Let Pond5 set pricing...

Yes or No
Pros and Cons

What are your thoughts on this?

yes and no

Well, this is a tough one and I still wonder myself which is the best, right now I have it turned on for both of my accounts, other is exclusive (photoguy5000) I have to report with no sales in almost two weeks it can't be pricing as last month I sold at my price and made roughly $300 and to further the case I sold footage shot with an LG style of me driving for $105, I had it priced at $150, that being said it was not a bad video and don't ask what I was thinking when I priced it. I have a lot of those kinds of sales. When I had it turned on before the sales were regular but super cheap, may as well have sold a few pics. I have only been on Pond 5 for roughly a year so I am still testing, playing and trying different things. Doubt there is a concrete method imo as the name of the game is sales no matter how big or small. I have a long way to go but if something unique happens I will come back and let you know.
GLWS - Billy

If both of your accounts are turned on to 'let pond5 set pricing' is seems the pricing is all over the place. I guess I should do a test run and actually see what they set the price at, and if it does not agree with me then I will put it back. Who knows, maybe footage is like photos these days, get what you can for it and be happy. That said, it takes effort and I am not a fan of working for less minimum wage and having expenses on top of it.

Don't let Pond5 price your work unless you don't care about making money.

Low price does not make enough additional sales to make up for the low pay.

$150 is not "high price" to the customer who has money and needs the shot.

Are you selling to the masses of poor people or are you selling to the people with money and willingness to spend it?

It's definitely a clear choice. It requires a bit more faith and patience. It is NOT "any sale at any price is better than no sale".

I've talked to a lot of people over the years, and despite many of them having far larger portfolios filled with much more skillful/better/varied/professional shots than mine, and they made less money being priced cheaper for NO other reason than they thought that their work "didn't deserve high price".

They do and also do not make more sales than I ... then and now. There are exceptions, of course .. but in general, what I come away from it with is the constant feeling that ultimately, it is not price, but what the customer needs, and it only takes a few sales at high prices to overtake the false potential of scads of low-priced sales' income. Which is not a guarantee, by any stretch, that pricing low will make sales.

The exceptions are gifted, talented, dedicated professionals who built up a quality body of work, developed a reputation and relationships with companies and pro buyers, and are skilled at making shots that match up well with the times, and not in a cheesy or crappy manner, as happens when I try that.

Mizamook, thanks for that insight man, soon as I finished reading it I changed things back to my price. You validated something I have believed from the start that for each video there is someone that wants it and is willing to pay, especially if it can no longer be filmed!! I have a LOT of content like that. I will leave my exclusive account off for 30 days, just out of curiosity.

Thanks again
GLWS

$150 is way too high! i nornally buy 6-8 clips per video. Not gonna spend more than $39 per clip.

to Mizamook. '$150 is not "high price" ' oh, yes it is. and it is the DEFINING factor if i buy or not. anythiung above $60 i'm not gonna buy

Miz - I wish we COULD price our own. I have gone back and forth/fifth with Support to no avail. The only solution I found was to delete my top end clips. I price some high but they still appear at $149 tops. I too am NOT interested in $39 sales. That means I get $23.40. I would rather not sell. I am sure RussianPlus will do well with their 7 videos. Why would P5 not want some highend clips. They get a % so have done well with some high priced clips.