drew a line in the sand, and forced Discovery to rethink, and ultimately back down. Hopefully, the RF market will revolt in kind at some point. It sure doesn't look like the composers have a big enough voice here, or they don't care as much as a community. That's why I think the only way it's going to change is for the companies to feel the financial pain.