Once again: low cost is exploited by authors to increase the number of impressions. If in the search a new bestseller with 100 sales for $5 will be shown only after a track with one extended license sold for $300, the situation will immediately change. Authors don’t care about AJ revenue anymore. You cannot get a profit from $5 tracks. They’re trying to win a lottery hoping that one of them will become a bestseller and that behaviour ruining the whole market
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YES! This really pìsses me off. They always speak so proudly about how their platform is such a ‘free market’, when in reality, it is the least free of all the stock media platforms I’ve ever come across.
“We’ll crack on that we can’t directly influence authors about what they should set their prices at, so then we’ll have an excuse not to set a sensible minimum like P5 do. And then, we can influence them to set their prices as low as possible by promoting the ones that do it. That way we can attract all the millions of low-budget buyers out there and drive them straight into Elements for a nice regular monthly income.”
-This is the kind of vibe I’ve been getting from Envato’s actions these last few years.
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Welcome to capitalism lol
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An endless discussion which will never get any result. Only to write down frustrations. We are wasting time.
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Yep!
I am just scratching my head though…Why are authors asking for $5? So many claim that this strategy does not work. Or does it? Leon says no. he’d know. He has the best selling corporate track of all time. If he priced it at $5 it would clearly go to popular files, but he claims that is not helping him make more money. So why are so many asking for $5? I just don’t get it. Additionally, most buyers are from the USA. Trust me, we have tons of money here. $5 is laughable. AMerican Media Makers have tons of money to spend, so what is the point of giving away media assets for basically nothing? This is the big mystery and talking about it is healthy. Pointing out stupidity may actually persuade different behavior. I’d love to know the benefits of $5???
Great, you sell 50 units in a a week but earn $40 or so? How is that author benefiting from this strategy? I mean are these people in business to NOT make money?
You can charge $60, make two sales and earn more revenue from just two units sold at $50 or even $60 vs selling 50 units at $5!
I am selling at $60 constantly and trust me, when you sell at a higher price your revenue and profits are much, much higher. Because people pay that price it goes to show you that the price is not a concern for them, they just want to buy the track that works because all tracks are “cheap” to video editors and media makers. Every professional can afford a track up to $100 for a youtube video project in my honest opinion.
To All: American Buyers have truck loads of money. Americans have Tons of money to spend on music assets, why the hell are you selling music assets for $5 to mostly American businesses and media producers? I mean, we now have to spend $14 for a glass of wine at some restaurants. Americans don’t care, they still pay that price for a glass of wine. It literally makes no sense. There is no logic to this $5 strategy. Why are musicians illogical? I am eternally perplexed by this stupidity.
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@SteelSound watch the sales monitor threads, watch this thread here, watch many other threads: it’s all about the same discussion, for years now. Never ending complaints. Now tell me if there was one single thread which has a clear result? Was there a single thread which has improved the situation here in any point? I guess not. We can discuss and complain further years, but it will change nothing
I mean, if you run 10 times against a wall…there should be a learning curve, that there’s no way thru.
Well we did get 5 licensing tiers from Envato, we did get PRO music allowed, and we did get to set our own prices. I just would love for one of these $5 sellers to step into this arena and explain why they price a music asset at $5?
Some have said, that they quickly can get 5 or 6 sales but then they raise the price…
Ok so, you benefit by boosting interest on release, but then what? you make $3 or $5 from a few sales, well…whoopeedoo…how do you benefit afterwards? This behavior does not lead to increased revenue.
I know Envato will never raise the minimum price to $20 like we all want, but simultaneously…why do musicians just self destruct from their own decisions?
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Perhaps a lot of those $ 5 composers are not professional musicians, who have never performed on stage or made a living from their passion. it’s just a passion, an entertainment.
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I think the revised submission policy is an improvement. Did comments from authors play a role?
It’s about an addiction to making sales, seeing that counter go up. That’s why lots set the Lowest possible price I think. Dopamine.
Seeking validation through making a sale. “Someone picked my track”.
Sacrifice revenue for a the temporary feel-good.
It’s everywhere, not only here.
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Privileged composers from 1st world countries, who made sales 5-10 or 15 years ago in and out of royalty free markets, might have a hard time understanding why an author from a 3rd world country prefers to make $100 bucks a month than nothing.
Even $70 goes a long way in undeveloped countries.
imho this was unavoidable
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Blaming authors from under developed countries is laughable. The price dumpers I am seeing seem to come from countries like England, USA, Australia, Russia. I personally know some of the price dumpers. They should be ashamed of themselves. Look the bottom line is this: Price dumping to $5 does not work. It does not bring anyone more revenue and earnings and that should be a music producers focus: More revenue and earnings. Why are musicians engaging in a strategy that fails?
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I am from England, I tried the $5 strategy for a couple of items - it does not work. Perhaps the spamming authors to comment on my tracks to get items to trend is a better method. How sad some authors are.
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Dumping is like fighting for the last piece of bread in a dumpster 
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Imagine you get an answer here to that question from the authors who write in this thread (which are not the ones who dumping prices). An answer which will reasonable for you and satisfy you (I guess that would never happen).
What would you do with this answer? Can you do anything? No. So why are complaining again and again? Your targets of the question do not read this thread. It’s senseless to complain here.
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Personally, I live in a democracy where the right to give one’s opinion is free.
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@ED-MusicProductions of course, enjoy your right of free speech. Especially here - if you mean that brings any progress for you.
I personally (with my right of free speech) see a difference between:
- a constructive discussion, with a clear goal and way to reach it
- and a consistent moaning and complaining with no progress, no sense and no result.
I disagree with your statement regarding “no results” being achieved. When I started this thread a few days ago the intent was to have everyone voice their opinion on authors who devalue their work. The mere fact that a dialogue has been started is a positive way to bring attention to a problem that Envato refuses to take action on nor address. The best solution in my opinion is to go back to the minimum standard license price before authors were given the freedom to set their own prices for their work. We will still have the power to raise and lower prices but the amount must not go below the standard license price set by Envato. However, if bogus business policies and the lack of respect continue to plague this market then we have the option to take our tracks and upload them to other libraries or markets that treat us fairly.
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