I have been developing and selling Wordpress plugins on Codecanyon for 8 years. I loved doing this and devote all my time to it.
Like all of you, since May 2021, I have seen the number of visits and sales drop drastically. This drop continues to progress over the months, but my days remain devoted to support, having tens of thousands of customers using my plugins.
I tried to publish my plugins on Envato Elements, but the income offered does not exceed $200/month for plugin authors…
Do you think Envato marketplaces are dying ?
Are you also considering leaving this ecosystem reluctantly ?
Is it really the end of this adventure ?
I send lots of good thoughts to all the authors who are in this same situation
Weren’t you the same guy that was celebrating level 11 just a couple of weeks ago. After a success story it’s just so weird to read sad news from you.
This is business I guess. Ups and downs. All bets are off. I have no solution to offer but for sure giving up is not the answer.
Yes, I reached level 11 a few weeks ago. In this mentioned post, I also expressed my concern that the Envato marketplaces would disappear.
The drop in sales concerns the entire Codecanyon platform. Top weekly sales were around 1000 sales for the best sellers plugins a few years ago, but only around 100 sales today
Well duh, it concerns all Envato marketplaces. All marketplace buyers are actively sought out to be turned into Elements subscribers. They’re literally told that Elements is a better deal, when they reach check out.
Since your items are on Elements, it should come at no surprise that your sales would just dwindle out.
You got conned by Envato, that’s all there is to it. By joining Elements, you actively participated in your own demise. Congrats!
Hi @PurpleFog , thank you for your reply.
Yes, I completely share your point of view, but do not see a happy horizon for authors.
In fact, I had put all my plugins on Elements, and saw the very low income. Then I only left a few plugins there, in order to keep a foot in it.
But you are absolutely right in principle, so I just deleted all my products from Element
Good for you not to accept this blatant exploitation. Much respect! Though I’m afraid it won’t change anything. Dark is the path we’ve been dragged onto by Envato.
The Envato Community is dead for sure. They are giving us some cents for our work and we have to be greatful for being part of it. I agree that envato was a great place for authors for many years but things are changing and we have to be adjusted.
The decline for all stock marketplaces starts years ago. The hype was gone around 2018. Then followed by a long chain of bad decisions (this applies for all marketplaces). Customers are simply less and less intrested in this kind of websites / products. They now have many online tools to create what they need in seconds. Nowadays as a small author making a decent stady income is nearly impossible. So yes, investing time and effort in this type of business is not sustainable anymore. Envato today is just a giant with feet of clay trapped between decline and greed.
I am really amused by those who still hope that things will get better.
Yes, we have economic downturn. People less likely to start new things. Also, SASS platforms have incredibly improved. Tough time for small indie developers / agencies. Startup valuations have gone down drastically, sometimes you just need to stick around and play low. Time to learn new skill and experiment.
Yes they are, you can reach out to support for more info, they will tell you that this is pretty much the situation and you have to deal with it on your own. As others have said above, Envato is focussing on Elements.
Thank you very much for all of your responses.
This common observation is saddening, but it pushes us to find other strategies to continue our paths.
It was still a really unique and awesome community of creatives, we built something great together !
Envato is not dying… it is changing, and change with it, maybe you will not make as much as you once did but you are free, no bosses choose your own projects…
Agreed, Envato has changed - probably as the royalty free market has moved to a subscription based model however it is to the detriment of those authors who are not part of this model is the change felt more strongly. Those who are part of this still get renumerated even as sync licensing has fallen-by. Community - does not exist as it demonstrates a two-tier system. Not fair as we all struggle to combat the economic climate. Elements Contributor bonus…don’t get me started.
I feel they need alot of upgrade in there process. Like
Charging 2$ extra when user go to checkout. It make scence in old days but now paymet gateway have evolved and transaction charges are not 2$ for each transaction.
You can not protect your file, once someone downloaded your file it can be distributed free. loosing you alot of new purchase
There is no way to monetize updated, you can work for 10 year upgrading your tool but someone purchased your tool 10 year back they still have valid licence for new upgrade.
Accpet/Reject projesess is not transparent. I submited same tool 2 times and both got accepted.
Support is like free.
They do not remind user to review (like amazon remind user to review each purchase time to time)
No way to track your customer so that you can monetize to sale other product or service on top of ur current purchase.
Sure, it has changed. Toward worse for authors. Almost non-existent sales on main platforms like VH, every month lower sales even on chewing gum per month subscription Elements.
